Let me save you from doing the maths: Lael will need to ride over 260 kilometres (160 mi) every day for almost four months. Seriously! You can see her exact route HERE.

In addition to this endurance feat, Lael will attempt the record unsupported, which means she will need to spend much of her day hunting down calorie-dense foods, and hotels, while maintaining her bike, and constantly working on logistics.

In this article, we’ll be taking a close look Lael’s bike for this record attempt.

Specialized Roubaix SL8: Lael Wilcox Bike of Choice

Lael is riding a modified Specialized Roubaix SL8 endurance road bike.

This bike features a Future Shock hydraulic suspension element just under the handlebar to absorb vibrations coming up from the road. This will save Lael’s hands, arms, and shoulders from shock coming up from the road, and if there are any unexpected potholes, the suspension damper can minimise the impact significantly.

The Future Shock is a product we have tested in the CYCLINGABOUT Comfort Lab. While we primarily test on gravel terrain, we have measured this suspension element to damp a seriously impressive level of vibrations. In fact, the Future Shock offers more gravel road comfort than any front suspension products we’ve tested – and that includes suspension forks.

It’s a similar story at the back of the bike. The S-Works Pave carbon seatpost can flex up to 18 mm vertically (0.7″) and requires very little force to displace. According to the data, just 9kg (20lb) of body weight on the saddle results in this seatpost displacing one vertical millimetre.

Specialized Saddle

Lael’s bike uses a Specialized Power Pro saddle with ‘Mirror’ technology. This is a unique 3D-printed offering that supports the sit bones like a hammock.

These saddles are a super cool product. A liquid polymer is printed into an infinitely tuneable honeycomb structure. This lattice structure is made up of some 14,000 struts and 7,799 nodes that can mirror a rider’s buttocks region.

Mirror technology is a leap forward in terms of comfort. If the saddle shape works for you, these saddles are notorious for supporting your body weight without damaging the soft tissue in your undercarriage.

Interestingly, Lael doesn’t use padded shorts, instead relying entirely on this saddle for sit-bone comfort.

Zipp Wheels & Specialized Tyres

The Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels are light, aerodynamic, and durable. The rim profile has been wind tunnel tested to be notably fast for its depth, thanks to its more bulbous design. While Lael could have used deeper and more aerodynamic rims, they might be a handful in the crosswinds she’ll likely experience along the way.

Tyre choice is crucial for a record of this distance and duration. Lael has chosen sponsor-correct Specialized Mondo S-Works tyres in a 35 mm width. The Mondos have notably good puncture protection, which is going to be essential on some of the debris-heavy road shoulders Lael will be cycling in.

While the Mondo tyres offer a high puncture resistance, they aren’t class-leading for rolling resistance. A better tyre choice is the Continental GP5000 All Season 35 mm, which rolls about 4 watts faster per tyre, while offering a similar level of protection across the tread, and even more protection at the sidewalls.

If we assume Lael averages 25km/h (15.5mph) on her journey, my napkin maths suggests an upgrade to Continental tyres could save her about 17 minutes per day, which is over 31 hours of cycling during this record attempt. Damn, that’s around three days of cycling… that added up quickly!

Zipp Aero Bars

Lael’s cockpit consists of an S-Works Shallow Bend drop bar, and Zipp Vuka Clip aero bars. While there is a clear advantage to cycling in a more aerodynamic position, most aero bar users will agree that the biggest advantage is the extra comfort they offer.

Aero bars provide Lael with an entirely new riding position. With her elbows and humerus (arm bone) supporting the majority of her upper body weight, she’ll reduce strain on her arms, wrists, and hands – preventing long-term overuse injuries. In addition, these aero bars will allow Lael to stretch out and use different back muscles.

Aero bars make it a bit hard to fit accessories, so Ruckus Composites stepped in to craft some custom carbon fibre mounts that place Lael’s smartphone, bike computer, and dynamo light in the optimal position.

The phone mount of choice is by Quadlock. This is the phone mounting system I’ve been happily using for over a decade.

Bikepacking Aero Bars: Increase Your Comfort And Speed On Your Bike Adventures

• Bike Gear
• Gear

byAlee Denham

December 7, 2019

Lael is using a prototype Revelate Designs Pitchfork Aerobar System for her sleeping gear.

This harness attaches directly to the aero bars and allows Lael to attach a dry bag underneath with two adjustable straps. There are two feed pockets on either side of the bar extensions, which each have one-handed drawstrings to keep snacks safe and at the ready. In the centre of the Pitchfork is a bungee cord for cinching down some clothing while Lael is on the move.

This looks like a well-thought-out, multi-use bag.

Schmidt Front Light

Lael will be lighting her way with a Schmidt Edelux II dynamo light fixed to her aero bars.

This is the best possible light for a round-the-world journey, as the light is very bright (95 lux), you never have to charge any batteries, and the level of mechanical resistance (drag) is significantly lower than many new ultra-bright dynamo light options.

Lael will likely average around 7 watts of drag with her light switched on, but it could be as much as 10 watts at high speeds. Given she will likely only need to spend a couple of hours cycling at night per day, this light shouldn’t be too much of a time penalty.

The Edelux II light is wired up to a SON dynamo hub, which has the undisputed title of being the most efficient and most reliable hub offering available.

How To Choose The Best Dynamo Lights For Bicycle Touring and Bikepacking

• Dynamo

byAlee Denham

April 6, 2017

SRAM Red Groupset

Lael has the latest SRAM Red 2X wireless groupset with 46-33 tooth front chainrings and a 10 to 36 tooth rear cassette. This yields a low climbing gear of 25 gear inches, which is about as low as it gets for a road bike groupset. These gear ratios are going to be some relief when her legs are fatigued at day 100.

SRAM Red is a fully electronic groupset, so Lael will need to carry 2 or 3 spare batteries and a charger to keep her gears operating. According to Lael, she’ll be in hotels at least every other night, so this should be easy to keep on top of.

The big advantage of electronic groupsets for ultra-endurance cycling is that the gear change buttons are much easier to press when your hands are cold. In addition, after the inevitable nerve damage associated with long miles on a bike, it should be easier for Lael to change gears with numb fingers.

Revelate Bikepacking Bags

The rear seat pack is by Revelate Designs who have been making top-tier bikepacking bags since 2008. The Terrapin mounts onto the bike using their ‘Spinelock stability system’ that connects the saddle with a plate inside the bag to ensure it cannot sway side-to-side. It’s a nifty system.

Lael is also using a Revelate MagTank top tube pack that very elegantly bolts to her frame. Unlike most top tube packs, these bags use a flap secured by a magnetic buckle, which allows for quick one-handed opening and closing.

The Best Stabilized Bikepacking Bags & Harnesses (With Rack Supports)

• Gear
• Travel Gear

byAlee Denham

May 30, 2024

Summary

Lael Wilcox’s bike is looking very fast, lightweight, reliable, and comfortable. I’d expect the total weight of the bike, bags, and luggage to be somewhere just shy of 20 kilograms (44 lbs).

Other than the choice of tyres, I think this setup looks perfect for a 29,000 km bike ride around the planet. Good luck next week, Lael!

• Bikes
• Touring & Bikepacking Bikes

The Fastest Bikes of the Tour Divide Ultra Race (4,300KM Non-Stop)

byAlee Denham

July 1, 2024

• Bikes
• Custom Bikes

English Cycles Aero Trans Am Bike: The Fastest Bikepacking Bike?

byAlee Denham

May 29, 2017

• Gear
• Gear Lists

Lachlan Morton’s Record Breaking Tour Divide Gear List (344km Per Day)

byAlee Denham

September 22, 2023

• Bikes
• Custom Bikes

Mark Beaumont’s 240 Mile/Day Bike: Around The World In 80 Days

byAlee Denham

August 10, 2017

The post Analysing Lael Wilcox’s Around The World Record Bike (29,000km in 110 Days) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Flo and Phillip have travelled across countries and continents and wanted to use their experience to create beautiful bikes that are designed to be ridden hard.

The Fern Chuck featured today has been crafted for Berliner Fahrradschau, a bicycle lifestyle fair with the latest trendy bikes, gear and technology.

Let’s take a closer look…

The Fern Chuck Build

This Fern Chuck build is a fillet-brazed beauty that weighs in at a feathery 10.5kg (23lbs).

Using Columbus steel tubing, Fern has managed to keep the weight off all while routeing the brake, gear and dynamo cables internally for that ultra-clean look.

The cable entry points at the headtube are particularly special, using the filler material to create a carbon-esque shape not seen on other steel builds.

Up the front is an SP dynamo hub with its lighting wire neatly tucked up into the fork leg. Closed dropouts designed around a bolt-up axle ensure the front wheel will not be going anywhere without an Allen key.

The dynamo hub goes on to power a German-made Supernova E3 Triple 2 light, capable of pumping out 640 lumens of light. These lights are really impressive; they can be fully submerged in water, indefinitely – while still in operation.

As Fern custom makes all of their own racks, the Supernova light is attached directly to special mounts, and the cable is hidden from view.

At the top of the fork is a pizza/porteur rack that connects off the v-brake bosses and fork crown. These racks permit a randonneur/porteur front bag which is quickly accessible while riding and is a great location for cameras, snacks and electronics.

A Gevenalle GX 11-speed thumb shifter has been paired to a Shimano XT mountain bike rear derailleur and a wide range 11-42t SRAM cassette. This is one of my favourite ways to hook up mountain bike derailleurs to drop bars as it’s really clean and simple.

The 1x drivetrain generates a 23″ climbing gear which can be considered low enough to overcome most hills given the lightweight nature of this bike.

Fern makes a unique-looking fillet brazed stem that they’ve colour-matched with their fork and cabling. These stems are custom made to length as an option for every customer.

Fern has also designed their own ‘flair’ handlebar which is a little wider than your standard road handlebar.

A small rear rack is fitted to suit some specially designed drybags – also made by Fern.

The dry bags can be optionally strapped on, providing extra luggage space without requiring a cargo cage to keep everything in check. Plus, without the bags attached, the racks look super clean on the bike.

Gramm-Tourpacking Collaboration

The Fern guys teamed up with their friend Kristin, who makes bikepacking bags under the name Gramm Tourpacking in their workshop. The suite of bags is a matching set designed to complement the sand/fluro finish of their bike.

With Kristin in the workshop, Fern is able to offer a unique product to the consumer: a custom bike, component and luggage solution.

This means Fern aren’t constrained by certain rack and bag dimensions and can go about designing their stuff in the best way they see fit.

As a loaded bike, the Fern Chuck looks incredible.

The matching bags with their sand/fluro colourway really compliment the rest of the bike. And if you pack minimal enough, there’s ample space for water and your gear.

A low-trail steering setup allows for a light and twitchy steering feel, even with the Pizza Bag filled with gear.

Should you want your own Fern/Gramm setup, you can expect to wait 12 months as a result of high demand. Fern only sells their custom racks and stems with their framesets or complete bikes.

To See A Collection of Custom Touring Bikes, Click HERE.

The post This Ultralight Fern Chuck And Matching Bag Set Is Unbelievably Lustworthy appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

This particular off-road touring bike, sometimes known as an ‘Outback’, is a fine blend of modern technologies with classical styling. Everything from the drivetrain to the tyres, rims, lights and handlebars is positively 21st-century; but the bike could somehow go unnoticed between a handful of touring bikes from decades ago.

Let’s take a closer inspection.

The Ahearne Pinion Gearbox Touring Bike

Starting at the front end, the most striking feature to me is the triple plate fork crown. This takes me straight to a particular artefact at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. You know the Wright Brothers who are credited with creating the first successful aeroplane? Well, they started in the bike business, and their most famous bicycle build also employs a triple-plate crown!

While Joseph usually constructs his own racks, this Outback is using stock Tubus racks. That’s no bad thing, the Tubus steel racks are often half the weight of everything else available and offer a 30-year guarantee to boot. You will, however, find a custom fender strut that mounts the ultra bright B&M IQ-X light in a high but forward position above the front wheel.

The wheels are another talking point. This touring bike is using Derby 35i carbon fibre rims. Not only are these rims ultralight (485 grams), but they’re also super stiff and wide, matching appropriately to the Schwalbe G-One 27.5 x 2.8″ tyres. The tyres are pretty special too as they’re one of the only gravel-specific tyres in this wide dimension. A series of micro knobs create a much lower rolling resistance when compared to standard plus tyres that are designed for trail use. That will make this bike perfect for rough roads like the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan or Carretera Austral in Chile!

The frame breaks into two halves to reduce the pack-size for flying. S&S couplers fitted to the top and down tubes permit the bike to fit into a box with regular check-in baggage dimensions (26 x 26 x 10″). This means no oversized baggage fee and makes travel to and from the airport logistically easier.

The Honjo H-95 fenders are wide enough to clear the plus-sized tyres… with space. Over my years of bike travel, I’ve found fenders to be absolutely invaluable – it’s cool to see fenders on fat-tyred bikes too!

That motor-looking component is a Pinion gearbox. This is a replacement for derailleur gears on a regular bicycle. A series of cogs sit inside a weather-sealed container with 18 different gear options. It actually offers a gear range wider than any derailleur system too. You can read more about Pinion gearboxes HERE.

You’ll also notice that the bike employs a belt drivetrain. I’ve been using belts since 2010 and have found that they significantly exceed the lifespan of a regular chain drivetrain. I tend to get over 30,000km on a single belt which can sometimes last the duration of a multi-year tour across continents!

The bike is using Paul Klamper cable disc brakes that fit nicely to the sliding Paragon dropouts. I particularly like the super neat fender strut mount at the top of the dropout. The thru-axles front and rear are another modern feature on this classically-styled ride.

The bike is finished using a Jones Loop handlebar that is quite high in proportion to the seat which should provide a comfortable position for all-day riding. Word from Joseph Ahearne is that the seat and seatpost are only temporary. I look forward to seeing this bike covered in dust and mud!

Head HERE For More Custom Touring Bike Builds

The post This Ahearne Pinion Gearbox Touring Bike Will Blow Your Mind appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

I’ve been following Mark’s adventures over the last decade, starting with his original cycling around the world record. Mark rode across Europe, the Middle East, India, Australasia and North America in 194 days on a regular touring bike with four panniers, all unsupported. This record was particularly appealing to me because it came at a time when I was just getting into bike touring – the ideas of crossing continents with 30kg of equipment in tow helped me envisage what I could one day do with my bike…

My interaction with Mark was very pleasant despite him having a complete doozy of a day. Just hours earlier one of his support vehicles was struck by another vehicle from behind while Mark was only five metres away. The campervan ended up being completely destroyed, and fortunately, nobody was injured.

The Melbourne drivers were showing their absolute worst form (as usual) by yelling out their windows, honking at us and passing with just centimetres to spare. I am truly embarrassed to be Australian when I see how poorly we treat cyclists; there is honestly nowhere on Earth that you will be treated worse. Other than the potentially fatal hunks of metal flying past, the winds had picked up and were rushing at our faces at more than 30km/h. Despite these setbacks, Mark remained calm for the most part.

As I love the gear and tech side of things, let’s take a look at the kind of bike you need to average 240 miles (~386km) per day for 80 days.

The Mark Beaumont Bike: Koga Kimera Premium

Mark has a long-standing relationship with Dutch bike brand Koga. His original cycling around the world record (and Alaska-to-Argentina ride) was on a Koga WorldTraveller touring bike equipped with Rohloff 14-speed hubs. This time he’s on a carbon Koga Kimera Premium road bike to optimise his cycling speeds.

Made in the Netherlands, the Koga Kimera is custom-painted bronze, blue and white to match the logo of Mark’s title sponsor, UK fund management firm Artemis. A large number 80 sits at the headtube as a reminder that Mark’s goal is to take a full 43 days off the current round the world record. At the seatstay area of the Kimera is a small Scottish flag revealing Mark’s identity.

The bike, which is actually one-of-two here in Australia, uses Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic gearing. This is a popular choice for endurance athletes because it involves very little hand movement to flick between the gears. A set of 47mm deep Corima carbon wheels were on the bike at the time, but Mark also switches to some 32mm deep wheels in crosswinds.

The bike pulls up using Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. These brakes slow the bike at the same rate, whether it’s wet or dry. While not a necessity for the round the world record, these brakes may prove necessary when Mark is particularly fatigued.

Mark uses a Selle SMP Pro saddle. This is the same model he’s used since first getting into endurance cycling. Mark assured me he was still comfortable in his saddle 39 days into his ride. While many SMP saddles have one distinct ‘upright’ cycling position, Mark said he can ride further forward on the nose of the Pro too.

As Mark is cycling for hours per day in the dark, he uses an Exposure Strada 1200 lumen front light which has a road-specific beam that runs at maximum power for three hours. The rear light is an Exposure TraceR which can be seen flashing a kilometre away.

The cockpit is relatively simple, just a set of Profile Design T1+ carbon aero bars, and a Garmin Edge 1000 GPS computer mounted to the stem. Mark didn’t have any road maps on his computer as his support team are assisting with all the turns. He had a top tube bag strapped behind the stem which stored a few essentials like his iPhone.

There are two reasons why Mark’s bike has aero bars: to reduce the frontal area of his body (free speed) and to give his wrists, shoulders and back a break from the usual position in the brake hoods. You might be surprised to find the aero bars sit up quite high compared to a time-trialist at the Tour de France, but remember this is a bike that travels at 25km/h (15mph) for 16 hours at a time – Mark’s position cannot be at all extreme.

Another advantage of the electronic groupset is that Mark can have gear shifters at the end of the aero bars. This allows him to continually optimise his gear without wasting energy moving around on the bike.

Unfortunately, my side profile shot of Mark’s bike didn’t work out too well, but this is what the complete bike looked like 39 days ago in the studio. Notice the bunch of spacers under the stem and the wide 28mm tyres used to smooth out the roads.

Wishing you all the best for the second half of your ride, Mark!

Click HERE To See The Custom Bike Rob English Used For The Trans Am Bike Race

The post Mark Beaumont’s 240 Mile/Day Bike: Around The World In 80 Days appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Rob English is currently preparing to tackle a 6920km (4300mi) ultra-endurance event called the Trans Am Bike Race, which traverses the USA from west to east.

To get some insight into what it takes to compete in this event you should check out my short video with 2015 winner Jesse Carlsson a few days before he departed.

With master-level frame building skills and a handful of friends in the bike business, Rob has been able to create his ultimate bikepacking bike for the Trans Am.

The drawings for this bike don’t really look to be anything special, with somewhat typical road bike dimensions across the board.

The geometry is perhaps a little more ‘endurance road’ focussed with a lower bottom bracket height and slightly longer head tube to fit a more voluminous frame bag.

For the steel connoisseurs out there, the frame tubing used is a mixture of True Temper S3 and Columbus Life.

But what sets this bike apart from others –  the small details.

The front of the bike immediately indicates that this bike is built for speed.

A set of Enve SES Aero Bars juts out the front with blip shifter buttons on the ends to control the gears. You’ll also notice the brake/shifter units are button-based – this is because Rob’s bike is using the new SRAM eTap gear system which uses wireless signalling to change the gears.

That’s right, there’s no gear cabling to be found on this bike!

Rob collaborated with Kaibab Customs to create an aero bar bag which is perhaps a bit different to anything you’ve ever seen. From above you’ll see the lid is a map case that lifts to open a feeding box that is strapped directly to the bars.

The fork has come from Parlee who is one of the only companies making aero disc brake forks.

Normally, the brake cable routes up through the fork, but this fork has been modified so that the brake cable exits through the crown. As the Parlee fork uses an airfoil shape, Rob fillet brazed a nose cone to the front of the headtube to match.

Parlee also provided the aero fairings for the front and rear disc brake calipers.

Rob isn’t carrying any sleeping gear as he’s planning on staying in hotels/motels every night. That means he can get away with minimal bag storage.

The Kaibab Customs half frame bag uses a bolt-on design (as opposed to straps) to connect to the frame for that ultra-clean look. The Xlab Stealth 200 top tube bag also fits onto two bosses and is said to reduce aerodynamic drag from the stem and headset spacers.

The carbon aero box is pretty special too. It’s been made by Ruckus Composites to Rob’s exact dimensions in a way that hopefully doesn’t hinder his speed.

Rob actually made a styrofoam version that Ruckus were able to match and turn into a box. The rear bag is mounted using a steel frame that Rob constructed specifically to ensure there was no bag ‘sway’. It’s been triangulated using a saddle rail mount.

From the front and rear, this bike looks particularly fast. The frontal area of the bags is all confined within Rob’s body area.

The front and rear lights are made by Exposure (Strada 800 / Blaze) and Rob will charge them both along the way in motels/restaurants. By going dynamo-free, Rob is actually saving about 5 watts or in terms of speed, resulting in a speed increase of between 1-2%.

That’s not much, but when you consider how long this event is – time certainly adds up.

The Trans Am bike uses deep-dish carbon DT Swiss ERC 1100 wheels that weigh only 1530 grams (3.4lbs) and are optimised around aerodynamics.

These wheels are paired to 28mm Schwalbe Pro One tyres that DT Swiss say are faster and more comfortable than narrower versions.

Rather than using rubber tubes, this bike is set up tubeless. Road tubeless can be a bit hit and miss, but it can undoubtedly reduce tyre rolling resistance.

The total bike weight is just under 10kg (22lbs) including all bags, lights and pump. That’s rather impressive considering so many carbon disc brake road bikes tip the scales over 9kg (20lbs).

Good luck and enjoy the Trans Am, Rob!

To See More Amazing Custom Bikes, Click HERE.

The post English Cycles Aero Trans Am Bike: The Fastest Bikepacking Bike? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Today we’ll take a close look at Brian’s latest work, a custom Chapman Cycles touring bike that does a great job of blending modern tech with the classic styling of the past.

Chapman Cycles Touring Bike

We can start up the front of the bike where one of Brian’s custom fillet brazed racks is fitted. Designed to fit both a randonneur-style bag up top and a set of front panniers below – this touring bike is ready for short and long haul trips. And should the pannier section not be needed, it’s detachable too.

A dynamo light mount extends out front to provide a nice unobscured beam on the road, a Schmidt Edelux II putting out almost 100 lux light.

Brian has made the most out of the Cinelli tandem crown by fitting some of the electronics inside it. All you can see is the B&M connector ready for a USB charging cable, but inside the 1″ steerer tube is a custom charging setup thanks to the crew at Sinewave Cycles.

This allows for 3 watts of power at 20km/h, enough to charge a phone in a couple of hours. Brian found that a rubber Lezyne pump cover is a perfect fit for the B&M connector too.

Brian’s bikes are often lugged and brazed – this bike is no exception with Richard Sachs Issimo lugs. Not only does this style of construction look stunning, but it allows for extra paint detail should the customer request it. There’s nice paint detail at the seat tube and top tube intersection, and just the right amount of pinstriping for the length of the fenders.

On the non-driveside seatstay sits a large Lezyne Road Drive pump that has been colour-matched to the rest of the frame. This setup looks classic and offers a practical location for a hand pump that will actually get to the appropriate tyre pressures.

You’ll notice that a twin-spoke holder is brazed onto the driveside chainstay to keep some spare spokes. Having the spokes mounted to your bike is certainly a better solution than damaging them in your bags. This particular location was selected as the non-driveside was already occupied by the disc brake caliper and a frame pump.

This Chapman Cycles touring bike is finished with a relatively modern Shimano 105 road triple groupset (10-speed) complete with integrated shift/brake levers. There’s a matching rear rack which is two-tiered and hugs the custom-painted metal fenders perfectly.

A black Brooks saddle, custom quill stem, Nitto B135 Randonneur bars and set of Compass tyres complete this beautiful build.

See More Beautiful Custom Touring Bike Builds Right HERE.

The post This Chapman Cycles Touring Bike Perfectly Blends New Tech With The Past appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Not only has it travelled well over 100,000km, but it’s been built with:
– Drop bars, butterfly bars, flat bars, riser bars and these alt bars
– Downtube shifters, barend shifters, MTB shifters and grip shifters
– Continental Gatorskin, Schwalbe Marathon Plus, XR, Extreme, Racer, Supreme, Mondial and Almotion tyres
– 10-speed road groupset, 10-speed MTB groupset and a Rohloff 14-speed internally geared hub
– Standard chains as well as Gates Centertrack Belt Drive and CDC
– Various Rohloff shifter locations with drop bars
– Velocity and Mavic touring rims
– B&M and Supernova dynamo lights
– Brooks, WTB and Giant saddles
– Pedal Power Plus and Cinq USB charging systems
– Cantilever brakes and v-brakes
– Planet Bike and SKS fenders
– Various clip-in and flat pedals

Basically, I’ve been tinkering with the specification since day dot.

After using the Rohloff hub for a number of years, I decided to take my bike to a local frame builder to get the frame modified to suit the hub. Through this process, the builder cut off the old dropouts, installed some Rohloff sliding dropouts, fitted some Rohloff cable guides and inserted a split in the seat stay so that I could try Gates Carbon Drive. I’ve been really happy with this combination over the last seven years.

I’ve recently switched from drop bars to Velo Orange Crazy Bars. What was really important to me was the ‘hood’ position from my drop bar. That’s where I like my hands to sit most, and this handlebar replicates it perfectly. I’m not 100% sure if I will use these handlebars in the long-term, but I’m really enjoying all the new positions at the moment. We’ll see over the next few tours.

Another thing that I am really liking is how easy it is to change my brake cables with standard v-brake levers (as opposed to road levers). I also find that these brakes offer much less cable friction than my outgoing road brake levers.

What Would I Change If I Built A Custom Touring Bike In 2017?

Having played around with so many setups, most of the parts that you see on the bike are as good as it gets for touring. After all, this bike has been refined over a really long time to suit my personal preferences.

I would definitely use disc brakes with my next frame. They are much more powerful, they work better in the wet, the pads last longer and I found them to be extremely reliable on my Co-Motion tandem on a two-year bike tour.

Since riding a handful of modern touring bikes, I’d also prefer a frame that is more laterally stiff. Frames with larger diameter / thicker gauge steel tubing will reduce the slight twist I find when I’ve got a heavy front and rear load. I may even try a nice triple-butted aluminium touring frame.

But otherwise, I like the geometry and fit of my custom touring bike.

Gates have a new belt system out called the Centertrack CDX:EXP and I’d love to give this a go on my next touring bike, along with a Pinion 18-speed gearbox. I’m also keen to try out some Velo Orange Mojave or Widefoot Litercage bidon cages with Nalgene or Kleen Kanteen bottles.

My Custom Touring Bike Specification

Frame: Modified 62cm Surly Long Haul Trucker
Fork: Surly Long Haul Trucker
Headset: Hope 1 1/8″
Stem: Thomson Elite 120mm
Handlebars: Velo Orange Casey’s Crazy Bar
Grips: ESI Silicone and Fizik Bartape
Seatpost: Thomson Elite 27.2mm
Saddle: Giant

Gears: Rohloff Speedhub 14 speed Internally Geared Hub
Shifter: Rohloff Grip Shifter
Front Hub: Schmidt SON28 Dynamo
Rims: Shimano A719 700c 32h
Spokes: DT Swiss Competition
Tyres: Schwalbe Almotion

Brake Levers: Avid SD5
Brakes: Shimano XT

Crankset: Shimano 105 Triple
Chainring: Gates Carbon Drive Centertrack 50t
Cog: Gates Carbon Drive Centertrack 20t
Pedals: Shimano XT T780

Fenders: SKS Chromoplastic P50
Charger: Tout Terrain The Plug III
Lights: Supernova E3 Pro Dynamo (not in photo)
Bidon Cages: BBB Fuel Tank XL
Phone Mount: Quadlock

Weight: 14kg or 30lbs

The post My Old Custom Touring Bike (Rohloff Hub and Gates Belt Drive) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Renovo Hardwood Bicycles have been handcrafted in Portland (USA) over the past decade. Using ‘nature’s carbon fibre’ in combination with the latest computer-controlled woodworking machinery and adhesives, Renovo say that their frames are as light as steel, stiff as carbon and superior to all at shock and vibration absorption. Not only that, but the thick hardwood used in these bikes can have a greater damage tolerance than other frame materials too.

While the properties wooden bikes may sound a bit too good to be true, let’s focus our attention to what I believe is the bike’s most spectacular feature: the finish. With a mixture of wood types, grains and joins, the curvy lines of a Renovo bike are a work of art akin to the finest wood furniture!

The Renovo Wooden Bicycle For Touring

The Renovo frames are constructed by joining two hollow frame halves straight down the middle. But that’s after the crew has gone to the lumber yard to select the 16 to 40 pieces of wood that make up one Renovo frame. Every stick of wood that is sourced is tested for stiffness and moisture content. With these results, Renovo can forecast the ride quality and stiffness of the frame for each customer.

A Rohloff hub and Gates Carbon Belt drivetrain has been fitted to this bike for the ultimate in gear simplicity. Carbon belts have been known to run for 30,000km+. The Rohloff rear hub offers a wide range of 14 gears that are tucked away inside an oil bath of cogs; all impervious to the weather. This bike is ready for all road conditions!

This Renovo has been constructed with light touring duties in mind. The narrow road slicks and fitted fenders keep road grime from the beautiful wood grain finish. The bike is completed with a Salsa steel touring fork, a Co-Motion Rohloff shifter, Avid BB7 cable disc brakes, Busch und Muller dynamo lights, a Tubus Cosmo stainless steel rack and a Brooks B17 Imperial leather saddle and matching bar tape. The estimated weight according to Renovo is less than 13.5kg (30lbs).

Take A Look At More Custom Touring Builds HERE.

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While other students are sitting in class learning about imaginary numbers and supply and demand graphs, you could be understanding frame design, materials, tube finishing, welding, brazing, lug installation and AutoCAD. The hand built bicycle program is run by Steve McGuire (Professor of Metal Arts and 3D Design) and combines both engineering and arts students. Each student is provided with an industry mentor to help them along the way.

Willy Tan’s Bike From The Hand Built Bicycle Program

Willy went through the University of Iowa program a few years ago and constructed this touring bike for his sister. He sneakily convinced Professor McGuire that he should take the frame building course, despite being an accounting student. With a tick of approval, Willy started designing and building this extra-small touring bike to perfectly meet his sister’s needs.

The frame uses a mixture of True Temper and Reynolds 531 steel tubing connected with lugs that have been reshaped for the occasion. You wouldn’t know the wheels are 26-inch by looking at the bike – they’re perfectly matched to the XXS frame size. The key advantage to the smaller wheels is that they offer less toe overlap when steering.

Neat braze-ons and fittings have been installed across the bike to accommodate the gear cables, classic bidon cages, racks and stainless fenders. Brass tubes under the bottom bracket shell prevent the frame from rusting as the gear cables slowly wear through the paint. The rear brake cable even sneaks through the top tube for that ultra-clean aesthetic.

The silver parts in combination with the front and rear Nitto racks give this bike a very classic look. Campagnolo 8-speed shifters and derailleurs have been fitted, along with Sugino cranks that measure just 152mm instead of the usual 165/170mm. The idea is that the cranks are more in proportion with his sister’s leg lengths.

Narrow Continental Gatorskin tyres measuring 28mm have been selected, indicating that this touring bike will be used predominately for road use. A Brooks saddle and matching bar tape, along with a brass bell have been fitted to finish off the build.

Take A Look At More Custom Touring Builds HERE

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The Voyage is their touring frameset. Built using double-butted Tange Champion steel tubing, this frame is designed to be as lightweight as possible for a load-bearing touring bike.

The Victoire Voyage Touring Bike

The fillet-brazing of this frameset perfectly matches the painted Velo Orange stem. To demonstrate the custom nature of this bike, no headset spacers are used – instead, the headtube length has been tailored perfectly to the height of the rider. The two vertical bars coming from the front rack are called ‘decaleur’ mounts. These mounts are designed to support a front randonneur bag that sits on the top of the front rack.

Victoire worked a kickstand plate into the chainstay so that an Ursus King kickstand would be able to support the bike and gear. TRP Spyre cable disc brakes have been fitted for their excellent braking in all weather conditions, especially with a heavy load. You’ll also notice the fender struts have been perfectly shaped to mount off the rear rack, with leather washers in use to dampen vibrations coming up through the bike.

The Victoire Voyage uses a Shimano 105 road groupset with 22 gears. The functionality of STI shifters is second to none in terms of brake and gear accessibility. While road groupsets do not provide the ultra-low climbing gears that some tourers require, these parts would have been selected for the typical tours conducted by the owner. In order to accommodate the height of the owner, 26-inch wheels have been employed to reduce toe overlap and create a more size-proportionate build.

The Voyage is constructed around a custom black powder coated Nitto front rack and a Tubus rear rack. Dynamo lights have been fitted to the racks and all wiring is internal on both the frame and fork. The front dynamo hub and rear DT Swiss hub are laced onto some ultra-solid Ryde touring rims. Gilles Berthoud finish this bike off with a French-made leather saddle and bartape.

Head HERE For More Custom Touring Bikes

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