djoptix
Senior Retro Guru
I think, since I'm not riding it very much, I'm going to sell my Randonneur.
I bought it as my "one bike" but I think actually - and I say this carefully bearing in mind present company - it's actually a bit too retro for me. I have built it up as a sort of go-anywhere tourer, and it's fabulous for this, but the reality is that I rarely get to do any trips that do it justice. Most of the time I am pootling around on a Record Sprint which does me fine, even for day rides with a pannier. I think for my "one bike" I actually want to go a bit more modern, hydraulic discs and the like.
That isn't to say that the Randonneur is in any way lacking. Many, myself included, think it's the best classic tourer ever made. The handling is superb, and you really feel special riding it. You can load it up with stuff and it will still handle well. It has all the lovely details that these bikes are known for - the spoke holders on the chainstay, pointed lugs, grey headtube, 531ST tubeset and so on.
I've spent quite a bit of time and money getting this bike sorted, I could probably make more splitting it up and breaking it, but I don't want to - a) I haven't time, and b) Randonneurs are too nice/rare to go taking one off the road.
The frame is well used, but doesn't have any dents (will go over it carefully to confirm this), and I considered refinishing it but decided that having a more theft-proof bike was desirable.
Pictures and exact spec to be confirmed but the likely spec is as follows. Oh, and it's big. Probably 5'10" upwards, depending on how long your legs are.
Frame: 531ST, 63cm
Hubs: Actually not sure about this, might be Deore LX or Maillard depending on exact date of manufacture.
Rims: Mavic Module 4 CD
Tyres: Panaracer Pasela TG (grubby, but relatively new)
Brakes: Shimano cantis, one end has new Kool-Stop pads in
Levers: Shimano drops, Kore crosstops
Mechs: Deore LX
Shifters: 7 speed bar-end shifters
Bars: 3T Morpheus
Tape: Brown (looks nice)
Stem: Brand-X, threaded but alloy and a front loader (easy to swap bars/take off for air transport etc)
Cranks: Shimano 105
Rings: Biopace 42/52
Freewheel/block: Megarange (14-34) 7 speed
Seat tube: SR Laprade, fluted
Saddle: Charge Spoon
Guards: Unsure, think they would have been Bluemels originally but I have a feeling that they are now SKS Chromoplastics.
Because it hasn't been ridden for a while, it will probably need a bit of a gear fettle, but test rides are welcome (I'm in Bristol).
I bought it as my "one bike" but I think actually - and I say this carefully bearing in mind present company - it's actually a bit too retro for me. I have built it up as a sort of go-anywhere tourer, and it's fabulous for this, but the reality is that I rarely get to do any trips that do it justice. Most of the time I am pootling around on a Record Sprint which does me fine, even for day rides with a pannier. I think for my "one bike" I actually want to go a bit more modern, hydraulic discs and the like.
That isn't to say that the Randonneur is in any way lacking. Many, myself included, think it's the best classic tourer ever made. The handling is superb, and you really feel special riding it. You can load it up with stuff and it will still handle well. It has all the lovely details that these bikes are known for - the spoke holders on the chainstay, pointed lugs, grey headtube, 531ST tubeset and so on.
I've spent quite a bit of time and money getting this bike sorted, I could probably make more splitting it up and breaking it, but I don't want to - a) I haven't time, and b) Randonneurs are too nice/rare to go taking one off the road.
The frame is well used, but doesn't have any dents (will go over it carefully to confirm this), and I considered refinishing it but decided that having a more theft-proof bike was desirable.
Pictures and exact spec to be confirmed but the likely spec is as follows. Oh, and it's big. Probably 5'10" upwards, depending on how long your legs are.
Frame: 531ST, 63cm
Hubs: Actually not sure about this, might be Deore LX or Maillard depending on exact date of manufacture.
Rims: Mavic Module 4 CD
Tyres: Panaracer Pasela TG (grubby, but relatively new)
Brakes: Shimano cantis, one end has new Kool-Stop pads in
Levers: Shimano drops, Kore crosstops
Mechs: Deore LX
Shifters: 7 speed bar-end shifters
Bars: 3T Morpheus
Tape: Brown (looks nice)
Stem: Brand-X, threaded but alloy and a front loader (easy to swap bars/take off for air transport etc)
Cranks: Shimano 105
Rings: Biopace 42/52
Freewheel/block: Megarange (14-34) 7 speed
Seat tube: SR Laprade, fluted
Saddle: Charge Spoon
Guards: Unsure, think they would have been Bluemels originally but I have a feeling that they are now SKS Chromoplastics.
Because it hasn't been ridden for a while, it will probably need a bit of a gear fettle, but test rides are welcome (I'm in Bristol).
