The Randonneur refit is complete. It has been a long road, I'll just change a few parts, yes of course

. So I fitted an external bearing XT touring chainset, a beautiful chainset. I didn't like it on the bike

off it came. I fitted an XT shadow mech and didn't like the look of that on the bike so....
I've fitted a Tubus rack and low riders. Superb, yay a win. The new Altura panniers were off of FB marketplace and virtually unused. More space and less noisy than the Carradice I usually use. I'll use my long flap Nelson saddle bag or a rack pack depending on load.
The wheel change caused most aggravation. I had Mavic CXP and 105 with 32 spokes. I kept bashing the crap out of them and obviously needed a more robust pair. Now Mavic A719 with 105 with 36 spokes, Vittorio Randonneur in 32 mm as opposed to the 28 mm I was running, all good, lovely, smashing. The Tektro oryx wouldn't fit. Not enough space between the rim and fork blade, so I fitted the default MT62 set of cantilevers. They just looked scruffy, off they came. This is becoming a pattern. I put a wanted ad for Tektro CR720. Got a set very quickly. Used the cables just to try and I'm happy, fitted new cable inners and dropped the straddles and it now stops without having to jam a stick through the fkn spokes.
Velo orange stem with a Flandria 31.8mm shallow drops. New bottom bracket as I'd killed the last Tange one in less than a year. New Tange cartridge headset, beautiful.
I've ridden it, it works, I didn't die.
In the words of the poet, thank f**K for that.
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