What Bike for long distance rides?

[black'n'yellow]

Who are you, his pps?

nope - but unlike you, I have actually read and understood what he said...

 

[JoeyB]

Some interesting views here, keep them coming!

My only question would be... who here has actually done 600km+ on a 'race' geometry equipped bike? My worry is a 30min test ride on any bike isnt going to tell me too much about long term comfort?!? So I'm keen to get my choice right first time.

 

[Rob3rt]

Some interesting views here, keep them coming!

My only question would be... who here has actually done 600km+ on a 'race' geometry equipped bike? My worry is a 30min test ride on any bike isnt going to tell me too much about long term comfort?!? So I'm keen to get my choice right first time.

600km over what time scale.

I have done ~200km in a day and found it fine! I ride about 40mile(65km) 3x a week + a long ride of at least 100km. I ride about 220-250 miles (350-400km) a week on a race geometry bike.

 

[black'n'yellow]

My only question would be... who here has actually done 600km+ on a 'race' geometry equipped bike?

it doesn't matter. Forget everything you 'think' you know about race geometry and concentrate on bike setup, as suggested. It's possible to achieve a comfortable position on almost any bike out there, regardless of whether it is being marketed as a 'race' bike or a 'comfort' bike. A 'comfort' bike will give you just as much trouble if it isn't right for you....

 

[JoeyB]

Argh, this just sets me further back in bike selection...!

 

[JoeyB]

600km over what time scale.

I have done ~200km in a day and found it fine! I ride about 40mile(65km) 3x a week + a long ride of at least 100km. I ride about 220-250 miles (350-400km) a week on a race geometry bike.

Two days

What do you ride and what do you weigh?

 

[Rob3rt]

IMHO, 600km in 2 days would be fine!

I honestly don't care which type of bike you buy, I just hope you get the one that suits you best. But you could make a mistake to discount road bikes based on the presumption that they are not comfortable.

 

[amaferanga]

Some interesting views here, keep them coming!

My only question would be... who here has actually done 600km+ on a 'race' geometry equipped bike? My worry is a 30min test ride on any bike isnt going to tell me too much about long term comfort?!? So I'm keen to get my choice right first time.

5 x 300km days in a row on a Kuota Kharma. Comfort comes down to how you set the bike up.

I Agree with those saying the the whole sportive-geometry, comfort thing is a marketing ploy aimed at (mainly) mamils.

 

[Cyclist33]

nope - but unlike you, I have actually read and understood what he said...

And unlike you, I've then used elements of irony, reduction and other simple humorous devices to drag the discussion back from where it was going.

 

[black'n'yellow]

And unlike you, I've then used elements of irony, reduction and other simple humorous devices to drag the discussion back from where it was going.

Congratulations on your comic genius - I'm sure we're all very impressed. Anyway, back to the thread....

 

[JoeyB]

So if it's all a marketing ploy.... What SHOULD I be looking for in a bike? I don't really want to go Steel or Touring btw.

I want something that looks sexy but will still serve me well on a long distance ride. I think the Spesh Roubaix is still a contender, no?

 

[martint235]

I don't understand what you've got against steel. I'd also throw titanium into the mix. I've done rides approaching the 250 mile mark in under a day on a mainly carbon Giant and a titanium Planet X. I wasn't uncomfortable on the Giant but I was much more comfortable on the Ti bike. From what I've heard the ride comfort on steel is even better than Ti.

 

[black'n'yellow]

So if it's all a marketing ploy.... What SHOULD I be looking for in a bike? I don't really want to go Steel or Touring btw.

I want something that looks sexy but will still serve me well on a long distance ride. I think the Spesh Roubaix is still a contender, no?

The Roubaix would be fine, but now we've established that you don't need a 'comfort' bike (you just need to be comfortable on whatever bike you buy) then the thread has now effectlvely turned into another 'which bike shall I buy?' - to which the answer is "buy a bike you are happy on and like the look of, within your budget"...

 

[Ian H]

I've both ridden and helped on LEL. I have seen the state some riders get themselves into. I have also ridden rather more than 600km in 24 hrs, but that wasn't anything like LEL.

 

[Cyclist33]

I've both ridden and helped on LEL. I have seen the state some riders get themselves into. I have also ridden rather more than 600km in 24 hrs, but that wasn't anything like LEL.

Blimey that's impressive!