Hi,
As L'Eroica gets closer I'm refining our choices of rides to take over there. I've posted a few pictures to wooljersey along with some of the brake variations for Rita's Raleigh International with 650b's.
http://www.wooljersey.com/
I had built up a Motobecane Grand Jubilee but the French bottom bracket threads were a bit loose after chasing and I abandoned it at the first sign of the fixed cup loosening. Besides, at 63 cm, the frame would be a tight fit into the bike travel case. Rita's pink Bianchi seemed like an appropriate choice but the 650b tire clearance was too close.
Rita is not going for the style points as she wants the security and comfort of SPD pedals and aero brake levers. She is using friction bar end shifting though.
On our test rides, the orange Ron Cooper turned out to be a blast on the trails with Grand Bois Cypres tires. Rita is pleased with the stability of the Panaracer Col de la Vie 650b tires when the trail gets loose. The bumps are softened too.
I'm sure I'll be tweaking the bikes between now and when we leave but it is a relief to have narrowed down the choices with a week or so to spare. Ron Cooper and Raleigh International it is.
Regards,
Paul Lee Huntington, New York USA
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