Dude: Today we're interviewing the infamous Paul Layton, Randonneur Mediocre extrordinaire! Particularly we are interested in his bike. Paul, I don't see any branding on this frame, it is a very um, interesting setup here.
Paul: Yes Dude, it is. The frame is a Mordor original, Nazgul model.
Dude: Mordor? I'm not familiar with that bike company.
Paul: I kid, it's actually a Nashbar touring frame I got for $150. I used to ride a Cannondale Synapse on Permanents and Brevets but I've recently started drinking the koolaid on larger tires and also been mixing in a little dirt so my commuter became my Rando bike.
Dude: Ah, ha ha I see, that's a joke isn't it? The opposite of Rivendell would in fact be Mordor, ha ha. Paul, I understand Randonneurs often take great pride in their setups from the pavement up, and especially the tiny details. What are the special items on your bike that really stand out?
Paul: Dude, I am so glad you asked that question. A lot of great care went into this bike. Let's start with the bars, these bars were throw away's from my Synapse when I ordered a shallower bar for it so I stuck them on my commuter. They are nice and deep which by a sheer amount of luck actually feel ok for me on this bike. I really like how they put me a little farther forward. It sounds odd I know but it just feels right at this point. Being a green bike, you might notice my camoflauge bartape? Nice touch huh? I'm the guy with the invisible handlebars! Seriously though the tape cost me $3 at Mord...I mean Nashbar and so I really didn't care what it looked like, this was my commuter after all! Let's move to my state of the art shifting system. This too was a throw away from my synapse as the guys that built the synapse put SRAM Rival on it and put the Tiagra brifters in the sale bin and I eagerly saved them from such a demise and stuck them on the tandem, yup you got that right, they didn't work out so well on the tandem so after a lot of thought, I decided the quaint rivendell downtube shifters I had that weren't quite working so swell (no fault of rivendell, nostalgia lost it's magic that's all), would be replaced by my nice third times the charm Shimano Tiagra brifters and here they are today, and I have very little displeasure with them. You'll also find a state of the art Nashbar square bottom bracket and Richey headset on this baby, I did not spare any expense on this thing. I ask you what's more sexy than those Tektro Oryx brakes that I got for 20 something dollars?
Dude: Um, uh, I'm at a loss, what's more sexy than that?
Paul: How about those home laced Sun CR18 rims on Ultegra Hubs I picked up on the cheap too for just a little more?
Paul: Yes Dude, it is. The frame is a Mordor original, Nazgul model.
Dude: Mordor? I'm not familiar with that bike company.
Paul: I kid, it's actually a Nashbar touring frame I got for $150. I used to ride a Cannondale Synapse on Permanents and Brevets but I've recently started drinking the koolaid on larger tires and also been mixing in a little dirt so my commuter became my Rando bike.
Dude: Ah, ha ha I see, that's a joke isn't it? The opposite of Rivendell would in fact be Mordor, ha ha. Paul, I understand Randonneurs often take great pride in their setups from the pavement up, and especially the tiny details. What are the special items on your bike that really stand out?
Paul: Dude, I am so glad you asked that question. A lot of great care went into this bike. Let's start with the bars, these bars were throw away's from my Synapse when I ordered a shallower bar for it so I stuck them on my commuter. They are nice and deep which by a sheer amount of luck actually feel ok for me on this bike. I really like how they put me a little farther forward. It sounds odd I know but it just feels right at this point. Being a green bike, you might notice my camoflauge bartape? Nice touch huh? I'm the guy with the invisible handlebars! Seriously though the tape cost me $3 at Mord...I mean Nashbar and so I really didn't care what it looked like, this was my commuter after all! Let's move to my state of the art shifting system. This too was a throw away from my synapse as the guys that built the synapse put SRAM Rival on it and put the Tiagra brifters in the sale bin and I eagerly saved them from such a demise and stuck them on the tandem, yup you got that right, they didn't work out so well on the tandem so after a lot of thought, I decided the quaint rivendell downtube shifters I had that weren't quite working so swell (no fault of rivendell, nostalgia lost it's magic that's all), would be replaced by my nice third times the charm Shimano Tiagra brifters and here they are today, and I have very little displeasure with them. You'll also find a state of the art Nashbar square bottom bracket and Richey headset on this baby, I did not spare any expense on this thing. I ask you what's more sexy than those Tektro Oryx brakes that I got for 20 something dollars?
Dude: Um, uh, I'm at a loss, what's more sexy than that?
Paul: How about those home laced Sun CR18 rims on Ultegra Hubs I picked up on the cheap too for just a little more?
Dude: ok, well, uh, how about the seat? I hear Randonneurs are very particular about their seats.
Paul: Parts bin. It's an old Cobb saddle I used to have on my Synapse too. The Brooks and Selle Anatomica weren't too comfy for me in the aero bars but the Cobb felt ok so there it stays. I should add the derailleurs are also from the parts bins from old bikes. They are a Shimano 105 9 speed triple setup from my first rando bike. The best touch though are the 3 bottle cages. I don't know if you spotted this, but each of them is a different brand/style. How sexy is that?....
Dude: Parts bin?
Paul: You got it! Parts bin again!
Dude: Wow, Paul, this appears to be a um, a um, well interesting bike.
Paul: Yup, I'm livin the dream man.
Dude: Well, thank you for your time Paul, it's always interesting to see different rider's bikes of choice.
Paul: Anytime Dude!
Paul: Parts bin. It's an old Cobb saddle I used to have on my Synapse too. The Brooks and Selle Anatomica weren't too comfy for me in the aero bars but the Cobb felt ok so there it stays. I should add the derailleurs are also from the parts bins from old bikes. They are a Shimano 105 9 speed triple setup from my first rando bike. The best touch though are the 3 bottle cages. I don't know if you spotted this, but each of them is a different brand/style. How sexy is that?....
Dude: Parts bin?
Paul: You got it! Parts bin again!
Dude: Wow, Paul, this appears to be a um, a um, well interesting bike.
Paul: Yup, I'm livin the dream man.
Dude: Well, thank you for your time Paul, it's always interesting to see different rider's bikes of choice.
Paul: Anytime Dude!
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| Down at the Salt River Ready to cool off so I don't get Heat Stroke. |
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