Jamis Aurora Elite

I have never ridden a Jamis bicycle, but friends who have swear by them.  A friend from Connecticut owned one of the touring models and said he rode the frame into the ground when living in New York City.  I can see why people like them.  The equipment packages are well thought out, the prices are reasonable, and the frames look well designed and built.

Jamis Aurora Elite

The Aurora Elite is the top of the line touring bicycle for Jamis.  In 2013 the Reynolds 631 steel frame is painted a burnt orange color they call mahogany, with extended collars for strength welded at the head tube. The bike comes equipped with bar-end shifters, disk brakes, a triple chain ring and low, wide-range gearing, matching fenders and a rear rack.  For gears it uses a Shimano 10 speed 12-30T cassette with a Shimano triple 50/39/30 tooth chain ring for climbing mountains.  Shifting is accomplished with Simano 105 derailleurs front and rear.  The bike rolls on Mavic A119 double wall, 36 hole rims with DT champion spokes and Shimano hubs on Vittoria Randonneur 700 X 32c tires.  The rest of the bike parts are also first class.  Bike sizes include 47, 50 53, 55, 57, 59 and 62 cm.  The geometry looks spot-on with the long wheelbase and I would expect this bike to roll easily all day long while carrying a good load.  Even the bike seat looks fine with a cut-out and chrome rails.  The bike's MSRP is a little high at $1650, but you can find it for hundreds less in the real world.

Jamis Aurora

The Jamis Aurora model is built with Reynolds 520 steel, less expensive Shimano Tiagra and Sora shifters, a 9-speed drive train, and cantilever brakes instead of disk brakes but it looks to be the same frame geometry as the Elite and includes fenders and a rear rack.  The black forest color is nice also.  At an MSRP of $950, this may be a really good deal for touring on the cheap while owning a quality bicycle with parts you can upgrade.

Aurora Bossanova

For the commuter or ultralight tourist, look at the shorter-framed, quick-handling Jamis Bosanova.  It is also a Reynolds 520 chromoly bicycle with a carbon fiber fork, triple chain ring and 10-speeds with fenders, but has no rear rack.
When my time to purchase a new bike comes, I'll be looking closer at these fine Jamis bicycles.

A look at the Fuji Touring

Fuji Touring

In my short list of bicycles we have remaining to discuss (in reverse order) the Fuji Tourist, Jamis Aurora and Trek 520 touring bicycles.  The idea is to take a look at these bicycles to see how they may also work for you.  Many of these bikes are similar, and some are just the same bicycle from a manufacturer that gets marketed by different companies.  At least that is what I was led to believe until looking at the details.
The frame sizes between the Fuji and Windsor bicycles are quite different.  While at some time before they may have been the same frames, now there are major differences.
Fuji has sized their bicycles from 49cm (XS-S), 54cm (M), 56cm (M-L), 58cm (L) and 64cm (XXL).  This is in a good range to meet the many "people sizes" on the market.  Bike shops can easily make adjustments with seat height and fore/aft positioning and with the stem length/rise height.  Crank arms are also longer on M-L to XXL sizes along with handlebar width being wider.
Component-wise, the Deore rear derailler and Dura-Ace 9 speed are a nice combo.  Tekro brakes handle stopping duties and the 50/39/30 T chainring is well paired with an Acera 11-34T rear cog.  The rest of the parts seem to be a good choice, keeping in mind personal choices like seats and pedals are, well, personal.
The dark gray matte finish is highlighted by small bright red splotches of color in the name graphics, the seat bolt clamp and along the wheel hubs.  A nice visual touch.
Where the bike really makes itself felt is in it's frame, a chromoly, custom tapered, 4130 tube set named Elios 2.  The long touring bicycle seat stays and long dimensional bike frame from the front to rear dropouts and the low bottom bracket work together to make road rides comfortable, supporting the rider comfortably between the 700 x 32c wheels.  The chromoly fork soaks up road vibration.  With a good fit you should be able to ride all day in comfort.  It has been many years since I rode one of these bikes, so that is something I plan to do this year.
I couldn't get a recall notice on the Fuji site to work, and it may mean nothing.  I like the Fuji and it will make a fine touring bicycle for long unsupported road trips, bicycle trail sojourns and running errands around town.  In the next 2 weeks, we'll look at the Jamis models, the Aurora Elite, the Aurora and the Bosanova.

The REI Randonee and Safari Bicycles

REI sells two touring bicycles, the Novara Randonee and the Safari.  They seem to share the same steel chromemoly frame with different handlebar setups and different components.

REI Novara Randonee Touring Bicycle

The Randonee model has been around for years and started its life in the 1980's at REI as a mountain bike with drop-style road bike handlebars.  Over the years it varied in design somewhat until about 15 years ago when the design changed to a steel road-style frame and wheels like it has today.  After umpteen variations, I think REI has landed on a good design and I hope they keep it for some time.
The frame is made of Reynolds 520 chromoly steel.  There's much online about 520 versus 4130 steel, both made of a mix/blend of manganese chromium molybdenum, other metals and heat treatment.  My experience with it is that it rides well, it welds well (very important), it is compliant and it eats up road vibration.  Just what you need for long road trips.
The component mix of SRAM and Deore LX works well for shifting the wide range crankset of 44/32/22 with a 10-speed 11-32 freewheel.  Tektro brakes stop the bike well and the bar-end shifters and brake handles are logically laid out.   The 700c wheels are not hand-made, but they have reportedly worked well on tours around the world.  The 700 x 32 Continental Touring Plus Reflex tires should last for at least a cross American tour and maybe for several years of local rides and touring.  They have reflective sidewalls and are puncture resistant too.
The drop handle bars are mounted on a modern-style adjustable stem for an easy fit.  The leather-look handle bar tape matches the riveted leather-look saddle.  The bike does not come with pedals, so set aside some funds to cover that.
Frame-wise you can almost get your fist between the rear tire and the seat post tube, my simple way for judging a well-designed touring frame.  There are braze-ons for front and rear (included) racks, 2 water bottles (I have seen 3 bottle bosses on some earlier Randonees), drive-side chain stay spoke holders and a front fork cable guide for a dynamo hub (for lighting).  Pinon green is a fine color for bicycles in the outdoors and it fits well with the brown leather handle bar tape and seat.
I like the Randonee and have test ridden them over the years, including the recent model.  A fellow bicyclist on the 2001 Ride The Rockies tour enjoyed travelling almost 100 miles daily on his Randonee, and had no issue keeping up with the other riders on their fast and light bicycles.   With a set of front panniers on the rear, and a handle bar bag on the front, I would be set for lightweight bicycle touring.  The $1199 price is a couple hundred dollars less than other popular models.

REI Novara Safari Bicycle

At $899 the Safari Adventure bicycle is a great price.  The Chromoly frame seems to be the same as the Randonee model with a different fork and disk brake mounts.  It has a 27 speed mixed Shimano and SRAM drivetrain, with Weinmann XTB-26 rims and Continental Town Ride 700 x 42 tires (small size frame has 26 inch x 1.75 wheels) and a moustache handlebar with SRAM twist-shifters.  I like the moustache bar with all the possible hand positions available.  It is geared slightly higher than the Randonee with a 48/36/26 crankset, and I'm sure it would be fine on both gravel and paved surfaces.  I plan to test ride one in the near future.

The frame is painted bown and pedals with toe clips are included, along with a rear rack.  

I can see myself touring on one of these bicycles too.  Here I come Bike Centennial, er, Adventure Cycling.  Decisions, decisions.

Both the Randonee and the Safari are excellent touring bicycles.  

REI also carries a commuting bicycle called the Gotham, made of 4130 Chromoly tubing with 700C wheels, a rear rack, fenders, disk brakes, internal NuVinci N360 rear hub, carbon belt (no more greasy chain!), and integrated lights.  While not my first choice for a touring bicycle, I can see where it could be a nice mode of travel for the urban commuter.  REI has spent some real time and thought working on these bicycles and it shows.

Performance Bicycle Opens in Winter Park

Performance Bicycles in Winter Park

Performance Bicycle has opened a new store in Winter Park at 351 North Orlando Avenue (highway 17/92), just across the street from Chaimberlins.   I visited the store this week, and it is quite large.  The friendly and helpful staff were patient while I browsed the merchandise and the store was busy selling a customer a new mountain bike and with assembling new bicycles in the fully stocked maintenance shop.   The parking lot has plenty of shade, and you can bicycle in the neighborhood behind the store to test drive bikes.
Kenneth is the new store manager with plenty of passion for bicycling.   The Grand Opening of the new store is this weekend, Friday - Sunday May 5-7.  $20 gift cards are available to those waiting in line before the store opens at 9 AM Friday, Saturday, and on Sunday.  Watch your mail for a store flyer with a 15% off coupon.
Winter Park is one of 5 new Florida locations for Performance.  They have stores open in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, and Tampa.  A Jacksonville store opens soon.
Since moving to Colorado in 1993, I have been shopping for bicycles and parts at Performance Bicycle stores along the front range.  I liked their parts, learned about their stock, and could always find what I was looking for, usually at a price below what the local bicycle stores sold the same part for.  I am glad to see them in the Florida market.

A look at the Windsor Tourist

Next from my short list of touring bicycles is the Windsor Tourist.  While each bicycle I have listed has a feature or two that makes it stand out, this one's feature is that it is inexpensive.  Actually, this bicycle is a steal, is made of ChroMoly steel and is said to be the same bicycle as the Fuji Touring bicycle.  This bicycle is priced at $599 at BikesDirect.com, at the link above.

The Windsor Tourist, a good touring bike at a great price!

I have read online where Bikes Direct bought the rights to the old Windsor bicycle name and setup a deal with the manufacturing company that builds the Fuji Touring, to buy at a discount any leftover frames from the production run.  That deal may also include the components as they have also been similar to Fuji in the past.  Bike Direct then sells the bike online with little markup.  What you get is a nicely made custom butted, TIG welded, ChroMoly frame, with a rear rack and decent parts, with all the attachment points you need for touring.  It comes painted in only one color, green.  The bikes are smartly built in small, small-medium, medium, medium-large and large sizes to fit a variety of riders.  The bike does use an older quill-style headset, but otherwise includes modern Shimano Tiagra/Deore 27 speed components.  It comes with 700 x 32 c tires and ships free in the U.S.  You do have some assembly to do when the bicycle arrives so be sure to ship it home first, before you ship it to a touring starting point.  Extra spokes (to attach on the wheel stay) are not included.
Of all the links online about this bicycle, the one thread I would be concerned with is the weak rear wheel build.  Many riders have experienced spoke failure.  The wheels seem to be machine-built and you could possibly need a wheel builder to re-stress and re-tighten the spokes.  I say "possibly" because I only know what I have read online.
Here is a link to a site where 3 riders on a tour together (2 Grads and a Dad on Tour) all bought this same bicycle and then rode across America fully loaded.  I read all the posts, and with a few exceptions, these bicycles were awesome!
Keeping the bicycle price low really attracts me to this touring bike.  It would leave money in the account for some panniers, bike clothing and gear.  My Centurion Pro Tour 15 in the 1980's had a similar frame with slightly shorter wheel stays, than say a Trek 520, just like this bicycle does.  It toured fine.  The machine-built wheels rode well with only one spoke failure in over 10,000 miles of fully loaded touring.
Part of what I now do is ultralight backpacking, which means my camping gear weighs about 10 pounds before water, food and fuel.  That's less than a quarter of the weight it was when I carried my older gear on the bicycle touring trips back in the late 1980's and early 1990's.  While then I fully filled 4 Rhode Gear panniers, I now plan to use front panniers on the rear rack, with the sleeping pad on top of the rack, with a handlebar bag on the front.  The handlebar bag is for a rain jacket, my cell phone, camera and a few light weight items, and won't ever be full.  One pannier will carry most of the camping gear with bike clothing, groceries and cooking gear in the other pannier, with some open room in both bags.  Bike tools will occupy a small frame bag.  A matched set of 4 full-sized touring bags could cost me over $400 dollars.  I'm estimating about $150 for the small pannier pair and $90 dollars for the handlebar bag, or less than $240-$250 to outfit the bicycle, plus an odometer, water bottles & frames, and some fenders.  I already own a frame pack for tools and a flashing red tail light.
It will be some time before I can buy a new bicycle, so I'll continue to review the other touring bicycles I listed in my previous post.  In the meantime, get out and ride!

The Surly Long Haul Trucker

An excellent touring bicycle, the Surly Long Haul Trucker's number one design feature that sets it apart from the other touring bikes is it's larger diameter, and thicker Chromoly Surly 4130 tubing.  The thicker and larger diameter tubing provides extra strength for load carrying, increased road vibration damping, and provides a stiffer, but still resiliant ride.  The frame is TIG welded without using frame lugs except in the fork crown.

Surly Long Haul Trucker

A note on the Surly website warns owners from installing kickstands, as they can crush the bottom stay tubing by being either over tightened or if left too loose.  Details on this and other Surly bicycle "Spews" are located here.
Depending on the size frame you need you will have to accept either 26" wheels (in 42 - 62 cm sizes) or 700c wheels (in 56-64 cm sizes).   As a 50 - 52 cm rider, that leaves me with 26" wheels, not the 700 c wheels I prefer for road touring.  For the taller riders however, Surly offers a 64 cm frame size in a production model, which is awesome!
As a company, Surly came to the market later than most other bicycle touring manufacturers, allowing them to take advantage of some newer frame design ideas, materials and production processes.  The Surly LHT has every rack and fender braze-on you could expect, can accept wide tires and its component package is nice, but it is not overly spec'd price-wise.  
The Surly Long Haul Trucker is an excellent touring bicycle, designed for someone who plans to tour a long, long time.

Rivendell Bicycle Group Atlantis

Last time we discussed bicycles, and I mentioned some brand names we would review.  We'll start at the end of my list, with the Rivendell Bicycle Works Atlantis.  Even the company name sounds wonderful, like a secluded and safe mountain sanctuary with magical elves casting spells on bicycle lugs and tubes.  OK, the elves only live in New Zealand, but the magic of the lugs and tubes are there, foremost in how the frame responds to the road.

Rivendell Bicycle Works Atlantis.

These bicycles are sold pretty much any way you want them, starting at "somewhere around $3600" with a really nice set of parts.  The bare frame, fork and headset will cost you $2300.   It comes in one color, "creamy greenish blue".  For an additional $350 you can get any color you want that they approve.  As for parts, you could discuss this brake pad versus that gear set all day and never get on the road.  I'll assume these people really understand bicycle touring and they will set me up nicely.

Atlantis with flat handlebars.

Photos show bikes available with traditional dropped handlebars, and with upright bars, and with panniers, loaded for touring.  Reviews were mostly 5 Stars, with just about everyone saying this has become their go-to bike.  Others say they don't ride their older bikes anymore.  Some had even used this bicycle for loaded off-road tours.  You can't have better press than that!

Atlantis shown in this photo with fenders, racks, basket and panniers.

I have never ridden an Atlantis, but I have ridden a Bridgestone MB-1 mountain bicycle, owned by a friend in Colorado.  He bought that bike in 1994 and is still riding it.  At the time I wanted a Bridgestone RB-T, a predecessor of the Atlantis.  While these are very different bikes, the design element of the companies are very similar.  What I like about Rivendell is that they are the only ones making these bicycles and accessories, and they have kept to that same idea consistently for over 15 years.  I do like the option to not support a racing-ready mindset just to win a race every year.  And I like the long-frame steel bicycle design and the bomb-proof parts.

A real head badge!

I still pull out my 1994 Bridgestone catalog occasionally and re-read the fine articles about steel, aluminum and titanium manufacturing processes, wool jerseys, Nokona leather baseball gloves, beeswax: nature's loctite and my favorite, how to ride a bike forever.  I don't own any other bicycle catalogs.  Then I go online and read similar stories about a small bicycle company called Rivendell.   It looks like the Rivendell Atlantis really could be that bicycle that would last me forever.

What I am looking for in a bicycle

Not one like this!

What I am looking for in a bicycle is a wide tired, wide gear range, loaded touring, chromemoly  framed bicycle.  A long, easy riding, let-go-of-the-handlebars and coast on long downhills bicycle.  A bicycle that can easily carry a week or two of camping gear, clothing and groceries in attached panniers while just as easily handling various quality pavement, gravel and dirt roads.  A bicycle that fits my body well and is comfortable for all day long bicycle rides.  A bicycle to pedal through the country to enjoy the scenic vistas and to camp at forested campsites.  A bicycle that is not fast or furious, but always finishes the long distance rides with style and class.  That's what I'm looking for.  It is called a touring bicycle.
In the mid to late 1980's, just about every bicycle manufacturing company made a touring bike.  Some, like the Trek 520, became legends among the 1976 Bike Centennial riders (now called Adventure Cycling).  Even small companies started up to only build a touring bicycle frame, where you had to install the components onto the frame in order to ride it.
Just in my close local circle of bicycling friends in the 1980's there was a Trek, a Cannondale, a Fuji and two Centurions.  All touring bicycles.  And we had some bicycles in our group that were used for touring that were not ever designed or intended to be used as touring bicycles.
Well, those glory days of bicycle touring are mostly gone now with only one or two companies still making lugged frames, everyone else choosing to weld the tubes without using lugs.  But riders still tour the globe.  Every year.  Most ride a handful of the same old touring bicycles.  Some ride with panniers, some ride pulling trailers loaded with their gear, some just ride.
Today in the United States of America you can still buy a new Trek 520, a Jamis Aurora Elite, a Fuji Touring, an REI Randonee or Safari, a Windsor Tourist, the Surly Long Haul Trucker, and bicycles still being built with lugs like the Rivendell Atlantis.  There are a few other touring models, some with flat bars, shorter seat stays or other modifications to meet more than just touring rider needs. Many of the 1980's bicycle companies like Centurion (my old touring bike) no longer exist.  These are on my small personal favorite list, but there are many others, especially ones made overseas.
For my money, I need a bicycle that I can maintain myself with my limited bike shop skills and one that leaves enough money on the table to still be able to purchase panniers, water bottles, bicycle computer and bike clothes.  The camping gear I already own.  While I will probably only tour once or twice a year, it is the all day riding and long-frame comfort that I am really looking for.  We'll look at some of these bicycles over the next few weeks and discuss their good and so-so points.  In the meantime, get out and ride what you have.

How I Started

As a child, bicycling was freedom.  It was also how I went fishing and camping.  In college, my used, rusted, bondo-colored, tensile steel Raleigh 10-speed was transportation to town and the country, but mostly it sat unused, a car being the better option with friends.  I was living in Chattanooga, TN in 1981 when I saw a story on TV about "mountain biking" as a new sport being created in the Bay Area of Marin County in California .  What intrigued me most was bicycling on a hiking trail, away from traffic and cars.

An online photo of the Schwinn Catalog, the Sierra is on the right.

I purchased a new, relatively inexpensive 10-speed from Sears, and quickly learned how to stop with my feet on the ground on long downhill runs; the steel rims wouldn't stop the bike when they were wet.  After a few close encounters with the car-kind, I sold the Sears bike and paid a whole lot more money for a mostly chrome molly Schwinn Sierra mountain bicycle, the only mountain bike sold in the area at that time.  I also purchased a bicycle helmet and a Velcro-mounted water bottle.  My first few rides on gravel back roads were liberating!   The professionally assembled bicycle had the smoothest rolling bearings of all the bikes I had owned (to then) and rode so well, I was captivated to find new places to ride.
My first hiking trail bike ride was to pedal along the base of Lookout Mountain on a gravel road through the forest, and pickup the hiking trail to the summit at Sunset Rock.  The almost vertical mountain hiking trail proved difficult, but where I couldn't ride, I pushed or carried the bike.  After the final vertical scramble up to the top of Sunset Rock, I finished my water bottle, enjoyed the view and considered how I was going home, down the main paved highways or via the hiking trail.  I chose the hiking trail and hung on for dear life, bouncing from rock to tree, basically in one long fall downhill on the steep trail, and was only partly upright at any time.  Shouting "sorry" to scared hikers who scrambled out of the way at the last second as I blew past them going way too fast, I somehow careened my way back to the gravel road and a much more reasonably slower pedaling passage back to my car.  I was stoked!  And primed!   The Chickamauga Battlefield became my main riding area after that, just down Missionary Ridge by car.  I could enjoy a 4 hour bike ride 3-4 days weekly and still make it to work on time (I worked second shift then) and that was my life until moving to Florida in the mid 1980's.

A Centurion Pro Tour 15 like mine, loaded for touring.  

Once in the Sunshine State my bicycling mileage increased by commuting to work and by riding longer weekend routes.  I purchased a lugged, Centurion Pro Tour 15 touring bicycle and a used Cannondale mountain bike, riding both as much as possible.  The Pro Tour quickly became my favorite bicycle and even though it was worn out when I sold it, I now wish I had kept it.  With my friend Bill, I made two bicycle tours of north Georgia's mountains; with my future wife a very memorable overnight tour to Lake Kissimmee State park where we listened to a raccoon eat our breakfast one night while the food bag was tied to a tree; and a few overnight camping trips with friends in the Ocala National Forest.  Many rides were all-day long, with several centuries ridden around the state.  I bicycled two back to back, ten thousand mile years and carried my children on local rides in bicycle baby safety seats.  We day hiked then also, mostly in the Smokey Mountains and since we lived close to Wekiva Springs State Park at the time, we hiked and bicycled there on the trails extensively.  Life was good.

A Cannondale Mountain Bike, and a gift for my wife.

In the early 1990's I moved to Colorado for a new job and continued bicycling to work when I could.  The winter weather and cold temperatures were rough to ride in, but with investments in the right clothing I could ride without freezing about half of the year.  I don't know how many times I called home for help picking me up.  However, riding in the mountains and foothills was awesome!  I grew to prefer road bicycling there, the mountain bike trails being only all up or all down, and very tough!  I had a custom road bicycle frame built by a friend and rode it until recently.  Ride the Rockies in 2001 was my premier bicycle ride in Colorado with the best support, the best route, the best of everything in one package.  It was also the best I had ever ridden and I was in the best health of my life (so far).  A couple years later, life changed and I was again living in Florida.

Along the Ride the Rockies 2001 Route.

Fast forward a few years and my bicycling here has mostly been on the local multi-use/bicycling trails, the traffic being very difficult to ride with here.  Once you get way out of town the roads seem better with fewer drivers.
My goal is to get back to riding a touring bike again.  I like the upright position, the ability to ride most anywhere, and to carry panniers for overnight camping trips on occasion.  It will fit well with my current riding style, biking locally on the bicycle trails with an occasional overnight road trip in the Ocala National Forest.

A Specialized Rockhopper Comp, like mine.

In the meantime, I'm riding my fourth mountain bike now, a 2002 Specialized Rockhopper Comp and I still get a rush when riding off road.  I can't believe it is 11 years old now.  I am pleased with how mountain bikes have changed with the times since my first Schwinn, and recently witnessed one of the new, 3-inch super-wide fat-tire models being ridden locally at Wekiva Springs.  We'll have to see how things go for my future bicycle tastes as I plan on bicycling more with my wife, while balancing backpacking, hiking, kayaking and family in the future.

AGE, not MPH

My 2002 Specialized Rockhopper Comp

Bicycling Over Fifty is about being "Fifty" being YEARS Of AGE, or older, not MPH as in going faster than "Fifty".
Those who just wish to get outside and enjoy life on two wheels, we're here for you.
After my wife and I met, some three states, two children, five houses, and seven jobs ago, we began our relationship by riding our bicycles together. We felt we couldn't give back to the world any better than writing about our rides, how healthy bicycling has been for us and all the cool places to ride to, wherever we happen to be.
We now live in central Florida, which means we can bicycle all winter. Summer is so very hot here, we don't bicycle much locally then.  We'll get out on "cooler" days when we can, or we will travel north to cooler temperatures.
We live close to a multi-use/bicycle trail, the Cross Seminole, which crosses our county and carries the Florida National Scenic Hiking Trail along its route.  The Cross Seminole Trail links to the Seminole-Wekiva Rail Trail via a pedestrian suspension bridge over Interstate 4, creating multiple bicycle rides over twenty miles long from home, without having to ride in traffic or pedal up long hills.  Both trails are planned to be extended over the next few years which will be exciting for us.  By adding a few, low car-speed road miles, bicycling from home can be any distance or style we want.  Going further, by adding some state highway miles, you can ride most anywhere in Florida.
So, welcome to our blog.