a publication of ADVENTURE CYCLING ASSOCIATION AN EPIC ACT OF TRANSIENCE10 $6.95 OCT/NOV 2019 Vol.46 No.8 STACK LONG DAYS. CLIMB LIKE A MOUNTAIN GOAT. Saddle, back, neck and wrist pain no longer get a say in your plans. Our patented drive system brings together the best of traditional and recumbent touring bikes so you don’t have to sacrifice performance for comfort. But we should warn you, your cheeks may hurt from smiling. Adventure Cyclist readers get $100 off the Cruzbike of their choice Use code: ADVENTURE at C ruzbike.com Letter from the Editor online WHAT YEAR IS IT AGAIN? Revolution, evolution, and the march of progress PHOTO CONTEST OPEN NOW ➺I recently found myself standing on a quiet main ’Tis the season for submitting street in front of a small-town Montana theater. I’d your best images to the 11th been on the road for a while and small towns can start Annual Bicycle Travel Photo to look the same, but when I looked up at the marquee Contest. Winning images are published in the May 2020 and saw “Lion King,” for a moment I was sure of EDGERTONADAM neither where I was nor when. Adventure Cyclist, plus these Depending on the level of charity you’re inclined shots appear in our annual to employ, there are either no more ideas left, or we calendar. Send us your best simply evolve the same core idea over and over to at adventurecycling.org/ reintroduce it to new generations. I was certainly thinking about the photcontest now through spectrum of “invention” as I read Bob Marr’s story on page 20 about turn- November 30. of-the-century cycling innovations. Cyclometers, saddles, tires — if we just showed you the text and not the vintage advertisements, you’d be forgiven GRAVEL TO THE RESCUE? for wondering about the turn of which century. Shimano changed touring bike Though we didn’t dedicate an entire issue of bike travel history this spec forever when the brand year, we’re still very much committed to these types of stories, in part ended compatibility between thanks to the generosity of the bicycle historian community. It’s a pleasure road and mountain drivetrain working with authors like David Herlihy (June 2019) and Tessa Hulls components. Now the Japanese (May and July 2019), collectors like John Weiss and Lorne Shields, and giant has an entirely new countless archival institutions around the world. If this is the sort of groupset aimed at gravel, GRX. thing that you’d like a deeper dive into, you might enjoy the International Does it deliver for the touring Cycling History Conference and the book of papers they publish each year cyclist? We take our first spin in (shameless plug: designed by Adventure Cycling cofounder Greg Siple). an effort to find out. Read more Speaking of cycling gear, we’ll be getting a regular infusion of new at adventurecycling.org/grxtest. items for our Geared Up department (page 38) from longtime cycling writer Berne Broudy (“Arctic Circle Trail,” Dec. 2016/Jan. 2017) both in print and online. Berne will be reviewing women’s-specific items as well as providing her expert perspective on general products. Be sure to check in on our blog (adventurecycling.org/blog) and subscribe to eDigest (adventurecycling.org/subscribe) to stay up to date on all of our gear, as well as other online-only content. Finally, we’re closing in on a fully planned 2020 volume of Adventure Cyclist, so if you’ve considered sending us a pitch, now’s the time! Visit adventurecycling.org/submit for details. VIDEO ROAD TESTS Don’t forget about our video Alex Strickland Road Tests, courtesy of tester Editor-in-Chief, Adventure Cyclist Patrick O’Grady. This month [email protected] the Masi Speciale Randonneur (page 34) gets the YouTube treatment. See all of O’Grady’s video tests at youtube.com/user/ advcyclingassoc. ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG/MEMBERS 03 contents VOLUME 46 ∞ NUMBER 8 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG INNOVATIONS FROM THE CYCLING CRAZE A reminder that when it comes to bikes, sometimes what’s old becomes new again. by Bob Marr 20 OUR COVER: The sunflower fields of central France are merely the kickoff in the 2,900- mile EuroVelo 6 route DEPARTMENTS LETTERS COLUMNS from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. AN EPIC ACT OF 08 Waypoints 03 LETTER from the 34 Road Test Editor Patrick O’Grady Photo by Steph Ridenour. TRANSIENCE 10 38 Geared Up 05 LETTERS from our Masi Speciale Adventure Cyclist is 42 Holiday Trailblazer Profile ➺ Part 1 of a self- Readers Randonneur America’s only magazine 44 Marketplace/Classifieds dedicated to bicycle travel. supported journey across 06 LETTER from the 50 Companions Wanted It is published nine times Europe on the EuroVelo Director each year by Adventure 51 Open Road Gallery Cycling Association, a 6 route from the Atlantic nonprofit organization to the Black Sea. for recreational cyclists. Individual membership by Alex Crevar costs $45 yearly to U.S. SIZING AT THE MASI SPECIALE RANDONNEUR addresses and includes a 30 subscription to Adventure THE RACE CLOCK EXTREMES Vintage looks belie an updated Cyclist and discounts on ➺ Touring bikes take on touring. Adventure Cycling maps. IS TICKING 26 For more information, visit for the very tall ➺ Wrestling with 34 adventurecycling.org or and small. call 800.755.2453. relentlessly rolling roads by Alex Strickland — and encroaching ego — Adventure Cyclist accepts stories, articles, in the inaugural Arkansas and photographs for High Country Race. COLOR ME publication. Learn more by Ally Mabry at adventurecycling.org/ VELO ORANGE 40 submit. ➺ Classics for the modern rider. by Dan D’Ambrosio 04 ADVENTURE CYCLIST OCTOBER /NOVEMBER 2019 Letters from our Readers FINAL MILE FANS Harry Lyons’s article on his quest The GPS trail maps in the program Just ask a local resident. Many will be for the perfect bike saddle in the are stellar and detailed. This month surprised where that may lead. Aug./Sept. issue (“Hot Battered Bum our planned backpacking route P.S.: Great magazine! Bones”) was laugh-out-loud funny. included a section from Appleton Pass Bill Swearingen | Lincoln, Nebraska Many a cyclist have experienced to Swimming Bear Lake in Olympic similar “events” over the course of a National Park via Cat Basin. This WH(E)EEEEEE long tour, including yours truly. More traverse is in a few climbing books but My wife and I are currently sitting articles like this please. not on any maps, not in AllTrails, nor on an Amtrak train, with our eBikes Art Brown | Winnipeg, Manitoba available on the WA Trails Association aboard, headed from Saint Paul, website. Komoot, however, mapped it Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington. I had just gotten back from a one-week immediately and was a critical tool on We are 4,800 miles into a 6,000 +/- 400-mile tour from Illinois to Kansas our “atmospheric” hike. summerlong eBike tour that started City. After 25 years of touring, it was I have not been a track contributor in Fort Collins, Colorado, on the last the hardest ride I had done. Every day, to Komoot, but after your article, I day of March. I can tell you from I battled headwinds, hills, and heat. By will now begin contributing my Pacific firsthand experience that our assisted the end, I thought that this may be my Northwest routes. bikes have been real game changers last tour. I finished, but the everyday Sally Brennand | Olympia, Washington on this tour. Mountain pass? No big battle put a black cloud over the deal. West Texas wind? I didn’t notice. entirety of my trip. I came home feeling Very interesting article on the Ozarks? So pleasant. This is in spite of defeated from battling everything that Komoot app, and to hear that seven my rig weighing 150 lbs. with gear and mother nature had thrown at me. million folks are using it is amazing. extra batteries. As I went though my mail, the Aug./ Yet this is the first I’ve heard of it. I I was happy to read the article Sept. issue was waiting for me and I spoke to the local bike shop owner “eBikes for Everyone” in the Aug./Sept. read the “Final Mile Anthology.” Each and he was not aware of it either. The magazine. I’ve ridden similar length story spoke to how I felt about this idea of blending Komoot with your tours on traditional touring bikes and last trip. I had forgotten how these maps would be very convenient. A tandems. I think eBikes may be the situations are part of the challenge. rider could review the maps of the answer to so many transportation issues The stories made me reassess what next day’s route in the evening then in the near future. As far as bike touring bike travel means to me and why I follow the route on your iPhone. goes, they should be a consideration to do it. I do it for the adventure, riding I eagerly await the arrival of each anyone looking to enjoy long-distance into the unknown, and overcoming issue. The article entitled “Hurt,” (June riding. I hope to see some Nuts & Bolts the obstacles in my way, the feeling of 2019) forces a rider to consider the how-to articles about eBike touring in accomplishment when I am done, and possibility of having your trusty steed future Adventure Cyclist issues. bragging rights for finishing. stolen. I suggest an article on the most Brian Squire | Fort Collins, Colorado Rob Lauzon | Milford, Michigan effective way to secure your bike.