by Igor
Scouring my archives, this is the earliest picture I could find of the complete bike. My detective skills based on the dirty tires leads me to think there must be another, earlier picture, but I can't find it. Maybe it's on an old flip-phone or Adrian's old LG Chocolate. Dura-Ace shifters, derailleurs, 10sp gearing (when it was brand new), dynamo lighting, carbon brake levers, and ready for all sorts of duties it will soon see.
Out of all my bikes, this one has the most airline miles, by far. Adrian and I even got married on our Campeurs on a tour of Denmark, Germany, and Sweden. Yeah, it was ridiculously cute.
You have to pack some reminders of home when going overseas
The Campeur is a sublime on-road tourer, but since I don't ride on the road so often anymore, it mostly lives on the trainer. It's just that my Low Kicker has a setup that is more conducive to my current riding style, component preferences, and setup. That is, I mostly ride canal paths, rail trails, gravel roads, and basically anything that minimizes interactions with cars.
Selling it has crossed my mind before, but I KNOW that if I sold it, I would immediately regret it. I've heard countless stories about cars, bikes, furniture, jewelry, etc...where people had seller's remorse immediately when the cash hit their hands. I typically skew towards the minimalist side, but some items demand a level of preservation due to their personal impact and meaning. And while it takes up a little bit more room in my garage and sometimes the office, I can always look at it and remember some truly fantastic times.
Do you have a forever bike? What makes it yours?
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38 comments:
great!
now can we talk about bringing the campeur back?
After waiting 40+ years, I acquired my "forever" bike this year, though I didn't know it at the time. I've wanted a Jack Taylor Tour of Britain since I was in college, and when one popped up on line, I risked all kinds of trouble and snagged it. Long story short, it's even better than I'd hoped. The fit isn't perfect, and I'd like to be able to fit bigger tires but it's clear that "this is the one".
Yes, my "forever bike" is a 7-speed internal hub Bianchi. I bought it after a personal loss. I have two other bikes in my fleet and have considered selling it but I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm quite attached to it.
My forever bike is a Calfee bamboo road bike Craig built for me almost a decade ago. It’s quite literally a piece of furniture in terms of its appearance. But it’s also the nicest riding bike I’ve ever had the pleasure of riding.
Love my Campeur. When returning to City Bike in Tallinn Estonia just before the pandemic, one of the staff said, "here comes the old guy with the "old-fashioned" French bike...
Please bring back the campeur!!
In 1986, when I was 12 or 13, my mom decided the 56cm '74 Peugeot PX10 she'd bought a few years earlier was too big for her. She bought a new 50cm '86 Miyata Nine Twelve (which she still rides) and gave me the PX10. In '87 or '88, my dad and I stripped the paint, brazed on cable guides and bottle & shifter mounts, repainted it, and rebuilt it with all new parts (Sachs Huret New Success derailleurs, Simplex Retrofriction shifters and Dia-Compe Royal Compe II brakes). In 2004, I had it refinished again and rebuilt it with 3x10 Campagnolo Centaur. I have many bikes that I ride more, but I will never part with my PX10.
Working in a bike shop in Glasgow, Scotland in the early 1908s I built up my dream touring bike on a Wester Ross frameset with the best components I could find at the time. It took me all over the UK and on a memorable tour through the Picos du Europa in Northern Spain. It’s now with me in the US and helped kick-start my cycling again with my daughter and led me recently to take delivery of a more modern gravel machine, a Moots Routt 45.
My forever bike is a custom Dean Ti All Road with couplers, Di2 and Spinergy deep dish wheels. Fast as my (former) pure race bikes, but can be used for any type of riding.
I have a Raleigh Grand Prix that I bought new from Southeast Cycle on Pennsy Avenue in Washington DC on 28 December 1972. I upgraded it with 700c wheels, cassette hub and triple rings in '08, and I hope to do brakes and paint soon (it has surface rust. I will not let it go; Mom gave me the money for it for Christmas ($125!!), I had it with me when I was stationed in the UK, it's done RAGBRAI.
I have other bikes and they are Forevers as well. If it fits me (6'4), meets my particular spec, and I enjoy riding and messing with it, why wouldn't they be?
Mine is my '78 Trek 930. It just fits. Disappears beneath me. Makes me want to ride. And it was totally random - just another interesting project bike to work on, similar to lots of other 70's racing geometry bikes I've owned (and still have). But oncle built up, I couldn't stop riding it.
My forever bike is a Peter Weigle 650b conversion of an early 70's Raleigh Competition, because Peter. It's still my most comfortable bike, I've done several credit card tours with it.
My forever bike is my Boulder Brevet. No way it ever leaves me!
Hanging onto your Campeur is a good call. My 2013 Campeur is all I need. I just long-term loaned my Specialized Allez to a friend because the Campeur can do everything the pure roadie bike could, nearly as fast and with twice the fun once the pavement ends.
i Acquired my Forever Bike in 2012, after a careless driver killed my previous bike (an '84 Trek 560)and necessitated a hip replacement. It's a Velo Orange Rando (stock)in French Blue.
It's been through many changes (cranks, fenders, shifters, stem, tape, etc), but had settled down for the past four or five years, and then I developed a serious neck crick from riding on drop bars.
I changed the handlebars and stem for a much more upright position (SOMA Narrow Sparrow and Nitto Periscopa); I swapped out the friction DT shifters and aero brake levers, and I'm in the process of turning it into a 1x9. The Sugino PX crank is about to shed its 46/30 gearing for a 42, and the 12-25 cassette will be replaced with an 11-36. Thanks to the upright position, I replaced the VO saddle the kit came with, subbing in a Brooks Flyer. I zip-tied a basket to the front rack. I *may* even craft a chainguard for this newly 1x9 beast.
So it's gone from being a randonneur to being more of a porteur. It's an old man's bike, but I'm an old man, and we grow older together.
My dream bike is a custom Dean Ti All Road with couplers, Di2 and Spinergy deep dish wheels that I recently commissioned. It’s versatile, as fast as my pure race bikes and makes it possible to have fewer more specialized bikes.
My forever bike is a gazelle tour populair Dutch tourer. A sturdy, versatile, unassumingly pleasant bike. After a frame breaks, is stolen or vandalised (happened in Germany where somebody (may they burn in hell) completely destroyed and burned my bike whilst parked), I buy an identical one. Been riding this model for the last 30 years. Shopping, commute, holidays. It's my workhorse.
Ditto on the bring back the Campeur. I've been wanting one ever since I saw Bicycle Nomads and want one even more after reading this blog.
Any plans on another production run?
Following being picked off by an inattentive driver, and crushing my left leg and the Carlton-framed Competition GS, the first bicycle I felt capable of attempting to ride was a '69 Raleigh DL-1 3-speed with rod brakes, which I bought second-hand for $75 as a trade-in at a bike shop. The seller had immediate regrets, and wanted to buy it back, but by then, I'd managed to pedal it around the block. That was forty years ago.
I had it re-painted and striped about 20 years ago, and it's been gone through regularly and maintained as original. The SA hub was overhauled (by me) at the same time, and with regular dribbles of sewing machine oil, it's always delivered in Normal, Low and High. I did gear it down with a 24 tooth rear, so it will climb most grades without resorting to shoe leather. It was just last week that the Low gear pawls apparently failed, but that'll soon be right as rain.
I've ridden it to work in shirt and tie, it will carry $75 worth of groceries in the baskets, and it's handy for a quick run for hardware or to the coffee shop. With its Brooks B-67 saddle, it's comfortable for short rides or long. It's my go-to machine rain or shine, with its chain- and mud-guards. It's transported me on several of the Lake Pepin 3-speed Tours.
It's the right frame size for either of my sons - perhaps I should round up another so they're not having to have some toss of the coin just before the estate sale...
It's been a long, and complicated search - with many of the complications self-induced. Some of the complication comes from having roughly 20 vintage bicycles - many of which fit me well, and several of which are spectacular in various ways.
I rode a considerable amount when I was young (until the end of college), and just two weeks before leaving my hometown of Rochester, NY to join the Navy, my beloved 1978 Raleigh Super Course was stolen. I didn't get back to cycling for roughly 20 years after that, and when I did, I was able to acquire a 1972 Fuji Finest before I was able to latch onto another 1978 Super Course.
As good as that Super Course seemed to an 18-21 year old who had the physique of a UCI World Tour professional, it fell substantially short to a 40+ year old suffering from Dad bod. My comeback required gearing beyond 52-14, 52-15 and 42-14 (I believe the only gears ever used on that Super Course), and that Fuji was such a sweet and versatile rider.
Not completely satisfied (and a bit nostalgic for 1970's Raleighs), and having read about Randonneuring and feeling the tug of late 1940's - 1950's English club riding, I attempted a series of trials - rejecting a series of candidates including a Surly Long Haul Trucker, a 1954 Hetchin's Magnum Opus, a 1984 Miyata 210, and a resto-modded 1959 Viking Severn Valley. There were things I liked about all of them, but none of them "punched all the tickets".
After nearly a decade, I realized that I liked the weight and versatility of the Fuji Finest, and having all the fittings of the Miyata 210 and Surly LHT. However, having a sense of aesthetics and a modest budget (and a reluctance to despoil the still-nice original finish on the Fuji), I decided to pursue adapting a frame with similar characteristics, and either a non-original, or an unsalvagable finish.
After some searching, it occurred to me that I already had the ideal candidate, and a very good source of modification expertise to fit the bill. What followed was a series of conversations with gugie (who has already posted here), and the eventual result was a 1972 Raleigh Competition adapted for 650B wheels that I built myself - replete with V.O. fenders, bell and a few other bits), that has had all the necessary braze-ons added (including cantilever brake studs), an adjusted fork rake, and internal wire routing added.
A move to our "forever home" has slowed down the final stages of completing the entire vision of this "forever bicycle", but lately I've been getting more riding in, and have been "dialing in". It still doesn't have the light mounted, and I'm still in need of an appropriate front bag, but it is getting there. The only complications are that I still have that Fuji, and also a modified 1974 Raleigh International that is begging me to take it to Cino.
Mine is a 1992 Kona Hei Hei titanium that now lives on as a do it all all-road bike with 2.3 Rene Here Rat Trap Pass tires and full M950 XTR and vintage DT Swiss 240 (branded Bontrager) wheels. Never ever selling even though I have a new Litespeed Watia that gets all the miles now. Great article.
My surly pacer is a forever bike. I bought it used about 10 years ago, having since put 1000s of commuting miles on it, a couple triathlons, gravel centuries, and randonneuring up to 300k. I've since 'upgraded' to a gravel rig that fits wider tires, but can't get rid of the pacer. Every time I throw a leg over it, it feels fast, light & ready for an all-day ride.
I don't have one "forever bike" because I don't know the kind of riding I'll be doing for forever....but my forever *touring* bike is the Campeur. It's one of the most versatile bikes I own, and among those versatile bikes it rides the best. Loaded or unloaded, it just rides so smoothly and predictably and....I don't want to say it "planes," but it does seem to mesh well with me. Rightly or wrongly, I attribute the great handling at least in part to the mid-trail front geometry. I can put a top front load on the Campeur and the steering remains stable, whereas my high-trail touring bikes get a bit wobbly on me when I do that. If I ever had to cut my N to 1 and no longer toured, then the Campeur wouldn't be the final one, but I don't plan to ever cut that deeply and I'll always want a touring bike, so in that sense I guess it is a forever bike.
I purchased a Jamis Nova circa 2004. Reynolds 631 frame, with a carbon fork. It doesn't quite have a touring geometry, more of a randonneur. It's good on and off road, not fast but not slow either. Brooks saddle of course. Good all arounder, have commuted to work, done light touring and lots' of fitness rides, it is reliable, comfortable and versatile. If I could only have one bike, this would be it.
I quickly dumped it in sand and ruined the brifters and went to bar ends. Triple crankset, haven't had to true the wheels in 16 years. I built up a Campeur for my son, he loves it, if they bring the frame back I'll buy one and build a real touring bike. His setup is with downtube shifters, randonneur bars and fenders.
Love Velo Orange, great place for classic bike nerds!
What ought to be my "forever bike" is the one I brazed while enrolled in UBI's lugged brazing class. It was based off a Surly Cross Check but with some tweaks. I say it ought to ba a forever bike, and indeed I cannot sell it, but I'm afraid to ride on roads these days and have few other options aside from trail riding. Too many close calls, and pedestrian (& bicycle) deaths are rising.
The other bike I sold, realized I missed it and bought it back 4 years later from the same owner I sold it to. It's basically a FAT campeur! A Surly Pugsley. I ride that thing in all seasons, in all kinds of builds and in all terrains.
Thanks to the original blog post and all who have commented. My first multi-speed bike was a brand-new 1973 Peugeot UO-8, followed by a 1973 Fuji S-10-S with tubular tires that had been an intro racing bike for a fellow student. I still have the UO-8, which seduces in its classic French way and still rides very well. It was the bike that my wife rode as she was getting into cycling. The Fuji was my primary bike for 41 years, after I had it professionally painted and had a custom clincher wheelset built. That bike did gravel, before gravel was a thing, and was even ridden on the Trexlertown Velodrome before they even had grandstands. Near the end, it felt slightly too large after I retired and I needed a slightly smaller frame and 700c wheels. I always felt they both were forever bikes, the Peugeot as the ‘first’ and the Fuji for its longevity, but the Peugeot is still here and still ridden occasionally, and when I am no longer riding, it will be wall art in the rec room.
I was directed to the VeloORANGE site when I was searching for a new bike in 2015 and was seriously considering a Campeur or Passhunter, but my size was out of stock. I was determined to get a new bike, but wanted cantilever brakes, classic styling, steel tubing and a curved fork, with silver components, but have indexed shifting. I found that in my Bianchi Volpe that now has a number of VO “upgrades” and light, supple fat tan sidewall tires.
Now I will add my voice to those calling for bring back the Campeur as a “Classic” model with cantilever studs and a curved fork with threadless stem. Extra points for that deep burgundy color VO has offered in the past, and would look so 'right' with the VO burgundy bags. Such a bike would scream for a Grand Cru 50.4 crank.
The Campeur looks wonderful. My current almost-but-not-quite forever bike is an 1984 Nishiki International. I love it. My father rode it for a long time, eventually with me on a kid seat on the back, and now I've been riding it for some ten years. But it's just a bit too noodly with heavy bags, and I can't fit the fatter tires I'd prefer. I've been looking at a Polyvalent as a possible replacement, but maybe the Campeur is even better suited. I, too, hope for a revival!
I traded my forever bike - a Univega Activa Trail I'd converted to drops - for a Raleigh Super Course Mk. II, and instantly regretted it.
Out of all my current bikes, the one I think I'd never sell is my Peugeot UO-8 singlespeed/fixed gear. It gets easily the most mileage of all my bikes, rides like a dream, and is the most comfy thing I own, despite being too big (it's 62cm, my ideal size is 58).
Dream forever bike at the moment would probably be something along the lines of the campeur (like the Riv Appaloosa). Currently, the dream is to have Shamrock build one, but that's gonna be a long ways out.
I have 4 "Forevers." + 1 "Memorial." Of the 4 I still ride 2 were made in the 1980s. One road bike by my late friend Tom Teesdale (TET Cycles). 1 is a 1981 Holdsworth that has gone from commuter to 3 speed and is now my Jeff Bock repainted go-to touring bike (with many VO parts). I also have a 2000 built TET that Tom built. It was set up as a single but recently turned into a 2x8 trail touring bike. And last, a 3 speed mixte that I built under the tutelage of Jeff Bock in 2019, that I use around town and on the MKT and KATY Trails. The experience was a gift from my wife for my 70th birthday. The "memorial" bike was a time trial bike that was built during the late 70's by Tom as something of a send up of the "light is right" attitude. Recently repainted as a way to remember Tom. It will get used this year in the Missouri Senior State Games time trials.
My forever will probably be the Campeur that VO had for sale in late 2019. Swapped my other bike’s parts to it just before the pandemic. It’s a great all-arounder, common sense design frame. BTW, Scott Gater at VO was the absolute best to deal with and was super nice to me, even when I became a difficult customer, which I subsequently apologized for. A very patient person! Nick
I have two forever bikes. The first is my trusty Romic. I bought the frame from Bike Warehouse (now Bike Nashbar) in 1980, paying for it with tip money from busing tables. It was only $176 but it was a LOT of dimes, nickels and quarters! It has suffered being wrecked by a garage door and been rebuilt a few times until now it has a Campy drivetrain, Zeus hubs and SRP Mr Grumpy cantilever brakes. My second bike I made the frame myself with Nervex lugs and Reynolds 531 tubing back in 1993. It also features curly chain stays. Campy drivetrain and Zeus hubs with Modolo brakes. Both bikes have been on memorable trips and I don't think I could part with them unless I couldn't ride anymore. Roger
My forever bike is probably my Campeur but I would HAPPILY buy the new Campeur that I'm sure Igor and co are working on that'll take 2" tires with fenders and disk brakes.
I'm looking for a front child seat just like the orange one you have here. Mind sharing some info on it? Thanks!
@sammy,
It's a Yepp Mini! He really liked it. You need to make sure you have decently upright bars and be prepared for a surprise snooze!
-Igor
I fell in love with the 2002 Litespeed LookOut Mt the moment I saw it - Ti, super-clean and minimal - no canti mounts - and insane tubework - a 10-sided seat post!!
No way could I afford one new at the time so I found a previously-loved frame and built it up with a combo of new and p-l components.. I've had it for 18 years now, love how it feels like an extension of my body now, and have had so many nightmares of losing it, from being stolen outside a store to not being where I left it at home, it's ridiculous.
I will never sell her and the only thing that will part us is her being taken from me in real life..
About to post a much loved yepp mini with windshield on DC Craigslist.
My forever bike is a 1996 lemond zurich with shaped 853. "Super light" for climbing up to my fifth floor Brooklyn walk-up. The 96 Zurich I have now was a replacement for my first one. Sold it and then realized it was my forever bike when nothing, at any price, came close. Bought a beat up one with some rust and had it walnut shell blasted, filled and deep blue sparkle coated. It pedals itself.
Unfortunately, it just isn't flattered by a load despite my c and p clamped attempts.
I am very very happy with the first 1200 or so miles on my pescadero with velo orange campeur rear and constructeur front, with filed long reach brakeset to make the reach even longer. And vo stainless fenders, pedals, cranks, etc. Not enough miles and years on it, but it's looking very good and like my dating years are now behind me.
Early in grad school, my 1980 Fuji Royale broke the downtube as I climbed a steep hill. The local dealer pointed out that the tube was bent/bulged there as though it had been crashed into something. I'm assuming someone who borrowed it (as some did without permission in college) might have, as I hadn't. I splurged on an '89 Trek 660, the last of their light steel frames, and transferred all the old components over. This got me through a friend's offer of "We're doing a ride in Durango" that turned out to be the 25th Iron Horse Classic, without any training. 3 decades later, there are some nice VO components, if not many much (any!) left of the original Fuji, but there's a strong, persistent connection.
As a post-doc, I picked up a used Rambouillet from the first production run. This is the bike on which I've done my longest rides and then been happy to get back on the next morning. As I age and change my perspective on what I keep (vs. hoard), this one might win out for comfort, predicable handling, and other VO-like qualities.
Stay well, all!
I thought all forever bikes would be ti.. :)
My ti forever bike is from a small town called tempe
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