Salut, j'ai un peu d'experience en randonnée a velo, j'ai roulé avec un vieux motobecane puis avec un VTC rigide.
Ce que j'aime c'est partir en randonnée assez loin de la ville, sans etre livré a moi en pleine nature, car je n'ai rien d'un scoot : j'arbore trop souvent le béton des villes pour avoir le temps d'apprendre quoi que ce soit de la nature.
A force de faire des voyages, j'ai remarqué que ce qui me plaisait le plus, c'etait varier les plaisirs, un peu de route, un peu de sentier, et un peu de foret, et un peu de champs.
Ce que j'aime aussi, c'est de prendre un bol d'air frais chaque année, partir avec le plus d'autonomie possible, parfois pendant 3 jours, parfois pendant 2 semaines.
Sachant qu'on vient de me voler mon velo de randonnée, que j'aimais bien. Le classique avec un guidon de course.
J'ai envie d'acheter un velo neuf, avec mon revenu etudiant.
J'ai un budge jusqu'a 1500 euros en achetant tout le materiel, mais vu qu'il s'agit de l'argent de mon emprunt etudiant, j'ai aussi envie d'eviter de tout depenser.
J'ai soit un pote qui veut me ceder son VTT en 27,5 " de tres bonne qualité tout supsendu avec les deux suspensions blocables.
Sinon j'ai envie d'acheter un Monstercross (genesis vagabond), en 29pouces: le genesis vagabond, mais il a des trop gros pneus et je connais tres mal cette technologie donc vu que j'ai plus l'habitude des vtt j'ai peur que ca me change trop d'un coup.
Soit sinon je visait le genesis croix de fer 10 qu'on m'a conseillé comme etant un velo hyper polyvalent.
Sinon apres j'opte pour la grade distribution, a laquelle je fais moins confiance, et de prendre ce velo de route, lui mettre des pneus larges, et de mettres des portes bagages. Car le cadre est garanti a vie et la fourche est percée. Et que j'economise 300 euros pour rester sur la meme qualité de transmission. Decathlon triban 540
Ce que j'ai peur avec les 27,5 et 29, c'est d'avoir une geometrie de cadre qui n'est pas faite pour faire de la longue distance sans effort. J'ai peur de perdre de l'energie pour avancer comparé a une bonne randonneuse en 28.
J'aime bien tous les types de routes, je n'aime juste pas les voitures.
Je ne sais pas si je résume assez bien la situation, parce que j'ai besoin de vos conseils, car pour moi les vendeurs ne sont pas toujours clairvoyant leur but etant de vendre plutot que de tenter satisfaire nos besoins.
pour des virées en autonomie et sur parcours mixte, le Déca et le Croix de Fer me paraissent un peu limite ... la largeur de pneu avec un vélo chargé a son utilité (je me suis baladé autrefois avec des pneus "cross" de 28 ou 32 mm ... ça devient vite handicapant sur terrain "meuble", herbeux .. ailleurs que sur route ou chemin blanc bien entretenu ...
Du coup le Déca (qui n'accepte pas forcément aux passages de roue des pneus de plus de 28 mm) est à éliminer...
Côté développement, entre le terrain "hors route" et les montées raides avec les bagages - un double plateau 50*34 est trop "long" ... problème donc pour le Croix de Fer ...
Le Vagabond Monster me paraît être le mieux approprié ... le développement maxi (40*11 - soit 8 m au tout de pédalier est suffisant pour se faire plaisir et un 28x36 (1,71 au tour de pédalier) permet de passer les bosses, même en fin de journée avec la charge ... Reste donc, pour vous la taille des pneus ... en 29, on doit trouver des 1,8 " soit 46 mm de section ... avec un profil "lisse" ou très peu cranté, ça détruit pas la réactivité du vélo (en gonflant "dur" ...) - sans compter que ce type de vélo est "à la mode" et que l'offre de pneus en 29 " va sans doute s'étoffer ... ça me paraît être le bon choix ...
🙂 Merci Michel pour cette reponse précise. Je ne pouvais modifier le topic, sinon je me serais permis de rendre ma question un peu plus précise.
Ce que je comprends au final , c'est que la taille de la roue n'est pas tres importante face au type de pneu qu'on utilise... donc ce qui gene le plus avec le 29, c'est uniquement un probleme de compatibilité, je suppose.....
Mon inquiétude, si je peux la reformuler, est de ne pas pouvoir canaliser l'ensemble de l'energie de mon pedalage dans la vitesse de mon vélo. Si c'est simplement une question de pneu (et aussi un peu de taille de roue, et de resistance au vent)
Cela fait longtemps que je ne fais plus de VTT, et j'ai toujours en tete que ces vélo ont tres peu d'inertie au profit d'une bonne maniabilité.
Bref, merci d'avoir pris le temps de regarder.
PS: y a t il un velo que je n'ai pas suggerer que tu recommanderais?
29" c'est, en fait des pneus de 700 - le choix de pneus est donc vaste .... ce qui compte, c'est le diamètre intérieur de la jante (valeur ETRO - qui reste sur les standards classiques : 559 mm pour le 26" - 584 mm pour le 27,5 (et le 650 B) - 622 mm pour les vtt en 28/29 (29" c'est la dimension extérieure du pneu 736mm en 29 - 712 mm en 28 -700mm pour un pneu "course" de 700 c) ... en bref, il y a des chances pour que les jantes puissent accepter des pneus plus étroits que ceux fournis ... à faire préciser au vendeur le cas échéant, mais il doit être tout à fait possible de monter des pneus plus fins, même slick et surtout légers ... à mon sens, un profil quasi lisse, une section de 40 mm (1,6) et une pression à 5 bars sur un pneu léger permettent un rendement très correct pour un vélo polyvalent ... Mais il faut veiller à ce que le cadre permette, en cas de besoin, de passer des pneus d'une section suffisante ...le mini me semble être au moins 1,5 " (38 mm) ..
nb : le passage de vélos de 26 à des vélos de 27,5, 28 ou 29 s'est fait surtout sur un effet de mode .... la différence de diamètre est quand même relativement faible ... les "capacités de franchissement" évoquées pour les "grandes roues" évoluent assez peu !!! En revanche, il faut être très attentif à la qualité des pneus ... c'est eux qui transmettent l'effort ... D'où la recherche de pneus légers acceptant une bonne pression de gonflage...
Bonne recherche.
bonjour, pour moi il y a deux trucs à ne pas louper qd on achète un vélo;
1 la taille : le mieux c'est de mesurer les cotes d'un précédent vélo sur lequel on est bien (hauteur axe pédalier jusqu'à la selle, distance selle guidon, hauteur guidon axe roue) et de reproduire le réglage sur le nouveau vélo
2 les développements : je roule en montagne et il y a souvent des cols à franchir ou des cotes dures donc j'ai un pédalier de 22x32x 42 et K7 jusqu' 32 ou même 34
Apres on adapte beaucoup le vélo a son parcours. Par exemple j'ai fait a la fois la Zelande, et la foret noire avec le meme velo T58 avec pedalier 175mm alors que normalement je devrais prendre un taille M.... des roues 700 28 C dans les chemins et la foret et surchargé (on fait tous des erreurs)
Quand ca grimpait trop je descendais du velo, et j'ai evité de rouler en plein champs.
C'est pour ca que c'est difficile de se decider aussi, ca fait mal de faire une erreur a 1500 euros...... enfin, je peux toujours le vendre, mais c'est dommage.
Hello, pour ne pas se tromper de taille de cadre et faire les bons réglages, je conseille d'aller sur le site de la ffct
Il y a tout les conseils et les formules pour calculer les côtes.
Je te remercie pour tes conseils. Je suis entrain de penser a toute allure dans mon petit cerveau. Je suis entrain de me demander si c'est pas un peu de la folie depenciere.
Je me demande si je peux pas me prendre un velo plus simple, de moyenne qualité avec des gros pneus.
J'arrive pas a m'en sortir avec ces questions que j'ai en tete et qui me semblent passer du coq a l'ane. Je sais qu'un Monstercross ou un gravel c'est super chouette, ca fait baver les jeunes etudiants comme moi.
Parce qu'apres, en ville, ca va tout de suite me sembler superflu comme velo compte tenu de l'usage que j'en ai (20km par jour)
J'ai toujours su prendre mon plaisir avec des velos moins techniques, bricolés..... et donc la question d'une vielle randonneuse d'occasion me semble pertinente.
Voila un exemple tout bete, qui peut m'economiser presque 1000 euros :P
Je me présente rapidement: Guillaume 27 ans Habite à Nantes J'ai pris gout à l'itinérance en vélo après avoir fait Nantes - Hendaye au mois de juillet 2016 sur…
J'arrête le jogging intensif à 60 ans pour me consacrer tranquillement à la randonnée (ou les ballades) à vélo. En France d'abord. J'envisage l'achat chez…
Je prépare un voyage à vélo de 4 mois en Asie du Sud-Est, et étant totalement ignare en mécanique vélo, je parcours le net depuis plusieurs semaines en quête…
Je suis à la recherche d'avis sérieux et des retours d'expériences pour le modèle de vélo femme de randonnée TREK 920, modèle 2018. Ce modèle présenté est…
J ai un truc qui me turlupine gravement la tete là j ai commandé ce qui devrait etre mopremier vrai vélo de rando, qui me permette de grimper enfin et pas de…
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
I’ve got my flight ticket sorted—departing in mid-November and returning in mid-March. I’ll arrive in Santiago and leave from Buenos Aires.
I’ve already been to southern Argentina, specifically Torres del Paine National Park, and I’d love to go back to do the full W trek (I only did the shorter version last time).
I also want to do some hiking and maybe even tackle a summit. I climb and occasionally do some mountaineering, so I’ll definitely be going with a guide.
I plan to start around Temuco in Chile, with the idea of heading toward the lakes, then taking the Carretera Austral.
I’m not sure if I’ll go all the way to Ushuaia—it’s supposed to not be *that* worth it, except for the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to the end of the world.
I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
I don’t have a precise itinerary, but what I’d love is, once I reach the southernmost point of my trip, to take a mini-cruise to see some wildlife. Any tips for that?
What kind of sleeping bag did you take? Is a 0°C (32°F) one enough?
And one last question: white gas stove or can I get by with my gas stove?
😎Fellow traveling cyclists or not, all of you who love travel, the pleasure of physical effort, nature, beautiful machines, people with true passions they seek to fulfill, and who also enjoy reading great literature about all this—the *200* magazine is for you just as it is for me. I should mention I have no financial or other interest in this (in an era where we accuse our politicians of all sorts of vile interests, I prefer to take precautions). I’ve been subscribed since the beginning, and every three months, I get my 130 pages of dreams (the magazine just went from 110 to 130 pages).
It covers everything from the trans-America route to the TCR (Trans Continental Race) from Belgium to a small town in Turkey, with mind-blowing averages—4,000 km and 80,000 m of elevation gain in 8 days and 15 hours for the winner. Let that sink in, and all of it without assistance—accepting a patch could penalize you. There’s also a story about crossing Iran, encountering one of the world’s most welcoming populations, following in the footsteps of Nicolas Bouvier, as well as retirees leisurely traversing France. The common thread in all these stories? Beautiful writing. Take, for example, a stunning article: *"Passengers of the Cold: From Edinburgh to Thurso, at the very north of Scotland, 550 km of moors, coasts, and icy wind. In Thurso, the road ends at a quay, facing the Orkney Islands. We wanted a November trip, off-season. We wanted to surprise winter. Just before the snow."* A sublime piece on the experience of facing adversity and the chance encounters along the road and in the elements.
Before I embarked on my own bike trips, I dreamed a lot about them—from the Atacama to the Gobi, along the Mekong, and not forgetting France. And now, these 130 pages every quarter keep those dreamy vibes alive through stories written in the most beautiful prose.
I’ll stop here because it might sound like I’m advertising, but if you don’t know *200*, I invite you to discover it. It’ll give you wings for the most incredible challenges or simply reinforce your desire for slow rides with your eyes open to others and nature.
A little news to wrap up: Axel Carion and a friend just broke the record for crossing South America from Colombia to Ushuaia in 59 days. On its own, that doesn’t mean much, but I can’t help it—it makes me dream. You should see how he talks about it, the flashes of that wild nature he’s stored away: a snowstorm at Paso Jama and the surreal sight of the suddenly snow-covered Licancabur!
Luc
PS: The magazine is called *200* because a day’s ride starts at 200 km—well, I’ve never done a ride like that since my longest was 167 km (with 18 kg of luggage, mind you), but why not one day? The magazine will explain how to tackle your first 200, and then the question in conclusion: when will you do your first 300?😏
hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
here’s a travel journal of the cycling tour through the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne region by Claudio
zouli
it was the plan
http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/auvergne-Ralpes/
the trip was completed
story being posted online soon
1100 km in 11 days
beautiful and varied regions
Hello,
We’d like to go on a 3- to 4-month bike trip starting in December, crossing from Assam (northeast India) to New Delhi via Nepal.
Are there routes with light traffic along the Brahmaputra and through Nepal?
We’re also looking for any info on accommodations, wild camping, local interactions, etc.
Thanks,
Michel
Hello,
Has anyone here had experience using a gas stove in Sardinia and Sicily? I’m wondering if screw-on gas canisters (not the blue Campingaz ones, but brands like Coleman, Primus, etc.) are easy to find.
I’m planning to cycle from Morlaix to Brest (via Roscoff and the V45 coastal route). We’ll start riding on August 16th for 13 days (with stops for island visits, surfing, etc.). Is there a lot of traffic at this time of year? I’ve got two kids, 11 and 13, and we don’t like riding in the middle of cars (we’ve already done the Vélomaritime—Caen to Cherbourg—the Loire route from Orléans to Saumur, the Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royans, and the canals like the Nivernais and Bourgogne, where there were plenty of bike-only lanes, which isn’t the case on this route).
Thanks for your help if you’ve already done this route in late August!
Virginie
Hi there,
I’ve been road cycling for several years, and I’m about to switch to gravel in the next few days—I’m waiting for my bike, which should arrive this week.
I’m planning a bikepacking trip in a few weeks along the Véloroute V81, also known as the Vélosud, from Biarritz to Le Barcarès.
Has anyone here already done this route? Any info is welcome, whether it’s about the route itself, gear, or accommodation. I’ll prioritize staying with locals as much as possible. On that note, I just signed up for the brand-new site *Guidon et Couette* ((www.guidon-et-couette.fr)), which offers free accommodation between cyclists across the country, but there’s almost no one listed along my route!
Thanks in advance.
Laurent.
After testing it for three years across various modes of transport, I’m sharing this video of a bike packing case. It’s made from recycled cardboard and shrink-wrapped, with adjustable thickness and added bubble wrap depending on the level of protection you want.
Installing spacers at the fork and chainstays makes the packaging compact. With the fifteen-odd euros for shrink-wrapping at the airport, this case travels really well.
https://youtu.be/_GDJi-GqmkM
- Low bulk (1.10m x 0.70m x 0.25m for a large frame), it fits vertically in train luggage compartments and the total dimensions (x+y+z) don’t exceed 2.40m.
- Two carrying solutions for public transport and easy handling by airport staff (no more tears in the cardboard from openings).
- Discreet packaging when dealing with bus drivers and train conductors, as it looks like an ordinary parcel.
- No need to return to the starting point to retrieve the case from your outbound trip, which you’d otherwise have to store somewhere, or deal with a bulky cover to pack in your panniers.
- You can still check tire pressure through the plastic film without damaging the packaging too much.
Drawbacks: Around 3 hours for this lengthy and meticulous process—removing the wheels, pedals, handlebars, and derailleur without misaligning them, then securing all components to the frame.
If you get a chance to test it, send me your feedback for future improvements.
Hi there, I’m planning a cross-Canada bike trip, and I’ve got a question that might seem silly, but could someone tell me how to pack a bike (in a box, with a fragile sticker... I don’t know) for a flight? Thanks in advance!
This summer, we’re planning to cycle along the EV 19 that follows the Meuse River from Langres all the way to Rotterdam.
My question is about getting back to Nantes.
Do any of you know what the best return option might be? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I saw that FlixBus doesn’t take bikes.
By train, I think it’s possible but would involve multiple local trains.
We were also wondering if there’s a boat from Rotterdam to Saint-Nazaire that could take passengers with bikes.
Any tips or experiences you can share would be really helpful—thanks in advance!
Have a great evening
I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it.
But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes...
What alternatives do you know about?
Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m planning to ride the Dutch section of the EuroVelo 19, from Maastricht to Rotterdam.
Since it’s too complicated to bring my bike on the train, I’m looking to rent one locally.
I’d love any tips or bike rental shop recommendations—I’m struggling to find options even in Rotterdam.
The plan is to rent in Rotterdam, take the train to Maastricht with the bike, then cycle back to Rotterdam.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Nath
I’m planning to build a new touring bike.
I want to prioritize lightness.
That said, I’m tempted by a suspension fork that could offer some comfort on rougher roads.
The recent appearance of gravel suspension forks on the market might meet my needs—at least on paper.
I’m particularly considering the RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork.
Unlike MTB forks, its travel is short: either 30 mm or 40 mm.
It weighs 1400 g, which is 400/500 g more than a steel fork.
Any thoughts or real-world feedback on this?
I’m also wondering about the durability of magnesium (lower leg) for long-distance bike touring.
And what’s the impact of skipping the manufacturer-recommended maintenance every 50 and 200 hours? That’s bound to happen on a long trip unless you carry extra gear.
More generally, how reliable are these kinds of forks?
I’m making an exception and creating a separate post this time, since it’s all about France. In May, we spent a week in Provence, specifically in the Luberon, exploring the cycling routes *Autour du Luberon à Vélo*, the *Véloroute du Calavon* (part of EuroVelo 8), and the shorter *Les Ocres à Vélo* route. Together, they gave us an amazing journey through rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields still green in spring, and some of the most stunning landscapes in southern France.
It was, of course, the perched villages that impressed us the most. We visited Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Cucuron, and Lauris. Many of them are among the most beautiful villages in Provence, and it’s hard not to agree with that reputation.
One interesting point is the route of EuroVelo 8 in this part of the region. The official path mainly follows the old railway line of the *Véloroute du Calavon*, which is very comfortable and safe. But in our opinion, cyclists traveling EuroVelo 8 around the Mediterranean would discover even more treasures if the route passed through villages like Bonnieux, Lacoste, or Oppède-le-Vieux.
We were also pleasantly surprised by how safe cycling felt. Most of the route takes small local roads, but traffic is light, drivers are respectful, and road design really takes cyclists into account. It’s one of those places where you can ride peacefully even without separated bike lanes.
Our full story:
Around Luberon by bicycle - the most beautiful villages of Provence
You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
Cycling Thread - Europe’s most beautiful bike routes
Hi there, we’re a group of 4 cyclists looking to get from Treviso in Italy to Munich with our 4 non-folding bikes. It seems complicated! Are there any solutions? Thanks so much.
Hi there, we’re planning a Munich to Venice bike trip at the end of June 2026. Getting back from Venice to Toulouse by train with 4 bikes isn’t straightforward. What return options have others who’ve done this trip chosen? Any tips or great deals would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch! !
Hi everyone,
Happy owner of a Pegasus Estremo bike with a Rohloff hub, which is giving me trouble with the SF11-NCX-FT-E-LITE 700C TS 300/0 fork (serial number TD01329060). It’s starting to show its age, and I’d like to repair it to extend the life of my beloved bike.
The suspension is gone, and there’s an oil leak from the seals.
Does anyone know how to repair it? Where can I find parts that are about fifteen years old? Or where to find an identical replacement fork? Just to clarify, the Magura HS11 brakes are mounted using Firm Tech, meaning they’re on pivots behind the fork, facing the frame.
Hi, I'd like to know if anyone has done this route recently or has reliable info.
Does the track exist, and most importantly, is there sand (for biking)?
Any info is welcome.
Cheers,
diego ambilobe: mangaoka, manondro, ramena
vohemar sambava: masondrono, tanambao
Hi there,
New to bike touring,
I’d love to start with a section of the Via Rhona to explore and share (route to be decided).
Looking forward to exchanging tips!
I’m landing in Madagascar with a buddy before the end of April 2026. We’re planning to bike around for about twenty days or so. We don’t have a specific goal other than exploring the country and meeting the locals.
Ideally, we’d prefer a loop route starting from Antananarivo with a good chunk of it along the coast. On the bike side, we’re used to riding 6 to 8 hours a day, depending on the needs, encounters, and mood 😉 Any feedback or tips from trips around this length?
A big thank you to Lazarou for all the info you share in this forum!
I'm passionate about Morocco, which I cycled through back in 2009.
Last year, my wife and I explored the High Atlas by tandem. Completely smitten, we're heading back in April (Anti Atlas) and May (High and Middle Atlas), still on our tandem.
Do you have any info on the track between Amezri and Ali Ait Nito? Are the river crossings in the Tessaout still there? It's not easy to navigate with a loaded tandem... especially if the river level is high due to this year's heavy snowmelt!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
Claudio specializes in the route of the Savoie lakes
Here are his travels
Between Bornes, Chartreuse, the Savoie foothills, and Dauphiné
Five lakes: Léman, Annecy, Paladru, Aiguebelette, Bourget, not to mention a few ponds along the way
Plenty of accommodation options: camping, hotels, and more...
A lovely route not far from his place
Rural and quite peaceful
A road cycling route created by Serge B...
First of all... happy New Year! Wishing you great roads in 2017!
I’ve been traveling for a few years now with a high-quality mountain bike, but it’s equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. I live (pedal) with the constant worry of a breakdown (leak, air bubble, heat causing the fluid to...). My bike mechanic tells me it’s impossible to switch them out for V-brakes.
What do you all think? Am I taking a big risk continuing (alone) with these brakes? Thanks in advance for your great tips!
First post here to share a quick recap of our west-to-east bike trip along Algeria’s coast in January 2025.
It was just the two of us—my partner and I—with French passports and not a word of Arabic. No friends or welcoming hosts in the country.
Under those conditions, we’d strongly advise against going.
Our original plan was to follow the coast from Algiers to Tunis. We ended up cycling from Algiers to Béjaia, then took the train from Béjaia to Annaba (with a stop in Constantine), and finally biked to the border.
We were tailed by police the whole way—whether on our bikes, on the train, or even on foot while exploring towns. On top of that, we couldn’t wild camp and were limited to the few state-approved hotels that accept foreigners. Under those circumstances, connecting with locals was especially tough.
With such an omnipresent and intrusive police presence, we’d definitely recommend against this destination for bike touring. A really sad situation that completely cuts you off from the local population...
We’d been warned, we went to check it out, and we weren’t disappointed!
Hi there,
I’m planning the route to cycle from Lille to Nordkapp with my partner.
Duration: 3 months, from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.
In the attached details below, I need to add some "non-riding" days (rest days, basically).
So I’m looking to "shorten" the trip by taking ferries or trains for some stretches. Which areas could I skip?
Thanks in advance for your great tips.
Have a good evening.
https://www.komoot.com/fr-fr/collection/4023980/-lille-cap-nord-1er-mai-au-31-juillet-2026?ref=collection