Novara Randonee Bike

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

I've owned this bike for over 2 and a half years now. This is my first touring bike but I also own a Trek 2200 and a BMC Team SLT1. I've added Planet Bike fenders and front and back lights.

I bought it with loaded touring in mind, and it has everything one would need for loaded touring.

But I haven't gotten around to that yet and I use this bike as a commuter year-round as well as occasional 25-35 mile rides in the boondocks. It is a super-smooth, buttery ride due to the steel frame and wide tires. I've never had a flat on this bike either. It has VERY stable handling compared to my other road bikes.

The rack doesn't fit Novara's own panniers quite right, so check to make sure any panniers you buy are compatible with your rack before buying them.

Another thing you might consider is the gearing. This bike starts out with low gearing and goes to super-low. The range is pretty big. It's great if you are going to lug a ton of stuff over the Pyrenees, but here in the midwest I spend 99% of the time in the big ring. I don't top out much, but the gears are perhaps more widely spaced than you'd find on other bikes. (That is, there are bigger gaps between gearing ratios, not the space between the actual cogs on the bike, silly.)

Perhaps the most annoying thing is that the paint job is not durable at all. I'm not usually picky about paint because I'm usually careful about what touches my bike. But it seems almost anything will mar the finish on this frame, and that's a bad quality if you're going to put this bike to some serious work. I recommend wrapping it with old innertubes if you want to keep it in any kind of good condition. At the very least, park it at the far end of the bike rack.

The final thing is that it's heavy. I don't think this is a huge problem though. Even carrying books and papers to work adds more weight than the difference between this bike and other steel-frame tourers. If you're doing loaded touring or commuting, I wouldn't worry about the weight at all.

It might seem like I've been hard on my ol' Randonee, but those are honestly all the bad things I can think about it. Probably the best thing is that it comes stocked with better components than you'd find elsewhere in this price range--the only thing I've changed in almost 3 years is the chain.

Final verdict: This is a great deal if you're looking for a reliable steed and you're not in a huge hurry. If you're looking for a more sprightly, springy mount this isn't it. This is a station wagon, not a Camaro--it doesn't really fully communicate all the joy and glory of cycling like my BMC racing bike.

But if a sturdy reliable station wagon is what you're looking for, this is a great buy.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

I purchased my Randonee back in 1997, or thereabouts. I have used it for touring in Alaska, cross country trips, daily bike riding, MS 150 bike rides here in Minnesota, commuting to work in the summer, and as my winter indoor exercise trainer. It is the most durable, solid, comfortable bike that I have ever owned. I have replaced a few items, such as the saddle, and I have replaced the pedals with clips. I guess it might be a little on the heavy side, but I'm not into fast, I'm into comfort, distance and durability. I have never had ANY problems with my Randonee other than common maintenance issues. I'm sure there are better bikes to be found, if you have the money. But for a working man, the price is right. All I can say is that my next bike will be a newer model of the Randonee.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

I have the 2005 model, and I use this bike for my daily commute, as well as longer weekend day rides, and occasionally loaded touring. Generally, I enjoy the geometry, and the steel frame is sturdy. The bike feels more sturdy loaded down by gear than not, which is nice.

For loaded touring with lots of hills, I wanted lower gears, so I swapped out some of the road components for MTB stuff. So far, the bike has performed admirably. The stock saddle (a Selle Royal Lookin) was OK, but I swapped it out for a Brooks, which I do highly recommend. This summer I completed a self-contained 2200 mile tour without a single flat tire, broken spoke, or major mechanical problem. Paint does seem to chip a bit.

Since this summer, though, the wheels have begun to fall apart. It appears that the spokes have rusted through and have become brittle. Maybe I scoured them somehow, and all of the wet weather I ride through finally got to them. Either way, good wheels made with stainless steel spokes should not have this problem.

Also, note that the rear frame spacing is 130mm, the road standard. Not a big deal, except that now that I'm looking at new wheels, it appears the sturdiest hubs use 135mm spacing (the mountain and, it seems, touring standard). This isn't a deal killer (you can stretch the frame), but if you're serious about touring, maybe this will matter to you.

All in all, I'm happy with my purchase. You can save $$ if you can find last year's model. I don't think much changes from year to year.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

I bought my Randonee about 6 months ago for use this summer in a cross-country tour from San Francisco to Boston. So far, I'm about 1,200 miles into my tour and have had almost no problems at all! I'm carrying about 50 pounds on panniers on the rear rack, so I've been putting it through a lot of strain. The only problem I had was a spoke that somehow loosened up all the way. But, a simple wheel true fixed that. I also had to adjust the the rear derailer a bit, but again, it was a pretty simple on the road repair. I crashed coming down the Rockies yesterday and brought the bike to a shop today to look it over. The guy found nothing wrong with it. The tires are holding up better than I ever dreamed (only one flat thus far. Friends on the tour with me who are riding specialized armadillos have had 5 times as many flats!)

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

If you're looking for a comfortable, practical bike, the Randonee is a great all around road bike for commuting and weekend rides on roads and rail-trails. If you're a weight wennie stop reading now.

I bought my 59cm Randonee in March 2007 to use for commuting and weekend rides. I have put 1500 miles on it and have not had any mechanical problems. The Tiagra/LX/Deore drivetrain isn't fancy but works well. The wheels have stayed true. Be adivsed I have not toured on this bike, the heaviest loads I carry are me (175lbs) and maybe 15lbs of gear/clothes/food.

The stock saddle sucks IMO, I replaced it with a Brooks B-17. The stock rack seems very sturdy, but it is hard to attach REI panniers with quick release (like the Safari panniers) to it. The stock tires are are durable and reasonably fast, however you can go down to 28C tires on the stock rims if you want a little more speed. Fenders and in-line cyclocross style brake levers are a great addition for commuting.

This bike rides great both on the road and on rail-trails. Handling is predictable and the ride is smooth.

I looked at many touring and cross bikes before buying this bike. The Randonee is a good value for the money. Other manufacturers often have nice drivetrain components but put cheap hubs, BB, headsets, and sometimes brakes on their bikes. Something that impressed me about Novara is all the components on the 07 Randonee are about the same quality: the headset is an FSA Orbit-X, a higher quality part than what Trek puts on the 520, a more expensive touring bike than the Randonee.

I just wish the Randonee came in red.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

Just returned from a solo 300+ mile road tour with my new Randonee that was fully loaded with 50 lbs of camping gear on the rear rack. It performed wonderfully, and I have great things to report: It handles weight just fine up to the capacity of the rear rack. In fact, I'm pretty sure I overloaded it without any problems. All my weight was on the back as I didn't want front panniers (for steering reasons) and I had no handling problems at all. The compliant frame took bumps very well. I had no mechanical issues, not even a flat tire! This was partly due to luck, of course, but also from the wider rims and touring tires that come with the unit. CONS: I replaced the seat during the weeks I was training for my trip but, in retrospect, maybe I didn't give enough of a chance. The paint color is ugly and I've chipped it already with my shoe cleats. The front triple chain ring doesn't shift nearly as well as the rear unit, but that's the nature of triple rings I'm told. Final knock: Snobby cyclists will turn their nose up when they see you on the road, but if you commute, tour, camp or have to deal with rough, potholed roads this bike is a great choice at a great price. Look no further.

Service and delivery comments:

The local store was great, and I received great service before and after the sale. The only complaint concerned setup - this is a critical aspect of any bicycle but even more important when used for a long trip. They could have done a better job by spending more time getting the setup right. Some of this is personal preference and needs sorting over time, but their effort seemed a bit cursory.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

This bike is really great, there a few others in this price range but I liked this one the best. I wish it would have came with clipless pedals, even if they had platforms around the clips. The toe straps are not easy to use as they are flimsy and if you ride with your feet not in them, you're scraping the ground with them. Be sure you try the next size up and down before you buy. I tried a 52cm and thought it was really tight, tried a 55cm and it fit like a glove. I don't think you can get this level of bike for this little money. The closest bike I rode that compared is the Trek 520, nice bike but a few hundred $$ more. Enjoy!

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

Poor wheel build -- not tensioned properly, started breaking spokes after 500 miles. Personal preferences: uncomfortable saddle, anatomic bars have too sharp a bend at the top, so you lose a hand position at the corner (my favorite position!).

OTOH, sensible components for the rest of the bike. Handles well with a load. Sturdy, with wide tires that can handle a load and take you over poor (or no) pavement with aplomb. I like the adjustable threadless stem, haven't had any issues with it after I got it situated initially. Clearance for fenders, sturdy rack with light mount at the back for a blinky.

Overall, well-thought-out package. Recommended for touring, commuting, or large riders.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

My wife recently bought this bike this year. She loves it. It is everything advertised and perfect for the cyclist looking to go the distance just not at a racing pace. Well balanced design, decent components, and a a great price.

It is a one bike solution for anyone who in not so interested in speed, but is looking for a bike that can be used as a commuter, recreation, distance, camping, exercise.. all of it.

Tough enough to take on gravel, strong wheels.

Only Negatives, the paint could be a bit tougher. It is not standing up to well to everyday use and city Street lockups to racks and street signs. A bit heavy for anyone more interested in speed.

Comments about Novara Randonee Bike:

this is one of the smoothest bikes I have ridden. I swore off Aluminum after I wrecked my last bike and I will never go back. The long wheelbase makes for a nice smooth ride, yet it is still responsive. my only additions/changes made are:
-Clipless Pedals
-Full SKS Fenders
-Brooks saddle
-I took off the rack and added a carradice bag
-added a Minewt X2 dual headlight along with many other flashers to be seen at night