Randonneur (cyclist)
Randonneur [ ʀɑdɔnœʀ ] (from French wanderer ) is the name commonly used by cyclists for a long-distance cyclist who covers long distances (from 200 km) at a mostly sporty pace, with only small breaks and as self-sufficient as possible.
Origin of the term
The former Paris – Brest – Paris cycle race was converted into a long-distance ride without racing character in 1931 and referred to as randonnée à vélo - that is, a cycle tour . There was no more evaluation, just a time limit. The orientation of this long-distance journey established an independent cycling culture. While racing cyclists already drove long distances at top speeds at that time, the focus when organizing Paris – Brest – Paris as a long-distance cycle tour was to conquer the long distance of around 1200 km without outside help. The first time this bike tour was organized, it attracted a lot of public attention. Since then, a long-distance cycling culture has developed that continues to use the term randonnée . Consequently, the drivers refer to themselves as randonneurs , i.e. (bike) hikers.
Self-image and organization
In contrast to a cyclist, a randonneur is not so oriented towards competitive cycling . Rather, he is more concerned with overcoming the physical and psychological challenges of extreme stress on long-distance journeys.
There are randonneurs worldwide. In Germany, the Randonneur style is maintained and organized by the Audax Randonneurs Allemagne (ARA). The randonneurs worldwide are not a commercial association and have no economic background. That is why we do not use sponsors or any kind of economic participation in this context. The organized trips are called brevets .
Used bikes and equipment
Routes that can be covered entirely in daylight and without breaks for sleep (in autumn and winter up to 200 km, in summer up to 300 km) are mostly covered with a racing bike . A bicycle called a randonneur or randonneuse is usually used for longer distances or when driving at night. It is similar to the racing bike but has a small luggage rack, mudguards and light. Some of these bikes are also equipped with trekking bikes or mountain bike components. Randonneur usually have a longer wheelbase than normal racing bikes and therefore have less agile but generally smoother handling characteristics.
See also
Web links
- ARA Randonneure.de - Internet presence of Audax Randonneurs Allemagne (ARA), the German umbrella organization
- AUDAX Suisse - DIAbLES RoUGES (Swiss umbrella organization)
Individual evidence
- ↑ TOUR magazine: Bendixen Randonneur (single test) - test center. In: TOUR-MAGAZIN.de. Retrieved October 18, 2016 .