France developed into the heartland of early cycling: older than the Tour de France is the Paris-Brest-Paris long-distance race, a non-stop cycling event covering 1200 kilometres that is still held today.
Such long-distance cyclists are called randonneurs, from the French term for "travellers". Lightweight bikes suitable for travelling with traditional racing handlebars are something like the prototype of the trekking bike. In the meantime, new impulses are revitalising the original model of the touring bike, the randonneur. At last, modern brake technology is making its way onto the scene with disc brakes.
As the all-powerful cycling organisation UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale based in Aigle, CH) is also responsible for the worldwide cycling regulations, the cycling world had to wait a long time for the combination of disc brakes and racing handlebars. For a long time, the Swiss regulations stipulated rim brakes on racing bikes.
The implementation was problematic anyway: Highly developed racing brake levers are designed exclusively for operation with Bowden cables. Brake control via hydraulics, as is common with bike discs, is simply not possible. There are currently no original racing brake levers with integrated hydraulic brake pistons, but the industry is working on them. This is because the UCI approval of disc brakes on cyclocross bikes in June 2010 broke down barriers: at last, robust, cross-compatible racing bike models are also being upgraded for road and long-distance riders with modern brake technology.
The randonneurs in the test:
Carver Revolution 110, http://www.carver.de
Patria Randonneur 28, http://www.patria.net
Surly Long Haul Trucker, http://www.cosmicsports.de
Rose Pro DX Cross-3000, http://www.rose.de
Tout Terrain X-Over, http://www.tout-terrain.de
Specialised Secteur Expert, http://www.specialized.com
Velotraum VK-4, http://www.velotraum.de
VSF Fahrradmanufaktur TX-Randonneur, http://www.fahrradmanufaktur.de
