BQ 38 (Winter 2011)

The Oregon Manifest organized their second technical trials this fall. Join us on the road and see how various designs fared in the “Field Test,” and marvel at the many innovative ideas and features incorporated into the bikes at the event.

Follow builder John Cutter as he designs and builds his entry for the Oregon Manifest. Learn how his innovative stand automatically folds up when you roll the bike backward.

The Raid Pyrénéen : 720 kilometers, 18 mountain passes, 11,500 m of elevation gain. Join our editor on his 39-hour ride from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Marvel at the beautiful scenery on the famous Tour de France climbs and the picturesque villages and towns near the Spanish border.

Read about a classic racing bike from a young builder. Can Herbie Helm's Classic Racer keep up with the best modern carbon machines?

Learn about frame geometry . What do the terms mean? And how do they affect your ride? Explore measuring a bike's geometry from photos. How do you get measurements that are accurate enough to be useful?

Reader's respond: “An Overview of Frame Geometry provided a clear and concise summarization behind the often enigmatic nature of frame geometry. This one single feature validated my entire year's subscription all by itself!”

— M. A., Kansas City, MO

The fourth part of our History of Randonneuring series examines the growth of long-distance cycling in North America, from the early “RAAM-building races” to today's record levels of participation in Brevets, Flèches and Permanents. (Photo shows the very first Race Across America in 1982.)

Look at the changing philosophies in randonneuring, by comparing finishing times in PBP and distances in the Flèche Vélocio (left the distances ridden by all teams in 1963).

As always, we test products, from a U.S.-made handlebar bag to classic cycling shoes.

We review the new book Italian Racing Bicycles (on the left the first blueprint for Francesco Moser's famous hour record bike.)