Transcontinental Race on Compass Tires
Congratulations to Andreas Behrens of LaFraise Cycles for completing the amazing Transcontinental Race. Riding unsupported for almost 2,400 miles (3900 km) over a course that traversed all of Europe, Andreas completed the non-stop race in 15 days and 12 hours.
The course traversed the highest mountain ranges of Europe – above the view from the Grimsel Pass to the Furka Pass in Switzerland. All in all, Andreas climbed more than 40,000 m (130,000 ft).
Andreas builds bikes himself. The one he rode in the Transcontinental Race was equipped with Compass Loup Loup Pass Extralight 650B x 38 mm tires. After the finish, he sent us photos of his tires:
Even after 4000 km, the front tire still has plenty of life left.
The rear tire is a bit more worn. The wear is almost entirely in the center of the tread – an indication that Andreas is running slightly higher tire pressures than we’d recommend. He might be more comfortable and even faster if he let out a tiny bit of air.
When he dipped his wheels into the Dardanelles at the finish in Turkey, he hadn’t suffered a single flat tire!
Andreas isn’t a sponsored rider – he bought the tires with his own money. I asked him why he chose Compass tires. His response:
“I have a few bikes with wider tires, between 32 and 42 mm. From experience, I knew that on these bikes, I wasn’t any slower than other riders on their racing bikes. In the past, the tires from Panaracer and Grand Bois always felt a bit stiff. When I visited JP at 2-11 Cycles [Compass’ French importer], I had the opportunity to test the Compass tires. I liked the ride very much and decided to use the 38 mm version on my bike for the Transcontinental Race.
“Of course, it also was a test to see whether the Compass tires would survive the race. I only recommend products to my customers that I use myself. My experience confirms your testing: the tires reduce vibrations and fatigue. Of course, it wasn’t only the tires: The steel frame, custom geometry, comfortable saddle and ergonomic handlebars helped me finish the race without soreness or injury. No saddle problems, no numb hands, even though I mostly rode without gloves. I credit the comfort of the bike.”
Riding from Belgium to Turkey, all the way across Europe, without any major aches and pains – that is truly inspirational. Congratulations!
Click here for information on Andreas’ bikes: LaFraise Cycles.
Photo credits: Andreas Behrens (LaFraise Cycles).
