Randonneur Alec B. recently moved to our area and began riding brevets with the D.C. Randonneurs this year.  Alec lives car-free and impressed many of us by not only riding the brevets and the Shenandoah 1200K, but riding his bike from Annapolis to the ride starts, often camping under the stars the night before. Felkerino and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know and ride with him. Unfortunately, his bike can’t talk so I had to ask him to spill the beans about his randonneur steed of choice.

1. What kind of bike do you have?

Eeets a Velo Orange Randonneur, 59 cm.

2. Where do you ride it?

On the road, mostly. On dirt and gravel occasionally. Across my backyard every day, through deep puddles at the city docks when it rains, down the Metro platform when nobody’s looking, up hills and
down hills and across cobblestones and rumble strips and potholes and broken glass.

Past other people sometimes, but mostly into the sunset and through the night. In North Carolina once, and on the Blue(s) Ridge Parkway. To the grocery store and the beach and to work. To get Thai food, and ice cream, and lettuce, and to friends’ houses. In the rain and in the snow, and in the wind.

With buddies and with strangers and by myself.

3. What do you like about your bike?

It’s comfy and well-mannered enough to keep me moving forward all the time.

4. If you had to describe your bike in one word, what would it be?

Blue

5. Fenders or no fenders?

Fenders. That sounded like multiple-choice, but I like fenders.

This is my speedy bike. I almost didn’t put any on it, but then I realized that it’s just as fast with them, and they keep me happy when it rains. Then I realized that it’s just as happy with low-riders, and they let me carry a winter sleeping bag, or groceries. The racks haven’t slowed me down either. Now my fast bike is a versatile bike….

6. What is one of your favorite memories with this bicycle?

It’s all a blur. Most of my memories involve food. (Feed me if you want me to remember your name.)

I recall one time digging out of my handlebar bag a big wedge of cheese, fishing out my pocket knife, opening it up, slicing off some cheese, eating a bit, slicing off some more, all while riding at about
15 miles per hour. I like multi-tasking while riding this bike.

7. Does your bike have a name? If so, what is it?

“that thing”

8. What is your favorite accessory on your bike and why?

How do you define “accessory?” There’s no belly button ring or ankle bracelet on my bike. I suppose the home-made phone charger that runs odd the generator hub gets a lot of geek points and isn’t strictly necessary, so it might be an accessory.

9. If your bike could talk, what is one thing it would say to you?

“Where are we? You’ve been looking at the cue sheet, right?”

10. What did I forget to ask that you want to tell me about your bike?

Oh, I don’t know. Is anyone still reading?

We are definitely still reading, Alec. Thanks for sharing your bike with us, and we’ll see you out on the road soon!