Men!

[maillotpois]

But you don't really "need" a special bike to do brevets. I did the 600 on the race geometry bike, and I don't know that Nanci's Lava is a "brevet" or touring bike - it looked fairly standard but I don't remember thinking about geometry last time I looked at a picture of her bike. (Lava Napping, I believe was the picture!)

I just noticed after a couple hundred miles, I start spending all my time with my hands on the tops of the bars. So I believe that a brevet bike would be better. A bit more upright, maybe cushier.

My bikes have no clearance for fenders, which would be nice to have. At a bit under 20 pounds each, both my bikes are a heck of a lot lighter than a brevet bike, but I am hoping to ultimately keep the weight down on the bike as much as possible. The Schmidt hub will add weight and some drag, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.

[SadieKate]

MP, you think the Davis ultra group will have their act back together next year?

[maillotpois]

Conflicting stores on that one from the folks I talked to at Tam Double. I hope so - heck, it's a PBP year - the brevets will be wildly popular. Doing SF or Santa Rosa would be okay. Davis is supposed to actually have some support.

[Nanci]

Lava's a plain old Trek 2100 WSD. I doubt she'd accomodate fenders. But her big trunk/rack protects my back! I like her...She's got carbon fork, seat stays, seatpost, FWIW. She doesn't want to go to Paris, though, so I'm not going to force her.

[maillotpois]

Lava rocks! She's basically the same set up as my bike. And I don't blame her for not wanting to go to Paris. Making her ride in the cargo hold - inhumane!