If you have ridden a bicycle 100 miles or more in a day, then you know that small changes make big differences in how you are feeling. Cyclists that participate in double-centuries, and 12 and 24 hour time trials, brevets and ultramarathon rides subject their bicycles and their bodies to even greater extremes.

Riders who regularly cross the 100 mile barrier need a bicycle that will go the distance without breaking down. They need a bike that will keep them comfortable and not contribute to fatigue. And, they need all this while making minimal sacrifices in rolling speed.

Many of us can describe what we want from a bicycle that we will take on long rides, but few of us can translate that into specifics about frame design or component selection, which means that most of us are working harder and feeling more pain than we should.

So, what is it that differentiates a long distance bicycle from a touring bike, or a typical club racer?

The best way to answer the question is to go to the experts. The best place to find them in one place is at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, which runs March 2-4 in San Jose, California. The show, now in its third year, has emerged as the focal point for serious riders to meet one-to-one with the leading custom frame builders and component manufacturers. More than 2,500 riders attended the 2005 show. Our coverage here, titled, The fine and disappearing art of handcrafted bicycles, grossly underestimated the momentum that is building around custom bicycles. As many as 10,000 riders are expected to attend this year.

Ready to Ride will host a panel discussion on Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm. Our panel, titled “Building the long distance bicycle,” will feature two leading frame builders, a professional cycle mechanic, and a long distance rider in a discussion about the trade-offs between the materials, geometries, and components that differentiate the long distance bicycle from other types of road machines.

The panelists include:

Matt Bracken, Independent Fabrications

Matt has been into performances bicycles since he was certified by the Olympic Training Center as a race mechanic in 1988. He ran the Mavic Neutral Assistance Program and provided support for Chris Boardman at the 1992 Olympics, and he supported Rob Kish in three RAAM victories. Matt spent six years at Merlin as head of sales and marketing. He has served as president of IF for four years.

Steve Rex, Rex Cycles

Steve has been building custom frames under the Rex Cycles brand for 20 years. He works with lugged and fillet-brazed steel, carbon-steel mix, and full carbon. As a rider, Steve has won and set tandem records at the Furnace Creek 508 and Mt. Diablo Challenge, completed two Paris-Brest-Paris Grand Randonnees, and finished the Davis Double Century in under 10 hours … more than once.

Matt Eames, Shimano

Matt Eames is the head tech for the Shimano Multi-Service MTB program. He is a licensed USA Cycling mechanic with 12 years experience, including Diamondback Racing Mechanic. Matt is an instructor at the USA Cycling Mechanics Clinic, and is the “man behind the camera” in Shimano’s Mountain Bike Maintenance & Repair DVD.

Terry Zmrhal, Race Across America

Terry Z started his ultra cycling career 1992 with a self-supported cross-country tour. He raced two-man RAAM in 2002 and has also crewed the race. Terry has ridden Bicycle Across Missouri (’92), Boston-Montreal-Boston (’93), the Furnace Creek 508 (’97), and Paris-Brest-Paris (’99 and ’03). As an organizer, he ran the Cascade 1200 in 2005 and 2006, and Northwest Crank in 2006. He was named RAAM Race Director and is responsible for, among other things, route selection.

Ready to Ride editorial director David Rowe will moderate. Evan Rowe will photograph the event. Coverage of the panel will appear online at R2R, at Road Bike Rider, and in print in selected cycling publications in the USA.

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