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The workshop's Blog

The place where we tell you about life in the workshop, the bike rides on the roads and paths and the stories of our bikes and those of their owners.


Victoire n°502 is available for sale

Victoire n°502 is available for sale

A Victoire bike is an exceptional object, the creation of which requires a great deal of discussion, reflection, drawing and trial and error. The result of this process is a unique piece of art, the fruit of our know-how and the experience of our team of framers, painters and mechanics. To receive their bikes, our customers have to wait several months, the time needed to create an exceptional machine.

Occasionally, a Victoire bike finds itself without an owner. In such cases, it is immediately available to the lucky few. This is the case with Victoire n°502, which we describe below.

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Victoire n°502 is a rarity, even among Victoire bikes. In fact, it's the 9th Victoire bike made with the limited series of Colombus Cento tubes, out of 10 bikes in total. This series of tubes was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Milan-based brand. True to its transalpine heritage, these tubes are dedicated to cyclosportive use on the road.

We've chosen to commemorate this limited series by adding a small medallion marked "9/10" on this bike. There won't be another, and this is the last Victoire Cento still available.

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To go with this series of prestigious tubes, we've chosen the very best in Italian-style groupsets. The Campagnolo Super Record fitted to Victoire n°502 is the top of their range. Fans of the brand will appreciate the unique ergonomics of Campagnolo shifters and the Super Record's low weight.

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We have devoted a full article to the Victoire n°502 in our Bikes section.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in this unique machine.


Interview with David Rouméas, Effigear founder & CTO

Interview with David Rouméas, Effigear founder & CTO

To mark the delivery of Victoire n°536, equipped with a Mimic gearbox, we organized an event in partnership with Effigear. We took the opportunity to ask David Rouméas (founder & CTO) a few questions.

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We regularly organize themed evenings at our Cartel Cycles et Café boutique. Whether it's a presentation of original bikes, the publication of books or magazines, or a meeting with cycling personalities, we try to bring people together around our passion for hand-crafted bicycles.

It was an opportunity to welcome the Effigear team in a warm atmosphere to learn more about the Mimic.

Can you tell us a little about the history of Effigear?

Originally, it was an engineer, Guy Cavalerie, who had the idea of replacing his derailleur with a gearbox in 2003, and designing it himself! In parallel with his professional activity, he created and tested several prototypes in his garage. The very first patent for the Effigear gearbox wasn't filed until 2007.

In 2008, I joined him in his adventure and we developed a three-axis gearbox, which became the Originale and which we integrated into our own frames. In 2012, we officially registered the Cavaleries Bikes (mountain bikes) and Effigear (transmission solutions) brands, and delivered our first Cavalerie mountain bike with Effigear gearbox the following year.

In 2020, Vincent Lecornu joined the adventure. The same year, we signed a partnership with Valeo to develop and sell an electric motor system that integrates a gearbox. It is the Cyclee, currently on the market. At the same time, we've developed our new two-axis gearbox, the Mimic, which we introduced in 2021. It's lighter, more compact and in a frame-mounting format common to other gearbox manufacturers.

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What are the main differences between a gearbox and a derailleur system?

With a gearbox, shifting is instantaneous and possible even under load or at a standstill. There are no more cracking sprockets or jumping gears. A gearbox retains its efficiency over time, whether it's used in dry weather, rain, mud or dust. Our Effigear gearboxes come with a five-year warranty, and we're used to saying that they last as long as your bike!

What's more, maintenance is virtually non-existent: all you need to do is change a few centilitres of oil about once a year. The running cost is seven times lower than that of a conventional derailleur system.

What are the technical specifications of the Mimic gearbox (weight, development, number of speeds)?

The Mimic is a 9-speed gearbox, equivalent to a 1x11 or 1x12 groupset, with a development range of 470% (equivalent to a 10-47 cassette). It weighs just 2 kg, barely more than a complete derailleur system including cassette.

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What are the main uses (mountain biking, gravel, etc.)?

The Mimic is ideal for mountain biking, gravel or touring bikes. It can be coupled with an electric motor in the rear hub, offering a lightweight, high-performance electric solution. It can also be fitted to lightweight cargo bikes that don't require electric assistance.

What can you expect from a Mimic if you're used to derailleur gears?

Using a gearbox means rediscovering the pleasure of riding, and only riding! There's no more fussing with sprockets, chainrings, keeping the chain in line... shifting is fluid, smooth and instantaneous!

In mountain biking, the improved weight distribution enhances the efficiency of the rear suspension, which grips the ground better in winding sections or with roots, for example. On gravel or urban bikes, this architecture reduces unsprung weight and makes the bike more stable.

And of course: no more derailing or getting your hands dirty with sludge!

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Victoire & Distance bikes in stock !

Victoire & Distance bikes in stock !

Want a handmade bike built in France but don’t feel like waiting weeks for it? Look no further : we have a few exhibition models available immediately online on our web shop or in our bike shop in Clermont-Ferrand. Come and check them out !

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Our on-display road Victoire is available at a special discounted price. You can find all the info on this Columbus Cento custom bike on its dedicated page.

This Victoire is available immediately and can be admired at Cartel, Cycle & Café, in downtown Clermont-Ferrand. You can also order it directly on our web shop.

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The Victoire 525 was built for long distance road biking. It's equipped with fenders, lights with the associated dynamo & a Campagnolo Ekar groupset. It'll be the ideal compagnon to ride across France... or any other country !

Victoire 525 is available for sale immediately and can be admired in our Cartel shop. We'll add a dedicated page in the "Bikes" section of our website soon.

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This Distance 30 is a unique piece ! It's a testimony of Victoire & Distance history, as it is our 100th Distance ! It was reviewed in multiple magazines and it was featured on the front page of Cyclist this summer. This Distance 30 is equipped with a Campagnolo Ekar groupset, Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels & high quality components from Deda.

It's available at our Cartel shop at 4500€.

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The Distance Croix-Morand is a versatile bike entirely made in France (like all Distance bikes) in Victoire's workshop in Beaumont. Its geometry makes it the ideal companion for all use-cases, at ease on dirt paths, heavy-loaded with bagages for touring or on a long-distance bike-packing race. This Distance Croix-Morand is welded with Columbus Zona & Dedacciai Zero Uno tubes.

Equipped with all necessary rack mounts, this bike is assembled on a L size frame, Shimano GRX components & Fulcrum Rapid Red 5 wheels.

Available at Cartel or on our web shop !

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This other Distance Croix-Morand is equipped similarly than the above model but on a S size frame. Paint finition is "Forez-Gump", our preferred shade of green !

Available at Cartel or for shipping anywhere (contact us !).

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Want a sporty gravel bike to race on all dirt path ? This Distance 45 was made for you. Assembled with a M size frame with a "Forez-Gump" green finish, he's equipped with high end components : Sram Eagle with a Ratio kit, Fulcrum Rapid Red 5 wheels and Columbus Futura Cross+ fork.

You can read all about its configuration on our web shop, or come & admire it at Cartel while drinking an oat milk flat white !

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This Distance 45 is our best-selling Distance bike. It also is our sportiest gravel. Its fork and frame feature all necessary rack-mounts, making it the ideal machine for bike packing tours.

This bike is a size L frame, with a Mocha paint finish and Shimano GRX components.

You can order it on our web shop or at Cartel (12 Place d'Espagne in Clermont-Ferrand).


The paint finish of a Victoire's fork

The paint finish of a Victoire's fork

At Victoire, we attach the greatest importance to the quality finish on our bikes. The paint job, entirely made by hand, is a stage to which we pay particular attention. It's a complex process, which requires several stages of preparation. Have look behind the scenes in our workshop to discover the key stages of a fork paint job.

Once built, each of our creations is cleaned, primed, painted and varnished. Depending on our customer's requirements, we make customizations between these stages, such as creating patterns, gradations, adding glitter and more. Most of these options require a masking step to precisely delimited the painted areas.

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On the fork shown above, the Columbus brand logos have been printed on translucent masking films.

Tape is applied all around the masking film to protect adjacent surfaces from unwanted paint splashes.

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Once the masking film has been carefully placed in the desired location, the fork is ready to be painted.

Following the stencil principle, the paint is sprayed onto the surface using an airbrush gun. Using small circular movements, the material is applied evenly.

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After a few hours' drying, the masking elements can be removed.

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Each piece is carefully removed one by one with the tip of a scalpel to avoid any alteration of the newly applied paint.

If the previous operation is sufficient, a coat of varnish is applied to the entire fork.

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At this stage, "orange peel" effects and over-thicknesses may appear due to the extra material added under the varnish.

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Polishing steps are then carried out to eliminate all undesirable roughness and relief effects.

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The surface is first sanded by hand using soapy water and very fine-grained sandpaper. This slightly abrasive step creates a matt effect on the painted surface.

This is followed by a three-stage polishing process using a polishing machine.

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The rotary motion of this tool, applied to the entire surface of the fork, gives an even level of polish.

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The result is a perfectly smooth surface that not only looks good, but also provides optimum protection for the fork. It also allows water to run off easily, preventing the build-up of mud splashes.

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Would you like further information? We'll be with you every step of the way. Don't hesitate to contact our team, and we'll offer you customized solutions tailored to your needs.


Introduction to TIG Welding : Training course for bicycle framebuilders students at the AFPA (Beaumont, France)

Introduction to TIG Welding : Training course for bicycle framebuilders students at the AFPA (Beaumont, France)

From April 17th to 21st, our ten trainees in bicycle framebuilding course took part in a TIG welding course at the AFPA (Agence nationale pour la Formation Professionnelle des Adultes) in Montluçon (France). Olivier Moly, our workshop manager, oversaw their learning and shared some pictures of their first steps.

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Unlike traditional torches where the flame is used, TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding uses the electric arc process. This technique offers a quick and localized heating.

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TIG welding is a great solution to get a high level of precision to create weld beads, making it well-suited for the thin-walled tubes used in bicycle workshop.

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During this week-long training, our trainees became familiar with the "pulsed mode", a specific function of the TIG technique. This mode allows welding sequences with controlled variations of intensity. It is a method that requires careful preparation and a certain level of dexterity from the welder.

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This training week enabled our learners to expand their knowledge. We hope that this diversification of knowledge and techniques will be an asset in enhancing their professional skills.


Tooling designed by our friend Jolie Rouge Cycles.

Tooling designed by our friend Jolie Rouge Cycles.

Julien Fritsch, one of our framebuilder friend, specializes in the creation of handmade bicycles. From his workshop in Savoie, he works on behalf of Jolie Rouge Cycles. In 2022, he developed specific bicycle frames’ control kits.

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Today, these tools are part of our daily routine. Placed on the marble floor of our workshop, they contribute to the quality control of every Victoire et Distance creation we produce.

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For us, these tools transcend their functionality. These crafted pieces enrich our hand-crafted activity. They show there is a community of framebuilders. If you are a frame builder and would like to get quality tooling, don't hesitate to contact Julien.


Victoire in partnership with the APFA : the first bicycle framebuilder training course in France.

Victoire in partnership with the APFA : the first bicycle framebuilder training course in France.

Since its creation, Victoire has always wanted to develop the French bicycle bespoke. After having manufactured more than 750 bikes in a decade, we decided to pass on our knowledges.

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From next autumn in Clermont-Ferrand, the AFPA (Agence Nationale pour la Formation Professionnelle des Adultes) will offer a set of separate training courses with the aim of training future professionals in the cycle sector. 

The three training courses offered will be as follows :

  • Discovery of the bicycle framebuilder profession ;
  • Training in the different modes of maintenance, repair and sale of bicycles ;
  • Training in the bicycle framebuilder’s profession ( February the 6th )
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If you are interested in one of the first two offers, contact the AFPA directly for any inquiries. Our team, for its part, will intervene specifically on the latest training with the objective of supporting the framebuilders of tomorrow to acquire the necessary tools to develop a practice of excellence. This offer, supported by the « Innovation pour l’emplois » program of the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, is unprecedented because it is the first « bicycle framebuilder »  training in France. This projet is supported by our colleagues from the Association française des Artisans du Cycle.

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The creation of this partnership with AFPA is a first step towards greater recognition of our profession. The reflections we have conducted on the training path of bicycle framebuilder want to meet medium and long-term objectives. Through the transmission of our knowledge, we wish, on the one hand, to relocate a French industry that has faced the limits of the globalised system. On the other hand, we want to strive towards the recognition of designers producing by hands in France and lead to the creation of an official bicycle framebuilder title recognized by the state.

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Would you like to become a bicycle framerbuilder ? Send us your CV and your cover letter by email to victoire-cycles.com.


Le Concours de Machines 2022

Le Concours de Machines 2022

The Concours de Machines 2022 was one month ago, and as usual we needed some time to bounce back. So a little bit later, here is what happened during this exciting week-end :

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We are very proud to say we won the second price in general competition, right behind Cyfac. This place on the podium rewards many months of work.

We also won the price for best artisanal work. This special price rewards the best quality of craftsmanship and innovative details. It reflects the energy and passion we put in each of our creations.

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We want to congratulate Jeanne for her performance behind the handlebar of her Victoire, finishing second on the 218 K race, only a few minutes behind Fanny who rode for Stolen. This is truly outstanding knowing she only rode a few kilometers the day before when she discovered her new bike.

Despite a fall on the wet pavement at the beginning of the ride, Jeanne kept going and managed to finish in the top-trio, several hours before the other contestants.

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This year’s Concours was organized by Andréas Behrens, founder of Cycles LaFraise and winner of 2018’s Concours. For the first time, the concours coupled with a custom bike show, with around thirty exhibitors. Many visitors came during this two days show, excited to see some frame building creations.

Thursday was for technical inspection, the race was on Friday, and the show began on Saturday morning with a social ride which gathered a hundred participants through the Belgium border.

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This new concept will continue in the years to come and we are happy to see a yearly event coming for all custom made bike’ lovers.


Jeanne, pilote of the Concours de Machines 2022's Victoire

Jeanne, pilote of the Concours de Machines 2022's Victoire

The Concours de Machines 2022 is approaching fast. This edition presents two important caracteristics : First, its thematic is based on the mythic Paris-Roubaix race. Second, for this year, it only allows womens to ride the creations that will be showcased for the contest.

When evocating the Paris-Roubaix race, we directly think at its cobblestones that got the reputation to be exausting to ride on. That's where the challenge is mainly based for this edition of the Concours : the realisations will have to allow the pilots to evolute on a destroyed and slippy ground, that makes articulations goes through hard times went you ride on that kind of terrain during long distances. The topology, on the other hand, is relatively flat, according to the north of France landscapes.

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For the moment, we will not talk to you about the Victoire of the Concours de Machines 2022, but of its future pilot instead, which is Jeanne Lepoix. You maybe know her for La mini passagère, an adventure board in which her and her partner Xavier are telling us three months of travel between Roscoff and Strasbourg, travel accompanied by their daughter Zoé, who was less than a year old when they left.

Jeanne has already done the French Divide and has traveled Icelandic roads and tracks in the past. It is therefore not its first attempt when it comes to bumpy terrain and studded tires! This is even a field that she has already practiced with an exclusively female entourage in October 2020, during a getaway named Girls on fire. She will also participate for the third time to the Malteni this 16 april.

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Jeanne came to visit our workshop, meet our team and discuss her project, intended for the Concours de Machines 2022 and for herself, which will be entirely manufactured according to her morphology. There, she discovered all the manufacturing steps necessary to make a Victoire bike.

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Jeanne has carried out, as we do for each of our Victoire clients, a static and dynamic postural study which makes it possible to think of a geometry perfectly adapted to her morphology.

In addition to her website, you can follow Jeanne's adventures on her Instagram profile. For our part, we will reveal to you little by little behind the scenes of the manufacture of the Victory of the 2022 Machine Competition until the holding of the Competition, to which we will be waiting for you !


The Reform saddles

The Reform saddles

Reform is a Canadian brand based in Vancouver. Since 2018, it has been offering innovative thermoformable carbon sports saddles, now available for Victoire and Distance bikes.

The particularity of Reform saddles lies in the fact that they are thermoformable: this means that the carbon fiber structure which constitutes the saddle can be deformed under the action of heat. Thus, in the same way that a leather saddle will roam over several hundred kilometres, reform saddles are formed to the rider's morphology, but in about fifteen minutes.

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This is why a charging port is visible under the saddle nose. Once plugged into the mains using the adapter offered by the supplier, the saddle heats up and deforms to match your morphology. The charger can be returned after use and results in a refund of 50 euros.

For the molding of the saddle, it is necessary to pedal on a static home-trainer (which allows you to maintain the same position during the whole process) for about fifteen minutes.

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This saddle, in addition to being a solution of choice when it comes to comfort on the bike, has many advantages. On the one hand, it weighs less than 200 grams, half the weight of the leather saddles usually chosen for their comfort. On the other hand, it does not require any particular maintenance and does not fear bad weather. Finally, it allows the vegan cycling community to claim a saddle adapted to their morphology, this model not being made of leather.

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Reform saddles are available now for our Victoire and Distance bikes. Likewise, we offer this product for sale as a spare part in our showroom, and can even carry out its molding and positioning on site!


Victoire et le Concours De Machines 2022

Victoire et le Concours De Machines 2022

In 2022, Victoire is once again embarking on the adventure of the Concours de Machines, responding to the invitation of Andreas Bernes from the Cycles LaFraise. We will therefore be going to Roubaix from June 22 to 26 to present a new bike responding to the theme of this edition.

The specifications are updated with each new edition of the Competition. This year, the theme is called "all-road", ie the machine presented must know how to face all types of roads that the north of France can present: Paved, asphalted, made of gravel, muddy. .. To this is added of course the ability to face different types of vertical drop, and in particular short but steep climbs.

You may have read it on the association's website: This year, all the projects participating in the Competition will have to be led by women. Indeed, Andreas, who created the specifications for this year, decided that all pilots should be exclusively female.

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Above, our Victorious achievement of the Concours de Machines 2016. We currently have three Victoire bikes produced for the Concours de Machines on display in our showroom. This year, we want the Victory achieved to compete to be kept by its future pilot, manufactured for the Concours de Machines but also intended to run for a lifetime.

We are therefore looking for a cyclist wishing to order a Victoire project that can meet the specifications of the Concours de Machines 2022. This project will also take into account the person's expectations as much as possible, and will be carried out hand in hand with the client. It will be offered at a very preferential rate, amounting to the purchase of a Victoire at the price of a Distance bike.Our interest here is not to research or show sports performance, but to achieve a unique project with someone. 'one who shares our values.

If you are interested, contact us to introduce yourself, describe your project and your practice. We will select a candidate very quickly before the end of January to be able to start working on this project as soon as possible !

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How to get a Victoire Cento

How to get a Victoire Cento

We will soon come to the end of the 10 series of Cento tubes purchased for the realization of Victoire projects. Entirely dedicated to cyclosport, this exclusive series which celebrates the 100 years of the famous Italian tube supplier Columbus will not be reissued !

Edited the first march 2022 : The last Columbus Cento tubes serie we had has been sold !

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To get a Victoire Cento, two possibilities exists :

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The ninth Victoire Cento frame originally manufactured for one of our customers is available for sale at a price of € 2,490. He is looking for a new owner of an equivalent height (1m65 / 1m70). This frame has been designed for a maximum tire section of 32mm. Its geometry can be found by following this link.

A Columbus carbon fork, a Columbus Compass headset as well as a paint including color, logos and gloss varnish are included in this offer. It is also possible to acquire this frame in complete assembly on estimate.

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Due to a disclaimer for health reasons, the tenth and last Cento series available to us is again available for sale for the realization of a complete bike only. In order to let you know the price of the Victoire Cento that you have in mind, we offer free quotes, on request.

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If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact us quickly !

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Micro-aventure dans le Sancy

Micro-aventure dans le Sancy

The history of Victoire is inextricably linked with Clermont-Ferrand and Auvergne in general. From the steeply uneven single-track trail to the tarred mountain pass through forest tracks in the middle of the puys, our region offers endless possibilities. We therefore wanted to share with you our favorite routes, where all the members of the workshop come to test new ideas and explore their region of birth or adoption.

The trail that we offer here can be easily adapted according to your desires and your physical condition. We chose the version suitable for an evening plus a day with bivouac, because it can adapt even to the busiest schedules. An ideal micro-adventure to cut the rhythm and take a big bowl of nature without giving up family and work for too long.

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To download the GPX file (readable by GPS devices) of this journey, click here.

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This route begins in the south of the Sancy mountains, takes two Auvergne passes, before going up the entire chain of Puys from south to north. It is 133 kilometers for 2,300m of vertical drop.

Both rolling and technical, this track offers a very wide variety of surfaces, and requires wide tires (at least 45) and studded for the most rugged parts of the Puys chain. Along the way, there are many accommodation and catering options that allow you to leave with a heart as light as your saddlebags !

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The departure is situated to the Clermont Ferrand bus station. (Just besides the train station) From there, (don't forget to attach the bikes in the hold), a regular bus is getting to the thermal city of the Bourboule in quarter past one. Situated on the shores of the Dordogne, in the heart of the Sancy massif, this city is typical from the Belle époque and deserves a visit before starting the day ascension.

Theres approximatively 7 trains a day, the first one is passing by at 10h10, the last one at 19h48 (the schedule is to re-check, for sure !)

Full south, the D645 winds its way up quietly between rocky faults and forests to the west of Puy de Chambourguet in the town of La Tour d´Auvergne. At the top of the ascent of the Stele (7.1 km ascent at 5.8% average), many hiking departures, cross-country ski trails, marked mountain bike trails, a space to wash bikes and inflate the tires, and comfortable accommodation : the Volcans cabins with highly recommended reservations.

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If you prefer to bivouac, two options are available to you depending on the weather of the day: mountain biking trails or the small road that gently descends to a plateau of wet meadows punctuated by small villages at the foot of the magnificent Monts d'Or chain. which pierces in the distance, with the Puy de Sancy (1886m.) as a semaphore.

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You then head to the peaceful little village of Chastreix, in the heart of the Fontaine Salée valley. You then leave the road, still very quiet and uncrowded, for small trails, towards the entrance to the nature reserve, to reach a meadow, ideal for a bivouac with a view ! Another option, along the small road, sleep in one of the safari tents or cabins equipped with Terre d'horizon's large bay windows. Note that this accommodation also has a “P’tit café” for fast food from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and during school holidays.

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The very versatile Victoire 417 was produced for the 2019 Chris King Open House. Both all-terrain gravel thanks to its wide tires, and an adventure bike capable of carrying a lot of luggage, this bike has covered more than two thousand kilometers on the most varied terrain, from the highlands of Vercors to Auvergne, via the vineyards of Touraine or the small forest roads of Île de France. You can find it in action here.

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The Victoire 491 is its successor. The luggage system has been completely redesigned for even more practicality and versatility. Exit the saddle bag, we have designed two new front and rear luggage rack systems. These systems make it possible to reconcile the essential lightness for bikepacking on gravel paths, while maintaining the strength and stability of a hiker, a guarantee of more precise steering and increased safety. For this bivouac, the bike was equipped with an ultra-light tent at the back, as well as a groundsheet and a sleeping bag on the sides of the rear rack.

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When you wake up, take a nice little path following the hiking signs that indicate the direction of Picherande. This small village has a drinking water fountain, and a few shops for eating out, including a small cafe that is as typical as it is friendly.

The small departmental continues its route between the Puys du Sud Sancy and a few lakes such as Lac Chauvet or the famous Lac Pavin. This almost perfectly round crater, formed 7,000 years ago, is 92 meters deep and feeds some legends ... It is a perfect place for a break in the shade of the trees that line its shores. Especially since the sequel promises to be quite muscular...

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But you will first pass through the village of Besse. Between its vaulted passages, its eight medieval buildings classified as historical monuments… and its cheese maker, this typical village of the region, former stronghold of the Medici, deserves at least a few photos and why not a new restoration break !

When leaving Besse, head north, towards the wonderful Chaudefour valley nature reserve where you can also stop off. Then begins the ascent of the Col de la Croix Saint Robert.

This pass, the highest in the Sancy massif (1451m), is very regular on this slope (6.5% average) and offers throughout the 6km climb, magnificent views of the massif, of Lake Chambon , the castle of Murol and well beyond. A few hectometers from the summit, the Buron de la Croix Saint Robert will allow you to quench your thirst and eat if needed. The surrounding landscape is impressive, between grassy steppes and summits.

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The descent to the thermal spa of Mont Dore is done in the undergrowth on a slightly damaged road. Caution is in order. After all these wild landscapes, the resort seems very lively. Another opportunity to stock up on supplies, or even to have lunch with a good pizza, before tackling the second road pass of the day: the Saint Morand cross pass, more rolling than the previous one (4.5km at 4.6% of average slope). Be careful though, if you are loaded, the sequence of the two difficulties and the long false flat windy at the top can be quite disingenuous.

At the top of the Croix Morand, the Buron du Col offers hearty meals, much appreciated in the middle of the day. This has to be done before tackling the purely gravel part of the outing, which is very energy intensive!

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To get started on the paths of Nord Sancy, retrace your steps for about 200 meters and turn right on the marked footpath. This is the end of the asphalt: the pavement is rolling, but watch out for holes and other hidden stones: it is from this portion that your wide tires will be constantly used. The panoramas on the south of the Puys range are magnificent and clear. The puy de Dôme will now serve as a compass and you will not deviate from your axis almost until the finish !

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Between wide meadows and gravel paths facing the Puys de la Vache and de la Lassolas and their red soil, you enter a descending part of rolling piloting. The southern gate of the Chaîne des Puys is open to you! Once carefully crossed the D2089 which descends towards Clermont, you set off for a series of magnificent trails at an altitude of 1000 meters.

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When you reach the residential village of Laschamps, you cross the Bordeaux road again with caution and take a very pretty path to continue your journey, passing East of Puys. This part of the forest offers sometimes confusing navigation, but let yourself be carried away… As long as you don't go up, everything is perfect. You will make a strange U-turn rewarded with a sublime single-track, smooth as well as playful, before continuing your journey towards the foot of the Puy de Dôme.

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You will cross the railway line of the little tourist train that climbs to its top before spinning the log of the Orcines golf course to Fontaine du Berger, on "Californian" gravel trails. After another road crossing, you continue your journey through a pretty forest east of Puy des goules.

Then cross the road to Nugère very carefully before heading slightly west towards Puy de la Nugère, which you will bypass to the west.

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The trail that descends from there to Volvic is a treat for tired bodies and mounts. Winding, shady, great driving pleasure awaits you. It goes quickly towards the sources of Volvic, but remain vigilant, some stony passages can turn out to be a little treacherous. Also beware because these last trails of the day are in a park near Volvic, the park of the sources. It is therefore very busy on weekends by hikers and joggers.

The small town of Volvic can be a good stopover for a last cold drink before departure, with its alleys of black stone, volcanic, famous in the region and far beyond. This stone, extracted in the surrounding quarries since the 13th century, has made the reputation of this small Auvergne town which does not lack charm.

To reach Riom station, ideally located on the Paris-Clermont line, you just have to slide from the city center to Marsat, taking a last small path, then on the road, to Riom, in just 7 kilometers. descendants. The train to Moulin, Vichy, Nevers, or in the other direction Clermont-Ferrand is waiting for you... and it takes bikes that are not dismantled !

I tested it, even for a Parisian, it's the ideal getaway in just a day and a half all inclusive! We offer you on this blog other routes starting from the workshop ... or almost, do not hesitate to come and meet us if you decide to venture on one of them!

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Everyday, the cycling adventure.

Everyday, the cycling adventure.

Romuald travels on the Brittany roads on his Victoire n°418. Surfer as an amateur, he's enjoying the sliding sensations that the bikes gives him during his long outters along the Cap Suzin, a wilderness place that is propice for meditation.

Romuald's implication for the environment is a reasonable consumption, turned to local, translating in the everyday's life by his manner to handle two Biocoops that he leads. All these values, that we share, are visible on the website he created : La maison biologique, including some very nice photographies. Romuald wished to share with us a text he wrote about his cycling passion as a way to refocus on the essential. A true invite to escape...

Romuald
The bike has always been part of my life. Since my youngest childhood, I practiced cyclism. This passion, I owe it to my father, head over heels in love of cycling.
Romuald

« Has a racer, he passed on this flame for cycling to me and carried his arms high, my older brother and I, on the country roads that have become training courses and Sunday races. My mother was no exception. Always benevolent, she supported me in my explorations and motivated me in my events, whether it was the hard winter training or the most demanding races. »

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« Cycling is an ode to freedom, it is undoubtedly precisely there that I forged and anchored this value so precious to my heart. Pedaling for the sake of exploration and getting away from it all on the discontinuous white line of my country roads was all that mattered to me when I was a child. The bicycle has probably been my greatest guide. The one who opened up the possibilities for me, the quest for new horizons and this irresistible desire to always go a little further to see what the world wants to offer us. Much to the chagrin of my parents, he urged me to take my first responsibilities, starting with pushing the authorized limits to take a new course and cross a previously unknown horizon. »

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« The promise of my two-wheeled companion is the quest for paths that remain to be done and discovered. It is the spirit of adventure and the joy of drawing curves and surfing the roads. Belonging to this community of free rays and diet in the saddle is to open your heart to the most nourishing emotions. Riding a bike is to appeal to all of our senses and give us the opportunity to see the world from a new perspective, a new window. Deciding to climb into the saddle also means giving yourself the opportunity to enter into communion with the awakening of nature, like this photographed morning where I met the surprised gaze of a deer at the search for the best foliage and where I rubbed shoulders with the flight of sea birds in the Bay of Trépassés. Going out by bike at dawn is the promise of a light that offers nature its most beautiful dress but it is also the assurance of serene tranquility in the face of its morning mood and the rolling of its derailleur. »

« For me, riding a bicycle means taking the right speed to read the world around us. Giving yourself a bike trip voucher means taking the pulse of the geography of the territory you are exploring. Here, in Cap-Sizun, to get on a two-wheeler is to explore an archipelago.

Take the roads and paths that invite you to navigate from one village to another, on a perpetual asphalt swell or stony, flirting with the embankments and undergrowth to play with the whims of the ever-present wind. The accumulated acidity in the thighs is a testament to the topography of the land and invites you to humility and management in the effort to ensure a return home. »

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« A passport to freedom, a driving force for education and emancipation, the bicycle is a formidable tool for introspection. At a young age, exploring the world by bicycle develops practical intelligence, initiative, autonomy and endurance, I am sure. Its practice exacerbates our weaknesses and confronts us with our limits. Each day in the saddle gives you the opportunity to explore a little deeper who you are. »

« Rolling the miles sharpens tenacity and elevates you on the road to attention, skill and foresight. Cycling sharpens observation, the spirit of anticipation and deduction. Outdoor activity in its own right, the practice of cycling joins the disciplines of surfing, running in the great outdoors, climbing, hiking ... by offering its community a broader perspective on life that gives more magnitude to humanity. »

« My bikes have been my traveling companions throughout my life journey and they continue to be. From my Gitane bike to celebrate my sixth birthday to my Victoire bike today, they have frozen memories, marked moments of life, left imprints, sometimes even indelible, some scars testify. They invited me to explore, confronted with the learning of circulation, orientation, or even mechanics. »

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« By carrying me into action, my bikes were the vector of my emancipation, my inner fire, my awakening of environmental awareness and a greater knowledge of myself. My bikes have always been part of my close space. I believe that they have always been there, within sight, like a breadcrumb trail that binds me to my inner child, inviting me not to lose this hope of escape and freedom. »

« You will understand that to inhabit the world by bicycle is to rethink our presence in the world. The bicycle, a vector of mobility for more than a century, resonates more than ever as a response to the challenges of our time. Allowing ourselves to relax time by adopting this mobility also means designing our space more broadly and renewing the imagination of our links, whether social, environmental or territorial. Adopting this diet is to act on strengthening your metabolism and mental health, but it is also protecting the environment and natural spaces for future generations. »

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Le Touraine Gravel Challenge 2

Le Touraine Gravel Challenge 2

On Sunday September 12, one of the coolest and best organized gravel events of the year was held: the Touraine Gravel Challenge, the TGC for those in the know. A journey of 168 kilometers at 80% on the vineyards and undergrowth of sunny Touraine. Between cave houses and royal castles, the experience was as sporty as it was exotic for my brother and I, more used to the reliefs of Auvergne and the Alps. And one thing is certain, we will come back to it !

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Last year the TGC had held itself under torrential rain, and the mud of the vineyard paths, very sticky, had made the exercise perilous. This year, no human sacrifice is necessary to ward off bad luck: a great sun is announced on pure Touraine all weekend.

After a gastronomic social ride on Saturday afternoon, participants can choose between two routes on Sunday: an 80 km (the Gretel) and a 170 (the Hansel, because the organizing team has extraordinary humor) for discover the hidden trails of the East and South-East of Tours.

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It all starts with a departure at the front at 6.30 am in front of the “cycling-friendly” hotel called L'Étape 84, on the mythical avenue de Grammont and its disturbing tram tracks, small groups of around ten cross and then follow the sleeping Loire. Towards the slopes of Rochecorbon. This small town with many troglodyte houses, hides small steep walls like so many extremely dynamic warm-ups to wake up the participants. After right-angled bifurcations that suddenly break the momentum of the most valiant, two hundred meters of slope on roads barely wide enough for a bicycle, between the old houses.

Laughs erupt along with a few sweet words and two or three bitch while the derailleurs howl in pain. The tone is set for the day: we are in Touraine, there will be no pass, but these dry ruptures are damn trying! And everyone laughs about it like a bunch of unconscious people. The reward is in front of us: the suns gently rise over the tuffaut with which these villages are built. These white, limestone stones light up orange and the Loire below offers magnificent reflections on the horizon. small wood, gateway to the vines of Vouvray. These paths are tricky, especially in the twilight, and a few falls without consequences break the harmony of the train of beams of lamps. The ruts created by the passage of agricultural machinery are particularly treacherous when they are covered with grass.

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Concentration is at its peak, and we see with relief the sun rising slowly in the sky. The pace increases a bit in the groups when the obstacles become easier to anticipate and it's time to fix your pace. There are still 130 terminals! For trying to follow a tall guy in the blue jersey for a few hundred meters and toasting the equivalent of two pints of energy gel, I understood the lesson (the guy in blue in question is Jérémy Roy, the big engine of the day, a very young retiree from the professional pelotons, which relieves a little!)

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After a short climb through the narrow streets of the old town, here is the first refreshment point, held by the family of Fabien, one of the organizers.

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The atmosphere is damn good-natured, everyone has their picture taken in front of the panorama, tasting something to hold another 70 terminals before the next fuel up. Ultimate luxury, there is even a mechanic, Dimitri, from Cycle Express 37, all ready to pamper the overdue mechanics !

After this break filled with human warmth and energy recharges, the troop heads south, towards the Indre valley and the magnificent town of Loches. And as the local saying goes: "We are not at Loches".

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Between small roads that one would think reserved for bicycles, towpaths and singles in the forest, the trail is magnificent and passes in front of the sublime Château de Chenonceau, resting on the Indre as if it were floating. The opportunity for many to Instagram to their heart's content, and to have a good laugh when some bravely try to wedge their mounts on the small ledge that runs along a very deep canal for the glory of social networks.

After this quick tourist break, we set off again towards the little-known Château de Montpoupon, set in the heart of a small valley carved by two streams. The mini pelotons overhang it, emerging from a fast path, made of breaks and relaunches in the narrowness of the undergrowth with damn welcome freshness!

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After a restful passage on the road between a wide agricultural plain and the premises of the immense forest of Loches, arrives one of the most exciting passages of the day, and not only because they precede the number two supply!

The forest tracks and the small MTB singles in the Loches forest are a joy to pilot where we do not regret our wide tires. Then a long, undulating straight line of several kilometers allows you to let go of the horses at the same time as the eyes of the GPS, and to pass from one group to another according to the ease of each other on rough terrain. Each time you pass, a friendly note, a smile, the spirit of the TGC is truly impeccable and shared. There are seventy markers left and everyone is starting to feel the sum of the efforts made. Because a hundred gravel markers on this kind of terrain, it hurts even the most voluntary.

En bons organisateurs sadiques, Fabien et sa bande n’ont eu aucune pitié pour leur troupe. La ravitaillement numéro deux a bien entendu pris place tout en haut de la citadelle de Loches. On aurait pu aisément deviner que le petit chemin sinueux qui monte entre remparts et donjon était celui qu’il fallait emprunter pour avoir une chance de faire une razzia sur un tas de figues et de bananes.

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Here again a superb atmosphere reigns in this majestic setting. Beautiful bikes parade, all very different, from cyclo-cross to monster cross through hyper aggressive hybrid cars.

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Our Victories make friends and fuel sharp discussions. And the questionable Loches jokes, which you'll be spared here, keep that cheerful vibe that has carried the peloton from the first mile. The jersey pockets filled with bananas worn cowboy colt style, we set off again for the third major river in the department: the Indre and its very different landscapes.

Between white slopes of Strade Bianche style whose dust slips down the throat like plaster, astonishing pine wood that transports us to the Landes, the scenery is total. It's hot and we take advantage of the small fords to cool off the mounts before taking a good slope of more earth.

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Two unexpected picturesque passages are the occasion for beautiful photos, by the TGC team, who also spoil us with this service for great memories. They appear camera in hand on a California-style metal bridge and everyone puts out their best smile as if the past 150 milestones had only been a short Sunday stroll. And what about the wild supplies at the top of the last slopes of the day? Another highlight of the day: an invisible passage over the disused bridge of a ruined farmhouse, which smells of adventure ...

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After plummeting down the steep slopes behind the church in the pretty village of Véretz, it's time to take the trails along the Cher towards the urban parks of Tours and tumble happily down Avenue de Grammont to join the first.

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The welcome all in simplicity and sympathy is up to the day: a beer, a few gifts, kind words from Fabien and the other participants for each newcomer, a TV that broadcasts the arrival of the European Cycling Championships to feed a few discussions… enough to end this beautiful sporting and human adventure perfectly organized. The trace in the small onions, the kindness of the team, the services offered ... we can't wait to see what awaits us for TGC number 3!

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For those who, like me, do not want to leave by car, there are a few TGVs from Paris or Bordeaux every day that accept bicycles that are not dismantled against a reservation of € 10.


Look back on our open doors

Look back on our open doors

On Friday June 11 and Saturday June 12, our doors were open. On the occasion of these two days, there were guided tours of our workshop, our clearance sale, the holding of various stands as well as a shared bike trip on Saturday morning. We come back here to these two days.

On Friday, our guided tours started at 10 a.m. Group after group, our team showed you behind the scenes of our workshop as well as the manufacturing process of Victoire and Distance bikes.

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The guided tours were an opportunity for us to show you our know-how. We were able to explain how steel tubes were transformed into painted and mounted bicycles without leaving our workshop. We also presented you with some of our latest achievements, as well as significant Victories such as those of the Concours de Machines.

Our clearance sale, located right next to our workshop, also started at 10 a.m. We sold many new and used parts there from our workshop and our team. We were delighted to see that seasoned cyclists and novices alike were able to find products to their liking.

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It was possible to find for sale vintage and recent bicycles, new and second-hand parts, accessories ... All this allowed us to make room in our workshop while avoiding throwing away objects that could have a second life.

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On the site of our clearance sale, the magazine 200 held a stand where it was possible to buy issues, subscribe or even acquire accessories.

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Our pancake stand offered free-price sweet pancakes to visitors until early afternoon.

We finally closed our doors at 6 p.m. to make way for the day on Saturday.The departure of our shared bike ride was scheduled for 8 a.m. On the program, a gravel trail in the 50km puys from our workshop.

The participants gathered in our clearance sale while the sun finished rising over the puys. The day promises to be hot, but it is still cool.

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Tom, our technician, makes an intervention to inform the participants about the track that will be rolled. Our team, knowing the place, got organized so as not to leave anyone behind or unprepared.

The departure will finally be taken at 8:30 am, with a return scheduled around noon.

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Gravel, MTB, crampons, smooth tread, black or beige sidewalls ... There is something for everyone, and everyone is welcome.

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As expected, the trail takes the participants along paths that offer typically Auvergne landscapes, both in terms of flora and landscapes in which the puys always appear.

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During this time, part of our team remained at our workshop for the visits and the clearance sale which resumed their course at 10am.

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Guided tours have resumed for people who did not participate in the bike trip. As on Friday, it was possible to try out our Distance models around the workshop.

The day finally ended around 5:30 p.m. We would like to thank all the people who took part in these two days which allowed us to share our work.If you were not able to come on this occasion, our doors remain open to you throughout the year. We offer free guided tours by appointment, during which it is also possible to try our Distance bikes.

Do not hesitate to contact us, we will be delighted to welcome you !


Récapitulatif des événements Victoire à venir

Récapitulatif des événements Victoire à venir

This fall, the Victoire team will participate in several events. Find here the most important information about this program, hoping to meet you on one of these occasions.

This year, Victoire will unfortunately not be able to participate in the Concours de Machines. This technical competition between artisanal cameramen, which returned to the fore in 2016, will take place from September 9 to 12. This year, the competition suffered two successive postponements due to the health situation. We even feared for a moment that it might not take place.

These uncertainties, coupled with a period of intense activity in the workshop, shook up our program. Despite the realization of a promising first prototype, we have decided, not without difficulty, to give up the Concours de Machines 2021. Victoire has won two editions of the Competition and we know the time needed to produce a bike worthy of competition. Unfortunately, this is precisely what we missed. This is only a postponement, because we intend to participate in the following years !

The second Victoire clearance sale will take place on Friday, September 10. After a first edition which allowed us to free up space in our workshop, this day will again allow you to find many new and used parts, bicycles and accessories at discounted prices.

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This time, we want to bring together in one place different local players in the second-hand cycle and soft mobility. For example, you can find with us Les bicyclettes du grenier (repair and rehabilitation of bicycles) and Vélocité 63 (association working to draw attention to the benefits of urban cycling) which will offer you parts and information throughout the day. This day of discussions will be completely free and without registration !

From Friday 24 to Sunday 26 September, in Spain, near Girona, the Sea Otter will take place, a European cycle festival which brought together a large number of brands, athletes and visitors last year. We will have a stand there throughout the three days, on which we will exhibit some of our achievements.

Our open doors will take place friday the 15th of october. On this opportunity, you will be able to meet our team and to discover how Victoire and Distance bikes are made.

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Guided tours will be organized throughout the day. You will be able to see our framers in the middle of machining, welding or polishing. This is a great opportunity to try out a Distance model, or ask us any questions you have in mind !

We will keep you informed about those events on our website as on our social medias. Before all, we hope to meet you at one of those !


20000 kilometers with Woody

20000 kilometers with Woody

"There are bikes that stand still, working great for what they were designed to, standing the test of time without batting an eyelid. There are also frames that are constantly reinventing themselves, trying, becoming mini rolling laboratories. Woody is definitely part of it. Initially the Victoire team designed this prototype for the 2017 Concours de Machines in order to unveil the Distance brand project. They made it available to me for the Transcontinental Race N ° 5. Since then, we have developed this machine in a multitude of forms. The adventure projects on diverse roads or tracks were completed, sometimes with breakage, sometimes brilliantly. This is the principle of a prototype, try, fail, understand, try again and succeed. What is valid for the machine is also valid for the pilot, win-win. We have tested techniques other than brazing, carbon inserts, developed a steel fork standard for thru-axle discs dedicated to adventure, looked for solutions for a versatile and affordable transmission. We tested on a large scale the durability of components. If sometimes attempts can be disappointing, in the end there is always the satisfaction of having our knowledge advanced and being able to benefit the users of Victoire and Distance bikes."

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20,000 km represents among other things the Transcontinental Race No5 and No6, a Born to Ride, a Nice-London, a Festive 500, a crossing of Georgia or a long escapade in the Portuguese mountains for the magazine 200 as well as a multitude of sporting hikes such as the Chilkoot Tour du Vaucluse, Tour de Lozère and many others. Alongside these road adventures, Woody has always had the idea of ​​being modular in mind. Thus, equipped with a second pair of 650x42 wheels with knobs, he transforms in an instant into a surveyor of the DFCI and faithful companion for bivouacs. Thanks to the many inserts, I can quickly assemble and disassemble a whole set of accessories. From a bare and light bike, I can add a classic rear rack, low-riders, mudguards, all in autonomy thanks to the dynamo hub and its front-rear lamp set. From a slow escapade between friends, it only takes a few turns of the screw to undress the beast and slip through the departments to get to stamp the famous patents. Beyond these practical aspects, after a lot of traveling with Woody, if I have to remember one thing from him it is his behavior. Its stainless steel frame has never failed me. Always fluid, lively, dynamic, who knows how to give back when needed what you give him, he never seemed clumsy or hard to the trouble, he was on the contrary a reliable element on whom I could count. I have always felt stable and confident with him. He always knew how to overcome the most complicated obstacles. And yet he saw me stumble against walls, whimper with fatigue, scream with joy in overflows of euphoria, he always remained quiet, the good friend on whom you can rest.

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"Today, this "cool dude" will not exactly take his retirement. Even if we definitely want to use all the knowledge we acquired to create a new bike fitting to our idea of the "all-road sportful commuter", Woody will soon get his knobs back on to go on single tracks and fully appreciate a slow way of living. As always, he will do what he is asked with a great pleasure."

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Photos : Matthieu Lifschitz / 200 Magazine / Dan De Rosilles / Tony Bidel


The light Victoire's luggages racks

The light Victoire's luggages racks

The last few years have seen the arrival of a new type of luggage which is now omnipresent in the field of bicycle travel : bikepacking bags. Until then, the solution of luggage racks and traditional saddlebags was often required by default, including for short journeys requiring little equipment to be carried. Bikepacking saddlebags have made it possible to lightly load bikes that do not have mounts, making them suitable for a large audience who want to take only what is necessary while not sacrificing the mobility. There are many opinions on the question: today we are sharing ours with you.

The Victoire n°470 is a good illustration of the idea of ​​a bike loaded in the traditional way: the saddlebags, bulky and well secured to the luggage racks, allow you to carry a lot of equipment. This type of loading (which generally has a capacity of around 100 liters) is ideal for long journeys in total autonomy. We look here less at the weight of the frame than its ability to meet needs.

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The Victoire n°470 was designed to travel around the world. It is therefore advisable to take a certain amount of equipment with you because long journeys require you to be prepared for different climates and terrains. In the list of essentials, we can notably mention : Something to sleep (tent, hammock, sleeping bag, groundsheet ...), a stove, clothes, a large volume of water for arid or uninhabited areas.

Here is the opposite example: our Distance 60 Escapade edition (if you do not know our second Distance brand, also produced by hand in our workshops, we invite you to meet here !) Has a bikepacking type load. The saddlebags have a lower loading capacity compared to a traditional saddlebag and are directly attached to the frame, the seat post, or the fork thanks to a system of straps or velcro. This system therefore makes it possible to carry essential equipment without luggage racks and without fixings.

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The Distance 60 Escapade comes with saddlebags representing a total capacity of 15L. To this example, we can add a bag placed inside the front triangle, a bag secured to the hanger ...

Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. At the workshop, we believe that it is possible to create a junction between these two categories. Indeed, when you are heading towards bikepacking while wishing to take a little comfort and autonomy with you for several nights, you may be faced with the main weakness of bikepacking: its bindings. The saddlebags then come to move, to loosen, or to press on the sheaths because they are too loaded. It is then also possible that the paint of the bicycle is damaged by repeated rubbing.

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The frame bags of the Victoire n°417 or the Victoire n°413 are directly attached to the front triangle. Thus, the paint of the bike is preserved and the saddlebags do not move.

At Victoire, for two years we have been trying to offer solutions to circumvent the main problems that can arise from the use of bikepacking bags. The Victoire produced for the Concours de Machines 2019 has, for example, a frame bag fixed to the front triangle tubes.The solutions we propose below are the culmination of this work of reflection and research.

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You may have noticed them on the Victoire n°491 : its luggage racks offer a simple, light and solid system. Designed by Julien and produced by Olivier our workshop manager, they allow the stowage of "dry-bags" (these waterproof tube-shaped bags which are closed by successive folds) using straps of the Voile straps type.

The disassembly and reassembly of the load is extremely fast: just loosen the straps passing inside the many-things cages. The same goes for the luggage racks in the photo, front and rear: only three screws in the BTR footprint are enough to hold them in place. It is therefore very easy to place them at the start of the weekend and to remove them on your return. Another strong point that these racks offer: the weight. Indeed, the saddlebags used for this configuration are light, as is the framework in minimalist stainless steel rods which allows them to be fixed.

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The rear rack of Victoire n ° 491 can accommodate three saddlebags. Julien even replaced one of them with his light tent !

Although not allowing heavy loads to be attached to it, these luggage racks still allow you to take your tent, your stove, your sleeping bag and everything you need to spend several days in autonomy without sacrificing the idea of comfort.

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The one placed on the fork allows the attachment of light and quickly accessible equipment, such as clothes, a sleeping bag or even a pump.

Thanks to this system, it is possible to take with you more equipment than the bikepacking saddlebags would allow, while taking advantage of solid fixings that will not move when you step into the dancer! The assembly remains relatively light and allows to maintain a certain mobility. It is therefore the ideal compromise between bikepacking equipment and classic side bags.

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Other models of this type are being considered or have already been designed by Olivier and Julien for specific projects. Handcrafted production here allows us to design systems perfectly suited to the use that their owners wish to make of them.

These two racks are the first born of a concept that we intend to use again on the occasion of other projects. You will have the opportunity to see them appear equipped on Victories dedicated to adventure !


Les poinçons des cadreurs Victoire

Les poinçons des cadreurs Victoire

Recently, we have chosen to include an element on the Victoire frames that highlights the artisanal side of our achievements. You may have seen this element on the recently published Victoire n°491 : today, we present you the punches of the Victoire framers.

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We already placed on the Victoire frames, under the bottom bracket, a plate bearing the number of the bicycle. This plaque confirms the authenticity of the creation, each number being unique. Since our new graphic identity, a marking located on the seat tube of Victoire bikes also indicates the people who have worked on the project to permit it to be achieved.

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All Victoire bikes have their identification plate located under the bottom bracket.

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The marking that we place on the seat tube from our new graphic identity informs the designer, the framer, the assembler as well as the series of tubes used for the manufacture of the frame. It affirms the uniqueness of the project and underlines its artisanal side.

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What we are talking about today is a small piece of copper which, just like the nameplate that we place under the bottom bracket, adds a unique and handcrafted dimension to the bike. In fact, each framer has chosen (or will, at the end of a reflection which is still in progress for some of us) the choice of a symbol of his own, which he will strike on a piece before brazing it on its achievement like a signature.

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It is a discreet element that measures no more than a centimeter and a half in diameter. This small part will finally go under the final varnish which will perpetuate it at the same time as the finish.

Our framers spend many days carrying out the projects they are working on. These projects, which they follow for several weeks before seeing them go to customers with pleasure, will thus contain a tangible trace of the work they have done.

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The punch visible in the photo is the one that belongs to Olivier, our workshop manager. It represents a Daruma, a sacred Japanese figurine. Olivier having recently worked on the development of various projects and prototypes, it is a symbol that you will see in our future publications.

This mark will be gradually incorporated into Victoire projects and will be an integral part of our new graphic identity. It will mostly be placed on the seat tube of the projects. You will therefore gradually discover the emblems chosen by the members of the workshop over the projects !


Le départ du Love Tour des Artisans du Cycle

Le départ du Love Tour des Artisans du Cycle

This Saturday July 3 took place the start of the Love Tour des Artisans du Cycle. The participants left our workshop, the first stage of the Love Tour 2021, for 21 days to discover the crafts of the French cycle.

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The morning of this Saturday began with the arrival of Clinton Hill, a Clermont-Ferrand coffee shop, to serve ground coffee on site and organic cakes to the first visitors. The first guided tours then started around 8am.

The participants' mounts, loaded in saddlebags and sometimes surprisingly, are gradually placed in front of the workshop.

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The bulk of the Love Tour group, which left the Cournon-d'Auvergne campsite at 8:30 am, arrives at the workshop and joins the first comers. The guided tours are lively, the questions fuse. It was a real pleasure to talk about our work to so many people and to maintain such lively exchanges.

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Group by group, we have explained to you how Victoire and Distance bikes are made, from the machining of the tubes to the polishing of the cords.

Elisabeth, member of the association participating in the organization and smooth running of the Love Tour 2021, then spoke with Bruno, driver of the vehicle who will follow the participants for 21 days. Presentations, acknowledgments and organizational details are in order.

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We then proceeded to a question-and-answer game focused on the world of cycle craftsmanship with Columbus accessories at its key. Columbus generously staked gifts that will be delivered throughout the Love Tour. These are organized into two categories: On the one hand, accessories (bottle cages, T-shirts, stickers, gapettes ...)
which will be issued at each stage by the craftsmen throughout the Love Tour.

On the other hand, a Columbus Spirit tube kit as well as a carbon fork allowing the manufacture of a complete frame which will be awarded to a winner drawn at the end of the Love Tour. A Columbus box will travel with the Love Tour van, in which each participant has the opportunity to slip a ballot for the draw. It will then be up to the winner to choose the craftsman in charge of making the frame of his bike, which will only have the cost of labor to pay.

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In the photo above, the Columbus urn which will follow the Love Tour to its end before the draw.

The start of the Love Tour to Saint-Pourçain, the next stage of this one, was announced for 10am. The participants therefore got in the saddle and gradually set off in rather wet weather.

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We would like to thank the association of cycle craftsmen and in particular Elisabeth, Bruno, Julien and Pascal for the establishment and active organization of this Love Tour! We would also like to thank all the participants whom we had great pleasure to receive.


Les portes ouvertes Victoire

Les portes ouvertes Victoire

Our open days will take place on Friday June 11 and Saturday June 12. These are two days during which we will have the opportunity to discuss with you and present our work to you. Today we are sharing with you the detailed program of these two days, as well as all the information about the bike trip taking place on Saturday morning.

On Friday June 11, we will open our doors to the public at 10 a.m. Guided tours of our workshop as well as our showroom will start, during which you will be able to discover our know-how down to the smallest detail. We will explain to you how our creations are made from A to Z, then we will take you to our showroom. You will be able to discover our latest achievements as well as emblematic Victories such as those made on the occasion of the various Machine Competitions.

To indicate your presence on these guided tours, please fill out the form (also valid for the Saturday morning bike trip) available via this link.

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Our team will take you through the manufacturing process of Victoire and Distance bikes, from the state of the tubes to a finished, ready-to-ride bike.

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At the same time, right next to our workshop, we are organizing a clearance sale during which it will be possible to find new and used parts at discounted prices from 10am. Old and older bikes, pedals, cables, pedals, outfits, cassettes... In short, all types of products will be on sale. Our cameraman Marco, who has a stock of products to sell, will be there. will allow us to free up space in our workshop.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a stand of sweet crêpes (chocolate, jam, sugar and homemade salted butter caramel) at the free price. For people who are vegan or do not tolerate gluten, buckwheat paste will be offered. We will also serve hot coffee.

We will close our doors at 6 p.m., before resuming the next morning.

The day of the 12th will start at 7:30 am, when we will meet at the workshop to prepare the common bike trip with a coffee. It will depart at 8 am. The workshop, its guided tours and its clearance sale will resume at 10am.

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It will be a gravel loop of just over 50km for 1154 meters of elevation gain that will go to the La Serre plateau. There is no requirement here in terms of pace or time, this outing is open to everyone and will be supervised by our team in such a way that no one is left behind.If you wish to download the .gpx file ( readable by GPS devices) of it, it is available by following this link.We still ask here the people wishing to participate in the bike trip to fill out the questionnaire available here, in order to allow us to organize the best way. framing of it.

Our pancake stand, which will start at 11am for this Saturday day, will be able to satiate people in return for the bike trip. We will offer (exclusively to participants at the exit for organizational reasons): A savory pancake (Egg, cheese and ham) as well as two sweet pancakes for the price of 10 euros A glass of cider at the price of 2 euros. For the public who have not participated in the bike trip, sweet pancakes will then be offered at free price from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The day will finally end at 5 p.m. If you have any questions about these open houses, the bike ride or the supplies, don't hesitate to contact us !

Victoire is participating to the program 1% for the planet. The companies that participates to this program are giving 1% of their sales to the initiatives affiliated with the association, that carries an ecological involvement.

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