We don't produce many urban bikes, but we particularly enjoy the exercise: urban use allows more freedom for design. We can manufacture many components, and concentrate on the lines of the object.

The seat tube bears the punch of Olivier, who is in charge of production at Victoire, and was responsible for this particular project.

This Victoire is equipped with a transmission integrated into the rear hub, instead of derailleurs. This system requires a chain-tensioning mechanism, here integrated into the frame dropouts. This type of transmission prevents derailment, which is an advantage in urban use.

Alain gave us carte blanche, so we chose to manufacture as many components as possible in the workshop. In addition to the frame, the stem, fork and luggage rack are all Victoire creations.

The René stem, a tribute to the famous framebuilder René Herse, offers Alain a comfortable and practical riding position for city use.

The front rack is a unique piece, designed and built by our framer Olivier. Made entirely of stainless steel, it will soon house a custom-made bag for Alain.

The vertical part of the luggage rack features an integrated lock holder, also unique and designed by Olivier.

Another special feature of the Victoire n°513 is its transmission. The Norwegian brand Kindernay offers a hub with integrated gears entirely made in Europe. The XIV hub offers a number of advantages over its main competitor Rohloff: lighter weight, smaller diameter, very fast gear selector coupling system, and the possibility of removing the gearbox without removing the wheel spokes thanks to a clever cage system. This highly practical hydraulic shifting system requires no maintenance apart from an annual oil change, making it an invaluable asset for urban use.

The shifter also stands out from its competitors: machined from a single block of aluminum, it blends in perfectly with the bike's aesthetic lines. Hydraulic power transmission ensures optimum smoothness of operation.

An avid mountain biker in the 90s, Alain still has a taste for quality parts. He asked us to install the Canecreek EEwings crankset, a modern version of the Morati titanium crankset from the late 90s.

He also wanted Hope brakes and pedals, entirely manufactured in the Barnoldswick factory in England, whose aesthetic perfectly matched the sober frame of his machine.

The Wolftooth platter is mounted on an aluminum disk which also acts as a protective cover.

As is often the case with Victoire, the bearings are from Chris King. The bottom bracket is standard T47.

The Victoire n°513 is packed with details: the headset, for example, houses a stop system to prevent the front luggage rack from damaging the frame in the event of a fall. This part, integrated into the upper headset, has been entirely hand-polished to visually match the other components.

The slightly champagne-tinted paintwork is simply enhanced by the metallic orange of the logos.