Fabien's lightweight hiker
Fabien, already the owner of a Victoire, wanted a new mount capable of taking him on the sporting hikes he loves. Lightweight and versatile, this new bike is above all comfortable to meet Fabien's long, even very long distance desires.
This lightweight hiker tends more towards the sport bike for the long distance on the road than towards the pure touring bike. It is particularly suitable for high mileage on weekends or for sporting hiking events such as Paris Brest Paris.
As for the majority of our hikers, the fork, the stem and the rack for the Fabien's Victoire were made in our workshop. They bring a traditional aesthetic to this bike, yet equipped with modern components: a single chainring, disc brakes as well as carbon mudguards.
Associating the frame with a steel fork and 1''1 / 8 steerer allows the use of small diameter tubes from the Colombus Life range. Beyond the aesthetic aspect, this combination brings a lot of comfort to this frame suitable for fast hiking. In this type of event, we look for a bike that spins overhead rather than a rigid acceleration bomb, which would be tiring for the body in the long run. In order to obtain the most uncluttered frame possible, Fabien chose an internal passage for his cables as well as a tightening of the seat post fully integrated into the seatstays. This option, difficult to achieve, makes the tightening system completely invisible.
As for the majority of our hikers, the fork, the stem and the rack for this project were made in our workshop. They bring a traditional aesthetic to this bike, yet equipped with modern components: a single chainring, disc brakes as well as carbon mudguards.
The fork represented many hours of work. Fabien gave us a deliberately light specification so that we could allow ourselves some freedom during manufacturing. The triple clamp, once an area of expression of the best "historical" French framer, has received special treatment with a triple plate entirely hand-shaped. This triple pad, in addition to its aesthetic role, makes it possible to stiffen and strengthen this area, subjected to strong stresses by disc braking.
The fork crown also receives stainless steel inserts to be able to fix the luggage carrier without damaging the paint.
The fork also benefits from fork dropouts making direct contact with the dynamo hub. Thanks to their contact surface, these stainless steel legs transmit current to the lamps without the need to connect a causse. Disassembly, reassembly and maintenance of the bike are simplified.
The Renée stem is our signature model. A tribute to the work of the framer René Herse, it partly takes the aesthetics of the original version, but it is made of steel instead of aluminum. Its tubes are Columbus Max shrouds. Their particular shape makes it possible to obtain a high stem while dispensing with spacers to maintain a neat aesthetic.
Minimalist, light and quickly removable, the parcel racks are made from stainless steel rods in the workshop. The one at the front has a shifter, ready to receive a Helmut Invader saddlebag. It is also equipped with a support allowing the attachment of a Sinewave lamp.
The one placed at the back is one of the solutions recently imagined at the workshop. It is located halfway between conventional luggage racks and bikepacking loading. Minimalist, it is maintained by three fasteners and allows the stowage of a small package.
The luggage racks inaugurate a new fastening system by means of a screw which is housed in a fully machined stainless steel insert. The screw head is thus perfectly integrated!
For its transmission, Fabien chose a Campagnolo group. Equipped with a 9 - 42 cassette made up of 13 pinions, it offers a large development range which allows you to find the right gear both uphill and downhill. The single chainring with 40 teeth, in addition to requiring little maintenance, keeps the chain in place on bumpy roads.
Fabien's seat post and handlebars are supplied by the American producer of carbon components Whisky.
The circles of Victoire n ° 480, Open pro alu come from Mavic. A SON hub dynamo has been radiated at the workshop for the front wheel, allowing Fabien to be self-sufficient in energy when riding. It can thus recharge a portable battery while lighting the road, for example.
The painting was done in our workshop. It is made up of three metallic colors. A pastel blue is used in gradation with a light gray for the frame, while a dark gray was used for the markings of the bike. The mudguards, stem and fork have also been painted to create a cohesive whole. Before the varnish step, a gradient of sequins was applied to the frame, with royal blue sequins on the blue part and multicolored sequins on the gray part. This enhances the reflection in light and adds an additional level of detail.
First laps of the wheel ... and the pleasure is directly there, it must be said that I waited to climb Mont Aigoual to show my hiker on vacation. Double pleasure.
“The magnificent roads of the Cévennes are perfect for realizing the potential of my V2. I am posed, literally posed. It's just my bike, straight away the ribs are perfect and snug and I don't have to make any changes. Right off the bat, we feel that this bike is made to ride ... long in kilometers, and especially over time. The design of the frame with the choice of tubes and components perfectly matches the idea of a modern hiker down to the smallest detail. Beauty in a landscape no less sumptuous.
This Victoire is a rail ! On the way up, it responds quite well. On the flat, you easily maintain your speed and downhill you feel very safe. The 36 tires are incredibly comfortable: you are on a flying carpet. The Whisky handlebars are very ergonomic and the Brooks C15 saddle is very comfortable for the duration of every ride. "
