Setting off on a bike with no gears and no freehub for a 500km ride, with elevation, might sound crazy. But beyond the obvious drawbacks (having to match your pedalling cadence to your speed), there are compelling arguments for this technical choice. First of all, maintenance is reduced to the absolute minimum—you could almost say that such a bike simply doesn't need any.

Moreover, it's a different way of cycling, a different sensation. Perhaps the most important thing about this choice is simply loving to ride a fixie, and that's what led Killian to this project.

We built the frame from Omnicrom steel using tubes from Colombus. Comfortable and reliable, this material allows us to build bikes that are both comfortable and high-performing.

Using steel also means you can place mounts wherever you want for bags, which is really useful for carrying clothes, tools, and snacks.

To protect the paint from cable rub, we braze a small ruler directly onto the head tube. This is a hallmark of Victoire, found on many of our bikes.

We were very happy when Killian got in touch to talk about a fixie build. In fact, our small company Victoire started out making hubs and sprockets for fixies! We still produce them (and they are available in our shop), but our workshop now mainly builds complete bikes.

Unfortunately, we couldn't use our own hubs for this project, as Killian wanted disc brakes on his bike. So, we went with an Effigear hub using a Shimano-compatible splined cog mount. We paired it with an Absolute Black cog, CNC-machined from a solid block.

Any fixed gear rider will tell you: the inertia from having no freewheel binds you to the bike, urging you to pedal further. The repetitive movement, the effort management, and the almost spiritual connection created by this seemingly old-fashioned drive system encourages you to discover what lies beyond the horizon. It's actually a very coherent choice for fans of long distances.

Killian's Victoire is equipped with Growtac cable brakes. We love these powerful, precise, and reliable brakes so much that we became their exclusive distributors in France (they're available through our online shop or from Cartel, our bike café in the centre of Clermont-Ferrand). They come in various colours, which allowed us to match them with the overall tone of the bike.

They require very little maintenance, and the braking feel is unlike anything else we've come across. Julien, Victoire's founder, loves them so much that he fitted them to his personal bike—direct from Japan.

Ultra-distance means riding at night. Killian's Victoire is therefore fitted with integrated front and rear lights. To power them, there's a SON dynamo in the front hub. No risk of running out of power! The carefully designed beams guarantee a perfect view of the road, even in the darkest night...

The rear light is positioned on the stays, ensuring the best visibility no matter the viewing angle.

The inspiration for the paint job came from the world of comics. Killian wanted a bike in blueish tones, reminiscent of the mountains. It was the artist Jean-Marc Rochette, illustrator of cold and snow, who gave us the idea for these designs, which were brush-painted by Max.

Like many ultra-distance cyclists, Killian sometimes needs a little extra motivation to keep going. That's the job of the small owl on the top tube; she reminds him of his family, and that every pedal stroke brings him closer to them.