Michel chose stainless steel for his frame: this guarantees the bike's durability. As is often the case, we used XCr tubes from Italian manufacturer Columbus. This choice leaves the weld seams visible on the lower part of the frame and on the luggage rack, this area being simply protected by an ultra-resistant powder-coated finish.

The Victoire 536 has an important special feature: it's the first Victoire equipped with a Mimic gearbox manufactured by the French company Effigear. This gearbox offers a 469% development spread over 9 speeds, covering a wide range of uses, from city riding to light gravel.

Victoire n°536 is packed with details. We've integrated the seat-tube clamp into the seatstays, to keep its silhouette light & crispy. We've also fitted the bike with a Victoire stem, whose clamping screw is positioned laterally: the cockpit area gains a lighter, sleeker aesthetic.

To make the bike as easy to use and maintain as possible, we designed a frame that can be fitted with a belt. Indeed, while a conventional chain can be opened to integrate the rear triangle, this is impossible for a belt: it is therefore the frame that must be able to open. The right-hand chainstay therefore consists of two parts that can be separated. Victoire n°536 was delivered with a chain, but will be able to accept a belt in the future.

We also used a maximum of French-sourced equipment for the bike: Aivee hubs, Hutchinson tires, Mavic wheels and Berthoud rear-view mirror. With the Victoire frame, stem and rack, and the Effigear drivetrain, 90% of the complete bike is made in France.

Michel wanted an orange hue for his bike, but gave us carte blanche for the paint details. It was a trip to Japan that inspired us. In autumn, maple leaves turn red, giving the Japanese forests an orange-red monochrome appearance. We applied leaf motifs in a variety of autumnal colors to a glittery background.

As the stainless steel frame allows the weld seams to remain visible, we created a gradient towards a transparent varnish in the crankset area. This highlights Mathieu's craftsmanship around the area that houses the gearbox and the rear hub. The chainstays are joined to the gearbox by an intermediate piece: the yoke. We felt this was the most aesthetically pleasing technical solution for this exceptional bike.