André's Wandering Hornet
André wanted a sturdy bike to accompany him on his adventures on all types of trails. Already an owner of hand-crafted bikes, and following the good recommendations of his bike mechanic, he contacted us after being inspired by the designs we present on our website. Throughout the manufacturing process, and through our many discussions, his needs and desires evolved, culminating in the Victoire n°566, a real jewel cut out for solo expeditions. We present it to you below.
A lover of fine machines, André wanted a unique, top-of-the-range bike with geometry perfectly adapted to his morphology.
He already owns a homemade bike equipped with an electronic transmission and hydraulic brakes. For this new project, he wanted to simplify the equipment as much as possible and work with mechanical components only. This approach fits perfectly with our state of mind: we like our bikes to be repairable, durable, uncluttered and always ready to ride.
The frame is built from stainless steel tubes, which are stronger and more resistant to corrosion. The 45% silver weld seams are visible in the bottom bracket area, to highlight the work of Grégoire, the frame builder who made André's frame.
On the seat tube, we brazed a machined tube to create an extra thickness. This detail is both aesthetic and practical, as it strengthens the frame in this area of high stress.
Our René stem was created in 2016 for the Victory of the first Concours de Machines. Designed as a tribute to the frame builder René Herse, multiple winner of the first versions of the Concours de Machines that took place until 1947, our stem is not made from a block of aluminum but from Columbus Max stays that have been diverted from their original function.
The shape is reminiscent of the obvious centerpiece of the original Herse stems, and echoes our expertise in brazing steel tubes.
The stem on André's bike is the shortest René has ever made, and it's also the first made by Grégoire.
To enable André to be self-sufficient in his long-distance adventures, Victoire n°566 is equipped with a complete front and rear luggage rack solution. The whole system is made entirely of stainless steel in our Beaumont workshop. This flexible configuration allows André to adapt the load according to the program, from a short weekend getaway to several weeks of independent travel.
The front system allows for 2 side baskets, plus a pannier in front of the handlebars. The rear luggage rack was inaugurated on Julien's Victoire n°491, a solution we designed from A to Z. It allows you to carry a heavy load, without compromising the bike's agility when climbing hills.
Last but not least, eyelets inside the front triangle and on its top allow you to install a frame bag and a top tube bag. Perfect for carrying small tools, papers and a telephone, they are also ideal for use as pocket organizers.
To ensure independence during day and night expeditions, the Victoire n°566 is equipped with front and rear lights, powered by a hub-mounted dynamo.
The rear light is integrated directly into the frame, a system we pioneered on Victoire n°519. The headlight is thus perfectly protected from being ripped out or damaged.
The front light (a Sinewave Beacon 2), comfortably positioned under the front bag, also offers the option of recharging the phone or GPS via the integrated USB port.
André wanted transmission components that were reliable, easily repairable and ideally made in Europe. After considering a number of configurations, André opted for a set mainly made by Ingrid, a small Italian manufacturer. Just like Jeanne's Victoire for the Concours de Machines 2022 (where we won the prize for best craftsmanship!), the derailleur, cassette and crankset are all made by Ingrid, a small Italian manufacturer. Sram Rival shifters, modified with a Ratio kit, were installed to power all this beautiful equipment.
And what better way to stop everything on descents than with Growtac brakes? Again handcrafted in very small series, these cable-actuated brakes have both a smoothness of operation that would make any hydraulic control on the market blush, and a braking power that is both very high and easily modulated.
After a long period of in-house testing, we validated this braking system by becoming Growtac's official importer for France.
To relieve the strain on the lower back, it's sometimes necessary to add a little extra comfort. On the Victoire n°566, the suppleness of steel and the cushioning of high-volume tires are complemented by a Cane Creek Ee-Silk seatpost, which allows 25mm of travel thanks to the reformable parallelogram and elastomer. The lightweight, thermoformable Reform Seymour saddle completes the seat.
To complete the specification, André drew on the catalogs of German manufacturers like himself. Beast handlebars and carbon rims sit alongside Schwalbe tires and Gramm panniers.
Gramm is manufactured in Berlin by a small team headed by Kristin Heil. A companion of our colleague Florian Haeussler, who makes Fern bikes, we're honored to be able to use such accomplished products for our made-to-measure bikes!
André gave us carte-blanche for the paintwork, with the only stipulation being the use of a particular yellow.
While the majority of the project uses this color called “signalgelb”, we added detail with a triple gradient linking raw stainless steel to yellow with a metallic anthracite gray, and the addition of a geometric pattern on the lower tube.
We also created a customized logo especially for André, which appears on the top tube. The rooster echoes André's family name, inserted in a compass showing the initials of the various members of his family.
André came to pick up his bike at our Cartel Cycles & Café store in the center of Clermont. He shared his impressions with us.
I wanted a robust bike that simply suited me 100% in terms of geometry and I wanted something really special. I already have a few high-quality bikes. But what Victoire offers and delivers is unrivalled. The possibility of maximum customisation and then the workshop. It's all handcrafted with some very old machines - which are then used to make a high-end frame - simply special. I also liked the idea of working with companies mainly from Europe. And the sustainability aspect is 100% right up my street. During the process, I realised that less is more. And a reduction to the essentials of a bike was crucial for me. At home, I had high-end electronic gears and hydraulic brakes. So I made sure that it was purist, easy to maintain, all mechanical, but still at a high-end level.
When I saw it live, I knew that they had really succeeded in building a very special bike for me. There were people in the studio who approached me about the bike. Enthusiasts like me who expressed their admiration for the bike. I was really proud. And everything on the bike turned out exactly as we had discussed and as I had imagined. I was as happy as a little boy when I rode a few metres for the first time when Julien took it off the pedestal. Of all the bikes I've ridden so far, it was by far the most extraordinary feeling on my first ride. What can I say, you simply have to love this bike, because it has become absolutely extraordinary for me in every respect.
I would like to thank Julien and the whole team for my special bike and let them know that they make many people very happy with their work - just like me. Keep it up, you are great and deserve the greatest respect and recognition for what you do - building customised dream bikes.
