Stéphane's urban bike
Stéphane is a former mountain biker. He has retained a taste for all-purpose bikes, never hampered by terrain or weather conditions. He contacted us when he was looking for a bike for his daily commute. He wanted a bike that was elegant and practical, easy to maintain and comfortable, and we handmade the Victoire n°548 for him.
Stéphane was looking for a very versatile bike to get to the office, do his shopping, or escape on the small white roads around Montpellier (France) where he lives.
The bike had to be as integrated as possible, easy to maintain and always ready for use.
It's common to opt for flat handlebars on an urban bike. This offers the advantage of a more upright position, more comfortable than road handlebars, while maintaining good maneuverability for tight corners through the narrow streets of Montpellier. The Brooks saddle also provides excellent comfort, even when used without shorts.
Mudguards are a must for rainy rides, and the rear rack lets you fit a pair of panniers.
In a nod to his mountain-biking past, Stéphane supplied us with his old Hope mountain-bike brakes to fit on his new Victoire.
To protect the paintwork from friction caused by the cables, we braze a stainless steel bar to the head tube. This little detail has become one of our trademarks over the years.
The Victoire n°548 is fitted with a Kindernay gearbox, manufactured entirely in Europe. This is the third Victoire equipped with this type of transmission, after the Victoire n°536 and its Mimic gearbox manufactured in France by Effigear, and the Victoire n°513, also equipped with a Kindernay gearbox.
This 14-speed gearbox requires very little maintenance. In addition, gearbox systems are essential for fitting a bicycle with a belt. It's ideal for city use: no risk of staining your pants with grease marks.
The lights presented below are powered by a dynamo mounted on the front hub.
The rear light is integrated into the seat tube and the front one into the handlebars, both manufactured by Schindelhaueur. As a result, the bike's lines are lighter and more sober, while limiting the risk of breakage for the lights.
The crankset and headset are made in the UK by Hope.
The gearshifts are machined directly from a block of aluminum for perfect ergonomics and aesthetics.
Stéphane chose a dark gray paint, highlighted with light sparkling. The mudguards were covered with a matte paint, which blends perfectly with the frame's shine.
My reaction on discovering my bike: superb! I'm probably up to a hundred kilometers on it by now, so I'm fine-tuning the ergonomics and getting used to the drivetrain. My first impression is of the shock absorption, which is much better than on my previous bike. Secondly, the position is perfect. The third is that I enjoy looking at it.
