We'll be closed as of 4pm today and reopen on Tuesday, May 28.
The photo is of the VO Polyvalent (multi-purpose) frame described here. (Tom was fitting one of the new Taiwan-made racks to it.)
As soon as we get a firm delivery date from the factory we'll start taking deposits for the first production run. I'd guess that they will arrive around the end of September. The main differences from the photo are that the color will be dark gray and there will be an extended head tube. It will be available in four sizes initally, 51 x 54cm, 54 x 56cm, 57 x 59cm, and 60 x 61cm. Remember that it's designed for city bars so the top tube is longer than on a rando frame. We'll add more sizes on the next run.
The introductory price for the frame and fork will be $400, plus shipping. That price will go up on subsequent production runs.
The mixte frame is also progressing nicely. It will initially be available in 51, 54, and 57cm sizes. We don't have pricing yet.
We are also working on the lugged Rando frame and have decided that the introductory price for that frame and fork will be $750. With luck they will arrive just after the Polyvalent frames.
Anyone doing any special bike related stuff over the long weekend?
22 May, 2009
Closed on Memorial Day, and Frame News
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32 comments:
That's a beauty, but how about that new carpet?! Sweet! ;-)
Going for a ride and picnic to the local conservation land (a former apple farm, now populated by "oreo" cows). This will be on my 1972 Schwinn Sports Tourer, towing my daughter on her Trek trailer bike, and following my other daughter on her Fuji road bike (24" wheels on that one). Several V-O sourced bits adorning each of these, from bottle cages and mounts to bars to racks. Should be fun!
The city bike looks great -- want to get to a city build next, too...
J
Going to the Horsey Hundred, rolling rolling and more rolling hills, lots of horse farms.
Scott G.
Riding a yellow Ebisu All Purpose.
I know it's not the intended purpose, but could panniers be used with this front rack? I have small Carradice panniers that I use on tour.
Cheers,
David
I have seen folks use panniers with them, seems to be fine.
Heading down the Cape to do an overnighter or two depending on weather. I can't wait to get some freid oysters in my belly and sand on my body.
p.s. when are those taiwan racks coming and how much?
Ortlieb panniers hook on to the VO rack very secure. I have not noticed any bending of the steel.
Greetings,
My eyesight is not what it was 25 years ago and I had to reread the post. $400 for the fork/frame.? Must be an error? Santa Claus in May?
I'm working tonight, but off for an extended weekend. I need socks for the winter and may take a beautiful ride up to Farm Way in Bradford (VT). I don't need much of an excuse or reason to take a ride. Come to think of it, riding that new "city bike of yours" is appealing.
I enjoy your post.
For the long weekend I am going to do an experiment to see if loosening up the wheel bearings and letting most of the air out of my tires will make my old Cannondale Caad 2 road bike "plane"
I might loosen the headset, too. Or tighten it down real hard.
Polyvalent?--Geeze I did not know you were such a nerd.
The new frame looks wonderful, and the price makes it even more wonderful-er! Any chance you could provide some help for the frame-sizing-challenged? I need a pretty small frame ... standover needs to be no more than about 30". Would the 51 size frame work okay for me? Thanks!
I just got back from the big PPTC multi-class ride from Southern HS in Harwood out to Chesapeake Beach and North Beach.
It just struck me: exactly one year ago after that same ride, I drove out to Velo Orange and picked up my VO Randonneur frame.
Which frame size is pictured here?
Hey do think you guys will ever carry those grand bois hetres?
will you ever carry those grand bois hetres?
Andrew
The frame in the photo is a 54cm.
We will not be stocking the Hetre tires. I prefer a 650b tire around 38mm.
any word on the new french thread BBs?
Did Angelride in CT. A fair number of hills...
What bars are these?
Oh! you prefer 38 mm do you?
Interesting reply. I suppose I'm old fashioned for wondering what your customers might prefer?
I suppose we'll never know.
Perhaps, then, Chris should begin stocking cigarettes, backhoes, Hustlers, fancy fountain pens, wood burning kits, unicycles, and flower seeds. I bet he has customers who buy all of these things. He has to make the call somewhere.
M Burdge
You know, of the many cycling-related blogs I read, the commenters here have to be the most arrogant, rude, and heartless bunch around.
So Chris chooses not to stock EVERYTHING that YOU want ... so what? Buy it somewhere else.
So a frame doesn't have EVERYTHING just perfectly the way YOU want ... go and find one that does, for the same price. I'll bet you can't even come close. You could, of course, spend several times more for a full custom frame and wait a couple of years to get it.
It's people like you who must make people like Chris wonder why they work so hard. Who would ever want a customer like you? It's not just about the money, you know. It's about making what you believe in ... loving what you do ... and hoping that enough other people love what you offer to keep your business afloat.
How about being happy and thrilled that Chris and his team offer so many wonderful products, rather than angry that there are a few that aren't available from his small operation? How about buying the different things you want from the places that sell them and supporting multiple American small businesses in the process?
Oh, and don't forget about all the posts in which Chris does, in fact, ask about your opinion when designing Velo Orange products or considering stock items. How many shops do that? Not many that I know of.
Go ride your bike, breathe some fresh air, and get happy about something. Be glad you HAVE a bike to ride, and that you actually do have so many choices in how to equip it, and that there are many dealers to choose from in making your selections.
Anon 3:31:
The only thing I would add to your wonderful post is that Anon 1:59 has an odd notion of old fashioned, least ways when it comes to bike stores.
While the modern mail order shop (usually via QBP) offers just about everything under the sun, bike store owners in the day were notorious for carrying only what they believed in.
Old timers have hilarious stories about the response they received going into a Brit-phile store with a Motobecane or into a Campy store with Shimano parts.
Chris stocks what he likes and believes in. That is cool with me.
I'll second that. There are some ungrateful snobs around here. Don't you guys/gals have anything better to do than whine about bike parts? I wish I had more time to ride my bike, and more money to spend on all these lovely products. Thats what I think about day to day. We are so lucky to have companies like VO and Riv around supplying smart and beautiful bicycles! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I'd like to point out that I only asked the question.. i didn't post the response. I was only wondering because now and then the hetres show up in a blog picture.
That being said, i run 38mm tires from VO and am happy with them, but i have never tried anything bigger! I can always get them from BQ if i want to experiment though.
Still love VO :)
Andrew
The bars are VO Left Banks.
French BB will be here pretty soon.
We have a few sets of Grand Boise tires left that we use on shop bikes and prototypes, but we have no plans to re-stock them.
Chris-
I'm so excited about this frame that I'm already stocking up the parts to build a bike out of it.
I'm thinking that I'd like to have fenders and chainguard powder coated locally to match the stock color when it comes out. Will there be some kind of universal paint code available to make this possible?
Someone asked about whether the smallest frame has a standover of no more than 30" - I would like to know that too. Think of the short people!
The plan is to have whole web page about the frame in a month or so. We'll prepare a geometry chart (from which you can calculate stand over) as well as a lot of other related info.
But the BB drop is 67mm if you want to do the math with whatever tires you plan to use.
I went for an 80k ride from Ottawa Ontario to Fitzroy harbour along the backroads.
The farmlands are beautiful and the homemade fudge shop in Fitzroy Harbour a real treat.
It was the first time I have used the champagne bag with much success.
The Ottawa valley is a gem for cycling with a plethora of places to stop.
good work
keep it up
Memorial pictures
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