We just got the new Dia Compe Guidonnet levers. Many cyclists have asked us to make these, but the tooling costs were too high for VO. Fortunately Dia Compe picked up the tab and this great style of lever is once again in production. The quality is nice and I find the details and shape very pleasing.
You might have seen guidonnet levers on old French cyclo touring and camping bikes. They allow easy braking from the top of the bar, but can't be used from the drops.
They are also ideal for city bars, like the VO Bellville shown in the photo. You can brake from either the traditional grip area or from the front of the bar. This allows two safe positions in city traffic, a low aerodynamic position and a traditional upright position.
We only received a small shipment of these, so they might sell out quickly. Cost is $30 a pair and they are available in both road bar size (23.8mm) and MTB size (22.2mm)
We also have silver Tektro inverse levers in stock again.
Below is another view of our new PBP rims. The quality and finish on these is really remarkable and we're selling a lot of them to shops that build wheels.
03 August, 2009
Guidonnet Levers
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22 comments:
These are beautiful. I love the curves and the shine.
Mark
There's no way to use them or modify them to be used as an interrupter lever, is there?
Skivdal, JTEK makes a 2-to-1 splitter for two levers to operate the same brake. Based on the pictures here, it'd be quite tricky to modify these to act as an interrupter lever.
will these levers fit the new porteur bars that are almost here?
when will those long awaited bars get to the USA anyway?
They will fit the Porteur bars which should be in the shipment arriving later this week. Good thing since we just ran out of Bellville bars!
Re: the rubber block pedals. You state that they are very grippy with leather-soled shoes. Not so! I still have the scars from a fall I had when I was a kid, when my penny loafer slipped right off a rubber block pedal as I stood up to power up a hill.
I remember asking you about these some time last year. Glad to see them in! Just ordered a pair.
Received a set of these rims. Very very nice. Wish they were just a little wider but whatever; they should be great.
However, I had an annoying experience when I went to have them built up. I brought them to a not-too-nearby bike shop that makes good wheels (Michael Johnson at Wheelfine Imports, Lambertville NJ). I had forgotten about his reputation in the cycling community: utterly overpriced and pontificating ridiculous opinions one after the other.
Here was the conversation:
Me: "Hi, here are some old hubs and new rims, can you please make me some wheels?"
MJ: "Lemme see those rims. *eyeballs skeptically* What kind are they?"
Me: "Velo-Orange."
MJ: "What? Never heard of them. I can't vouch for the quality."
Me: "I could care less, they will be fine; please just make me some wheels, okay?"
He carries the stuff into the workshop rear area of the store and returns to the counter.
MJ: "Are those rims available wholesale?"
Me (not seeing the thrust of his question): "Yes I believe they do sell wholesale. You should get in touch with them; great guys. But I just bought them so please lace them up for me. How much do you charge?"
MJ: "$60 per wheel for labor, plus spokes and nipples. But in this case we're charging you double for labor."
Me: "What?!?"
MJ: "Since you didn't buy them here and because we could have gotten them for you wholesale, our policy is a 100% markup on labor."
Me: "What the eff dude? You're kidding I assume?"
MJ: "Would you bring eggs to the diner to have them cooked? Do you bring oil to the service station to have it put in your car?"
Me: "No dude. Anyway I just want some wheels. What's the big deal?"
MJ: "That's our policy. Insurance and other reasons."
Me: "NFW. Gimme the hubs and rims back. I'll take my business elsewhere."
MJ: "What?!? You won't work with me except in a way that would put me out of business?"
Me: "How are you going out of business charging $60 for building a wheel? Give me the parts back."
MJ mutters under breath and goes to fetch them in the back. "Here you go."
Me: "Listen. I've been ripped off little by little here for 22 years. Each time it annoys me when I find out later that your markups are extreme and your opinions are for the most part inane. I grinned and bore it. But this is it. Good bye and good luck."
This guys is a complete charlatan and uber-schleprock, IMHO to be avoided at all costs by any central NJ or PA cyclists.
Anyhow, I brought these beauties to another racing shop and they were perfectly happy to build them up. And it was much cheaper. It was a case of "Whoa dude! Really stonking rims! We'll have them ready tomorrow!!"
david,
You should really let us know who this jackass is. What's the name of the shop?
I bring oil, filter and crush washers to the quick oil change place all the time when I'm in a rush and I don't feel like getting my hands dirty. They gladly charge a reasonable fee. It's def not 2x labor charge.
I would be glad to talk to Mr. Johnson about setting up a wholesale account so his future customers can have access to our parts.
And the new shop you are dealing with can also contact us for an account. we offer real time inventory, online ordering, and we usually ship orders out the same day, provided they are in by 1. In most cases we turn it around as late as 3 or 4.
Tom,
I wouldn't let Mr. Johnson/Wheelfine carry your stuff. He doesn't deserve you.
David
Levers arrived today. I gave thm a test ride to my LBS. The bums on the couch loved them. Out of the box, they seemed too light and flimsy, but after installation, they had a good strong/sturdy pull with decent mech. anvantage.
But are they worth 30$? To me, yes they were. But a price reduction would definately persade me towards purchasing two more sets.
VO Rocks my friends!
Got the Guidonnet levers today, haven't installed them yet. But they are very light and well made. Of course I'd buy more if they were cheaper, but having spent $70 on an original pair, and giving up on anyone making them again, I'll cope. :)
My levers arrived to day.
Finish is top rate. The angle works perfectly with the Nitto Albatross these will pair with.
Thanks Chris!
Silly question: Will these work with ROD brakes. My guess is "Obviously no!" But they look so coold I must ask.
Beautiful rims. I totally love the non-machined sidewalls. But I think I need to save up and order quite a lot of stuff at once, since shipping costs to Europe is pricey. I think my local store Veloform in Sweden have ordered some parts from here, I have to check what's available, and Freshtripe in UK have some bars and stuff, but there are more little parts I'd like to get. Fenders especially.
And I'm really looking forward to a wider rim of the same quality, if these are coming I will get a pair or two for sure!
/Johan
The 25mm wide VO "Diagonal" rims will be available in 700c and 650b sizes in 36h. We hope to have them sometime in October.
Hi Chris,
Would it be possible to do a run of these with 40 holes? There are a lot of tandem owners out there, or people running old british hubs, that would love to build up wheels with 40 holes and box section rims. I managed to score an MA2 rim with 40 holes a few weeks ago for £35. There's a pair of Module 4 40H rims on ebay right now that are going at $123 with 4 days to go (item 380154849504). So surely there is a market.
Best wishes, Mark
Any ETA on the 23.8mm Guidonnet levers returning to stock? I have naked porteur bars, waiting. Thanks.
D
Thinking of buying the levers for the porteur bar, anyone had any experience as to whether you can reach them easily from the end of the handlebars?
Also, is there any way of fitting the long sewn-on bar covers around the clamp of the levers, or do the covers have to finish before the clamp?
Hope these questions make sense, been putting of getting these for long enough now (-:
Hey Joel, I'm glad to hear the Guidonnet Levers fit the Albatross bars perfectly. I hope that means they will fit my Nitto Dove bars just as beautifully. Anyone had any experience with that pairing?
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