The Campeur 26

Smaller frames should have smaller wheels. It makes for more balanced and better handling bikes. There are lots of design compromises in trying to fit 700c wheels to very small bikes, compromises we've never been willing to make. That's the reason there haven't been VO frames smaller than 51cm.

It's been our intention, for a long while now, to offer smaller sizes, but with so many other ongoing projects... Anyway, we've finally made some progress. The Camargue is already available in 47cm and 50cm sizes. And we finally have a 26" Campeur prototype. Unless we encounter something unexpected during testing, we'll order a production run soon. They'll be made in 47cm and 49cm sizes. Larger sizes will continue to use 700 wheels.

A few short rides around the neighborhood reveal that the 26"-wheeled Campeur prototype handles very much like the 700c version, no surprises at all, which is exactly what we'd intended. Now the serious testing begins with Adrian making a 350-mile trip from Pittsburgh to Annapolis. She'll ride this prototype, loaded with camping gear, along the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O canal towpath. That's a lot of gravel and dual-track, as well as some excellent camping opportunities. We await her report.