29 May, 2020

Mega List of Project Updates!

by Igor

I first wanted to start off with a huge thank you to all of our customers, readers, suppliers, and staff for your support during these strange times.

Velo Orange is a strong company, and in the midst of challenging times like these, we're adapting and moving forward. We wanted to share some of the moves we're making that we're proud of, and look forward to coming to fruition.

Polyvalents


We've designed, tested, prototyped, and have sent the next generation Polyvalents into production. And let me tell you - they are a blast! We're offering two frame styles: "Low-Kicker" and "Diamond."

The first production run is going to be in the "Low-Kicker" configuration. In addition to being able to get on and off the saddle easily at stoplights, this low-slung top tube setup is a great option for lots of different riders. Fully loaded tourists will find it significantly easier to mount and dismount. Riders with limited flexibility will be able to ride a seriously capable and fun bike without compromising performance. Lastly, riders down to 5' will be able to have a very comfortable position with both drop and flat bars.

We'll also be offering a diamond-frame option for those after a more traditional look. These are just going into testing, but here is a raw frame picture.



Both will be in this absolutely stunning Metallic Sage paint. These should be available around October. We'll be opening up a pre-sale soon with more info, geometry, and close-ups, so stay tuned.



Pass Hunters



We've just gotten the final prototypes of the Pass Hunters and they are sooooo good. I'm super excited to be offering the (in my opinion) perfect "Sport Touring Bike."


The first Pass Hunter design called for the smaller sizes to be built around a 26x45mm tire size, but in the time of prototyping and testing the first iteration, this tire size is simply no longer common or available. We even talked to a number of rim and tire manufacturers who were discontinuing performance-oriented 26" rims and tires. Bummer. No worries, we've re-designed the framesets to accommodate 650bx47mm or 700x32mm tires and fenders across the board.


They've already passed testing and are going into production shortly, once we've ok'd everything on our end. They'll be available in both Brick Red and Sky Blue. We'll be doing a pre-sale for these as well.

Hubs


And for these thru-axle frames, new hubs are in production! This new rear hub shell is a custom design with a ratchet housing based off the classic, smooth-lined Record (my favorite). The design will retain our tool-free disassembly and maintenance and will include QR end caps for those who are using QR disc hubs. We'll have rim brake hub options, too.

Noir Flat Pack Rack


Since we got the Flat Pack Rack in, we've had a ton of interest in a Noir-ified version, alas stainless steel cannot be anodized or reliably powdercoated. But! A sample just arrived of a powdercoated chromoly steel version and I quickly mounted it on my Pass Hunter. It's just as strong, weighs the same, and is as easily adjusted. These will go into production soon.

Lucky Bars




What's one better than lucky #7? Lucky #8 of course! They have 8cm of rise, 800mm of width, and 8 degrees of sweep.

These are still in the prototyping phase, but they are fun!

Doover Saddle/Handlebar Bag



Another addition to the Velo Orange X Road Runner Bags luggage collaboration! The Doover, meaning thingamabob/thingamajig, is perfect for mounting at the front as a handlebar bag or on your saddle! In both cases, it can be used with or without a supporting rack. It is waterproof, cavernous, uses a roll top closure, and includes side webbing to use our existing Cell Phone and Snapper Sack accessory pockets. We're still testing them, but here's a picture.


Piolets

We're getting more Piolets in Fall, and in a new color. We'll reveal the color when we decide what it will be =)

Wheels

We're getting more 650b and 20" mini-velo wheels within the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience.

Two Container Arrivals

We're expecting two container arrivals: one in June and one in July. Both will have parts and accessories that you have been waiting on. The first of which will include Klunker Bars, Quill Stems, Granola Bars, Curvy Bars, Wheel Stabilizers, Copenhagen Kickstands, Noir Sabot Pedals, Happy Stems, and Voyager Rims.

The next one will have Crazy BarsRemovable Faceplate Quill Stems, and some other miscellanea that didn't fit in the first container.

Be sure to sign up for automated product alerts for the respective products you've asked about. Most of these items are extremely popular and go out the door fast.

We're also expecting a shipment of Blue Lug handlebars and Brass pieces to arrive within the next two weeks.

International Orders

We've had a few overseas folks say that their packages have been stuck in Jamaica Plains, NY or other USPS hubs. The issue is that USPS doesn't own their own planes, so they ship packages on passenger airplanes or contract through carriers like FedEx. Well, people aren't flying nearly as much anymore, so these hubs are getting severely backed up.

We have started shipping most international orders through FedEx to prevent delays in getting products to you. Depending on what's in your order and where you are, we may have to invoice you because of these increases in shipping costs, in which case we will email you first.

So that about wraps up all of the new and exciting things coming out of VO HQ right now. All of these new projects have kept us enthusiastic and engaged in an otherwise trying time. Thanks again, stay safe, comment if you have something on your mind, and as always - Happy Riding!

20 comments:

brian said...

Is that a threadless fork on the new Polyvalent?

Anonymous said...

Everything looks great! Any update on those dropper posts you teased a while back?

VeloOrange said...

@ Brian- Why yes it is!

@ Anon 5/29/20- Dropper posts still being tested-Scott

Secretboy said...

What will be the pre-order cost and final price on the pass hunter? Waiting is so hard! :)

Igor Shteynbuk said...

We're still sorting that out but the final price will be within the Neutrino ballpark. Maybe a bit more. We'll have all the details in June.

-Igor

Anonymous said...

That bag looks cool. It would be great to see something that works well in a Wald 198 and tapers towards the bottom like JP Weigles WaxWing bag but to a lesser degree.

Hobbes vs Boyle said...

Polyvalent looks really cool with the kindasorta mixte/step-through frame. Looks like through-axles. What's the rear spacing? And is this going to be a low-trail geometry?

Gmg said...

Just wondering what the chainstay (RC) and the BB drop is on both the Polyvalent and the Pass hunter, or rough measurements if it varies with different frame sizes? Thanks.

Valerio said...

I’m really happy to see VO do well and I’m glad that the new direction it has taken seems profitable. Still, sadly, every updated line-up makes me less interested in a brand I once really saw eye to eye with. The threadless fork is the final blow to the Polyvalent, which — in my aesthetic — had started its decline when it moved to disk brakes. The demise of the Campeur was a further disappointment. Even before that, the disappearence of lugs... and what about all those “noir” parts? Might as well go for matte black and we’ll all ride bikes that look and sound like nasty insects, according to the fashion of the day.
I suspect that if I had been Igor I would have made some of the same moves. But a long time ago the company had a choice: to be a beacon for a certain type of cycling enthusiast and develop a loyal following, or to float with the fluctuations of the market towards each and every trend, thereby becoming indistinguishable from any number of Chinese-made “US” brands like Soma, Salsa, Surly, etc. For me, it’s a shame that they went with the latter.

VeloOrange said...

@Gmg We'll be posting all the geo and fit specs when we release the pre-sale in the next few weeks.

@Valerio,

Thanks for the comment. We feel good about the direction and diversity of our products. Instead of exclusively focusing on remakes of retro gear, we have struck out on our own to intertwine classic styling with modern techniques. We're using retro designs as influences rather than templates, and some of our products do skew more modern when we feel it has a benefit. Yes, our products no longer strictly recreate retro parts, but we still have these offerings, and more. Feedback has been exceptionally positive about our moves - bringing together several generations of cycling into an aesthetically and functionally coherent product line. If anything, we feel more creative, and are really enjoying these endeavors! As always, thank you for the feedback. We truly value having a two-way conversation with the cyclists that make up the huge variation of interests in the bicycling world. Happy Riding! 

-Igor

Anonymous said...

Will the new poly diamond cost more or be the same price?

VeloOrange said...

@ Anon 5/31- The diamond Polyvalent and the low kicker Polyvalent will be the same price.-Scott

Walter said...

I know VO was really pushing threaded headset on current poly, curios as to the reason VO decided to go threadless, thanks

Igor Shteynbuk said...

@Walter,

It was the next logical progression for the Polyvalent. We'll talk more about that in the blog post that has more details and pre-sale info about the Polyvalent.

@Anon,

Rough go at us. We try to keep things fresh and interesting.

-Igor

Korina said...

So sad to see the demise of 26" wheels. At 5'4", 26" wheels feel so good, like 700c never did; I always felt like a chihuahua on stilts even on a bike that "fits", and I'm average height for a woman! I can't even imagine what a short woman has to go through when finding a bike.

Anyway, congrats on all your exciting new products! That new Poly looks very nice.

A.P. Blake said...

Aw man. Missed out on orange pass hunter frames, and the new one won't come in orange?! 😢

Anonymous said...

What will the price be for the new Polyvalent?

Igor Shteynbuk said...

The new Polyvalent will be around $750. We'll be posting the final price when we publish the pre-sale info.

-Igor

dustin said...

Any update on the hubs? Will they be available in both 32H and 36H?

VeloOrange said...

@ Dustin -More hubs should be here in couple weeks. We'll have 32 and 36 hole drillings.- Scott