Bike Build Ideas: Brett's Do-it-All Campeur

by Igor

Brett came to us to help build up an all-weather Campeur into a do-it-all commuter, light tourer, and rail-trail crusher that exudes class with a splash of modern components. Here's the final product! You can see the complete build list right here.

It was my first time installing the Shimano Tiagra 4700 component set and I was quite pleased! Not as finicky as an 11speed group and a bunch more affordable without sacrificing Shimano's new ergonomics.

The Nouveau Randonneur and Removable Faceplate Quill Stem makes a great, modern cockpit.

The front Snakeskin Fender is securely mounted directly to the rack.

Ready for a Randonneur Handlebar Bag!

The Campeur Rear Rack will hold commuting items like a laptop, extra clothes, lunch, etc and help get the load off his back.

Campeur Rack mounts super securely to the cantilever studs.

The combination of our 50.4 Crankset and an 11-32 cassette is perfect for commuting and light touring.

Brett often commutes in boots, so he'll use all the real estate the Sabot Pedals can provide.

I've used the Teravail Ramparts on several builds at this point and have been very pleased. Simple file tread, foldable, tubeless compatible, and lightweight. What more do you want?

Introducing the New XXXXXXXXL Handlebar Bag

by Igor

We're proud to introduce the new XXXXXXXXL Handlebar Bag specifically designed for the Neutrino and folks who are ridiculously tall.

Have you ever lamented not being able to pack your favorite baguette, bag of charcoal, or gluttonously-sized popcorn sack into your handlebar bag? Well look no further! The keen minds at VO and RRB have teamed up to offer the tallest (19.5") handlebar bag to ever have existed. Seriously, we applied to Guinness World Records.

Your family-sized bucket of cheeseballs is now easily within grasp during brevets. Your fellow riders will thank you for those little pickmeups of cheesy goodness.

Here's our official promo video with all of the details, which showcases the versatility of our new offering. Like the guy in the video says, operators are standing by.

Classic Lightweight Campeur for Eroica and Custom Completes

by Igor

While the Campeur is a traditional tourer, it can also be built up to be a lightweight and comfortable day-long rider that can tackle all that Eroica California can throw at it. Here's a recent complete build we did for a good friend who is going to be riding Eroica CA this year.

The Course Handlebars have been a long time favorite for those with non-aero brake levers. The ramps have ample real estate for moving around while keeping the brake levers well within reach. The drops are generous to gain some aerodynamic advantage.

It's hard to find a polished, new derailleur but this one from Microshift is a gem. The R10 works for cassettes up to 28T and is compatible with 8, 9, and 10 speed shifters from Shimano. Note: it isn't compatible with Tiagra 4700 shifters, which uses a different pull ratio.

A bit of twine to keep the non-aero cables together. Not really needed, but it's fun.

A VO Quill with positive rise makes for a comfortable, upright position.

Retro Bottle Cages keep your bidons in place even over the roughest of terrain.

Of course downtube shifters! These little shifter covers made by Rustines provide a bit more grip.

We've had a lot more interest in completes bikes using our frames and components. While we aren't quite in the position to do completes from Taiwan (that is, not enough physical room in our facility for bikes and frames), we can definitely do custom, one-off builds. I'd estimate a well outfitted Campeur and Polyvalent with Shimano 105/Deore level of components would be around $2800 shipped within the contiguous USA. Piolet would be roughly $3000 as MTB rims and components are a bit more expensive. That includes assembly labor and shipping. 

Turn-around time is between 2-3 weeks from receiving the deposit and putting the shipping label on the box. If you're interested, shoot us an email info@velo-orange.com and we can get the conversation started!

See you at Eroica CA!

Rims on Sale!

by Igor

We have a lot of rims, and you don't have enough. So, logic dictates that we should have a rim sale. We agree. For the next week, we're offering all of our in-stock rims for 35% off. This sale is good for our wholesale dealers as well as retail customers! No coupon code or special dance required.

Now is the perfect opportunity to build up a set of beautiful wheels for your road, touring, or commuter rig.

Here is the fine print:

• The online sale will run through March 31st, 11:59pm EDT.
• The offer applies to all in-stock rims
• Pre-sales, gift certificates, and items already on sale are not eligible
• No backorders

Antonio, His Campeur, and Amazing Journeys

by Igor

Istanbul, Tehran, California Coast, Mayan Riviera, Poland, Myanmar, India. This is but a small selection of cities and regions that Antonio and his trusty Campeur have traveled in search of adventure. His passion for cycling, travel, and exploration comes through in his photography and more recently a video on his latest trip to Baja.

Antonio says it best in the description of his, personal interpretation of cyclo-tourism and how his photographic subject-matter has changed over the years, "As I got with new people and cultures, I took the photography as a visual diary. Bike touring became an important part of my subject, but after that I began to explore other variants such as urban, architecture, landscape and portrait photography. There were born these stories and photographies that finally come together in this project, that hopefully one day will become a book.

The adventures happen, most of them have come suddenly and without years of planning, so you read this, I'm probably on the other side of the planet or waiting to start a new route at home. Some people call me a globetrotter, but I still do not believe it, there is so much to be conquered in life."

While there could be so much to say and unpack into a journal, Antonio uses his photography a medium to capture the journey. Here are a selection of photos that, to me, embody the long-term cyclo-tourist lifestyle. That is, travel, good food, trying new things, meeting new people, and living outside your comfort zone.

You can find everything about Antonio's travels, photos, and prints for sale, on his blog. While Antonio's writing is mostly Spanish, your browser's translate feature does quite a good job. Be sure to follow him on Instagram, he frequently publishes a lot of great photos and content there, too.

Happy riding, Antonio!