V0 Retro Cages

Two factories, two countries, four prototypes, and more than 6 months later, the VO retro cages are ready. Ready to go into production, that is.

You see two versions. The one on the left is based on the original design and is also the model that's currently copied by Toei of Japan, though their version costs $95 and our will be under $20.

The one on the right has a loop to further secure the bottle. I thought this might be needed for folks who ride unpaved roads, but after playing with the prototypes I don't think it's necessary.

Just to be clear, this cage is based on an old TA design from the '40s or early '50. It is a one-handed cage; you put in the bottle just like on any other cage; but it holds the bottle very securely. The little tabs allow you to spread the cage for an oversized bottle. Say you're in Belgium and need to carry a pint of beer.... We at VO try to think of these eventualities.

Please don't ask when they'll be in stock, 2-3 months maybe. Do you think it was/is worth the wait?

RFP for BCD

RFP is "request for proposal", a term that's often bandied about in our near-the-beltway town. I'm looking for feedback, proposals, on the BCD to be used on new VO cranks. Since the the comments in the previous post degenerated, or generated, into a discussion of various crank preferences and BCDs I thought this would be the perfect time get into this.

My inbox often contains messages with ideas for new products including cranks. Here are some options that have been suggested.

• 86bcd, the old Stronglight 99 pattern. The smallest ring possible is 28t. The person who suggested this is a well known frame designer/manufacturer.
  
• 50.4bcd, this is the pattern used on TA Pro-5-Vis, Stronglight 49d, Nervar, Sugino PX, etc. It's also the oldest BCD still made. The smallest ring is 26t.
• 110/74bcd; we all know this one and VO is already sourcing this crank, but using an existing mold to keep cost down. It may have outboard BB bearings! The RFP is for a crank using new molds. And though I like the TA Zephyr we won't make a copy; the Sugina Alpina is close enough.
  
• The old Rene Herse BCD, 3-pin, is a very pretty crank.
• 94/56bcd. I've never used this size.

I am currently leaning toward using 50.4bcd. It seems to be the most practical; it's very light, allows a low q-factor, looks nice, and takes a huge range of chain rings. The arms can be set up as a single, double, triple, or quad! We would also make VO chainrings in the most popular sizes, 48,46,30,26... This would ensure a supply of rings from two manufacturers. The shape of the arms would loosely resemble the Stronglight 49d. Waddaya think?

In other news, The RH-style roller hangers are done and on the way. The TA/Toei-type water bottle cage is ready for production, based on the latest sample photos. And those 650b fenders should finally be ready.

Tom's Toe Clip Straps

Some of you may not understand why it takes so long to get new products made. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I do. But here is a little conversation with a toe clip strap manufacturer to give you some idea of how even the simplest products can be very complicated.

I saw a very nice range of toe clip straps from a small manufacturer I had not previously heard of. Tom, who works with me on developing and sourcing new products, and I decided to have a chat with them. C is me, T is Tom, M is the manufacturer. Of course this is all condensed from memory and just meant to illustrate the complications involved.

C: We'd like to get a quote on some of the straps you manufacture. We're most interested in the thicker ones with stainless steel buckles. Can you do colors other than brown and black.

M: These are our best straps. We can probably make them in other colors for a large order.

T: These buckles are stainless?

M: Yes, of course.

T: Is the rivet stainless?

M: Yes.

T: Chris, what do you think about the way this rivet is set? Maybe the washer could be larger.

C: Hmmm.

T: Is this spring stainless.

M: The spring can be stainless or not as you wish.

C: Wouldn't a non-stainless spring retain it's "spring" longer?

M: I don't know, but I'll find out.

T: Is the buckle roller stainless on this model, and how about on this other model?

M: One roller is a stainless spring type roller, the other is chrome plated brass.

T: The brass one has a nicer shape. Could we have it in this buckle?

M: Yes

C: Americans have huge feet, can we adjust the strap length.

M: Yes, we can make them any length.

T: I don't like this attachment method. The one on this model looks much stronger. Can we have this metal reinforcement on the other model?

M: Yes; we can do that.

T: Would it be stainless?

M: I have to check with the shop, but I think so.

C: What about leather? I see two types.

M: This is split hide and this is full grain. The full grain is more expensive.

C: Is this one artificial?

M: No this is another type of split grain hide.

C: Is there any problem with getting an embossed logo?

M: No problem.

T: OK. Please send us samples and pricing for the model we've outlined. I'm sure we'll think of a lot more questions later.

C: Now lets talk about the track style straps...

Imagine a conversation about a new crankset.

The VO Taillight

The VO Taillight can be mounted on a seat tube braze-on, on a seat stay using the clamp, or on a chain stay.

They are hand machined from a solid aluminum billet by a small shop here in the US. We are having them made because I had the prototype on the blue bike in the photo and got a bunch of e-mails requesting that we make them. So far as I know, this is the only seat post boss taillight made today.

Many people have French constructuer bikes with a mount for one, but the price of an original JOS light is over $600

The price for our version will be about $48 (sorry). It should be available next week.

NOS Nervar 50bcd Cranks

We found a small box of Nervar cranks in the proverbial, and literal, dusty warehouse corner. They are almost like TA Pro-5-Vis cranks, but there are a few differences:

• They use common 22mm dust caps and extractors
• They have a slightly wider tread and so work better with chainguards.
• They cost $77 less than the TA version! The finish is almost as nice.
  

A few caveats, These are old so there may be a tiny bit of shop wear. Not all of them have original dust caps. When the ones with original dustcaps are gone, you'll get plain silver caps. All are British thread, but some have been re-tapped from French and so don't have the little "BSC" stamp on the back. They use the same chainrings as TA cranks. 170mm length only.

We've also added to our selection of tires and started stocking 110/74bcd chainrings. We'll have even more tires and rings soon.

Spanninga/JOS Lights and Dynamos

We just received our first shipment of Spanninga/JOS lights and dynamos. As you may know, JOS was the legendary French lighting company who made lights for the finest European rando, city, and touring bikes. They were eventually bought by Spanninga, a Dutch lighting manufacturer. If you've ever been to Amsterdam, you know that the Dutch are expert at city bikes and accessories so, naturally, Spanninga lights are among the best in Europe.

The items we now have in stock include battery and dynamo powered fender-mounted taillights, a great complete light set called the "SAFE Set", high efficiency dynamos, headlights, and a large rack mounted tail light for ultimate visibility.

It's been a super busy week, so it may take a few days to get every light into the store. In the meantime please have a look at the Spanninga site and feel free to suggest any products you'd like to see in our next shipment.

Bike store owners please note that Spanninga/JOS products are available through VO Imports.

Vafac Racers and Neat Brake Shoes

About a month ago I received some revolutionary brake shoes from a company we work closely with. While in Taiwan I confirmed some details and we have placed an order for the shoes.

So what's so special about them? Well, they are straight post replacement cartridge shoes that allow toe-in, and other, adjustments. This is accomplished with a sort of ball-joint in the shoe. It's locked down with the 8mm nut at the base of the post.

Now you can give your old Mafac, Dia-Compe, Wienmann, or Universal centerpulls brakes the adjustment of modern brakes. And you can use any pad compound you like.

We'll have them in stock in a month or two.

But what's even cooler is that it allows us to proceed with two new projects. The first is the gold version of the current Grenluille canti brakes. The new version will include the new shoes and another nice refinement, an adjuster for straddle cable length. This model will be more expensive and, taking an idea from the top-of-the line Mafac brakes, be gold anodized. They are already on order and perhaps even in production.

The arrival of these new shoes has also inspired me to start another VO project. Yes, you guessed it, Vafac centerpull brakes. We just started the design phase and looking for a manufacturer, but a modern version of the Mafac competition centerpulls is our goal.

Glenn's VO Cyclotouriste

Glenn posted some photos of his newly built Velo Orange 650b Cyclotouriste.

He writes:

The idea was to have an all-purpose bike and the pictures show 3 configurations: with handlebar bag, for randonneuring; with basket, for small errands; and with trailer, for big errands. The lowrider mounts on the fork make a light touring configuration possible, too, although I haven't tried that yet. I use the 3 shown every week. Switching from one to another is easy: the BicycleR Evolution trailer attaches with a quick-release compressor fitting and rubber straps attach the basket to studs (bolts, really) on the front rack.

Good job Glenn! Check out the lights and the Sugino PX cranks. The rest of the photos are here.

Brett's Rando Frame

Here are a few photos of the latest VO frame. The color is a custom metallic blue. These photos aren't the sharpest, but I think you'll agree that Johnny's work is very impressive. It really shows restraint and elegance. The workmanship is so perfect that it stands on its own. There is no need for flashy graphics, stainless steel ornamentation, weird cutouts, or the other embellishment that we too often see today. There is simply no need to add more. The rest of the photos are here.

Tourist Pics

I posted a few tourist photos from Taiwan in this album in case anyone is interested.

Taiwan Update

I'm about to leave for the airport after a super busy week in Taiwan. I met with dozens of manufacturers and saw some fantastic new products. There are now a few manufacturers here that are ready to challenge Campy, Shimano, and TA at the very top of the quality range. Here are some of the items we're working:

• A Japanese cartridge bearing headset that's as nice as any available in the world.
• A VO cartridge bearing headset that's close to the above in quality, but half the price in both 1" threaded and 1-1/8"-threadless sizes. High polish and, maybe, gold/orange anodized finish will be available.
  
• Aluminum fenders made by a new process that have the potential to be nicer than Honjos.
• Leather saddles that appear to surpass Brooks in quality (but only three models are available). Also, matching bags.
  
• Two models of VO cartridge bearing pedals, track and all-around. The finish is close to that on the MKS RX1, but I don't have the exact specs on the available bearings yet.
  
• A very nice, but inexpensive 110bcd VO brand crank with 48/34 rings.
• Reproduction Rene Herse cold forged cranks and rings at under TA prices. This will take many many months of development, but the manufacturer loves the idea and they make some of the nicest racing components around, so quality may be better than the originals.
  
• VO sealed bearing alloy cup, hollow axle, bottom brackets.
• I examined the first sample of the new VO city bike frame, without paint, and was very impressed by the quality. They will ship two painted samples in a few weeks and if the paint quality is up to the build quality we should have finished frames in about 3-months.
• Straight post cantilever/centerpull brake shoes that are adjustable for toe-in with an 8mm wrench will soon be in the VO store. I have these in my briefcase right now and the first set is going on my bike. They are available only in black now, but we are ordering a run in silver.
• I'm not sure yet if we'll import them, but I examined a short reach racing brake that looks to be lighter, stiffer, and have better geometry than the current Dura-Ace. I looked at both at the same time, but didn't have a Campy Record caliper to compare it to. The manufacturer gave me a set for my Bottechia ;<)
• The new long reach VO caliper brake was tested by the manufacturer and a local racer; they claim that it is far stiffer and stops better than any long-reach caliper brake made today, including the Shimano R650.
  

We are awaiting samples, final pricing, etc, for the above and more. I'll provide more details when I get back.

Update: I'll keep adding details as I wait to board and later when I change planes in Osaka and in Detroit.

Taiwan

I'm off to Taiwan tomorrow and return on the 18th. VO will remain open and orders will continue to ship without delay, but no one will be here to answer technical questions.

I'll be meeting with many Japanese and Taiwanese manufacturers. And with a bit of luck, we'll place orders for some neat components and accessories previously unseen on this side of the Pacific.

I am also hoping to do a bit of hiking in the beautiful Taiwanese mountains, visit the National Museum, which has the finest collection of Chinese art in the world, and soak in at least one hot spring.

BTW, have a look at the photos in the update to the previous post.

Miscellaneous Bits

Here are a few things that I thought were worth sharing.

Chain Guard Envy: You've all seen hammered fenders, but what's even cooler are the old French fenders which had an embossed crocodile scale pattern. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer or even find a photo at the moment. Can anyone help? I've always wanted a set and still have not found one, but I did find a NOS matching chain guard.

Constructeur Tail Light: In about two weeks we'll have some custom bullet-shaped LED battery lights that mount on a stud behind the seat tube. It's about time!

Porteur Chaincases: We just got more in with the 110mm opening.

On Cars: A letter to the Financial Times from a car designer (via Velorution):

“Absurdity is when a 70kg adult commutes alone in a 1,400kg car, meaning that for every litre of fuel he or she buys to transport him- or herself, another 20 litres is purchased to propel the vehicle. When the vehicle in question is a 3,000kg sports utility vehicle, absurdity becomes an obscenity.
“Even if we can make cars totally emission-free, running on sustainable energy, if their profusion causes constant gridlock they are no longer a means of transport, merely destructive, wasteful and expensive items of vanity.
“Sadly, particularly considering the pathetic return on investment associated with carmaking, the majority show depressingly little inclination to change themselves from being merely manufacturers of cars to being complete providers of mobility."

UPDATE: Jim found some photos of "Croco" fenders taken by our friend Lesli while she was in Paris. Thanks!

And Mike sent us some photos of snake skin fenders. Thanks also!

Old Stuff and New Stuff

In the late 1920s a frozen-fingered Italian bike racer named Tullio Campagnolo invented the quick-release skewer and launched an empire. Of course there are some of you out there that think it was all downhill after that needless bit of complexity. It is for you that we found a supply of old fashioned axle wing nuts. I'm not sure how many will abandon quick releases, but you must admit that they look very cool. And even I look forward to using them on one of my bikes. We now have the Gripfast models #1 and #3 in stock.

For you folks still running French threaded cranks we now found some lovely "Olimpic" track pedals and NOS Atom 700 road pedals.

We also have some Nitto "Crystal Fellow" Dynamic 626 (phew; what a name!) seatposts.

And we got a few things we've been out of for a while including:

Yellow Tressostar handlebar tape
Hershberger Baker's Baskets
Sugino RD track cranks
Sugino XD500 double cranks
Stein 23.35mm Stronglight crank removers

So, will wing nuts make a comeback?

Logos, Packaging, and More on Headsets

In the long discussion about headsets in the comments to the previous post a couple of interesting points came up. One was that folks don't want big logos, or advertising, all over their bikes. I very much agree. Unless I'm being paid by a company to advertise their products on my bike (not likely in my case) I don't want their big logos on it.

I'm sure that many of you have noticed that most VO brand products have no logo at all.

Someone mentioned the Chris King headset and their huge and, IMO, obnoxious logos. They now refuse to sell their headsets without their logos and so we won't stock them. Fortunately there are threaded sealed bearing headsets made in Taiwan that are as nice as the KC. Remember the fantastic old Richey sealed bearing headsets? It's just that no one imports them. I'll see what I can do about that at the upcoming Taipei show.

As long as I'm on an anti-commercialism kick I'll mention my little effort to eliminate excess packaging. Whenever possible we are now ordering components without the boxes they normally come in. Some manufacturers offer OEM packaging, usually just a plastic bag. It's intended for "original equipment manufacturers," companies that install the components on their bikes rather than sell them. And this is what we now specify when possible, but we do tell the manufacturers that they are for retail sale in case there are any instructions or extra hardware that needs to be added.

Please note that this post was written with recycled letters and punctuation.

Sad Headset News

The legendary Stronglight A9 headset has gone out of production. This was one of the best all around headsets ever produced. From VO's product description:

The roller bearing Stronglight A9 headset is one of those special components that defy time. It's roller bearings last for ages, it is very light, it does not develop indexing, it has classic good looks, and it is reasonably priced. In fact, it makes you wonder why anyone else bothers to make headsets.

1-inch threaded; weight: 82 grams; stack height 37mm.

We've sold hundreds of these. I can't imagine why such a popular component would be discontinued. I was told that a replacement headset would be available in spring.

You may remember the Delta headset that was discontinued last year. It was like the legendary A9 headsets and used the same roller bearing, but the Delta had improved seals for cyclo-cross and mountain bikes. They are one of our all time favorite headsets. Well we found a small stash of them, but only in French thread.

I suppose it's time to look for a new headset to stock.

Vegan Cycling and Wooden Frames

Like many cyclists I have an interest in nutrition. In fact, I've even made feeble attempts at being vegetarian. Though I rarely eat meat, I've realized that I simply don't have the constitution for total vegetarianism. There is too much temptation. My French friend's mother sends him foie gras which he serves at one of our regular joint family feasts. My heart may go out to those tortured French geese, but I cannot resist. My favorite Washington DC bistro has cassoulet on the menu and my willpower melts like a rosette of herb butter on an entrecout. A little hotel in Tuscany serves a plate of local cheeses and cured meats at breakfast. The Osteria down the hill has handmade pici with boar sauce....

So I have nothing but admiration -- well, perhaps with just a pinch of jealousy -- for Team Vegan. This is from Cycling News:

Organic Athlete, the first vegan cycling team, is partnering with Calfee Design to ride, co-promote and help develop their bamboo bikes. The team's message of personal health and social change now manifests in the form of a green, renewable bicycle. The elite team, started in 2007, consists of athletes who focus their diets on whole, plant foods and eschew animal products.

It seems that they plan to offset their carbon use through planting trees.

Perhaps some of these trees will eventually be used to make bike frames. One of the most interesting displays at NAHBS was the Renovo wooden frame. Check out their web site. The bikes are fascinating.

Writing this made me hungry; it's time for lunch!

Danger! Danger!

I just got a disturbing e-mail from a customer. The attachment screws for his front rack loosened while he has riding and the rack, and load, tilted forward and hit the ground in front of the front wheel. He and his bike are unhurt.

This is not the first time I've heard of the screws on a rack loosening while riding. It even happened to me once. That's why we include lock washers with VO racks. Use them! Really tighten the screws with a long Allan wrench. And re-tighten them once in a while. A little Locktite would be a good idea as well.

Handlebar Basics, Part 2

Now that I've stirred up some dissent with my views on bar width and height, it's time to ramble on about the mechanics of handlebars.

Stem Clamp Size: This is easy; most modern bars have a clamp area of either 25.4mm or 26mm. If you want to use a 25.4mm bar in a 26mm stem you need a shim, like this lovely Nitto product. The other way round won't work, unless you can find one of the rare negative shims on E-bay.

Most older French bars and stems use a 25.0mm clamps. I've used these bars in 25.4mm stems, but it's best to make a little shim from some beer can aluminum. (BTW, obtaining shim stock is the only acceptable reason to drink beer from cans. I seem to need lots of shims.)

Older Cinelli bars and stems are 26.4mm and there are a few other odd sizes. So it's wise to check when buying older European bars.

Stems and Forks: Again this is simple. Most 1-inch forks use 22.2mm stems. Older French forks use 22.0mm stems. Fortunately these are close enough that a 22.2mm stem will sometimes fit in an old French fork. And if it doesn't, 10 minutes of sanding (on the stem not the fork) will allow it to slide right in.

Inexpensive older American and Japanese frames sometimes used a smaller diameter, 21.15mm, stem that is becoming very hard to find. This size is also common on BMX bikes.

There are also some newfangled 1-1/8" forks and stems, but it's too soon to say if they'll catch on. And some tandems use 1-1/4" forks/stems.

Bar Diameter: The outside diameter (OD) of bar tubing varies a bit by manufacturer, but the standard for road bars is 23.8mm and MTB and city bike bars are around 22.2mm. That means that MTB brake levers and shifters will not fit on road bars.

The inside diameter (ID) of road bars is around 20mm and for MBT bars it's about 17mm. This varies with the exact type of tubing used, but inverse brakes and bar end shifters generally will not fit MTB/city bike bars. They commonly require an ID of not less that 19.6mm.

One way around this problem of compatibility is to buy old French city bike bars which were often made with road bar diameter tubing. With these you can use bar ends, inverse shifters, and some of the old-style brake levers with band-type clamps.

A way to make everything fit is to use chrome molly, rather than aluminum, bars. The steel is stronger than alloy, so it can be thinner, resulting in bars with the OD of MTB bars and the ID of road bars.

As with most thing, there are some odd, mostly French, bar diameters out there.

Digital Calipers: Cheap digital calipers are available for about $15-$20. If you work on older bikes they will save you countless headaches. And you don't even have to learn to read a vernier scale. Try Harbor Freight or E-bay. Maybe we should stock them?

What have I left out?

Handlebar Basics, Part 1

We've been getting a lot of questions about handlebars lately so I thought I'd share what little I know.

Width: In recent years many riders have been fitting ever wider bars on their bikes. I did this myself and found it a mistake. Certainly on mountain bikes and CX bikes the additional leverage of wide bars makes sense, but not on low trail city and road bikes.

A well designed low trail bike should feel almost as if the steering is linked directly to your brain. The bike will hold a line through a corner with little input. It will also track straight without the need for constant attention. After all, the steering is optimized for a tired long distance rider. The bike should take care of the rider and this sort of bike has been doing exactly that for many decades.

It is the bike that is based on racing geometry that may feel better with extra wide bars. They deaden overly quick steering and improve control on a high trail design. But there is an aerodynamics and ergonomic price to be paid for that width. It's true that beginning riders can feel more comfortable on very wide bars, just look at the "cruiser' bikes at the local shop, but one soon get used to slightly narrower bars.

The same holds true for city bikes. The last thing you want is wide bars to snag on passing cars and cyclists. The city bike must be narrow and if the geometry is correct narrower bars will feel just fine.

Bar Height: There has also been a tendency to raise drop bars well above saddle height. Certainly there are people with bad backs who benefit from this, but there are many more riders who set their bar too high simply because they've read that that's the way to do it. Again, there is a price to be paid in aerodynamics. I'm not suggesting that you set the bars several inches below saddle height as the pro racers do, but most people are soon perfectly comfortable with the bars at saddle height or an inch below. And cruising along at 15-20mph you'll really feel a difference.

City bike bars can vary greatly in height, some folks want city bikes that feel like road bikes and will lower the bars to below saddle height. Others will want to sit straight up with their bars at chest height. Just remember that if you like to sit up, which makes a lot of sense in heavy traffic, get bars that sweep back; otherwise you'll feel like you're riding a chopper.

Drop: I favor shallow drop bars because most non-racers are not comfortable on the drops if they are two low. And if you can't use the drops, you might as well just cut them off and save some weight.

Ramps: Most models of Nitto road bars have fairly flat ramps; that is, when you are riding on the hoods your hands don't angle down. There is no question that this is more comfortable than racing bars with downward sloping ramps. Add wide and long brake hoods, as on modern Tektro and Campy brake levers, and you'll see a big improvement over the bars and levers we used 20 years ago.

Part 2 tomorrow.

Exciting New Components???

You've seen ads for "Exciting New Detergents". Were you excited? Well we just received two products that I am honestly excited about because they really are new and actually fill a need.

They are the new VO racks with integrated decaleurs. That means that your rack-decaleur combination is more solid, lighter, and less likely to rattle. Integration is the Holy Grail of constucteur bikes and I feel that these racks a big step in that direction. Both the Rando-integrated and Constructeur-integrated front racks are now available.

Racks with built in decaleurs were sometimes made by the great French constructuers, usually as a very expensive option for their finest custom machines. I don't know of any that were produced in series and sold separately, until now. The new VO racks have a "backstop" that accepts either a U-shaped plug, or a VO decaleur bag mount.

The racks are sold with the U-shaped piece, but without the bag mount since so many of you already own VO bag mounts. But the mounts are available separately.

Another new product is our Grenouille canti brakes that are inspired by the Mafac Criterium brake, or perhaps by the much loved and super expensive German/Lithuanian Froglegs brakes. They are made in a Taiwanese shop owned by a very innovative fellow named Robert. Robert is not just a manufacturer, but an inventor and lover of esoteric bike components. We hope to have more products from his shop soon.

In any case, $35 gets you a whole bike's worth of brakes and all the mounting hardware you'll need, including those very nice straddle wire carriers. The finish is that sandblasted silver that's lately the hot look in Asia. Still, what a deal! BTW, Grenouille canti brakes are also available from VO Imports at wholesale prices to bike shops.

Finally, we have some new MKS pedal dust cap wrenches. No need to mar your dust caps with pliers when servicing MKS, Campy, and many other brands of Pedals. These have been hard to find in the past, get them while you can. And they are much less expensive than the Campy version.

Let us know what you think of the racks.

NAHBS and News

I just got back from the North American Handbuilt Bike Show and it really was great show. Really amazing frame building and some very cool rando and city bikes. It was especially nice to see the many mixtes that seem to be becoming very popular. I had hoped to bring back lots of photos, but my camera turned itself on in my luggage, in video mode no less. So I arrived with an almost dead battery and no charger. But there are over 9000 NAHBS photos on flicker and many more various other sites. Add a URL in the comments if you know of any particularly albums.

One of the highlight of the show was walking around with the owner of Toyo and getting his take on American frame building. The bad news is that our production rando frames are now due in September, not May or June as we had hoped.

I also had dinner with our Japanese agents and got updates on all sorts of ongoing projects. And I learned that two city bike prototypes are due soon from Taiwan.

By the way, the 2009 edition of NAHBS will be in Indianapolis and we at VO hope to have a big display.

The long awaited decaleur version of the constructeur and rando front racks have just arrived along with other racks, about a dozen boxes that we haven't had time to open yet. We'll try to get them into the store tomorrow.

We also just received MKS dust caps and MKS dust cap wrenches which some of you have been waiting for. We also got another shipment of the very popular Sun Chainguards. And we have some very nice, but inexpensive new cantilever brakes. Again, I'll try to get them into the store tomorrow.

Sheldon Brown

In case some of you have not read the comments to the previous post, Sheldon Brown passed away on Sunday. Sheldon was a fountain of bike-related knowledge, one of the best and best known bike mechanics, and an all around nice guy. He also wrote and maintained an incredible bike related web site.

He will be missed by many in the bike community.

The Big Update

I get a lot of e-mails about various projects VO has been working on. I thought it was time for an update on some of them.

• There was a problem with the first batch of the 650b fenders. The manufacturer bent them to fit 700c wheels; oops. So they are making a second batch right now and we should see them in 3-4 weeks. Since it was a "do-over" I decided to change the profile and make a copy of the old Lefol "Le Paon" or "Zeppelin-style" fenders in a 52mm width. These should be very cool!
• The VO polished stainless steel fender samples have arrived and look great. We've not yet ordered a production run. I wonder if we'll soon have too many models.
  
• The roller cable hangers are, or are almost, in production. We hope to see them in 3-6 weeks. They are light enough that they can be air-freighted.
• The Maxi Car-style hubs we tried to have made hit too many snags and so we've sidelined the project.
• The VO bottle cages also hit some snags and we've moved the project to another factory. I'm hoping they will arrive by spring.
• We have the seat post sample and it looks pretty good, but for one small detail. I want to see a sample from another factory before we order them.
• We have heard nothing about the fillet brazed stems from Nitto recently, but I trust they will eventually get to them.
  
• Toyo has been very very busy and our production frames have been delayed and delayed. I was told we might have them by May, but sometime in summer is probably more realistic. I will meet with them soon.
  
• The city bike frames will probably be delayed as well. It's simply beyond our control; the factories that make the best stuff are just swamped.
• The VO aluminum and rubber expandable bar plugs were a disappointment and require a re-design. That's the way it is sometimes.
• Our Jos/Spanninga lights and dynamos will arrive in a week or two.
  

I plan to go to Taiwan, and possibly Japan next month and try to facilitate some of these projects and research a few others.

A Few New Items

We have a few new items:

MKS has introduced a leather covered version of their very useful half clips. I'm a big fan of these. They allow you to spin fast without the hassle of straps or special shoes. Half clips are great on kid's bikes and especially on city bikes. With this new version I can arrive at work with my spit shined wing tips unblemished.

MKS also has a nice new model of toe clip strap, the Fit-A-Spirits. Like all MKS products these are very well made, but what's great is the traditional colors, especially the honey.

The TA Tevano cranks I wrote about a few weeks ago have arrived. They are really classy.

And we have Sugino XD600 triple cranks with the new logo. These are Sugino's top of the line triple and they are really well finished. For you traditionalists, we'll have more of the old-logo cranks in about a 6 weeks.