Nice Bike Bits

Russ, The Epicurean Cyclist, applied toe clip leathers on his VO Retro cages with very nice results.


Austin on Two Wheels has a nice, and very positive, review of the VO model 8 saddle.


John's Saluki build is beyond nice. It is absolutely stunning! Note the Nitto stem he had chrome plated. And the Luxor taillight. Wow! The rest of the photos are here.

Taipei Cycle Show Update #3

The new factory that will be making our racks has all the tooling set up and showed us production samples of porteur racks, rear constructeur racks, and decaleurs. They are all stainless steel and look fantastic. The quality is much much better than I'd hoped for. These are the new pre-drilled versions that should make mounting much simpler. We will have the samples in our office in a couple of weeks (They didn't fit in our luggage.) As soon as we check all dimensions and mount them on a few bikes we'll OK the production run. They should arrive here 8-10 weeks later. The front rando racks, in canti mount too, are the next project.


We dropped off plans for the Rackaleur plans and should be getting prices for tooling and production in a few weeks.

Here is a photo of the 110/74 Sugino double crank I mentioned. It will be silver; they make strange colors for display. It has outboard bearings. I don't have pricing yet, but would imagine $150-$175 with the BB. The crank is aimed at Gran Fondo riders.


At the factory that makes our fenders we analyzed and discussed fender hardware for a very long time. The owner was very receptive to our needs and seemed glad to get the feedback from our customers that we passed on. His factory has been making metal fenders for bikes and scooters for more than 30 years, but I get the feeling that it's rare for clients to be so involved in the design process and he seemed to appreciate it. The factory will make several changes to our hardware that should, I hope, make it even better than Honjo hardware. I'll also soon post a photo of a new stay design that we may use. By the way, we will have a VO Daruma bolt. Additionally there will soon be polished versions of VO alloy fenders. A little later we'll have a VO hammered fender or two and we'll be ordering tooling for some new shapes.

Our handlebars are made at three different factories and we discussed the new VO drop bars with two of them. I hope we see at least one of the new models this summer. I was glad to see sophisticated testing machines at the various factories. The photo is of a machine that tests handlebars for fatigue failure; it repeatedly pushed down on the bars.


We are also looking for a second model of VO seat post. This one will have moderate setback and cost a little less. We saw a few interesting new designs, but this one struck me as being particularly well thought out. It is very smooth and easy to adjusts as well as being light. There is another 2-bolt post I'm considering as well.

Finally, here's another interesting stem design.

Taipei Cycle Show Update #2

We spent most of Taipei Cycle Show day 3 and 4 looking for new products and found a few cool components including these stems:

How about this fillet brazed chrome plated stem? The manufacturer can make a quill version too. These are on our short list!


Or you may prefer a chromed lugged stem.


Or an adjustable stem? Or two?



I was also impressed by this dynamo headlight, very bright and with a wide range of mounting options.


And there are these new and less expensive barcons for 9 and 10-speed.


Here is a new bar shape that might be worth trying.


There's a lot more, but I didn't have time to photograph everything. There is a new and relatively inexpensive double kickstand that gets narrower when raised, not unlike the Pletcher we now stock. We saw a new Sugino 110/74bcd double crank. We also investigated making a new VO saddle bag support with a quick release feature.

Tom has a post about the show too.

Taipei Cycle Show Update

The first two days of the Taipei Cycle Show have yielded some very pleasant surprises.

Not 30 minutes after getting to the show we ran into a manufacturer we work with who told us they could make the VO chain guards. We had previously approached a number of manufacturers about making these and none were interested, so this was indeed a pleasant surprise. We still have to work out the details, but I'm hopeful that we can come to an agreement on tooling cost, minimums, and price. The same manufacturer also has a new stock alloy chain guard that we may import.


We found a new brake lever that some might be interested in. And there was a grip specially made to work with inverse levers on 22.8mm bars. The grip has a groove for a brake cable.


We have ordered samples of the mixte frame I mentioned earlier. If it passes our testing we should have frames in the Fall. We will spec fender mounts and all the usual VO details, but this is not our design; it's basically the manufacturer's stock design.


I was very excited to finally see the new VO saddle model that will compete with the Brooks B-17.

We found a very nice MA2 style rim extrusion that can be made for us in 700c size. It's light, 19.5mm wide, and can be fully polished. Samples will arrive in a few weeks.

We also saw a number of new bits from various manufacturers that might be worth investigating. Among these is a new LED dynamo headlight purpose-made for rack mounting (or fender mounting?), cloth bar tape from a new manufacturer, and several new models of quick-release pedals.

Of course we had several meetings about ongoing projects and new components such as VO drop bars.

In short, it's been one meeting after another and both Tom and I are completely beat. The next two days will be a little easier with fewer meetings scheduled, so we'll have time to walk around the show looking for new products from manufacturers we've not worked with in the past. Then we hop on the bullet train and head south to visit factories and see, among other things, how our new racks are progressing.

Showroom and Sugino

Since Tom and I will be in Taiwan and it's been super busy on the web site, we've decided to close the showroom next week. We'll re-open it on Tuesday, the 23rd. Web orders will ship as usual. Tom and I will try to answer tech question in the evenings, but we would appreciate it if you held off on non-essential questions until our return.

VOI just received a huge shipment from Sugino and have a new crank set, the XD700 with 48-34 rings. This makes a less expensive alternative to the Alpina.

We also have the Sugino chain ring guards in stock again, now in two sizes.

One new thing we will be looking at in Taiwan is a rather traditional production lugged mixte frame. A certain factory, and almost certainly not the one you're thinking of, may be offering such a frame as a stock item. It's not a VO quality frame, but if the quality and price are reasonable we may import it anyway. I'll try to convince them to add a low-trail fork and fender mounts. Maybe with lilac color paint?

If you have any last minute suggestions for other stuff we should look for (there was a post about this previously) please comment.

Fender Mounting Instructions

We've updated our VO and Honjo fender mounting instructions and here they are. Feel free to add additional tips in the comments.

Installing Velo Orange and Honjo Fenders

Tool list:

• Allen wrench set
• Hacksaw or big wire cutter for cutting stays
• Phillips head screwdriver (on some models)
• Pliers
• Tape measure
• If mounting undrilled fenders you'll also need a drill and 5mm bit. Plus a 3mm bit if attaching an L-bracket.
• A file and sharp punch or nail are also nice to have.
• 8mm wrench (for Honjo R-clips)
• 10mm wrench or socket (for Honjo Daruma)

Attaching the Fender Stays:

Attach the stays to the fenders using eyelet bolts. We like the bolts about 15cm from the aft end of the fenders, but the exact distance is not critical. Some model fenders come with one draw bolt per fender, others with two. Our Honjo extra long models are pre-drilled for the bolts. On other models, mark the location of the bolts and make an indent with a punch or sharp nail. Drill a 5mm hole for each bolt.

Most Honjo fenders use two eyelet bolts per stay. The VO fenders use slightly thicker aluminum and so require only one per stay. Thread the stay into the draw bolts and secure the bolts to the fender with a washer and locknut. If using two bolts per fender you'll need to flex the fender and stay to insert both bolts at once.

Installing the front fender:

If your bike has a fender boss under the fork crown, as VO frames have, fenders without L brackets can simply be attached with 5mm bolt and washer. But be sure to use a leather washer between the crown and fender. The leather washer absorbs vibrations and cushions the fender, helping to prevent cracking at the bolt hole. Note that leather washer must be ordered separately.

If using a VO or Honjo L-bracket secure it to the brake bolt. On undrilled fenders you'll need to drill two 3mm holes and mount the bracket as shown in the photo. On some forks it's necessary to bend the top of the L-bracket outward a little bit to allow it to clear the headset.

If using a fork crown daruma, remove the brake, hold the daruma inside the fork crown and thread the brake bolt through the 6mm hole in the daruma. On undrilled fenders, drill a matching 5mm hole in the fender. Again, the extra long Honjos are pre-drilled and “dimpled” so the fender sits right over the wheel. Place the large metal washer, then the rubber washer over the threaded end of the daruma.. Secure the fender with a flat washer and nut.

On fenders that don't have a pre-formed “dimple” for the daruma, push the fender forward, making a small dent in the fender under the fork crown. This compensates for the fork rake, allowing proper fender alignment with the wheel.

Place the R-clips on the stays and screw them to the eyelets on your front dropout with 5mm screws. Hint: removing the quick release skewer makes it easier. Adjust the stays for a perfect fender line. You'll notice that the stays are too long; mark and cut them to length with a hacksaw or large wire cutter. File or sand down the ends so they aren't sharp.

Installing the rear fender:

On a VO or other well-designed frame there will be bosses at the brake bridge and the chainstay bridge and plenty of room for the fender. All you'll need to do in that case is drill matching holes and screw the fender into place. Don't forget the leather washers between the frame and fender.

On most production frames things are a bit more difficult. You may have to bend the front of the rear fender to make it fit between the chain stays then bolt it into place through the hole in the chain stay bridge. But don't do this yet; first install the sliding bridge bracket. The VO version is made of malleable metal that you fold over the fender then pinch shut with pliers. The Honjo sliding bracket slips on over the fender from the end and is then pinched shut. An L-bracket may be substituted for the sliding bracket.

Bolt the bridge bracket to the brake bridge and slide the fender forward to the desired location. Now bolt the front of the fender to the chainstay bridge. Remember the leather washer. Pinch each side of the sliding bridge bracket with pliers to lock the fender in place and so it doesn't rattle

Finally attach and trim the stays to the dropout eyelets as you did on the front fender. Check that all the screws, nuts, and bolts are tight, (don't forget to reinstall those quick release skewers) and go for a ride. After a few miles check that everything is still tight.

Corporate Responsibility, Retro Cranks, Stinky Tofu...

I'm trying to catch up after my mini vacation, so no time for along post today, but Tom wrote a couple of interesting things on the VOI blog.

First is an article about our trip to Taiwan next week and about corporate social responsibility. Here's the link.

Speaking of Taiwan, I can't wait to go to one of the the night markets in Taipai for street food. I actually like stinky tofu and dried squid and bubble tea.

It seems there is some interest from a major crank manufacturer in producing a TA Cyclotouriste-style crank set. This is not the same project as the crank set VO still hopes to have manufactured one day. A bit more info here.

Finally, we try to run a mostly paperless office here at VO. Even your receipts are e-mailed instead of being printed out. We do, however, include paper instruction with some products, though not all. I think we should start including paper instructions with fenders, rather than asking you to go on line to read them. It seems to me that having the paper copy in front of you when installing them is far more convenient. Any thoughts?

The Anonymous Commenter

I'm very gratified that this blog has evolved into place for serious discussion about bike, and other, matters. We get more comments and better discussion than most of the bike blogs I've seen. But I've noticed more and more impolite comments here lately. In fact, I've noticed a breakdown in civility recently on several other blogs too. In almost every case the offending words are posted by an anonymous commenter. So I'm considering changing the blog settings so only registered users can leave comments. Basically, you would have to use a screen name. Is that a good idea? Anyone have an opinion?

Also, I'm off to Puerto Rico for a few days of hiking and swimming. VO will continue to function normally, but I may not be able to answer e-mails as there is some ambiguity about web access where I'll be staying. Tom, however, will respond to technical questions.

Wheels and NAHBS

We just got back from the hand built bike show. I must admit that I was skeptical about a show held in Indianapolis, but it turned out to be great. Attendance was good and there were folks there from all over the world. I ran into number of acquaintances from Japan, Taiwan, and Europe. Quite the cosmopolitan place, Indianapolis. And lots of good local beer; Tom apparently tried every brew at least once ;<) Now we are madly trying to catch up here, so this will be short. We've got some new wheels. It occurred to me that a lot of you would like to be able to order good quality and sturdy hand-built wheels at reasonable prices. Here is what we have so far:

• Shimano 105 hubs laced to Sun CR18 rims. They are available as sets, or as just front or just rear wheels.
• Strumey Archer 8-speed internal gear hubs laced to Sun CR18 rims
• Shimano DH-3 Dynamo hubs laced to Sun CR18 rims.
• And we still have our fixed gear wheel sets.

All the wheels are 36-hole and 700c sized only. We are still working on the 650b rims.

I've posted a few NAHBS photos here. These are just random things that I found interesting. There are far better and more complete NAHBS photo-sets out there; please feel free to add links in the comments.

Also, we had an unusually heavy snow storm here in Annapolis so many orders placed over the weekend and Monday will arrive a day later than normal.

VO Showroom Closed 2/25 to3/2

Since Tom and I, as well as most display bikes, will be at the Handbuilt Bike Show, the VO showroom will be closed from Wednesday through the following Monday.

Our trusty staff will ship all web orders as usual. Technical question, however, might not be answered promptly.


These little racer guys always make me smile.

Photos

I thought I'd post a few photos that some might find interesting. The first few are from last Sunday's farmer's market in Washington DC. There were some interesting bikes there.

Here is a neat grocery bike:


A Bridgestone with Honjo fenders:


SmartBikes, like the Velibs in Paris, for your senators and congressmen to ride to work:


Gratuitous chicken photo by Alec:


Marty sent some photos of his Bombadil which has a couple of interesting features. Those are VO Zeppelin fenders, which look great over the 40mm tires. And he did a neat job adapting an old Blackburn rack to fit on the front.


John sent this great photo of Zeppelin fenders he polished, 20 minutes per fender with Simichrome. The rest of the bike is pretty nice too.

Shiny Rims and Fenders

We received some shiny prototypes yesterday.

These rims may become a new VO product. They are double wall and fully polished. I really wanted a classic-like rim that was as strong as a modern rim.

They will have eylets, though this sample pair has not yet had them installed. The joint is pinned, not welded, but it is very smooth. On the down side, they are a little heavy at 550g, though they should be very strong. We can have them made in both 650b and 700c, 36h and 32h. 650b tires mount perfectly; no sizing issues like some recent rims. The generous 24.5mm width is ideal for 28mm to 45mm tires. Price would be just under $50.

We're still looking at a couple of other options, but I like these rims a lot. The plan would be to sell them as plain rims and built up as stock wheels, maybe laced to Shimano 105 hubs at first and to internal geared hubs later.

A few weeks ago I mentioned a new finish on some VO fenders. The photo shows a new 38mm (for tires to 28mm) VO alloy fender. It's not polished, but rather chrome plated. This means that it weighs only a few grams more than out regular fender, but is even more scratch resistant than our stainless steel fender. We are not exactly sure of the cost yet, $10-$15 over standard VO fenders. Is it worth the premium?

Also, we now have those digital calipers I mentioned a while ago.

VO 17-degree Stems

Many of you asked us for 17-degree version of our super popular VO Stem. They just arrived! A 17-degree stem allows a traditional drop, that is the stem is parallel to the ground. Inverted it provides extra rise for folks who want their bars up high. You can better see the rise/drop on the stems mounted on VO Stem Adapters in the photo. We have them in 80-110mm and will probably add 70mm and 120mm in the next production run.

We also got another shipment of the original 6-degree VO Stem. So all sizes are in stock again.

The Grand Cru long-setback seat posts are also back in stock.

Taipei Cycle Show Wish List

I just booked my flight for next month's Taipei International Cycle Show. This is the most important bike show of the year. It's the place where you can find almost anything related to production bikes. Everything from trikes for toddlers to TdF bikes to work bikes will be on display. The volume of components and accessories manufacturers simply boggles the mind. And if you can't find what you need, you can certainly find a factory to make it, just so long as you order enough of them.

Tom and I will spend four days at the show, mostly meeting with manufacturers that make components for us. We'll also be looking for new items to import. After the show we plan to visit four factories that make some of our products, including a new factory that will make stainless steel racks.

This post is here so you can tell us what we should look for in Taipai. But please be realistic: a VO folding lugged titanium fixie camper won't happen.

Help Wanted and Custom Frames

Despite the economic slowdown, VO is growing. The winter slowdown we were anticipating has not materialized. And our tiny staff is increasingly overworked. So we need help.

The position available is entry level. It involves grunt work in the warehouse, packing orders, helping customers in the showroom, and even testing new products. Pay is about what you'd expect in a bike shop. If you live in the area and are interested, please e-mail.

Unfortunately not everyone is doing well in the current economic climate. Johnny Coast, who builds many of the Velo Orange frames for us, will be unable to continue supplying custom frames to VO and to our customers. The credit crunch has hit Coast Cycles rather hard. Of course we're refunding deposits on ordered frames and those in the shop will be finished.

Johnny tells me that he is reorganizing and will try to keep Coast Cycles open as a smaller, leaner, and more expensive shop. I've heard of other builders who are in deep trouble as well; it's not a good time for many artisans. Velo Orange Pass Hunter and City frames from Ahren Rogers are not affected. They continue to be available and are shipping close to schedule.

We won't look for another builder right away. Custom frames are something I do want to offer, but the return on them and the amount of time required makes it hard to justify.

Rackaleur?

A year or two ago we found a case of new-old-stock handlebar bag supports. They are a sort of combination rack and decaleur. A Rackaleur? I had one of these in my youth and really liked it. It allowed me use a TA bar bag on my old French racing bike. There were several version of these made, but I think the model in the photo was best. The original instructions show how the rackaleur works:



The rackaleur allows you to carry a traditional handlebar bag on just about any bike with a quill stem. Of course the weight is high and on the handlebars which is not ideal, but I've found that with light loads it's fine.

That case of new-old-stock rackaleurs sold out very quickly, but I kept one for myself. And I've been thinking that they should be made again. Is anyone interested?

Thinking About Bike Computers

I've been thinking about bike computers. Over the years my bikes have evolved, gaining many useful bits such as fenders, front racks, and lights. Like many of you I've gone from riding, mostly, racing style bikes to riding a randonneuse and a city bike.

One thing my bikes have been losing is computers. As the batteries died the computers were removed rather than fitted with a new battery. It probably has to do with age, but I no longer care much about how fast I am going or exactly how far I have ridden. I've lost my log book too.

Now I'm not totally against cycle computers. They are OK for navigation. I still have one on my go-fast bike to make it easier to follow cue sheets on group rides. But, come to think of it, it's battery is dead too. Maybe even the navigation thing is overstated. When we went touring in France a few years ago Annette and I managed to find our way from remote place to even more remote place for a week with nothing more than a map, no bike computer or GPS. If all else fails, we ask directions.

So, do you use a bike computer?

Bells

Tom found a very nice, a fairly inexpensive brass bike bell from Taiwan. We call it the Temple Bell, though I admit that in my several visits to Buddhist temples in Taiwan, I've never seen a bell remotely like it. But allow us a bit of poetic license; it's hard to think of all these product names.

Our Japanese brass bells have been very popular and were one of the very first items VO stocked. This bell is similar in most respects, but less expensive. It actually has a couple of advantages over the Japanese version. It's a little louder and the chrome plated handlebar clamp fits a wider range of bar sizes. On the other hand, it does not work with retro mounts or headset spacer mounts. And it's shape and tone are not quite so perfect as the original. Still, for $8...

Our rationale for yet another bell is that Japanese prices are increasing at an alarming clip while delivery times are lengthening. So having bells from more than one manufacturer seems only prudent.

VO Croissant and Baguette Bags Arrive

VO Croissant and Baguette Bags are in stock again. They are made of "dry-waxed" canvas with leather trim and piping. That leather piping and edging is a big deal. I think it is really classy, but it was hard to get.

The new version of the Baguette has a third strap that can be attached to your stem or seat post. A light can be clipped to the name strap.

How do they compare to the old ones? I think the fabric is better. The leather is maybe a tiny bit lower quality, but there is more of it. The stitching is about the same. The buckles are nickle plated steel instead of brass; this is a trade off, but I much prefer the silver look.


Here is the description of the Croissant bag from the VO site:

It has a stiffener in back to maintain its shape and a separate pocket for your wallet. There are inner flaps that can be secured to keep the contents restrained on rough roads. The trim and straps are leather.

It's about the perfect size for a long day's ride with room for a tool kit and spare tube, a rain jacket, a wool cap, knee warmers, a small camera, a cell phone, and plenty of snacks. If your rain jacket gets wet you can secure it under the extra long top strap. Despite the volume it's fairly narrow and tapered toward the bottom so it won't rub you legs.

We recommend attaching it to the saddle rails, rather than saddle loops, as this minimizes swaying and keep the bag low and out of the way. A rear light can be clipped to the name patch.

Dimensions are about 16 x 23 x 14cm (w x l x d).

And here is the Baguette bag description:

Our VO baguette is a saddle bag and a mini handlebar bag. This is one bag that serves both purposes; the straps are spaced to allow it to hang on either end of your bike. It's big enough for a Quicker pump, rain shell, tools, tubes, a banana, a wallet, and even a camera. Or just take a baguette (broken in half). It's about 30cm x 11 cm.

Finally, you may be pleased to learn that the new bags cost less than the originals. The Croissant bags have gone from $68 to $55 and the Baguette bags went from $39 to $34. We've received a large shipment of both models so VO Imports can finally offer them to other shops.

2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show

The 2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 27 – March 1, 2009. If you want to see the work of, and chat with, some of the very best frame builders in the world this is definitely the place to be.

Velo Orange will be in attending as a component manufacturer; we have a double width booth. While we will bring a few complete bikes, most of our display will consist of Velo Orange and Grand Cru components including racks, stems, BBs, brakes, luggage, etc. But we won't be bringing any items to sell.

Here are a few photos from a past show.