First Look at Pass Hunter Prototypes

The beginning of this week was a super colorful one! We were greeted with a shipment of Pass Hunter prototypes in a variety of colors - two of them will make it into the production run and the rest may make it onto future non-PH frames. Before we dive into these particular frames let's review on what Pass Hunting is and what makes a Pass Hunter.

A vintage Toei Pass Hunter

Pass Hunting is a French and Japanese sport of collecting mountain passes you've ridden over. The only rule is that the pass must be marked by a sign or on a registered map. Do 100 and you get a pin and some serious bragging rights. You can check out the rules here: https://www.centcols.org/regle_du_jeu/rules_of_the_game.htm

While you can ride any bike to check that next pass off your list, a traditional Pass Hunter-style bike is lightweight, climbs with ease, and can carry a day's worth of gear and food to ride out and back.

Our newest iteration of the Pass Hunter takes a leap and a half into the world of modern standards: flat mount disc brakes, thru-axles, tapered headtube, and even carbon fork compatibility on medium and larger sizes. So let's go one-by-one into each of these features.

Sparkle Blue

Disc brakes aren't new for us, but flat mount compatibility ( the new road standard) is.

I've used thru-axles on other bikes and really enjoy the simplicity and consistency of hub and rotor positioning. Here's a primer on how thru-axles work: Insert hub into dropouts, insert axle into non-driveside dropout, thru (see what I did there?) the hub, thread into the driveside dropout, and tighten. The rear uses 12 x 142mm spacing and the front uses 12 x 100mm. 12 refers to the interior diameter of the dropout and 142 and 100mm refers to the spacing. Both of these are the industry standard with a plethora of hub options in style and price range. Keep an eye out on the blog for updates to our disc offerings! We're getting the first prototypes within a couple weeks. Teaser: replaceable endcaps, custom hub shell, and shiny.

The head tube uses a tapered design for greater front-end stiffness while climbing and carbon fork compatibility. The upper is 1 1/8" and the lower is 1 1/2". Both use external cups.

If you can't tell, we've been really into wishbone seatstays (Neutrino and Piolet). While the tooling and manufacturing process is complex, the result is a rear end that is elegant, lightweight, and strong.

The fork has rando-rack hourglass braze-ons, fender mounts, and 3 bolt mounts for our Mojave Cage and other cargo cages.

Clearances are generous and great for chipseal, gravel, loose limestone, pavé, and of course, asphalt: Medium, Large, X-Large clear 650x47 with fenders), and Small and X-Small clears 26"x48mm with fenders. If you're part of a go-fast crew that uses carbon fiber road wheels, then they fit 700x28 with fenders and 650bx32 with fenders, respectively.

Pistachio Ice Cream

We've mocked things up already to test clearances, alignment, and compatibility and everything is pretty on point. Destructive testing has already been completed and components are trickling in to thrash them around in the real world. We'll have one or maybe even two complete builds at this year's Philly Bike Expo, so you can touch and prod them in real life. That is, once we decide on the two production colors...

Brick Red

Autumnal Action Arriving

By Scott

As August rolls into September, the heat and humidity is finally breaking (after a spring/summer with greater then 51 days over 90 deg) and fall can be seen gently approaching on the horizon. Kids are back in school/or about to go back to school and for many people, a "new" year is starting. In our end of the bike world, I find that fall is kind of a new start as well. We've traditionally brought out new frames in the fall and this year will be no exception.

In a month or so, we'll have the Neutrino Mini Velos arriving. We're so honored that there has been so many folks who grabbed onto the Mini Velo concept and have already pre ordered one. We've had folks get in touch with us with technical questions and we can't wait to see how some of these builds come out. To get your Neutrino fix, check out these amazing builds from two of our partners: Blue Lug and Road Runner Bags:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=9108763%40N08&view_all=1&text=neutrino

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=9108763%40N08&view_all=1&text=neutrino

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A post shared by Brad Adams (@bagsnbikes) on Jul 30, 2019 at 8:25am PDT

The annual Coffeeneuring challenge should be coming up later in September. I always love a coffee or tea and a bike ride, so I love this combination and the challenge is a good excuse to try a new coffee shop.

The Philly Bike Expo is only 10 weeks away (November 2nd and 3rd). We've been working on a new booth display/set up for this show and we're really excited about it. We'll have our largest booth ever at PBE and we should have a new frame to show off as well! We'll tease photos and details about it as we get closer to the show.

We're discontinuing the Campeur frameset. Simply put, the demand for another production isn't there anymore. The Polyvalents have been successful and they fill the same space for use. The sizes we have left are currently on sale so if you've been on the fence, this should put you over.

We'll still provide in-house, custom build options while frame supplies last.

Lastly, we'll be closed Monday September 2nd for Labor Day (Labour Day in Canada). If you need your order to go out this week, place it before 3pm EDT on August 30th. We'll be back in the office on Tuesday at 9am. We hope everyone can get out and enjoy a long weekend and some wonderful weather.

Keith Barr Randonneur

by Igor

I first met Keith Barr at Cutlass Velo's open house a few months back. He brought this gorgeous, raw randonneur he had been working on. Fully integrated racks, fenders, all of the braze-ons, and lots of custom machined pieces. Last week I had stopped by Cutlass once again to bother Tommy and lo' and behold, the randonneur was in the stand getting buttoned up for D2R2. The warm lighting and beautiful wood tones of the historic, converted mansion really exemplified Bryan Myer's (Fresh Frame) copper paint and oodles of silver components.

From Keith:

"Amelia’s travel bike was functionally built as a randonneuring machine that can accommodate custom carriers front and rear for occasional fully loaded touring. Built from Columbus, KVA, Reynolds, and Vari-Wall, the tubing selections were based on a combination function, aesthetic, and nostalgia. Though strong, the rider’s challenges with a structural knee issue prescribed a few aspects of the front end. The bike needed to climb well at low speeds under load with zero pedal overlap. The low trail (35mm) helps to keep the fender away from toes and work with the rider on ascents. From an aesthetic perspective, I love some of the old stamped Prugnat lugs, though the function of the old seat lugs are pretty lacking, so I added a proper binder, a few fillets, and a new point to these S4s. To make things a little cleaner in the rear, the S&S couplers presented the unique opportunity to easily thread the rear brake cable through the seat tube. I really had fun with the build, so there are a number of less than necessary embellishments throughout. Bryan Myers at Fresh Frame set it off with some pretty amazing paint. Cutlass Velo in Baltimore built up some badass wheels with Velocity Atlas hoops, White Industries T11, and SON Delux SL hubs. The Velo Orange Grand Cru Stem with Brass Bell really fit well with the feel of this bike, and I love the VO Retro Cages."

Polished, stainless wraparounds, filled lug windows, and filed lugwork make the seat cluster a real beauty.

 The rear brake is routed internally through the top tube and pierces the seat tube. Love the cable stop.

More filled windows around the dropouts.

Keith opted for our Grand Cru Leather Handlebar Tape.

While Keith is planning on making a stem, he opted for our Grand Cru Quill Stem and a Brass Temple Bell until his custom one is completed.

Double Retro Water Bottle Cages.

The original TA crankset hardware wasn't great, even new. So he swapped it out for our 50.4 Hardware. It all works perfectly with his 11 speed Campagnolo Potenza group.

Keith made a whole touring rack set, but opted for a simple handlebar bag for the ride.

Dave of Waxwing Bags made the classic handlebar bag.

All in all it's a fantastically capable and beautiful ride. Happy riding!

It's The Little Details That Count

By Scott

In a past life, I worked for a company that made folding sea kayaks. We'd go to consumer shows a couple times a year and you'd see the same folks from other kayak manufacturers at the shows. One of the people we'd see was a wonderful British paddler and kayak designer named Derek Hutchinson.  Derek was a lovely man and always a joy to speak to and to listen to. One of my best memories about Derek was a discussion he had with a colleague of mine about pocket watches. Derek and Sandy were talking about pocket watches and how they were similar to our folding kayaks. The outside of the kayak (or the watch) was a beautiful thing and it was what garnered a lot of attention from people as they walked past our booth. But when you looked inside the kayak (or the watch) you saw all sorts of things that were certainly worthy of a second look. Our kayaks had lots of little pieces that when fitted to the internal frame of the kayak, took on a new life and became a wonder to look at and touch. Similar with the inside of a watch. The gears, springs and wheels all working together is the reason a lot of watch makers have an open case back, so one can admire the inner workings of it.

What got me thinking about this was the similarity to the little details that go into our frames and parts.  The devil is in the detail of frame design and I think some of these cool features need to be shown off a bit.

A good example would be the rear brake cable routing on the Polyvalent.  You look at it from the outside and it looks pretty simple- a nice, slender hole at the top and bottom of the down tube. But what is hidden from view is the tube connecting the two. Big deal? Actually yes. Ask anyone who has inserted cables and housing into the void of a carbon frame. Be sure to bring a bent coat hanger, dental floss, and double sided tape. With the brazed-in tube, housing goes in and comes out with ease.

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From @bikeradar - @jacquelucque is building up his @velo_orange #PassHunter test bike and little details like this hassle free, full length internal routing are the sort of thing which are never seen but make a bike great #bikeshopbingo

A post shared by Velo Orange (@velo_orange) on Feb 8, 2017 at 8:53am PST

The rear wishbone/seat stays on the Neutrino is a great case of our design work combined with the incredible crafts people at our frame builders creating a captivating curve. The flattened wishbone, welded to two pieces of precisely bend tubing to create the seat stays is beautifully executed and a similar concept to one we'll be using on an upcoming bike you'll see at Philly.

The most difficult thing to see is the triple butting of the Piolet fork. Designed to help dampen some of the bumps and buzz of riding off road and reducing weight this feature is known only to those who make the forks for us. You know it because of the feel of the fork over rough terrain, you just may not know why. The segmented look may be the part that grabs your eye, but the internal butting is something that you appreciate.

Is there some detail of a bike or product that stands out to you in a similar way? Let the world know in the comments.

Introducing Polyvalent and Piolet Complete Bikes!

We are proud to introduce our in-house assembled offerings of Polyvalent and Piolet complete bikes!

If you simply want to jump into commuting, touring, randonneuring, trail-riding, and whatever-ing rather than navigating the landscape of component compatibility, we have developed and selected each piece of kit for reliability, durability, and ease of maintenance.

Polyvalent

The Polyvalent is a fantastically flexible platform for so many types of riding. That's why we are offering it in both drop bar and flat bar offerings with a suite of in-house developed Velo Orange components and accessories. No matter your discipline or riding style, the Polyvalent is a reliable, capable, and stylish companion for your next ride.

Both Drop Bar and Flat Bar Polyvalents use a mix of SRAM 11 speed drivetrain components. These levels have been SRAM's workhorses and they strike a fantastic balance of ergonomics, performance, and durability for many applications. The Apex crankset uses a chainring that has a chain retention design while the rear uses a clutch to keep the derailleur and chain composed over rough terrain such as gravel and cobbles. Avid BB7 cable actuated brakes help you stop after all that go.

Finally, any good all-rounder has to have a good set of fenders. They keep spray off your back, friends behind you happy, and your drivetrain significantly cleaner. A set of Smooth 650b Fenders are included and professionally installed with every complete Polyvalent.

Drop Bar
Paired with our Nouveau Randonneur Handlebars, the Rival shifters provide a nicely appointed cockpit with ample real estate upon which to move. 

Flat Bar
The Flat Bar Polyvalent is based around our Granola Bar which lends itself perfectly to a comfortable, upright position for commuting and safe, around-town navigation.

Polyvalent complete price: $2400 shipped to the contiguous USA.

Piolet

The Piolet is our dependable and simple rough-and-tumble bike. It's designed for on and off-road touring, gravel, and single track. Load it up with gear for an extended tour, or strip it down for a fun day on the trails!

The drivetrain is Shimano's rock-solid 11 speed SLX. The rear derailleur features a clutch and gobbles up a 11-46 cassette with ease. The crankset is also SLX with a 32T chainring. The combination provides a very solid range for riding in all sorts of conditions loaded or unloaded.

For braking performance we're using Shimano Deore hydraulic brakes, externally routed, and cut to length for each bike.

Outside of the Shimano bits is a very healthy dollop of Velo Orange components including: tubeless compatible wheels, polished cockpit, and comfortable perch. Tires are Teravail Honcho 29x2.4 for Medium, Large, and X-Large sizes and Maxxis Ardent 26x2.4 for size Small.

Curvy Bars and our 31.8mm Threadless Stem are MTB rated, so they can take whatever you can throw at them. The sweep position makes for comfortable and efficient ascending and descending.

Piolet complete price: $2200 shipped to the contiguous USA.

Custom Builds

If none of these builds spark joy, then talk to us about a custom build! We can make your dreams come true. Well, at least the bike related ones.

The Fine Print

• Price includes in-house assembly, packing, and shipping to the contiguous United States. Oversize charges may apply for shipping outside the US.
• Completes are only available to retail customers.
• Please allow 2-3 weeks for assembly and delivery.
• Build list subject to change depending on availability from vendors.

Restock of Piolets, New 31.8 MTB-Rated Crazy Bars, and 20" Mini Fenders!

by Igor

Our rough and tumble Piolet framesets are back in stock and are ready to ship. If this is your first time hearing about the bike, here's a quick rundown:

The Piolet is our bikepacking frame. It's designed for off-road touring, including dirt and gravel roads, double track, and single track. We built it to be sturdy, simple, and very capable. As with our other frames it's double butted chromoly steel. The fork is triple butted for reduced weight and extra strength. The seatsays come together in a cool mono-stay wishbone and compliment the segmented fork. The frameset is covered in bosses for easily mounting any racks, water-bottles, gear cages, and even fenders. It's happily set up in bikepacking fashion or as a traditional rack and bag tourer!

Now that Theo is just about grown out of the Yepp and wants to go out for longer rides, I recently rebuilt my Piolet to be my mtb, kiddo hauler, basketpacker, and whatever-er.

After much development and testing, we are happy to release our MTB-rated Crazy Bars. They keep the well-loved fit and dimensions, and are now designed to really handle everything you can throw at them. They also now utilize a 31.8mm stem clamp for modern standards. Available in Silver and Noir.

While the Neutrino framesets are still in production, these 20" Mini Fendersets are ready for delivery. Perfect for other mini-velos, folding bikes, cargo bikes, and some recumbents. They feature the same mounting and design as their big sibling's and are available in Silver and Noir with matching hardware. Sorry, we cannot sell fenders individually.

Happy riding!