Cyclocross - Vanilla Speedvagen

You must have missed post 41.
I most certainly did not. As if Sacha White needs to advertise...:rolleyes:

Mod Note: This is a politer paraphrase of a post I deleted. We're very happy that industry people like Sacha are gracious enough to post here and answer questions for members. It is not ok to insult and respond rudely to any forum member, and Sacha is a member just like any one of us. I will say this again: if you feel any member is violating our forum guidelines on advertising, report the post and we will take a look. When people make posts such as some of the ones that I deleted, they are trolling. One action isn't any better than the other.

Now, I sincerely hope that this thread can resume in a civilized fashion and not die off because of my intervention.

Wow. Sweet. Drool.

thanks!

that is a fine steed! whereabouts are you located?

Thanks, Man.

We're in Portland, OR.

Sacha,
It really isnt that I feel I need to keep the info a secret, I'd just rather not badmouth things, I tried to keep it respectable.

Thanks. I appreciate that.



Thanks for your reply. I knew that your frames have been raced hard and won on, i read alot of those guys blogs. But my understanding was that you were having special tubing drawn and this frame design was new. So technically, no one has raced on it.

If we are getting technical, I have raced the prototype, and ridden it as my primary bike and training steed for the past year.

With regard to the tubing, it is based on alloys and thicknesses that I have used for years, but the dimensions had to change here and there, to dial things in. There will be no monster in the closet.



I also did not realize the amount of different options there are in terms of what will go into each one of these bikes. So I sort of stand corrected there as well.

There is a lot of info to try and convey. It is good to know what I can focus more attention on in the future.



I really like the hype that is built around them. The application package was really cool. I think the frame and fork are going to be great race machines. But the price is really way way out there. It would never be something that i could replace if I crashed. I would never be able to afford a second one for a pit bike.


Glad that you liked the package. I had a good time putting it together.

I am the last person to say someone needs to spend a lot of money on a race bike. The first cross bike I won a race on was something I put together for less than the price of a King front hub.

Having said this, buying and racing gear that someone thinks will give them an advantage is the norm in high level racing culture. Pro cross racers that I know spend $120 per tire for Dugast tubulars. Then they take them out and beat the hizzle out of them in races, usually going though 10 or so in a season. The same goes for wheelsets and other components. It is really a matter of the value that a person puts on equipment and the gained performance.



And it costs more than a true custom that you would build.

This is actually not true. A custom Vanilla (frame only) with my highest end tubing costs about the same as the frame, fork and seatpost assembly on the 'Vagen. Considering that the ne Alpha Q cx20 retails for over $600 and high end seat posts go for another 1-2, that is a pretty drastic price difference.

Additionally, the comparison doesn't factor in that one bike is available for this season, and one has a wait list of multiple years.


I think it would benifit racers more if you found a way to cut the cost.

The idea of compromising a design to cut costs, has never really done it for me. There are bikes to meet all price points out there, and they probably all perform fine. I don't think anyone will miss another midrange choice, but some will be fired up to find something that has never been done before.



I appretiate the oppertunity, and wish the project the best of luck! I am sure the people who have them are going to be cleaning more drool off the bike than they will mud.

Thanks for the good wishes.

I also want to say to the general public here, that I don't like discussing comercial issues on forums. With this particular bike though, there has been a lack of clarity, that I have felt I need to chime in on.

Thanks for having me as part of the discussion.

-Sacha

Sacha,
Thank you for the detailed response and clarification of alot of things. I stand corrected on all counts and again wish the project the best of luck and hope to see someone racing one around sometime.....

The idea of compromising a design to cut costs, has never really done it for me. There are bikes to meet all price points out there, and they probably all perform fine. I don't think anyone will miss another midrange choice, but some will be fired up to find something that has never been done before. -Sacha

That right there is what separates the "Framebuilders" from the "Craftsmen"!

You GO Sacha!!
There will ALWAYS be somebody to get fired up by your awesome ART! :D

There will also be the "nay-sayers" too.
Likely because they can't afford such beauty! ;)

You will be at N.A.H.B.S. '08, right?
Which, to some of us "bike junkies", is like attending a party at the Playboy Mansion!
If ya know what I mean. :p

My next CX whip will be one of these bad boys. I saw one @ NAHMBS. Sick, sick, sick, sick!!!

BTW... I'm not a doctor. ;)

Well, I saw the speedvagen last week. Purely by chance, I stumbled across Sacha sipping a cup of coffee in Portland. I spotted the bike from a block and a half away. I will attest, it's awesome in person. I wished I'd stayed longer to gawk at it. I asked him a question or two and strolled on. Anyway, I really regret not saving more pennys to buy one. Maybe in the future. Nice work Sacha and thanks for the answers above.

Well; I E-mailed for an application, and got terrible news. They are not taking any more orders for the Speedvagen.

Sacha, I really want one bad, but you need to relate on your site that you are not taking any more orders.

You gave me a glimmer of hope and dashed it. :(

Well; I E-mailed for an application, and got terrible news. They are not taking any more orders for the Speedvagen.

Sacha, I really want one bad, but you need to relate on your site that you are not taking any more orders.

You gave me a glimmer of hope and dashed it. :(

30 bikes total offered up almost 5 months ago, I'm surpirsed that the offer lasted a month.

Are there going to be more than 30 for the 2008 run?