JunkYardBike

I can go faster than that coasting down a hill!

Also, my vintage 52T chainring / 14T cog combo has 15% fewer gear inches than a 48 chainring / 11T cog combo.

Saddle Up

The guy now running Electra was the head of Giant USA. Think he has a few connections in the bicycle industry? Electra is just getting started.

robatsu

+1. From Electra's perspective, anything they do to VO is probably collateral damage along the lines of love bug splat on a bumper. They also probably don't care a whole bunch about what the C&V forum thinks about anything, which, to their credit, VO seems to at least occasionally.

USAZorro

I didn't mean coasting down a hill. I can top 40 doing that. Peddling on the flats, with a 14 - 32 five, six or seven speed freewheel - something sensible that would be found on a touring bike.

robertkat

I'd say both. You seem to have a negative opinion here but even the original was a copy. The entire purpose of VO making this crank is to fill a void that all other manufactures have ignored. More than a few people have been asking for a low compact double instead of using a converted triple. VO takes the original and improves it: cold forged, 7075 CNC'd rings that are thicker with wider spacing. Light weight and a narrow Q-factor. I'd take this crank over just about any other double on the market. Not a lot of other companies offer anything comparable, or even this nice and this high spec for the cost.

You miss the point completely. They are not out to revive the French bicycle industry. They are simply helping to keep a tradition alive. It doesn't matter where the parts are made. They cater to the cyclotourist that is looking for parts that are proven and reliable in design and function. As I said about the crank, they fill in a void that others have neglected. Most of what they sell is of very high quality. As for having a "ton of fixie supplies", selling track cogs and pedals is hardly that. My LBS has more "fixie" crap than VO. The real irony is that what VO is doing is what Rivendell could be if they would listen, not dictate, to their customers.

mickey85

I agree - with my 48 bikes, the top gear is 13 and 14. As I said, it'll get me to about 30 mph spinning out, but one I built as a rando bike, and the other as an every day commuter. I have no reason to take them faster than that.

Sixty Fiver

This...



Would look just right on this...



Maybe VO can send me one to test... don't know how it would work with a 4 speed block and such an ancient set of derailleurs (which I won't ever change) but it would be interesting to set it up.

Grand Bois

Please don't change anything.

KonAaron Snake 

Hands down one of the most beautiful bikes I've ever had the pleasure of seeing...I would LOVE to try that out.

cudak888 

I doubt it. Your 3-pin cottered crankset screams the Rene Herse look. Take a look at some of the machines in Jan Heine's Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles for examples.

-Kurt

wrk101

Yep, that's right on target. Let the buyer decide. I am glad VO has decided to enter this market, and if more businesses want to enter as well, great!

Myself, I continue to supply my french parts needs from take off bikes. That will not be an option long term, so I am glad someone is interested in entering this market.

Unfortunately, building up a lower end vintage french bike with VO parts just isn't cost effective in my local market. The nice VO bottom bracket represents close to half the market value of the finished product. So a lower quality and priced product would be attractive in that case. And many of the buyers of those lower end french bikes are just looking for recreational level rides anyway.

But in some hot markets (Portland, OR for example), that's not a problem. The same low end french bike probably sells for 3X or more.

DiegoFrogs

Bill:

I think most people buying stuff from VO aren't using the parts on flippers. That's not really the market demographic that VO is going for.

Some day I want to have a nice high-end Motobecane, and I'm glad there will be a supply of quality parts for it.

robatsu

+1. The existing crankset looks perfect on that bike.

Sixty Fiver

I was trying to make a point in that VO is offering something here that you can't easily get anymore... the crank on my Pug is like new and I like the way it runs so it won;t be going anywhere.

But I do like that VO crank and can see it as being a good option for many people.

cudak888 

Definitely. I'd have no second thoughts about mounting it to a brand-new Terraferma Super Rando.

-Kurt

wrk101

By all means, if I had a PX 10, I would probably buy it.

robatsu

I agree with that - VO shines most brightly in their products that are completely or at least not readily available new elsewhere or on premium old school components. That seemed to be how they started off - I was super impressed with the original constructeur racks they offered early on. But it is probably hard to build a business beyond a cottage one relying only on this niche, so it seems like to grow they are trying to broaden their customer base by also offering (in addition to their premium stuff) less exclusive/unusual, but still decent C&V-ish stuff at every day low prices. That is all fine and dandy until a well-capitalized Electra comes along who has the size/networks/distributorship to do that much more effectively.

It will be interesting to see how things play out for VO over the next couple of years, whether they can compete against big guys in the growing demand for new BOB-ish/classic bikes/components or they have to be satisfied being a smaller boutique shop. Chris K seems like a pretty savvy, competitive business guy, so this should be a good show.

In the meantime, yeah, beyond the looks, cool crankset, I like the idea of being able to run a super wide range double like that and not be futzing around with finding obscure parts. Plus, they've modified it to allow wider range of choices in front derailleurs. Again, this is the sort of thing that VO really shines at - product that offers functionality not available new elsewhere with a classic appearance.

KonAaron Snake 

It will definitely be interesting. I think VO is positioned to handle it...and here's why:

Even if the market is expanding, it's still a niche market. I think those in that market, us, like and trust VO...I think the pressure is all on Electra to win people over. The market isn't large enough for an Electra to really undercut them by that much...it's not something where they can make and sell a million cranks in a year. People in this market generally want quality and want polish...I think a small difference in quality is going to matter more than a medium difference in price.

velo-orange

Sigh....I'm gonna regret this post, I suppose.....

ejuste spewed......"In addition their best selling frame is in the classic 90s japanese hybrid style, they have a ton of fixie supplies and I would highly doubt that even 1% of the products they sell are made in France."

What 'best selling frame' are you talking about? Do you have any idea what you are stating? Do you have some secret sales figures I don't know about? Or are you just making stuff up to fuel more hyperbolic 'debate' over windmills and such?

Most French products are not made in France. So whats your point? Who cares if it's made in France? Or Portugal? or Spain?

We actually sell a ton of French BB's and headsets in France. Same with our handlebars, stems, chainguards, etc, from modern materials and modern quality control standards. Soon we will be selling a ton of 50.4 cranks in France and other places. Do you know why? Because the French (and other humans around the world) actually appreciate what we do. It's not like Stronglight or TA is making French thread BB's and headsets for less than 80 euros. Or making them at all. Sure, you can find NOS here and there, and maybe a clapped out 'patina'ed' and janky BB'set off ebay or CL, but are you gonna trust it for 10,000 miles?

We can't stop our customers from using our parts on fixie conversions. You sound like a very old man, pissed at everything the youngins are doing with their bikes these days.

E- you will never be a customer of ours nor Electra. Buy from Riv and keep us out of your personal vendettas.

velo-orange

It's common knowledge that Full Speed Ahead is making the Electra crank. This is the same crank platform used by Nervar, TA, Stronglight, Herse, and about a dozen other European and Japanese manufacturers over the past 70ish years. I have read somewheres (and this is totally unconfirmed, so take it with a grain of salt) that the last run of 60 anniv TA pro V blanks were forged in China and were finished in France.

I'm really surprised at the negative commentary on it tho- FSA makes good product. The engineer/market design team from Electra went to great lengths to preserve the look. Thats obvious. But they took some missteps. They didn't actually confirm compatibility with the real world or discover the deficiencies of the crank.

Give us SOME credit for actually tinkering with it, identifying the technical sore points over the years, and making those subtle improvements. There's a bit more room between the arm and outer ring. The hardware is much improved, and backwards compatible with all the old crappy hardware that has marred the original design all these years. The chainrings are thicker and a better material than what you would normally see on the older rings. And they are pinned and ramped for better shifting with modern chains.
And it's got a JIS taper so you'll have a much easier time dialing in your chainline since most BBsets sold today are JIS.

All hail the Japanese.

cudak888 

Owned.

-Kurt

prettyshady

I live in france and I am jelous of Americans having velo-orange so close by.

revolator

Coincidence that post was #69. You do me, I do you back.

auchencrow

Owned what?

EjustE

I am talking about your 'polyvalent' ($400 hybrid) frame. If that is not your best-selling frame mea culpa.

By definition, all French products are made in France... no? My point is that I (and I am not the only one) care whether something I am about to buy (and financially sustain the company that makes it and its practices), is not made by child labor in places like India and China among others. It's an ethical issue for me.

Sounds like the only personal vendetta that is going here is what you have with Rivendell (and Electra, apparently from your blog). Never say never.... As a matter of fact, I placed an order from your website earlier in the week. For a product that I knew its country of origin. (so I am a customer already ) I am not sure whether I will be an Electra customer, I will have to see what they come up with in their future lines. What they have now is not really my bread and butter. But, I have a touring bike build queued up for next winter and will be in the market for nice fenders, racks, bags and potentially drivetrain and I will look at both Riv. and VO offers, as well as whatever else might be around at that time.

The only problems I have with VO are:
a. The fact that the country of origin is not specified in all of the products (and you have heard that before from me.) I want to make sure that what I buy is not made by child labor in China or India. Sue me. (or better, put the country of origin on the page of each of your parts.)
b. My perception of a bit of pretentiousness in the matter of "manufacturers and purveyors of parts and accessories for randonneurs and cyclo-tourists" (from your website) selling fixed gear bits, hybrid frames and things unrelated to randonneuring and touring, but defend their mission to death, when that fact is pointed out. And another thing: When you copy something, give credit to the person/company that created it first. A matter of decency.

Peace