I have an appointment with Leonard this afternoon at the workshop. After a quick initial phone call, I know for now that he’s looking for a new partner for the velotaf, and that he has some ideas in the back of his head that make him want to call on us.
Let’s start by talking ultra-distance, he’s just returned from the Three Peaks. He also finished in the top 10 of the Transpyrenee and the Two Volcano Sprint two years ago. Naturally, the temptation to design his ideal tool for his future events is in my mind. But he’s here for something completely different. In fact, he’s here specifically for this: to see the creation that would emerge from a specification never before addressed to us : a light, elegant and fast singlespeed, somewhere between a Dutch Bike and a track bike. Straight lines, symmetry, and sensitive detail.
The dialogue with Leonard was fabulous, and we were always on the same line whenever a new idea came to feed the project. “We’ve gone further than I could have imagined!” says Leonard during the delivery day. A lot of things were particularly tasty to make on this project. The rear cable routing with a “Jo Routens” approach took me back to the pleasure of browsing through the craftsmanship of another generation. The fork dropout and crown, the rear bridge , were all opportunities to take the time to work on sheet metal. A custom stem is always a pleasure to make, this one too, with its small internal passage and notched clamp for fitting the Nitto Losco handlebar. And as always, a lot of desire and gestures in the top tube/seat tube/rear stays connection.
Another experiment in this project was the finish. We opted for a patina rather than a powder coating. I had the opportunity to experiment with this patina on small objects, which I shown to Leonard during the presentation of the raw frame kit. Although we had initially thought of a “rust” patina, I suggested to Leonard that we reorientate ourselves towards this technique called blueing (passivation process). Once again, he follows my lead and is delighted.
The day of delivery arrives. Leonard brings with him the tires for the final assembly, and we let him wait in the shared space with a cup of coffee while we set up the tires. We hide the bike, adjust the lighting, and invite Leonard to come closer. A few discussions later, we finally unveil the result of the project and enjoy the moment together. The weather isn’t ideal, but Leonard is eager to try out his Manivelle. He had even originally planned to ride back to Freiburg, but this afternoon’s storm warning changed plans.
The smile on his face behind the handlebars is a pleasure and validates our work. He’s having fun pushing on the legs, the bike responds well and his ultra-distance personality soon errupts : “I’ve found an aero position!” he says, his forearms on the center of the Nitto handlebars. We invite him to share a last moment of shooting with us, and he poses nicely, his Manivelle suiting him well. We’d really like to thank Leonard for his trust. That’s both the beauty and the difficulty of craftsmanship, to engage in ever-new productions (without forgetting the things we learn with each bike). And we need all our customers’ trust to feel comfortable and enjoy the adventure!
We wish you an elegant journey Leonard!
Frame: Custom Manivelle , Columbus Life+SLX // Fork: Custom Manivelle, Reynolds blades // Crankset: BLB Super Pista // Wheels: H+Son Archetype + Dia Compe Track II hub // Brakes: Dia Compe Gran Compe levers and calipers + Berthoud pull // Handlebars: Nitto Losco // Headset: Hope // Saddle: Berthoud Soulor // Tires: Fairweather Fortraveler 700x32C // Stem: Custom Manivelle // Seatpost: Dia Compe // Grips: Berthoud // Pedals: MKS Sylvan Stream //
Delivered to workshop on 19.12.24