Having just returned from a brief sojourn to Paris I have a sweet spot for this bike. It’s a collaboration between three French manufacturers: Clandé BMX, Blacksheep Bikes and Victoire Cycles, the result of which is a svelte low-profile machine with the understated style the French are famous for.
Gepetto from Clandé designed and welded the frame, incorporating Victoire-made dropouts. The real highlight is the dual-crown wishbone seat stays, adding a classic je ne sais quoi to what would otherwise be a modular aesthetic. Victoire also supplied the hubs and, combined with the Blacksheep straps, grips and drivetrain, achieve a modern juxtaposition with the frame.
Victoire, based in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, has just taken possession of an anvil jig so I’m hoping we’ll see some more of them in the future. It’s refreshing to encounter a manufacturer insistent on maintaining local production.
