Speedvagen rolls out new custom road and cyclocross disc models

Portland-made models ship in 2-3 months

The Speedvagen Berserker dropout makes for a clean look and, the company says, better transfer of brake forces to the stays instead of the dropout

Courtesy Speedvagen

Ben Delaney

Published: March 27, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Courtesy Speedvagen
Courtesy Speedvagen
Courtesy Speedvagen

Not too long after launching Vanilla Bicycles in 1999, boutique builder Sacha White realized he had a good problem: he couldn't keep up with demand. The brand Speedvagen was born in 2006 to deliver stock and custom bikes with the Portland touch but without a monstrous wait. This year, Speedvagen has new road and cyclocross disc models, along with a raft of bespoke options, ENVE-made carbon seatmast caps and custom Di2 battery integration.

Both models feature new 'Berzerker' dropouts, which are designed to mount the disc caliper on the underside of the seatstay. Besides the clean look, the dropout transmits braking stress into the tube and away from the dropout itself, White says.

Now employing other builders and painters, White says Speedvagen bikes with custom geometry, paint and graphics will ship in 8-12 weeks, with stock models going out sooner. Frames are still made to order, but are done in batches to speed up the delivery. Speedvagen frames are designed, built and painted at The Vanilla Workshop in Portland, Oregon.

"In 2006 my wait list for Vanilla was exploding," White said. "I was faced with the conflict of not wanting to compromise what I was doing with Vanilla. It was important to me that I be the builder of my bikes and continue to pursue my craft. At the same time, I didn’t want to be exclusive to the point that I couldn’t build bikes for my teammates and fellow racers that liked what we were doing.”

Speedvagen framesets come in stock or custom, with the latter shipping in 8-12 weeks: speedvagen framesets come in stock or custom, with the latter shipping in 8-12 weeks

"In the last two years we have nearly doubled the number of bikes we make, and we look forward to seeing that trend continue," White said."Everything is completed in house, from fit to finish. This maintains control of the process, ensuring attention to detail, excellent craftsmanship and a beautiful aesthetic. The paint process alone takes between eight and 20 hours depending on the nuances of the scheme, in addition to the 35-plus hours in fabrication."

You can read more at http://www.thevanillaworkshop.com/speedvagen-road/

Pricing for stock Speedvagen framesets (frame / fork / seatpost assembly) start at US$3,450. Pricing for custom Speedvagen framesets (frame / fork / seatpost assembly) start at US$4,350, with multiple build kits available.

Ben Delaney

Contributor

Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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