Just when I thought that I couldn’t afford the newest superbikes to come out of this year’s trade shows, I’m reminded that there are plenty of classically designed luxury brand bikes that I can’t afford either. It is always dangerous when a company says “Price on Request”, but it’s not too surprising when the collaboration is between French boutique shoe and leather marque Berluti (a subsidiary of Louis Vuitton) and beautiful French custom frame and component makers Victoire Cycles. The finishing is certainly nice, and it actually gives us a peek at a great looking frame builder.
Come past the break for more photos, what’s included in the don’t ask price, and how much a real frame costs…
When the Parisian luxe shoemaker choose to design a bike incorporating their unique leather goods they sought out the craftsmanship and attention to detail of the young Victoire Cycles team. The Berulti x Victoire porteur-style bicycle built by the Clermont-Ferrand-based bike builders incorporates many top end classic components, from the French custom fillet-brazed frame and rack, to the in-house made Victoire hubs and stem, to the American Paul crankset and brakes, and even the Italian Ghisallo wood tubular or carbon-reinforced clincher rims.
Complementing the beautiful custom bike are a series of Berluti leather accessories: a bike frame bag, a handlebar bag, and toe straps. Also available to the discerning consumer are a unique custom pair of matching Vitello Amazon leather cycling shoes. The entire range has been available since early this summer by special order at Berluti’s Paris, New York, London, and Tokyo boutiques. The reassuring thing is at this luxury level, the bike builders truly are custom and have built bike with or without racks, with brake setups to suit rider preference, and even the option for an internal hub.
More great examples of Victoire Cycles’ craftsmanship can be seen at their website, or samples of their work in their Flickr albums. Prices for their standard steel frames start from 850-1100€, with custom frames from 1600€.
