SPEEDVAGEN - SUPERLIGHT ROAD Frame

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KarlC
Posts: 1028
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:08 am
Location: De Portola Wine Trail Temecula CA

by KarlC

My older standard frame / fork are right at 1600g / 300g or 1900g total.

Based on their quote "....cut a massive 400+ grams making this one of the lightest and best riding steel racing frames in the world."

They would need to be something like .... frame / fork right at 1250g / 250g or 1500g total
C64 My Sixty 4 SR EPS 12

boots2000
Posts: 1393
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:28 pm

by boots2000

Whatever- I had an S3 bike made in 2004. It was a 3 lb. frame then-

by Weenie


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DurianGrey
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:57 pm

by DurianGrey

Imaking20 wrote:
Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:28 pm
Yeah, I read that. What's your point?

Their bikes are already priced a bit ridiculous. If they keep their costing flat (or lower it) - I'll happily eat my words. Until then...
this is like walking into a bentley dealership and complaining about how expensive everything is. Being expensive and exclusive is the point. If you want the best bang for the buck, you have a lot of options, and speedvagen isn't trying to compete with any of them

beeatnik
Posts: 368
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:26 pm

by beeatnik

I don't think it's accurate to call their bikes exclusive or compare them to true luxury products. I know a new SV owner who works for minimum wage (possibly tips) and graduated from high school 2 or 3 years ago.

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Rick
Posts: 2034
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:30 pm

by Rick

If someone buys a Speedvagon and likes it and feels like they got a good value for what they wanted....all great!

It probably won't be me, but admittedly I ride cheap-but-functional :)

Sometime the whole marketing plan is "If we charge this much for it, people will think it must be worth this much."

cwcheung

by cwcheung

I have both. Custom size normal road disc (QR) & superlight road disc (TA) with the same paint scheme. But I don’t think there is a big difference in weight

Superlight + harsh climate protection ~ 1740g (frame only)

Imaking20
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:19 am

by Imaking20

DurianGrey wrote:
Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:44 pm
Being expensive and exclusive is the point. If you want the best bang for the buck, you have a lot of options, and speedvagen isn't trying to compete with any of them
Actually, that's exactly opposite of the reason why Speedvagen was born out of the Vanilla workshop. Feel free to try again.

My point was SV was already priced a little steep against the likes of Breadwinner and English (who are 10-90 minutes away from the SV shop) not to mention a number of builders across North America. My concern is now they'll be reaching for Baum pricing rather than even trying to be competitive with the majority of the players who show up to NAHBS.

beeatnik
Posts: 368
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:26 pm

by beeatnik

^This.

But, they'll sell every bike. As they should.

DJT21
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:35 pm

by DJT21

There are not many brands that I dislike more than SV. I like the fact they're a small, successful company who're managing to produce a quality product and make a living from it.

But the actual bikes are horrible. Characterless is one way to describe them; you'll rarely find one specced with components chosen for a specific reason, just those that cost the most. Generally Dura Ace/Super Record and Enve everything else.

Then there's the painted to match stems/seatposts/pumps/mudguards; it all looks far too "modular" or "fuselage" too much in the style of a carbon Trek or Specialized, not a style befitting a nice steel frame.

I'd take something like a Tommasini everyday. They look more like a bicycle with a nice paint job rather than a Warhol copy that you can also go for a ride on.

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GonaSovereign
Posts: 550
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:34 pm
Location: New Zero Kanada 43° 40' 0" N, 79° 25' 0" W

by GonaSovereign

People should buy whatever they like. SVs are well made, and have a few unique elements. They are a limited production run bike unless you do custom. If they make your heart swell, then enjoy. Ditto Baum, etc.

dbnm
Posts: 37
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:16 pm

by dbnm

The bikes are sexy and well made. Even the readymade is a work of art.

Imaking20
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:19 am

by Imaking20

Oh, I'm actually a big fan of SV and have come close to owning one on numerous occasions. The aura around them does dissuade me a bit - and this will further that point.

gewichtweenie
Posts: 152
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:12 pm

by gewichtweenie

Imaking20 wrote:
Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:20 pm


Actually, that's exactly opposite of the reason why Speedvagen was born out of the Vanilla workshop. Feel free to try again.

While that was the original intent, I think it's morphed far than that. It was supposed to be batch produced in standard size as a contrast to the bespoke vanilla. Now vanilla - to my knowledge - doesn't even exist (are they still building out the backlog?) and the SV can be "fully customized".

Seems like the SV now costs as much as a typical Vanilla did when I saw them at the first ever NAHBS in Houston. So that would put them in a pretty exclusive club

Imaking20
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:19 am

by Imaking20

At which point English > Speedvagen.

by Weenie


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derailer
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:53 am

by derailer

gewichtweenie wrote:
Wed Jan 31, 2018 3:04 pm
that sacha turned out to be a good businessman
you said it. he has, imo, realized what so many other builders have failed to realize: flourishes and paint jobs matter far more than most would care to admit.
I think his business acumen is supplemented by the fact that he's got a good eye for bicycle paint jobs and vanity flourishes.

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