We’re coming up on our May 1st deadline for this summer’s run of Cyclocross Machines. After the cut-off, we will be gathering info from and fitting customers in May, designing and fabricating frames in June and July, painting in July and August, and building complete bikes and sending them wrapped in white cloth via big white birds to their proud owners around the world in time for Cross season.
In addition to the fresh colors, surefooted ride quality and the design features that have come to be expected from an SV Cross Machine., this Year brings major innovation including:
SPEEDVAGEN INTERGRATED CYCLOCROSS STEM:
The cable on our Speedvagen Integrated stem is routed through the underbelly of the stem, eliminating the cable hanger. The result is a much lighter system that is visually seamless and is not plagued with the usual front brake chatter found in the front brakes of most cross bikes.
INTEGRATED BATTERY SYSTEM FOR Di2:
Our integrated battery system for Di2 affixes the battery neatly into the top of the seatmast under the seatpost head hiding it from the elements and making the already clean lines of the Speedvagen even more purposeful. The system is beautifully designed, extremely light weight, weather proof and requires no tools for installation/ removal of the battery for charging; a pleasure to use.
HOLLOW TEXT PAINT SCHEME:
As part of their graphics package, many of our recent Speedvagen paint schemes have big, somewhat abstract, tube wrapping, single color, hollow text. This is a way to add color and texture to the frame, filling it out so to speak, while not overwhelming the frame with contrasting color. From a distance, the frame looks like a single solid color; however, closer up you notice a texture to the color, a pattern maybe. Closer still, you see that texture is conveying information and then you want to really get in there and see what it says.
New for 2012 we’re doing a paint scheme with graphics done only in hollow text. The concept has been rattling around in my head for some time and this year it’s ready to come out. Are you taking a bit of a gamble choosing something sight unseen? Yes. The element of surprise and venturing out of the box though is one of the most exciting aspects of what we do and when a customer puts their faith in Sacha he is that much more invested in making something great for that customer.
COVERT PAINT SCHEME:
The Covert paint scheme has a base frame color with the word ‘Speedvagen” laser cut out of the head tube and backed with a carbon fiber sleeve, which shows through the cut away portion of the head tube. The 1 millimeter cross section of the head tube is highlighted with a contrasting color, as is the 3-dimensional Speedvagen shield on the seat post head.
The idea of minimal branding and especially taking away material as a way to brand a frame, rather than adding material is in line with the original vision or Speedvagen. This way the -visual focus- in on the seamlessness of the shape of the bike, rather than the graphics and the -rider focus- is on the ride and the race rather than a consciousness of the rider’s equipment.
BONUS!
As a bonus for customers buying complete bikes, we are offering free shipping, free build and tuning and free color integration work on complete bikes built with the blingin’est components.
If you’d like to be a part of this next run of Cross Machines and want to learn more about the bikes and these new features, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@speedvagen.com or call us at 502.233.3453 to get your order started.
![IMG_1424[1]](http://speedbloggen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_142411-173x120.jpg "IMG_1424[1]")