Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

The Campeur, as the name suggests, is a touring bike for paved, or unpaved, roads. It can carry a substantial load for long unsupported trips, yet handles beautifully even with no load. In fact, it makes a nice gravel racer.

A little more detail at the Velo Orange blog.

Andrew

Not sure about the name...

Looks a lot like the Surly LHT. I'd have thought a VO bike would have had some fancy lugs on it instead of being TIG welded.

One question I have: Why does the head tube extend so far above the top tube? The LHT has the same thing.

Two reasons, to have the rider in a more upright position which is favoured for touring, secondly you don't need as many spacers. The second point is moot because many tourers love spacers. The problem with this bike for me is that it is built as an homage to an imagined better era for touring when 1" quill stems, exposed cables and inadequate canti brakes were de rigeur. Fine if you like that aesthetic but the game has moved on.

Now that you mention it, this bike looks like it isn't quite sure what it wants to be.

Would anyone go touring with that much height difference from saddle to handlebars? I'd have thought having handlebars level with the saddle would be more appropriate?

And I'm with you on the canti's. They could have fitted V brakes instead, though I'm guessing many tourers would prefer discs?

The more you look the more you notice... Downtube shifters! Surely, they can't be serious?

Uncle Just wrote:The problem with this bike for me is that it is built as an homage to an imagined better era for touring when 1" quill stems, exposed cables and inadequate canti brakes were de rigeur. Fine if you like that aesthetic but the game has moved on.

Makes sense to them as they are a retro supplier. They aren't broke yet.

rkelsen wrote:Now that you mention it, this bike looks like it isn't quite sure what it wants to be.

Would anyone go touring with that much height difference from saddle to handlebars? I'd have thought having handlebars level with the saddle would be more appropriate?

And I'm with you on the canti's. They could have fitted V brakes instead, though I'm guessing many tourers would prefer discs?

The more you look the more you notice... Downtube shifters! Surely, they can't be serious?

I wouldn't mind betting it came out of the same factory as the LHT. Just the top if the seat tube and the fork are different.

Quite right, the usual practice is to have the bars and saddle level.

But no, disc brakes are not preferred by tourists - v brakes are by far the most popular.

And while the pic shows down tube shifters, the same frame bosses are used if you choose bar ends or STI.

RonK wrote:And while the pic shows down tube shifters, the same frame bosses are used if you choose bar ends or STI.

I appreciate that. It just seems a bit odd to me that they would fit downtube shifters as original equipment.

As Uncle Just said above: the game has moved on.

Actually the DT shifters are the least of my concerns with this bike as they offer simplicity which is much relied upon by those who tour in remote places.

For a different perspective have look at this bike that Peter Quaife used for his trips into central asia and Tibet. I like it for many reasons as he has put together a well designed, sturdy, reliable expedition bike that doesn't weigh a tonne.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 65310&v=3t" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Uncle Just wrote:Actually the DT shifters are the least of my concerns with this bike as they offer simplicity which is much relied upon by those who tour in remote places.

For a different perspective have look at this bike that Peter Quaife used for his trips into central asia and Tibet. I like it for many reasons as he has put together a well designed, sturdy, reliable expedition bike that doesn't weigh a tonne.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 65310&v=3t" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Exactly the philosophy I applied when building my titanium road and expedition touring bikes...

Down tube shifter are sensible alternatives- allowing a relatively simple bar change from drops to flat to touring etc
I have a Rivendell Atlantis but a surly LHT could be ok.
If you want low trail - look at rawland