Modern Bike with Retro Vibes!
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- čas přidán 29. 07. 2024
- Reviewing the Velo-Orange Piolet. Why its like a 90s mtb and why that is a good thing.
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Appreciate VO not being afraid to be different! Almost impossible to find mid trail bikes OEM like this
I love love love my Piolet! It's heading into it's 3rd season of bikepacking and is also my daily commuter. Mine is setup 29 x 2.2 with 1x but switching to 2x10 as soon as I have some free time.
The headtube angle makes this bike so fun everywhere, so nimble, without be twitchy/tiring on multi-day adventures.
That is an interested build. Much love for the klunker bars and the way the same to work with this VO frame.
So glad you got to review one! I bought a frame and built it up in 2020. I love it. It's just what I was looking for, touring geometry with super tyre clearance. Lots of mount points (I have a rack and Blumenthal mud guards) and it happily takes a clamp on front derailleur. I like the highish top tube for more internal triangle bag space. And the long chain stays! Luggage room and smooth handling.
yup, it's indeed a modern vintage bike! this is ideal for those less or non aggressive cyclists... you're probably right with regards to the dropper post but all in all, the bike is awesome... thank you for sharing 😊
You are killing it this week! Great talk on Sunday and this review today. Thanks! I gotta go buy some stickers!!
I put klunker bars on a 2020 steel Norco search. They are great. They’ll feel so natural having grown up on bmx bikes being my only mode of transportation growing up. I absolutely love them. Very cool bike overall and great reviews
Looks can be deceiving but it does look like a (modernized) 90s mountain bike for sure! Would be interesting to compare the geo/angles in detail to your 90s Paramount bike.
The brakes look fantastic!
Looks like a Masterpiece of Fun and Casual!!!
Velo Oraaaaange is totally correct pronunciation
I’ve always liked the Piolet aesthetics. I’d love to see it with a Bullmoose bar or maybe a Postino.
This has around town bar to bar (or coffee shop) cruiser written on it. Extra points for simple and subtle non flashy paint job as well!
Important things to note these sell as frames fork only and sell out fairly quickly. I was lucky to land a 2019 before the bike boom by getting on the email wait-list, had to do the same to get a neutrino mini velo recently. Another option for nice wide, semi swept riser bars is motorcycle bars from Dennis Kirk, and they are Cheap (and somewhat heavy.) Just get an adapter for 22.2 mm to your stem size. Ti Cycles had a good one. The Piolet is my favorite of the fleet. Have Chinese carbon 29s on 2.25 onzas, pizza rack front with chromes discontinued duffle 40, rear rack and pannier, 2x10 Shimano with microshift thumbies, big ergon seat and grips. Great gravel touring rig!
I had one set up with salsa cowchippers and 9 speed 12-42 cassette with a mountain double. It was heavy as hell but this bike climbed like a mountain goat. I swear you could pedal it up walls. I sold it since my rando bike, my gravel bike, and my fat bike together made it basically redundant, but what a great, versatile, and fun bike.
I like VO stuff alright, but I'm not like a HUGE fan of the brand, but they nailed this frame.
I built up a large Piolet in 2021 as a dedicated bikepacking bike, tuned toward the road, and adept on gravel, etc.. 100mm Boxcar stem & Ritchey WCS Ergomax 42cm bars. EVen though it feels long and heavy compared to my road and cx bikes, it handles great. With loaded panniers around 7#/corner plus frame and hbar bags, it handles really well and tracks straight. And after riding aluminum for many years, the steel feels responsive and a little more forgiving. Most rides with mine are unloaded gravel and single track and I try to limit the harder riding for my mtn. bike.. Overall, a ccol, versatile frame for a good value.
Ive been eyeing this frame for a long time. If It had dropouts for single speed I would have bought one a long time ago. I love the looks of the Velo Orange frames, classic but can be set up to look modern as well.
Love the content, love the channel
love the color, love the klunker bars!
_Thanks_ for your email pointing out that you covered the Growtac Equal brakes in this review. Perhaps a mechanical caliper comparison in the future (?).
Nice review! The sticker salesman joke gets me every time. Been eyeing the Sensahs on VO's website, may give them a try.
Nice to see Velo-Orange is using a japanese boutique company product like Growtac, the Equal brakes are kinda expensive too (around $300+) and I read a lot of feedbacks among japanese that these are pretty good for a mechanical brakes. I'd say a really close alternative to Paul Klampers, and also Sensah is one of the good chinese groupset maker and I personally owned an SRX groupset on my gravel bike.
Just built up one up earlier this year. Basically the same build. After building a 90’s last year that just never fit right. This ticks all the boxes
Thanks Russ. Great review.
Beautifull Bike! Great review Russ.
This and the surly ogre are the current bikes I'm considering for future bike packing bike touring purposes. Kind of up in the air as to which one. I have my name down for the surly for when it comes to Aus in my size but I can get the Piolet in a much more reasonable time frame.
Thank you!!! Love it. Can you please review the Fargo. Its been the stock bike in your domain since the beginning. We want to hear your review.
I feel like a 2010-2014 karate money is very similar to this bike, great video Russ!!
Looking forward to a long term review of those Grow-tacs if you have the opportunity for it!
I used klunkers on my 90’s GT bike and my ‘20 XC bike. Too much sweep and needed a long stem to get it feeling right.
I like the steeper head angle
Good review. Thanks
Love that you did a video on the Piolet, Russ! I think it’s one of the awesome, lesser-known bikepacking/off road bikes out there from an even more awesome company. After spending a lot of time thinking about what I wanted out of a bike and exploring lots of options, I landed on the Piolet and built one up very recently! After trying out some variations I ended up with a Crazy Bar, Sram Gx 2x build with some custom wheels. I started on an Large but the XL ended up being the better fit. I’m a mechanic at a shop in Brooklyn so I got a good deal on the frame, if anyone is interested in a like-new Large for a great price, leave a comment!
Interested, but I think the shipping costs to Canada would be a deal-breaker. Just curious how you feel about the lack of through-axles? There are a few bikes I've been looking at, with and without through-axles. I probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference in ride quality but I feel like I'd rather have them if I'm already investing a certain amount of money.
Hey CB, Can't imagine this frame is still for sale? I'm in Atlanta and would love to take it off your hands. Let me know!
I'm interested, still have it?
Just picked up a slightly older version in purple. I'm thinking of trying some "weird" drops like Kitchen Sink w/loop or Farr Barrs while keeping it on the 29er side of things. Thanks for the great review.
I was looking HARD for a purple one in a large to replace my broken surly ogre. but, found a custom-painted orange ogre in the clutch! How do you like it?
@@NickNiemiec So far so good, haven't really been able to put it through its paces yet. Just little jaunts around town. And of course now VO just posted that the Growtac brakes are live on their website...Now I have to choose between made in CA purple Klampers or the new brakes on the block. @pathlesspedaled...looking forward to a long-term review of those brakes
How good is pad clearance on those growtac disc calipers, compared to say trp spyre? The rotating cam post mechanism seems to have limited pad travel vs swinging arm.
All it needs now are suspension stem and seat post and you'll have a cross country/ single track demon!
I like the design philosophy and direction this bike is taking. A brand new 90s MTB from the factory in 2022 🤔
These brake calipers seems tô bem awesome!
Hey Russ! I have the Trans X Jump Seat and love it for what it is, but take a look at how much the seat clamping mechanism and neck area stick up even at full drop. If you switch to a more traditional external routed dropper, you could probably get another 20-25mm drop then what you have now
Hate cabling droppers :) This frame isn't really designed for it, so I don't think it would be worth it for that much more.
Interesting bike!
Wouldn’t having the Klunker bar on your Paramount approximate the same feel as this VO bike? I use bmx bars on a couple of my 90s builds and they make the ride much more enjoyable.
Wow, that's a real spicy parts salad. Good to see some steps out of the mainstream that recognize the end-user cares about practicality and price, not a badge - though I suspect warrantying or finding info on the Sensah or EQUAL stuff might be a bit tougher than their Shimano/SRAM equivalents.
Is it a "hipster tax" or just a smaller company, and ppl gotta eat?
@@cjohnson3836 Breaking news, stock builds are cheaper than custom builds.
Sweet bike
I dig this
I really want to ride that bike! That’s what I’m thinking. 🤪
I don’t know why I watch these new bike reviews, I’ll never but a new bike.
You should do a role call ( send photos ) of peoples bikes that have your stickers or head tube caps compilation.
This was just what I was looking for. I am from India and its difficult to find these handle bars. Can u please share me the link and the exact name of this handle bar. Please
Russ, if you had to choose between the two - Piolet and Ghost Grappler - which one it would be?
When the video started playing I heard "Orange PLA" and thought "Is this a 3D printing channel now?"
Not that I've got the budget for it, but in my N+1 dreaming I'm mulling either this or the crust evasion, any thoughts on the difference between the two? I'm thinking pretty similar bikes, but maybe shorter chainstays on the crust so crust is more lively, piolet is more stable. Does that sound about right? (Also crust no braze on for 2x)
Compare the two on bike insights. I looked at both about for years ago, went with the evasion. Tru axles, level and short top tube, heat treated cromoly and can run multiple rear hubs including single speed and internal
@@kylehoover114 thanks! Yes similarly I'm leaning towards the evasion for versatility, will have a compare on bikeinsights...
How long is that selfie stick?! Awesome shots, sir.
Russ could you do a video on flat pedals. Following a "bike,car,hospital" experience with clip ins I'm wanting to swap to flats for my touring Bombtrack Arise Tour and my winter bike a Wilier Montegrappa. Also I think there is lots of advice on clip in but no much on flats if you don't want to go mountain biking. Thanks for the bids and keep on Rollin.
We've done a bunch of videos on flat pedals. Just search "flat pedal, pathlesspedaled" on youtube.
@@PathLessPedaledTV thanks Russ will do, should have guessed you had it well covered supple feet😁
@@mykatana333 switching to clipless (SPD) was one of the best decision regarding cycling in my life. As mtb rider I enjoy the confidence I've got when riding in wet conditions and technical sections. I've fallen few times but it was the first few days I rode them. I, however, practised on grass, therefore it didn't hurt. After a while I've built up a reflex to instantly unclip, which saves me from crashes for 100 %. I've even tried some natural trails with rocks and roots and ofc a bikepark with jumps and it was totally fine. The reflex works (at least for me) like closing eyes after a loud shot or putting your hands in front of your face when you are falling on a ground - you don't have to think about at all.
Once I tried e-mtb enduro bike with flat pedals. As I am not used to them anymore (on mtb) I nearly crashed during my first jump, because feet left the pedals for a split of second I panicked. If I bought a trailbike, I would probably go with SPD too.
On the other hand, my girlfriend is riding spd too (for 6 years now) and in technical sections she unclips one of her feet. She clearly belongs to "I don't trust myself to unclip in time" group :D Anyway, she likes the safety aspect of spd in wet conditions too. SPD can't slip and when you accidentally kick them, you don't get scratched by pins.
Hope my "short" comment helped a bit xD
@@kosskrit plus you can get the “multi-release” clips from Shimano for the shoes, basically any angle other than up let’s you release. I had knee surgery just before I got more into biking and found these a good safe solution
Duuude, you should do a cover Foghat's Slow Ride and play it for the intro.
The lack of thru axles was the only thing keeping me from getting this great bike. Nice, detailed review as always.
I have the bike beautifully built by Blue Lug Kamiuma and I can confirm QR is not a problem at all! All you have to care is to put your weight on the frame before tighten the QR lever. The bike is super smooth and fun to ride.
I've heard that disc brake is one of the reason why the industry moved to thru axles, I don't know if that is true or not. My disc brake bike has QR levers and I don't have any problem with them.
@@rachmatt5082 Its because Quick Release systems have a tendency to clamp the wheel not 100% straight. That isnt a big problem for rim brakes, but Disc Brakes can rub sometimes after wheel removal. Thats mainly a problem for not really technical people who transport theire bike often without front wheel. My 2020 Surly Bridge Club is still QR too, and I dont really have problem with it. That being sad Thru Axels still have more advantages. They are just way tougher and have less flex. But you only really need that for Mountainbiking or professional Road Racing.. If your fully loaded Bikepacking Bike weighs like 140kg+, and youre going threw rough terrain, youre probably also better of with a Threw Axel long term.
@@cjohnson3836 TA is fine for MTB's but not needed elsewhere.. QR does the job.
@@cjohnson3836
'sheering forces' it's spelled shearing..
What a goofy looking bike. I think I like it.
Why does the rd has srx pro (brifter with sram road pull) instead of crx (trigger shifter with shimano mtb pull) ? (I wish srx and crx components is interchangeable, that would be awesome)
I'm using SRX pro RD and it works on CRX trigger shifter smoothly. So SRX and CRX are cross compatible with each other. Heck even the CRX shifter works perfectly on my Deore m6100 RD (12s RD using 11s shifter)
11sp CRX and SRX are cross-compatible. That's why VO carries the CRX flat bar shifter, SRX 1x brifters, and the SRX rear derailleur.
@@dadwithwrenches Missed the notif, thanks for the heads up
@@kim_chimpy wait, the SRX pro is using sram road pull, and the CRX works with shimano deore 11s ?
@@Fatbutnotflat I'm using deore m6100(12s) with 11-46t cassette. It's not the smoothest shifting compared to deore shifter but it works.
It's a shame they are going thru axle on this frame set.
The one thing that attracted me to this was the ability to use every single part of my 10 year old mtb, it was the only chromo 29er frame I could find on the market that allowed me to use my Q/R wheel set.
The fact they they are always sold out surely proves there's still a market.
That is true, but from another perspective, component manufacturers have been moving away from QR. A lot of the wheel choices out there are going to be thru-axle. If I am spending that much on a frame, I am going to want the standard that will give me options for quality components. I've got a disc frame with QR, and I have the VO disc wheelset, and it's fine, but it's probably not what I would have chosen if I had as many options as there are for thru-axle wheelsets.
On the website images it seems to have QR and doesn't say anything about through axles. Am I missing something?
@@user-dt1uq7rh2b they state in the video the the Piolet will be through axle moving forward.
@@Abe.Wassenstein Ah, thank you!
Interesting bike, can hang with retro rides but with modern convenience. That dropper is barely better than my '90s GTS quick release though.
Yeah, it looks like the commitment to the under-seat lever cost them another 35mm of drop, which in Russ' case would have doubled the capacity!
How would you say the Piolet compares to the Ritchey Outback?
Quicker steering and more drop bar oriented.
@@PathLessPedaledTV The Piolet has quicker steering and more drop bar oriented?
@@OzarksGypsy oh. I thought you meant the Ritchey Ascent. It’s burlier than the Outback but still has pretty. Responsive steering for the tire size.
Why the focus on 90's mountain bikes? There are 650b hybrids now with 2" or larger tires.
No one is going to watch a vid about hybrids :)
@@PathLessPedaledTV Really? I think hybrids are the ultimate do-it-all bike. Just my opinion, though.
@@PathLessPedaledTV I wonder if that's perception more than reality.
@@ronwhite8503 They’re great bikes but there is less interest.
@@astrowind9580 hybrids have had a tough go. They’ve never been perceived as “cool”. That’s why you hardly see any content about them.
how do you spell the disc brake name?
GROWTAC
31lbs is way more than I thought it would be.
I’m searching for a light(er) steel bike than 31lb that still has a nice ride. Hmm, maybe more all-road bike than mountain bike and with smaller/narrower wheels? Not for racing, but nice when a bike responds instead of feeling like a lead brick when you do want to get up and go.
I'm so surprised too. Russ, what makes this bike so heavy?
Im surprised because I have a 1990 Bianchi Sika and a1989 Trek Antelope that I thought were kinda heavy. Both bikes are mostly stock and still even have the triple cranksets. The sika is 26.5lb and the antelope is 30lb. So when I ride the antelope after the sika it feels heavy and its kind of a drag haha. I know those bikes are not as good as the VO in a bunch of other ways but the weight thing is a shocker.
@@deancostello4924 i own this VO, the frame is huge because the seat tube is a bit long, it's just like a hybrid of mtb and a gravel bike. but it's very nimble and balance feels like you are riding a gravel bike
Do they sell complete bikes?
No.
Their 'XL' is 19/20 inch. I think i'll stick to my actual 90's bike with a 23 inch frame.
Sloping top tubes make seat tube measurement almost worthless. Reach and effective top tube measurements are much more useful.
Who cares what they call it...It looks like a great bike to ride.
Expensive, but like.... it looks like it's worth it if you can afford.
Those hubs… (bites lower lip)
На осях можно и взять ..
What?
Disc brakes are terrible for trail repairs and dangerously locking up your wheels on gravel roads. For non-competitive applications, the ability to work on brakes on the fly is a big priority. Can't do it with discs. But VeloOrange makes great stuff.
Those who say "can't" should stick with cantis, and enjoy the adjustments. Those who are willing to dial in their brakes can manage fine with disk rotors and calipers.
@@mechanicaldavid4827 You should check out some of the recent crashes in the pro peloton Spring Classics races. Clearly caused by disc brakes and they have the best mechanics in the world. They were all forced to adopt disc brakes some years ago by sponsors. Chris Froome spoke out against them for awhile.
That's a suuuuuuuper long rear end, 460mm are you fucking kidding me literall touring bikes don't have 460mmm seat stays and they have to account for heels hitting the bags, and still have shorter seat-stays.
Apparently a long front end, too. Total Cadillac handling. Super pointless to put a droper seatpost on it. Entire departments should be fired for bringing this bike to market.
Like your name suggests, you truly are oblivious. This bike has a short front center, much steeper head tube angle and lower trail compared to modern mtbs. If anything it handles more like a road bike in the front.
Move on now. You've stopped making interesting content. Sorry.
Great. You can stop watching and commenting!
I built this bike up last year with GX Eagle. Had original crazy bars that were a little narrow for me. Put Surly corner bars on it, and now I'm loving it! Only complaints are low stack height and the weight. I think this bike rides great, even unloaded.