Showing posts with label Pacenti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pacenti. Show all posts

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Pegasus soars

You may recall that in September 2024, in a fit of FOMO, I bought a Crust Lightning Bolt Cantilever frame in Light Sea Green. In my most recent post, I noted that I was nearly finished assembling the bike, and I can now confirm that I have achieved a state of substantial completion. It's been a longish process, and I'm glad to be [nearly] finished. All that's really left is tinkering with some of the very minor details, such as where exactly to mount the headlight. I think otherwise, the bike has turned out exactly as I hoped. 

Crust Lightning Bolt Cantilever Light Sea Green - XS

The bike is very close to the ideal randonneuse as long described in the pages of Bicycle Quarterly magazine. When interviewed by Russ at Path Less Pedaled, Crust's founder Matt White said, "shake the pages of Bicycle Quarterly and this fell out." Jan Heine himself validated the bike in BQ 70 writing, "The Lightning Bolt takes much of the performance, handling and versatility of our favorite bikes and makes them accessible to a greater audience. That is a cause for celebration." 

I, for one, am definitely celebrating.  

You may recall that this is, in fact, my second Lightning Bolt. Back in 2022, I bought the one in black. It's been my main bike ever since, and I honestly think it's the best bike I've ever ridden. I kept Blackie light, without lighting or fenders. There's a rack, but no decaleur, so I tend to use small bags like the Zimbale in the afore-linked bike check, or the Berthoud Alex Singer Mini Bag. But I wanted to have a full-blown randonneuse, outfitted with fenders and dynamo lighting, so when Crust uncharacteristically put the frames on sale in September, 2024, I had no choice but to grab one. Come on, $975 for the finest steel production frameset ever made? Fuggetaboudit. 

Now it's finally come together after a year and three quarters. As before, I had Travis at Just Riding Along Bike Shop (JRABS) prep the frame and install the headset and bottom bracket. This time though, I let him run the cables and housing and set up the whole drive train. In retrospect I should probably have done the cabling myself, since after fiddling with fenders and the rack, I ended up having to redo it anyway. But I was a bit nervous about installing the front derailer clamp, so I just had him set up the whole thing.  

Campagnolo Veloce 10-speed front derailer

As mentioned in my previous post, I spec'd this bike very similarly to its doppelgänger, looking to create essentially an identical bike for poor weather and winter riding. I stayed with the same drivetrain, featuring MicroSHIFT MTB 2 x 10 bar-end shifters, and their "Mega" rear derailer, paired with Velo-Orange's 46/30 crankset, shifted by a Compagnolo Veloce front mech. The headset is the same 1-inch threaded Campagnolo Record, but the bottom bracket is an Origin8 TorqLite square taper. Pretty much exactly the same set-up as Blackie.   

Origin8 "Classique" levers with MicroSHIFT MTB 2/10 friction shifters

MicroSHIFT "Mega" rear derailer. 47 tooth capacity

The cockpit is where components are just a hair different. I scavenged the 80mm Soma Sutro stem from my old Fuji, and paired it with a pair of 44cm Nitto B132 Grand Randonneur handlebars I bought some time ago. This makes the bars 2cm wider than the 42s on Blackie, just a touch higher and 20mm farther forward. I suspect it all works out in the wash; at least I haven't noticed much difference between the two setups in the admittedly short shakedown rides I've done so far. I also opted, as you'll note in the picture below, for a shiny Japanese Crane bell procured from the local shop Terrapin Bicycles, rather than the spiffy Spurcycle bell I have on my other Crust. 

Soma Sutro stem, Nitto B132 handlebar, and Crane bell
 I used the same Soma Mini Champs-Elysees mini front rack, but here's where I first ran into trouble. There isn't room between the fender and the bottom headset cup to fit the "diving board" rack strut. I had the same issue with both my Cycles Toussaint Vélo Routier v2 and my previous Lightning Bolt. Sorting out the Vélo Routier took some fancy metal bending, owing to the presence of the center-pull brakes, but for the Lightning Bolt I took the lazy way out and just turned the strut upside down. Not by any means the best solution, but it worked and got me on the bike without having to make another trip to the hardware store. I also didn't have to fiddle with the angle of the brake's straddle cable. 

Fork mounted diving board rack strut
Tire clearance; who needs it?

For the green Crust, that solution wouldn't work, because the fender is in the way. So I bit the bullet and bought a chrome spacer that moves the strut forward enough to clear the headset cup. Everything about the solution is superior. The diving board didn't need to be bent much, it doesn't interfere with the fender, and it generally just looks more "right". I've subsequently added a spacer to Blackie, so both bikes are set up the same, i.e., correctly.

diving board
1/4 x 1/4 inch chrome spacer pushes out the rack strut from the fork crown
At the sharp end of the fender I mounted a Busch + Müller IQ-XS dynamo headlight using the included mount, taking advantage of the Crust dynamo wheelset I bought with the frameset. I'm not crazy about how far forward it puts the light, and may end up trying to mount it below the rack using a Nitto lamp holder (#7), or the très cool DIY chainring solution. 
 

Busch + Müller IQ-XS dynamo headlight
Busch + Müller IQ-XS dynamo headlight

Though I had initially planned to use a plastic chainstay protector, I ultimately decided to use bar tape to match the handlebars. I had contemplated wrapping the chainstay in that cloth tape/twine Rivendellian way, but abandoned the idea because I'm just too lazy and don't have any cloth tape or shellac and am not inclined to wrap my handlebars that way. Also, I had bought some cheapo "celeste" tape on eBay and completely hate it - it won't last on the handlebars for long - so I had a bunch of it at the ready. So, I'll peel off the adhesive and keep it around to wrap the chainstay. I might even try it on Blackie, just for shiz and giggles.   

Crappy bar tape works fine as a chainstay protector

Crust says, "The Bolt's Fork features our new Gran Trajet Fork Crown meaning they suit a 48b tire perfectly, and will fit 42s with fenders. The Gran Trajet fork crown is designed to perfectly mimic the arch of a fender like the Honjo Smooth 62, to leave you with a seamless look." I'm not a fan of smooth fenders, since they tend to show the inevitable scratches and dents. I thought I might get away with the SimWorks by Honjo Turtle 58 fenders, which have that traditional "hammered" texture, but they've been out of stock the entire time I've been looking for them. 

On my two other fendered bikes, I've used Velo Orange fenders and have been pleased with them. Though I was extremely hesitant to go with the Wavy 58mm model, fearing they would just be too weird looking, they were immediately available and seemed like they'd be the right size. In the end I'm glad I did. The bike has a typically Crust-ian funky aesthetic, with its ridiculous Cooper lettering and the odd doodles all over the frame, so I figured what the hell, might as well lean into the funkiness with the mind-bendingly psychedelic wavy chrome. Thrown on a Blue Lug mini triangle reflector for some alt-bike cred, and I think the whole package looks pretty good. Plus, they went on with relative ease. No issues with the front derailer. No funky drilling needed. I did have to do just a bit of metal bending to squeeze the front edge of the rear fender between the chainstays, but nothing you'd really notice. And they integrated with the rack perfectly, so there's a bolt fastening the two together, which gives them both a more solid structure. AND, I got the fenders on sale for just over half what the Honjos would have cost. Score! 

Blue Lug mini pizza reflector
Reflective Blue Lug energy!

Speaking of the bike's doodles, I presume the figure to the left of the decal is Zeus, but does anyone know who the woman to the right is? Hera? Aphrodite? Astrapè? And what about the constellations and urn on the inside of the non-drive side chain stay? Anybody got any ideas about possible meanings? Anyhow... 

Zeus!Hera?
Zues and a mystery woman adorn the Lightning Bolt's downtube

So now the bike itself is in pretty good shape, with all the functional bits working. I added a pair of Velo Orange Moderniste stainless steel bottle cages, a Silca Impero Ultimate II frame pump, and what turns out to be one of the last Acorn Medium Rando handlebar bags (they just announced their retirement). The saddle is an old Specialized Avatar I had in the bin of unloved saddles, and the Shimano PD-M540 pedals were scavenged from another bike. 

All dressed up and ready to go

Of course what self-respecting Crust owner wouldn't "virtue signal" with some enamel pins, so the bag got one each from The Satanic Temple of Salem, Massachusetts, Crust and Blue Lug's famous Tobidashi kun.

Acorn brand Medium Rando Bag
One of the last of the Acorn Rando bags
 Now there's nothing left to do but ride. Time to let Pegasus soar! See you on the roads. I'll be the one with the goofy grin on his face.  

Pegasus, carrier of Zeus' thunderbolts 

 Build List

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Friday, May 1, 2026

New Crustation

Remember this? Well, it now looks like this:

2024 Crust Cantilever Lightning Bolt, XS in Light Sea Green

The build is nearly complete - just got to sort out the front rack, and wrap the handlebars and drive-side chainstay. It's pretty similar to my black 2022 Lightning Bolt, though I'm using Crust's dynamo wheelset, a Sutro Quill Stem from Soma Fabrications, and of course, have added a set of Velo Orange wavy fenders. 

Once I get it complete, I'll provide details and a bit more context about why on earth I have built a nearly exact duplicate of a bike I already own. More anon...

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Sunday, September 8, 2024

Bike Check: 2022 Crust Cantilever Lightning Bolt

As you may know, I bought a Crust Lightning Bolt with cantilever brakes in the winter of 2022. The much-vaunted CantiBolt! It took me a year or so to assemble all the parts, prep the frame and ultimately build up the bike. You can read about it here, should you be so inclined. Now, after a year and a couple of thousand miles riding it, I thought I'd do a retrospective review.

Crust Canti-Bolt

Below, for reference, is the current build list. It's essentially the same as the original build, though some details have changed. Stepping out the door for yesterday's ride, the bike weighed 31.2 pounds, including two full 21 oz. Camelbak Ice water bottles, phone, wallet, snacks, etc. I've even got a modest cable lock in the bag. That's summer time ready-to-ride weight. Winter would weigh more because more clothes, but I tend to ride my Cycles Toussaint in the winter, since it's fendered and has the larger Acorn Boxy Rando bag affixed with a decaleur. 

Build List

The drivetrain definitely seemed like a risky "mullet" proposition, mixing the Velo Orange sub-compact crankset (road) with the MicroSHIFT ultra-low-geared rear derailleur (MTB). I had to switch from the elegant Silver bar-end shifters I was planning to use for the MicroSHIFT MTB barcons, which have more cable pull. I am happy to report that the system works swimmingly. With friction shifting, all things are possible. I can't imagine a better shifting, more versatile system. With a low gear of 30t (front) x 42t (rear), the Cantibolt is a climbing beast. Though I've fantasized about swapping to the Velo Orange "Drillium" crankset, featuring a 48t x 34t, I find that I'm not so limited by the 46 tooth top gear that I really need it. I think I'd rather have the low 30 tooth gear - I'm not getting any younger.

Mullet drive train to conquer any climb

Brakes, handlebars, shifters, etc., haven't changed since I built up the bike, but I've added the front bag and the frame pump.The bag is a cheap(ish) Korean Zimbale brand bag I bought from Amazon. Though I liked the design with its low profile, I disliked its sticky zipper and poorly laid out leather/Velcro rack attachment points. I actually returned it and got my money back... twice. But it seems to be one of those notorious products the company doesn't want back. Or they went out of business right in the middle of my transaction. Not sure. I returned it twice and it came back to me both times. Ultimately I figured it was meant for me. And it looks pretty good on the bike, don't you think?

Zimbale front rack bag.

I modified the attachment straps so they worked with my rack, and gave the zipper a good lubing. It's still not my favorite bag, but it does the job, so I'll keep it on the bike until something better comes along, or I finally get around to installing the decaleur I have sitting in the parts bin, so I can use my Acorn bag. Combined with the now discontinued Brooks Isle of Wight saddle bag, in which I keep extra tubes, tools, etc., I can carry a lot of stuff without having a gigantic bag. I've got plenty of room for everything I need.

Selle Italia "Man" saddle, Brooks saddle bag, Silca pump and Avid Shorty brakes.

COMPARE & CONTRAST

It is interesting to note the differences between riding a 700c x 25mm racing bike, and a traditional steel 650b x 42mm rando rig, but it's a bit of a false equivalency. The two styles are optimized for different objectives; pure speed for the racing bike; comfort, versatility and efficiency for the randonneuse. In a way, they represent a natural progression for many a seasoned rider as we move from our thrill-seeking youth to a more mature, sustainable riding style as we age. At least that's how it has been for me. I'm 61 years old - my 53/39 years are behind me.

The only fair comparison I can make is between the Crust CantiBolt and the Vélo Routier, as they are both low trail, 650B bikes made from lightweight, TIG-welded steel and ride on similarly wide tires (42mm for the Lightning Bolt and 38mm for the VR). But the comparison kind of ends there, because to be a fair comparison, all the components on the two bikes should be matched, and they're not.

But I'm not gonna let that stop me!

The Vélo Routier was my first "rando" frame and the first bike I assembled more or less by myself. I bought it as a DIY kit, with all the parts chosen by Cycles Toussaint, though I ended up using a stem and handlebar combination from the parts bin which shortened the reach a bit. Still, the resultant stack and reach of the two bikes are very close. The Routier's total price came to about $1,350 (US) plus shipping, or just a bit more than the Crust's frameset alone. So, let's say it was the epitome of an "entry level" spec. A good way to get started, but I'd never do it that way today. Knowing what I now know, I'd choose individual parts, though of course I'd spend a heckuva lot more money to do so.

Cycles Toussaint Vélo Routier

Now that the Crust is completely dialed in, and having spent a bit of time with it, I can safely say that it is without a doubt the best bike I've ever owned, and probably the best bike I've ever ridden. That list includes a 2002 Trek 2000, an aluminum "racing style" bike with 105 components, a 2011 Trek Madone (Ultegra components), an '86 Fuji Allegro seven-speed, and a Cycles Toussaint Vélo Routier version 2. I also spent a week riding across Italy on a Van Nicholas titanium touring bike once upon a time. But the main comparison is to my other rando bike, the Vélo Routier, on which I have around 10,000 miles at this point.

Everything about the Lightning Bolt seems marginally, and in some ways vastly better than any of these bikes. All the lessons learned from building the Vélo Routier were applied to the build of the Crust, and better parts were individually chosen rather than bought as an entry-level set. I can't help but think the better components account for a sizeable share of the different qualities of the two bikes. But can a better headset or bottom bracket really make that much difference? Or is the Lightning Bolt better than the Vélo Routier because of better design, including better geometry, steel, etc. I'm not about to spend the money to match the bikes' components, but I'll engage in a bit speculation...

REAL STEEL

I'll talk about differences in component quality and geometry in a minute, but first things first. Though they look pretty similar in most respects, the primary difference between the construction of the two bikes is the steel. I'm no metallurgist, but here's what I know (which is to say, have found on the internet). The Vélo Routier is made from oversize (OS) .8/.5/.8 4130 chromoly. That's thin-walled by most standards, as I understand it, similar to Reynolds 531C. The Lightning Bolt is made from standard diameter .7/.4/.7 heat-treated chromoly steel. In bicycle terms that's "extra-thin-walled, traditional-diameter tubing. More or less the same spec as the René Herse Kaisei Superlight tubeset or Reynolds 753. The Lightning Bolt's lore has it that Matt Whitehead, Crust's founder, had to sign a waver indemnifying the manufacturer (MaxWay?) from liability for owners doing inappropriate things with this bike. Hence the rider weight limit of 100kg / 220 lbs and the warnings not to "go all Evel Knievel thinking you're Missy Giove bombing this thing down some single track. It's not designed for that." 

So, the Crust's tubes are thinner in both diameter and wall thickness than those of the Cycles Toussaint. This doesn't seem to impact the final "ride-ready" bikes' weight much (they end up being within about 16 ounces of each other). But it may contribute significantly to differences in the bikes' "feel". I think. Again, that's based more on what I've read, mostly in Bicycle Quarterly, than anything I can prove. 

Is it simply thinner steel that makes the Lightning Bolt feel so much better than my other bikes? Not exactly. The steel may be a large part of the reason the bike is more comfortable than the Vélo Routier, but there are obviously other factors at play. Here's a quick list of the general impressions of the two bikes' handling with my guesses as to possible causes.

STEERING

The Vélo Routier always felt a bit unsettled. It requires constant attention from the pilot, lest it wanders off course. The Lightning Bolt, on the other hand, is much steadier, requiring only light steering inputs, and holds its line quite well. Not quite the "on rails" feeling of my higher trail racing bikes, but definitely striking that elusive balance between responsive and predictable. In short, the Crust's handling is confidence-inspiring, while the Vélo Routier's is a bit twitchy. But is that because of the relatively minor geometric differences, the steel used for the fork, or is it to do with component choices? The stem in the VR's DIY kit was at least 20mm longer than the 70mm Nitto I actually used. The handlebar also had a longer reach, and was wider. The DIY kit came with a needle bearing headset, usually spec'd to dampen low trail bikes' tendency to shimmy at speed. Were those choices made by Cycles Toussaint to compensate for the frameset's inherently skittish tendencies?

Note that the chart below comparing the two bikes displays an anomaly. Cycles Toussaint claims the Vélo Routier's trail as 30mm. BikeInsights.com lists it as a "calculated" 18.8mm. Big difference. I don't know how to sort out the discrepancy, but if it is indeed 18mm, well there you go - that's just too low, and waaaayyy lower than the Crust's 40mm. Could be it. Even if we give the designers the benefit of the doubt, there's a 10mm difference between the two. The Routier's 30mm is considered very low, and the Crust's 40.2mm fits in the high side of the conventional definition of "low" trail.

Bikeinsights.com comparison of the two bikes
Is the difference in trail the reason for the two bikes substantial disparity in steering? Everything else, i.e., shorter wheelbase, shorter chainstay, shorter stem, higher bottom bracket, would argue that the Lightning Bolt should be the twitchier of the two, but that's not the case. So, I'll assume the difference in trail is the primary element that accounts for the disparate character of the bikes' handling. One day I'll swap out the NECO headset on the Vélo Routier and see if that makes a difference. I also plan to move the Routier's rear wheel to the absolute longest chainstay length allowed by the semi-horizontal dropout. Maybe that'll help.

Also worth reiterating is that the bikes have different tire sizes. Not sure how much impact this has on steering, but as tire size affects trail, it has to be considered a factor. The Vélo Routier runs on ultralight 38mm Compass/Re Loup-Loup Pass tires and the Lightning Bolt sports 42mm Pacenti Pari-motos.

ACCELERATION

The Crust wins this category hands-down. Input at the pedals sends the bike forward with very little resistance, where the Vélo Routier takes a few pedal revolutions to wind up. The chainring gearing is the same (46/30), so that's not it. The cassettes have different low gears, but I'm rarely starting from the bottom, so I doubt that's it. Is it the cheap bottom bracket on the VR? I did use a high quality IRD BB when spec'ing the Crust, so... Heavier wheels from the Routier's DIY package? Yes, but I've used the same set of wheels on both bikes and there is still a very noticeable difference in the bikes' responsiveness. Is the springiness of the thinner steel responsible for the magical transfer of energy from potential to kinetic? Whatever the reason, the Crust just feels lighter, spins up faster, and gets closer to what Jan Heine might describe as planing.

BRAKING TOO (cantilever boogaloo)

Direct-mount center-pull brakes are the best rim brakes ever made. Right? And cantilever brakes are a horrible, squealing anachronism that should immediately be replaced with V-brakes. Right? Well, the Avid Shorty Ultimate canti's I put on the Crust are just magnificent. These cantilever brakes work every bit as well as any rim brakes I've used. They're light, they're easy to mount and fine tune, they use "regular" road brake pads, and they're black!

Avid Shorty Ultimate cantilever brakes
The direct mounted center-pull Dia Compe 750 brakes that came with the Cycles Toussaint work fine, but not as well as the Shortys. I should probably figure out how to install the vintage Mafac Racer brakes I have in the parts bin on the VR, but I'm lazy, so I live with good enough.

All of which is to say, the cantilever brakes on the Crust are every bit as good as or better than the center-pulls on the VR, as well as the Ultegras and 105 dual-pivot side-pulls that came on both of my racing bikes. I'm sure many would ask, why fuck with obsolete technology when a vastly better technology exists, i.e., disc brakes? Answers: 

  • Ride quality: rim brakes allow a flexy fork which imparts a sublime ride, likely a large part of what makes this bike better than the VR. As Matt notes in the Lightning Bolt's product description, "This frame is designed to flex and feel like you're actually floating millimeters above the road on top of Dynamic clouds." Too right.
  • Mechanical simplicity and easy of maintenance: disc brakes just seem more complicated and difficult to maintain. My riding fantasies are mostly built around long rides in remote places. I want to be able to fix just about anything that goes wrong on the bike, and rim brakes are way easier to adjust. Plus, my bikes will never stop working because they spring a leak or because a battery dies.  

 "But disk brakes are better, newer, whatever..." Okay, sure, fine, whatever. As the Bike Farmer says, my rim brakes are "good enough for who it's for." Rim brakes were good enough for Fausto Coppi and Eddy Mercks; they're good enough for me. And the Avid Shorty Ultimate brakes are as good or better than I've ever owned. So there.

CONCLUSION 

So where does this leave us? Well, dammit, I've become spoiled having a bike that is so much more pleasant to ride. I love my Cycles Toussaint Vélo Routier. It is a very special bike, being the first production bike I have ever seen with bosses for direct-mounting center-pull brakes, usually available only on bespoke frames. But I find that ever since the Crust Lightning Bolt became rideable, that's the bike I grab when headed out the door. These days I only go to the VR when there's a problem with the Crust, or when I need the fenders. But while riding it, I now find myself pining for the ride quality of the Lightning Bolt. Kinda sucks. Like trying fine wine or good craft beer. Once you know, you can't go back.

Reflective triangle? Check!














Now I find myself asking if I'll ever really want to ride a bike that isn't the Lightning Bolt. I'll always hang onto my 90's Specialized Crossroads Cruz, for around town and as a back-country hunting bike. But unless the Crust is down for maintenance, I can't see riding the Cycles Toussaint, the 00's Trek 2000 or the Fuji much anymore. I'm inclined to let those bikes go, to clear space and maybe pass them along to someone who would use and value them. 

And now that Crust is having a very unusual sale on the remaining CantiBolts in their inventory (under 1,000 freedom tickets for the best frameset I've ever ridden?!), I'm struck by the terror that once the current crop is sold, there will never be such a magnificent production bike available. While that would constitute a travesty to me, I'm pretty sure the rest of the world would hardly notice, and Crust would get along just fine selling Bomboras and Evasions.

Crap. It's altogether possible there will be another Lightning Bolt in my stable before too long. This time in Light Sea Green with cartoony doodle graphics and yet another silly typeface. Ugh...

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Friday, July 2, 2021

The Lighten-ing: Wheels

For those of you who don't know, a few years ago I smashed up a midlife-crisis-carbon-fiber-super-bike and replaced it with a low trail do-it-yourself-built steel rando bike from Cycles Toussaint of Alberta, Calgary. Read all about it here: https://mondoblahblah.blogspot.com/search/label/VR2%20Build

I've swapped some cockpit parts over the years, but in general, the bike looks like this:

Cycles Toussaint Velo Routier V.2, 51cm

With the exception of the tires, handlebars, stem pedals and bottle cages, all parts came with the Cycles Toussaint Velo Routier DIY package. Though I could never quite get the front derailleur adjusted perfectly, I've been extremely happy with the bike, and find I like it more the longer I own it.

People who ride bikes like this, absolutely should not be weight weenies. The frame is steel, the rims are metal, the tires are wide. This bike is designed and built to keep the rider comfortable over long distances, not to race. So it's heavy compared to the bike it replaced. Ready to ride it weighs just about 32.6 pounds as I originally set it up. 

For a while I have been thinking of getting a second set of wheels. Nothing particularly wrong with the original set, and the kid at the local bike shop even complemented me on them when I took them in to get trued (I can do a basic job, but I like to periodically take them in to a professional get the dish and spoke tension right). My first inclination was to order a new set from Cycles Toussaint, as they have a wheelset for sale for the insanely low price of $169. The set, like most of their components, runs a tad heavy at nearly 1,900 grams, plus another 100g or so for quick releases. 

I had heard Russ Roca from PathLessPedaled mention he thought "good" wheels should generally not exceed around 1,500 grams, so I thought I'd look around to see what my options were. It doesn't take long to discover there aren't a lot of good options for 650b alloy "box" style rims on the market. In fact, aside from those available through Cycles Toussaint, only Pacenti seems to offer pre-built wheels that fit the bill. Velo Orange used to offer a nice set, but I haven't seen them actually in stock for a number of years and they seem to have been captured by the disk brake tractor beam. Of course I probably should (and thought I might) break down and get a set built at the shop, but that would require more effort than just plunking down my credit card, dammit!

After reading Jan Heine's description of the wheels he built for the bike he rode during the 2019 Paris-Brest-Paris ride, I decided the Pacenti Brevet 650b was close enough and somehow ordered during a brief window of availability during the Covid-19 pandemic. Looking at their site, it looks like there's now a backlog of at least 10 weeks, as is the case with a lot of products these days.

Pacenti Brevet 650b wheels

Built just for me by someone named Ryan from Devon, UK!

Ryan from Devon built my wheels with their own two hands.

Fortunately, before the end of the world, I acquired a back-up set of tubes and Loup Loup Pass 650b x 38mm extra light tires from what was then still Compass Bicycles, now René Herse.

Compass Cycles Loup Loup Pass tires and Schwalbe SV21A tubes

I've only used two models of tires on this bike in the three or so years since I bought it - the white Pacenti Pari-Moto tires that came with the Cycles Toussaint DIY package, and the Compass Loup Loup Pass extra lights. Both are made by Panaracer in Japan, in what looks like nearly identical molds. Both are absolutely outstanding quality tires, the primary difference being lifespan - the Pari-Moto tires are what Jan Heine has described as "event" tires, and for me at least, were very short lived. But they performed every bit as well as the Loup Loups at about half the cost, so you decide. If you like the white, buy two sets and just swap them out twice as often.  

A note on tubes: The René Herse site recommends Schwalbe SV14A tubes for the 38mm tires. When I originally installed the Loup Loups, I did so with those tubes, and both of them blew out. I allow that there may have been a problem with my rim tape or something (though the tubes blew out on both front and rear rims), but having blown $34 to smithereens, I elected to get some SV21A tubes and haven't had a problem with them. 

Technically the SV14As are listed on the Schwalbe tube-finder as 26 inch tubes which Jan has pointed out are plenty big enough for 650b rims (there's only about 3% difference in circumference, which should be fine). The SV21A tubes, specifically rated for 650b rims are a touch heavier (just under 3 ounces). I'm willing to suffer the extra 80 grams for just a touch more confidence.

Schwalbe SV14A inner tube specifications

Schwalbe SV21A inner tube specifications

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/tubes/finder

I was originally going to install a new MicroShift 10-speed cassette on the new wheels, but I figured while I was updating the wheels I might as well "upgrade" the cassette as well, at the risk of introducing yet another variable to complicate matters. So I installed a SRAM PG-1070, 11-36 cassette. Not sure it's superior in any way to the much less expensive Microshift alternative, but it saved about 2 ounces. I used one of the "extra" KMC 10-speed chains included with the DIY package. 

SRAM PG-100 Cassette

So I have the new Brevet wheels on the bike with new Loup Loup tires, Schwalb SV21A tubes, SRAM cassette and a KMC chain. Just in case you don't know, here's a Rivendell video demonstrating the process of swapping out the cassette and chain:

https://vimeo.com/505415805

So, does all this extra effort (and money - probably about $350 more for the "upgraded" wheels and cassette) yield any benefit? The simple answer: hell, yes. I can't say it's completely revolutionized the bike's performance - it's still piloted by a middle-age slacker after all - but there is a definitely a notable improvement to the ride quality. Spinning up to speed seems quicker, as does sprocket engagement after coasting. I'm not sure it's actually faster, but it feels faster and just somehow "smoother". 

I suspect a large portion of the improved ride quality has to do with the quality of the freehub, which is undoubtedly of better quality than the DIY hub. But weight might also play a role, particularly in the front which, despite having four (count 'em, 4!) fewer spokes, feels more "definite". I will test my freehub theory when I next swap out wheels. When ordering the Brevets I picked up a Pacenti freehub to get to the $500 free shipping limit. I'll put that on the stock Cycles Toussaint wheels with the MicroShift cassette and see how it compares. Of course that probably won't be for another year, so...

The conclusion is that I'm super happy I went this way. Nothing particularly wrong with the stock build; it is what it was supposed to be: entry-level. But the stock wheels really do a disservice to the bike. This one upgrade reveals the true quality of the frame with its compliant steel and uncommon geometry. When supported by higher quality components, the Velo Routier absolutely shines. I'm happier with the bike now than when I bought it.

Pacenti Cycles Brevet 650b wheels for rim brakes
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