Friday 12 September 2008

September's bike of the Month - The Velorbis Victoria


This is Cyclechic’s first bike of the month review. Each month we will pick out a bike that meets Cyclechic’s strict requirements of encompassing practicality, safety and of course, style.

This month’s bike is The Velorbis Victoria.Velorbis bicycles are designed in Denmark, made in Germany and are sold all over the world. For more details on suppliers and ordering email sales@velorbis.com

When first setting eyes on the Velorbis I was overwhelmed by its gravitas. The Victoria is a grand bike that instantly makes you feel important when you hop aboard. Over the next week of riding the Velorbis around town it was clear that it was not just me that noticed its regal quality. It seemed my social status was elevating as a result of my new set of wheels.

Having recently moved house to a new area we have found the neighbours a little less than forthcoming. However, one evening last week, as I was arriving home on Lady Victoria, our first neighbourly friendship was formed. As I cycled up to the house, the couple next door turned their attention from the gardening to gush over the bike and after polite introductions we had secured an invite over for drinks! I have also noticed that cars give me more space, I have received complements at the lights from fellow cyclists and even had one chap insist on holding open the gates to my local park as I cycled through. It seems this bike is opening doors to me both socially and literally.

On a more technical note the bike is a dream to ride. Velorbis manage to combine the classic style of a Dutch bike with the agility of a good city bike. Some Dutch bikes can feel a bit like hard work on hills but the Velorbis does not seem to struggle. The upright position can take a little bit of getting used to but you’ll soon adjust and reap the benefits of being more visible to traffic.


The details on the bike are exquisite. The mechanics at the bike shop, where I picked it up from, were pointing out all the different features and components to me in true bike geek excitement. While a lot of it went over my head, I particularly like the leather Brooks saddle, handle bar straps and leather mud flaps. Another really nice detail is the stabiliser at the front that prevents your steering from going wonky due to the weight in the basket.


I took my Velorbis for a day out in Hampton; it seemed very at home in a traditional English village environment. Stopping at the butcher and the baker and finally ending up in the good old-fashioned British pub!

10 comments:

Robert said...

I guess there isn't a candlestick maker's in Hampton? The pub is a good substitute :-)

Great bike.

Milady said...

Beautiful bike. There is something about the curves and the basket, even if a basket isn't the most sensible way of carrying any weight (short of a baguette and some flowers!). I fell in love with the Pashley Princess the same way, to the extent that I 3-D modelled it for a project. Even though in London, something like a Brompton is more practical, this is a bike (type) to really fall in love with!

Dave said...

congratulations lovely bike! where did you get it from as the Velorbis website doesn't seem to have any distributors listed in England at the moment?

Caz said...

Thanks for the comments.

Robert - What ever did happen to candlestick makers... electricity I suppose!

the Pashleys have a similar appeal, an elegant decadence that you just don't get from Brompton or a Hybrid. I agree baskets aren't the best for practicality but they look jolly nice!

Dave - I had my velorbis delivered from Germany. They used to have a couple of UK suppliers but they seem to have taken them off the site. I'll try and find out and let you know.

Jon Usher said...

I'm awaiting the collection of my Velorbis Churchill Classic (the gents equivalent) and the UK distributor is Moore Large. The brand manager is Adam Biggs (adam.biggs@moorlarge.co.uk)essentially most bike shops will have an account with them so they're pretty easy to order - although Moore Large are only stocking the 3 speed models.

Hope this helps!

theleila said...

am thinking about getting a velorbis (or at least saving up to buy one) but since they're hard to find here in america, could you tell me how much one would set me back? their website/catalog doesn't have any prices, though i'm guessing they're high up there.

Jon Usher said...

They're available in the US as far as I'm aware - expensive though. This blog (http://drunkandincharge.blogspot.com/2008/05/sigrid-bike-hunter.html) has a load of info on choosing and where to get one from. I think shipping will be expensive too. It looks like something like $1800+

Good luck!

Sam said...

Hi Caz, glad you like the Velorbis, they really are beautiful. If anyone's interested I'm sadly selling my Churchill Balloon as I'm moving abroad for work. Its on ebay uk at the moment 330322784919. Cheers : )

@BehoovingMoving said...

I have owned one of these for a while and written a detailed technical review for anyone thinking of buying one
http://behoovingmoving.livejournal.com/30387.html

@BehoovingMoving said...

I have written a technical review for anyone contemplating buying one of these bikes
http://behoovingmoving.livejournal.com/30387.html