Well apparently disc brakes are a thing. They are not my thing, however time and technology move on. If you want a classic French Randonneur today Singer is the go to. I suppose you could have an RH copy, but that's all it is, a pretender imo. There are modern builders incorporating all that is great about French builders. Here is one such builder, there is another way back in the thread. This of course this is only my opinion, feel free to disagree. So hit or miss? This is what I think what the classic contructeurs would be building now. Anyway, Victoire cycles. Translation as always below.

https://www.victoire-cycles.com/velo/lautomnal-de-michel/

Builders description below.

Michel's Autumn,

Michel wanted a bicycle that was both very simple and very sophisticated. A unique machine unlike anything we had ever made before. A frame that would symbolise freedom and French craftsmanship. A bicycle that would always be ready to ride, in all circumstances and on all roads. A meeting point between classicism and modernity, between nature and technology. After lengthy discussions during the design and production process, we created the Victoire No. 536 for him.

Michel chose stainless steel for his frame, which guarantees the bike's durability. As usual, we used XCr tubes from Italian manufacturer Columbus. This choice allows the weld seams to remain visible on the lower part of the frame and on the luggage rack, as this area is simply protected by an ultra-resistant powder-coated finish.

Bicycle undefined,

The Victoire 536 has one important feature: it is the first Victoire equipped with a Mimic gearbox manufactured by the French company Effigear. This gearbox offers a 469% gear ratio spread over 9 speeds, covering a wide range of uses, from city riding to light gravel riding.

Michel wanted a bike that could do it all, equally at home in the city and on trails. We designed a low trail geometry to suit Michel's urban and touring needs. The bike is stable and efficient, even when loaded with luggage. It's a real rail, ideal for long distances.

The Victoire No. 536 is packed with details. To avoid weighing down the line, we integrated the seat tube clamp into the seat stays. We also equipped the bike with a Victoire stem, whose clamping screw is positioned on the side, giving the cockpit area a lighter, more refined look.

To make the bike as easy as possible to use and maintain, we have created a frame that can accommodate a belt drive. While a conventional chain can be opened to fit the rear triangle, this is not possible with a belt drive, so the frame must be able to open. The right seatstay is therefore made up of two parts that can be separated. The Victoire No. 536 was delivered with a chain but will be able to accommodate a belt in the future.

We also used as much French-made equipment as possible for the bike: Aivee hubs, Hutchinson tyres, Mavic wheels and Berthoud rear-view mirrors. With the Victoire frame, stem and luggage rack and the Effigear drivetrain, 90% of the complete bike is made in France.

We are proud to work with companies that are contributing to the revival of French-made bicycles, and the Victoire No. 536 is a significant step forward in this endeavour.

Michel wanted an orange colour for his bike, but gave us free rein over the details of the paintwork. In the end, it was Michel's presence in Japan during the painting phase that inspired us. In autumn, the maple leaves turn red, giving the forests a red-orange hue. We applied leaf patterns in several autumn colours to a metallic background decorated with glitter.

The stem, fork and luggage rack are manufactured in our workshop, as usual. The various components of the luggage rack are modular and made of stainless steel, simply coated with a powder-coated finish.

The stainless steel frame allows the welded seams to remain visible, so we created a gradient towards a transparent varnish in the pedal area. This highlights Matthieu's work on the plate (the area that houses the gearbox) and the rear hub. The bases are connected to the gearbox by means of an intermediate piece: the yoke. We felt that this technical solution was the most aesthetically pleasing for this exceptional bicycle.

Michel's description below.

The first thing that strikes you about the bike is its appearance. The paintwork is stunning and far exceeds what I had imagined. The glitter looks magnificent in natural light and the maple leaves are ideal for forest rides. I find it hard to look ahead while riding, as I regularly catch myself staring at the frame! In terms of riding comfort, it's top notch. I quickly got used to how the gearbox works: you shift into the harder gears by pedalling continuously, but the easier gears only engage when you release the pressure on the pedals. This allows you to ‘shift up several gears’ at once by pre-selecting several gears before.
Release the pedal for half a second when climbing. It comes quite quickly. In terms of development, I currently have a 1:1 ratio between the front and rear, so I'm using the Effigear gearbox as is. I'm going to give myself a few months to assess whether I need to increase the number of teeth at the rear a little, but for now I've never had to push too hard when going uphill. Both for its aesthetics and its uniqueness, I'm very happy to have entrusted Victoire with the realisation of my project!

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Well apparently disc brakes are a thing. They are not my thing, however time and technology move on. If you want a classic French Randonneur today Singer is the go to. I suppose you could have an RH copy, but that's all it is, a pretender imo. There are modern builders incorporating all that is great about French builders. Here is one such builder, there is another way back in the thread. This of course this is only my opinion, feel free to disagree. So hit or miss? This is what I think what the classic contructeurs would be building now.

👍 It is a wonderful build. Interesting looking at this and the blue Goeland posted above it.

Difficult to say if it's totally "nailed down right" but it's certainly been worked on with many hours of thought and handwork. They've done a great job following the Randonneur handbuilt ethos and it's immediately apparent. There's a few things I could nitpick about (but won't) - it's just great to see a customer and builder having an ambitious go with an updated menu of material, parts and design IMHO.

EDIT: It's a HIT.
 
👍 It is a wonderful build. Interesting looking at this and the blue Goeland posted above it.

Difficult to say if it's totally "nailed down right" but it's certainly been worked on with many hours of thought and handwork. They've done a great job following the Randonneur handbuilt ethos and it's immediately apparent. There's a few things I could nitpick about (but won't) - it's just great to see a customer and builder having an ambitious go with an updated menu of material, parts and design IMHO.

EDIT: It's a HIT.
Watch this space 😁
Edit, I'd be interested in your nitpicking.
 
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