AVALANCHE ROAD - STAINLESS STEEL

DATE DE REALISATION : MAY 2024

CYCLISTE : Man , 1m 87

PRESENTATION :

Because no, rim braking is not dead – far from it – and here’s a shining example of that with this stainless steel road bike, crafted with care and passion. Designed for full-day rides, this bike was imagined with a focus on lightness, responsiveness, and clean aesthetics.

The frame is built from Columbus XCR stainless steel tubing, a high-end benchmark of Columbus offer. This choice is far from arbitrary: it offers not only weight savings, but also a perfectly balanced stiffness, ideal for a snappy, lively ride – fully aligned with the goals of this build.

The overall concept was to aim for simplicity, purity, and reliability. The rear shifting is external, and the mechanical rim brake groupset is light, low-maintenance, and efficient – a deliberately classic choice that proves to be remarkably effective.

Component-wise, the build is centered around black carbon parts: a sharp visual contrast with the frame’s slender, colorful tubes, while maintaining a maximum of lightness and responsiveness. That contrast is further emphasized by the bold choice of high-profile Campagnolo Bora wheels – an unexpected pairing with this thin steel frame, breaking away from conventions. Because no, slender, elegant tubing isn’t just for touring bikes (even though we love those too!).

That’s the beauty of custom bikes: giving the owner the freedom to express contrasting aesthetic desires in a single machine – something nearly impossible to find in off-the-shelf models. This bike is the embodiment of that freedom, sitting at the intersection of tradition and modernity, of classic lines and bold choices.

The selection of wheels also holds meaning beyond their performance or visual impact. It reflects our attachment to a certain cycling heritage – one that values craftsmanship and legacy. Campagnolo still manufactures these wheels in Italy, and that matters to us.

Finally, the paintwork, visually restrained, hides a much more complex execution. A three-color gradient fades seamlessly into the rear stays, revealing the brushed stainless steel beneath. The Avalanche logo is rendered in polished mirror-finish stainless, catching the light beautifully and emphasizing the craftsmanship behind this one-of-a-kind frame.