Welcome to The Velo Collective
The definitive resource for vintage French bikes.
If you love vintage French bikes, there are lots of reviews and restorations, bike repair tips and information on this site dedicated to classic bikes. You can also find posts on other vintage European, Japanese and American road bikes, many with links to videos on our Youtube channel. Thanks for visiting!
The Music of Chance Review ( La Musique Du Hazard )
The Music of Chance Review As this is a blog about vintage French bikes, I thought I’d expand on my appreciation for French culture by reviewing a book I just read in French: Paul Auster’s: The Music of Chance. I remember first seeing cover of the movie at my...
Kool Stop Brake Pads – the Best Choice
Kool Stop Brake Pads I’ve been an admirer of Kool Stop brake pads for years, using them on many vintage bikes I’ve restored. Not only have Kool Stop always provided direct replacements for classic brakes made by Mafac, Weinmann and Campagnolo, they’ve always...
Restoring Brake Hoods
Restoring Brake Hoods Better to have worn and even crumbling old brake hoods than none at all, is my opinion. Sometimes you come across bikes advertised as “restored” only to notice that the brake hoods are missing. Bare metal lever bodies are ugly and detract...
Vintage Specialized Allez Restoration – the Battle
Vintage Specialized Allez Restoration If a vintage bike has been ridden for years as a commuter bike, then chances are its condition is going to cause some issues for the restorer. Riding in the elements year after year, especially through the long winters of...
Handle Bike Hauling the Right Way with Yakima
Cycling is one of those adventurous activities that stand the test of time because of the various benefits and opportunities it offers - from allowing you to maintain optimal fitness and health, to giving you the chance to...
Vintage Specialized Allez Jim Merz
Specialized Allez SE I watched this vintage Specialized Allez bike, a 1987 version, looking rather forlorn and beaten, sitting advertised at a good price for weeks. For days I looked at its photographs a dozen times, tilting my head to look at the clumsily...
Peugeot Super Competition: the Battle with Rust
https://youtu.be/XspeW6SYhtE Peugeot Super Competition I’d been looking for a Peugeot Super Competition for a while, because it’s my favourite bike that Peugeot made. Many would opt for an older Peugeot PX10, which I also greatly admire, but for...
Can 10 Speed Friction Shifting Work? Video.
https://youtu.be/qcSEkfzL8dM Can 10 Speed Friction Shifting Work? Some people have commented on the video that they have succeeded in making 10 speed friction shifting work. I accept that some set ups could function, but the precision involved would surely...
1973 Peugeot PA 10E
Decades of Neglect Perhaps “neglect” is too strong a word for the description of this bike, as it is my impression that it was stored for much of its life indoors. I’ve seen a lot worse; bikes that have been exposed to the weather and have paid the price for...
Laurent – a Rare Vintage Bike
Laurent, the Marque Laurent is a rare vintage bike, so when I went to buy this bike I really didn’t know what to expect. I could see it had some Campagnolo parts when I peered at the two small photographs on the listing, but everything else was guesswork. Isn’t...
Vintage Gitane Road Bike with a Chain Line Problem – Video
A History of Violence Perhaps this vintage Gitane road bike has no “wow” factor, it’s neither of really high quality nor is it impressively beautiful, but it’s a cool, lower mid-range bike from the 1980’s that I found for a good price. Is it worth blogging...
A 1986 Vintage Motobecane BC112, Huret Problems
Just Around the Corner I saw this cool 1980’s Vintage Motobecane standing outside a neighbour’s house, with a sign “á vendre” ( for sale ) attached to it. Seeing it in the distance, I guessed that it wasn’t a high end bike. The reason? Its red saddle. These plastic...
Recent Comments