My normal yearly schedule usually includes a visit or two to Portland, Oregon, a mecca for bicycle framebuilders. Over the years, I’ve been a part of documenting the projects that come out of the Vanilla Workshop, so when a sweet project like this comes along, I like to elevate it to the Reportage section of the site. Sure, this bike isn’t going to be for everyone, nor is it by any means accessible, but as cyclists, we should be able to appreciate beautiful pieces of craft and thoughtfulness. At least that’s how I look at it!

Anyway, this Vanilla Classic road bike build with custom CycloRetro Engraved Shimano Dura Ace is a blast from the past… and that’s its intent! Read on below for more words and beautiful photos from the Vanilla Workshop.

2020 hasn’t had too much going for it, but it has produced a renaissance for the bicycle. This rebirth has moved us to celebrate our origins.

In 1999 Sacha created Vanilla Bicycles, based on the simple idea that it is what the builder does with their material, which makes a truly rarified bicycle experience. Craft, style, obsession, and live on the spot design decisions, where every single part on the bike was considered, launched Vanilla to the forefront of the custom bicycle world.

This created overwhelming demand and a multiple year-long waitlist. With the waitlist came collectors and bikes that would get dusty, not muddy, and ridden as intended.

Our bikes are built to be ridden!

Speedvagen was created in 2007, to take the same handcrafted approach of Vanilla and apply it for cyclists that want to ride hard. Sacha surrounded himself with talented fabricators, obsessive painters, edgy designers, and world-class mechanics. The Vanilla Workshop grew from this passionate collaboration, quickly creating the Speedvagen we know today: a bike stripped of bullshit with only the details that matter to our people.

As we look to the future, it is important to celebrate our past, and in the spirit of taking it to 11, this November, we release a modern racing machine, wrapped in the original colors of our Vanilla DNA.

A throwback to the flavors of the early 2000’s, mixed with what is now possible when today’s shop is having some fun.

Happy 11/11. We are limiting this release to 11 in each flavor don’t be mistaken, these aren’t wall hangers, they’re meant to be ridden hard!

Build List:
Full custom fillet brazed Vanilla Classic frame, featuring Speedvagen Custom tubing
Four iconic color options: Race Red, Curtes Silver, Alpers Blue, and Classic Vanilla Cream.
Fork: Enve Road
Wheels: Hand Polished HED Belgium’s laced to Painted to Match Chris King Hubs comes standard.
Tires: Vittoria Corsa Control 700x28mm
Saddle: Fabric Scoop Ti rails
Stem: Enve or Upgrade to out Built In House Integrated CK dust cap
Seat post head: Enve 0º
Headset: Chris King
Bottom Bracket: Chris King
Group set: Hand Polished Dura Ace by CycloRetro
Plus, all of the features of our standard Speedvagen frames.
Each Color is limited to 11 total frames and about 33% of the build spots are reserved.

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If you want one of these absurd bikes, holler at the Vanilla Workshop. For the rest of us, we just get to enjoy these photos and that’s enough!