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WelcomeWelcome to the first issue of the Vanilla Journal. This month we'd like to introduce the Workshop, a long term collaboration project, Speedvagen, a limited edition run of cross bikes, and the second in our series of Nouveau Prints. We're also offering friends of Vanilla the chance to buy the official Team Kit. And be sure to check out the links section for news and recent events. Each month the Journal will feature Vanilla and Vanilla Workshop news, photography, stories and will 'out' products and projects as they come to fruition. |
Contents:
1.
Vanilla Workshop |
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Vanilla WorkshopTo best explain how and why Workshop came about, the following is a note from Sacha White: I'd like to thank you for your interest and support over the years, and for helping me build this sweet little bike company we call Vanilla. Because my personal and professional goals have expanded to include component design, clothing design, and race bike engineering, I've decided to start the Vanilla Workshop. The Vanilla Workshop is an outlet for me to focus on design concepts and collaborate with other professionals and talented craftsmen to guide dreams into realities. While every Vanilla bicycle will continue to be built solely by me, I'm excited about this opportunity to explore new projects. Basically I see the workshop as a conscious and considered way for me to continue working with long time friends, professionals and collaborators to make Vanilla what it wants to be. And it goes way beyond building bicycle frames, it goes into exploring concepts, and innovating and collaborating on many different fronts. I want to work with designers, craftsmen, photographers, writers and graphic artists to create the Vanilla Story, and build the Vanilla Brand, and make Vanilla products. |
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SpeedvagenSpeedvagen is a Vanilla Workshop Racing project. Beginning in 07 with a limited edition run of thirty cross racing machines, Speedvagen will be developed, designed and built for racing. A small batch of Road Machines are in development for '08.  07 Cross MachinesSpec'd, tested and designed by Sacha White, Speedvagen features proprietary tube sets, drop-outs and other race specific innovations. Speedvagen are a half pound lighter than our 06 Team race bikes. In collaboration with Mike DeSalvo the Vanilla Bicycle Workshop will build and deliver thirty race machines for the 07 season. This offer is limited to the first thirty racers who return a completed application kit and deposit. For some insight into the birth of Speedvagen and what Speedvagen means to Sacha White the following is an excerpt from a recent interview for Rapha (clothing sponsor of the Vanilla team) with Sacha about Cross and racing. 
"I've been feeling that Vanilla precision and technology needs to be more accessible to racers, especially cross racers. So early this year I committed to creating a run of bikes that would be available to racers for the '07 season. Unsure of how to balance this new project with my commitments to Vanilla I remember thinking - If I'm the only one building these bikes, how would that be any different from Vanilla. At that point, I realized a collaboration with an established builder was the best way to make Speedvagen happen. And then everything started to come together and really make sense. Speedvagen was born and the Vanilla workshop was going to make it happen. I definitely see this as an opportunity to explore design and fabrication from a different perspective, as a producer. I'm working with vendors like Columbus to spec custom drawn tubing, and industrial designers to create proprietary features. And to help me build them I'm bringing in top notch fabricator Mike DeSalvo. He does an amazing job and he's a super good friend. When you're racing your bike as hard as you possibly can, you don't want a single percent of your brain thinking about finish or paint. A cross bike is a tool and should look as good or even better with mud and scratches and the patina of use on it. Speedvagen won't be any less beautiful than a Vanilla, just different. Speedvagen beauty is about form and function. When you take a step back and look at it as a unit, as one piece with an outline and a shape - I definitely get off on the shape of a bicycle - you see this pure function and pure speed silhouette, all the more beautiful because of its obvious purpose and intent." For more information you can visit speedvagen.com If you are interested in purchasing an 07 Speedvagen, or have questions please contact us at unicorn@Speedvagen.com. Please include your mailing address so a Speedvagen order form and application can be mailed to you immediately. |
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Print Series
From the Vanilla Workshop and in collaboration with Stumptown Printers and Dan Gillsdorf, we are happy to announce that we've completed our second print in our Noveau Print series. Print Number #2The second print features Sacha's youngest daughter, Delilah, at the track. Crowds in the stands cheering her on, wearing a competitive grimace, checkered flag just out of sight, she's speedily racing her tricycle to victory. The tricycle, winner of the prestigious "best in show" award at the 2006 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, was a gift to Delilah. When Dan and
Sacha first started hashing out ideas for this second print,
they both expressed the desire to go deeper into the texture of the
image and play with tone-on-tone color. They agreed that a little
used print method "spot color" would allow them to layer color and
explore the subtlety and elegance of each color and shape and their
relationship with one another. The second print came out great and
is exactly what they were hoping for. About the Print SeriesI don't know if
there is an artist, or style of art, that I like more than Alphonse
Mucha. I grew up with prints of his beautiful paintings on the walls
of our house and to this day, I still feel awed by his consistent
perfection. |
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Vanilla Team Kit
We are making a small run of Vanilla Team issue cycling apparel for the 07 Cross Season and are taking pre-orders until August 3rd. We are not going to stock this clothing, so if you're interested please let us know as soon as possible. The kit, made in California by Voler, features the Vanilla Script in tones of blue with the hits of white. This is the same kit the Vanilla racing team has been rocking for the last couple of years. Short sleeve and long sleeve jerseys, vests, wind shells, jackets and long sleeve skin suits will be available in men's and women's. Bib shorts and bib knickers will be available for men and for women the peleton short. And arm warmers. For more information please go to voler.com
short sleeve jersey ------------------------------------------ 100.00 For orders contact scott@vanillabicycles.com. We will need a 50% deposit. Deadline is August 3rd. You can expect your kit to be shipped to you in mid sept in time for the cross season and fall and winter rides with your friends. |
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News and LinksTechnology helps you be more compelling in your desperation and commitment to get a wicked fast race machine. A
nice little documentary from a local documentarian about Sacha and
Vanilla Bicycles, this film is gaining interest on the Nau and Dunderdon
websites, among others. Also checkout the dunderdon workspace interview
with Sacha. The Vanilla Workshop luanched Speedvagen at the North American Handbuilt Show this March. John Spurgeon rides his superlight Vanilla SS to victory as first ever single speed raam finisher. |
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Vanilla Bicycles 717 SE 35th Avenue Portland OR, 97214 Phone: 503.233.2453 Email: sacha@vanillabicycles.com |
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