Jean-François’s and Didier’s bike for Paris-Brest-Paris 2023

The first finished bikes of 2023 to leave the workshop are the light road bikes for two friends from Wimereux in the Pas-de-Calais, Jean Francois and Didier. They are aiming to ride this year’s Paris-Brest-Paris on them and have already done their 200 km brevets. I’m glad they still have a few months to train on their new machines and I’m particularly proud that I get to participate in this prestigious race that way (I won’t be able to participate in the Concours de Machine otherwise).

Jean-François and Didier are experienced riders and they had a very clear vision of what they wanted. They brought several parts such as the saddle and the Thomson periphery to be used on those bikes. We confirmed the measures through a professional bike fit at La Clinique du Cycliste. The goal was to create a light and responsive frame and souple fork, ready to be equipped with lights and for Didier also with a charger, but otherwise the bikes are classic road bikes : 2x11 transmission (Sram Force) and caliper brakes, upgraded with a beautiful crankset from White Industries. I made the frame entirely from Columbus Life tubes and the fork with Columbus SL fork blades. The wheels were laced by Matiq, Mavic Open Pro rims (choice of Jean-François) on a SON dynamo front hub and a White Industries T11. Jean-François wanted to test the Supernova M99 front light which he noticed on the winning bike of the Concours de Machines 2022 in Roubaix from Cyfac. For Didier I went for the combination of SON DC front light and the Supernova Tail Light 2 both connected to the Forumslader to charge phone and GPS.