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Civilian – A Bicycle Company moves production to USA: Launches new Vive Le Roi Cross Bike

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Civilian A Bicycle Company Vive Le Roi

This Made in the USA trend is one we love.  Tyson Hart of Civilian is keen on the small batch, made in the US model as well.  Asian production is stopped, and Civilian is ramping up to produce frames here in Portland, OR.  One may feel a calming sense about the unnamed manufacture (hint hint).  Official details are still being inked, however.

The first bike out of the gate for the new Civilian is a cyclocross frameset dubbed the Vive Le Roi.  Build options include a single speed belt drive, or a 1 x 11.  Framesets will be available as well for those wanting a custom build.

Jump the barrier for full details.

Civilian A Bicycle Company Vive Le Roi Fork
Note: This is not the product fork. The production fork will be full carbon, use a 15mm thru axle, and have fender mounts.

The frameset is constructed using True Temper OX Platinum tubing.  The headtube is 44mm, and the bottom bracket is a PF30BB.  Rear spacing is 135mm to accommodate disc hubs.  And to round it out, the bike comes with some very nice swinging dropouts to accommodate disc, single speed use, a belt drive, and fender mounts (on the production version).  The full carbon fork will make use of a 15mm thru axle, disc mounts, and fender mounts.  The prototype 56cm frame and uncut fork weigh in at 5 lbs 7 oz.  Cost for the Vive Le Roi frameset is $1400

Civilian-A-Bicycle-Company-Vive-Le-Roi-Rear-Dropout
The embossed Civilian logo is a nice touch.

For $3200 you will be able to order the Vive Le Roi B build.  This 20 lbs build get s a single speed belt drive setup on an FSA Gossamer crank using a 50t centertrack front gear mated to a 24t center track rear cog.  The cockpit is comprised of FSA parts and topped with a Ritchey Comp Streem saddle and Planet Bike gel bar tape.  The bike rolls on WTB ST i19 rims that are tubeless ready.  They are laced with a 32h 3 cross pattern to Novatec hubs with sealed Japanese bearings.  The wheelset gets wrapped with WTB 32c Crosswolf tires.  Brakes come by way of TRP.   Fitted to this build are 160/140mm rotors and TRP Spyre mechanical brakes.  They are actuated by TPR RRL AL-G levers.

Civilian A Bicycle Company Vive Le Roi Made in the USA

The Vive Le Roi G adds two pounds, $200 to the MSRP, and 10 more gears.  This 1 x 11 has the same frame, fork, cockpit,and wheelset.  The drivetrain is switched to a SRAM Rival 22 shifter, Force 22 WiFli Derailleur, and 11 speed SRAM 1130 cog.  Gearing is 11-32 rear with a 40t race face chainring up front.

Civilian-A-Bicycle-Company-Vive-Le-Roi-Logo.

Having some hands on with the frame, I was impressed with the quality of the prototype.  The paint was solid, the graphics and colors look amazing in person, and the parts kit is spot on for the price point.  Keep an eye out for these orange beauties online.

Civilian-A-Bicycle-Company-Vive-Le-Roi-Top-Tube-Logo

Civilian-A-Bicycle-Company-Vive-Le-Roi-Dropouts-2

Civilian A Bicycle Company Vive Le Roi Rear S Bend Stays
We love the sexy look of s-bend stays.

www.ridecvln.com

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22 Comments
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SketchyD
SketchyD
9 years ago

Kudos Tyson!

Keep it up, I’ve always admired your bikes. Looking good for the fast approaching / already here CX season!

Ck
Ck
9 years ago

I like all of it except for the downtube cable routing. Not my preference with a cross frame, even with sealed housing.

Greg
Greg
9 years ago

I commute on a Civilian Ramble, bitchin bike.

Willis
Willis
9 years ago

I ride a Civilian and love the bike, dig Civilian’s philosophy on riding and am digging the trend to move it all back to the USA..Great work Hart

joe
joe
9 years ago

wow… big price jump. too bad, i was really hoping to get a belt drive. hopefully “made in ‘merica” equates to an equally large (in relation to the price) quality improvement…

Robbie Mubbledutt
Robbie Mubbledutt
9 years ago

That’s some nice detailing on that frame, but I’d expect more for what you’d pay for full custom…

Speedy
Speedy
9 years ago

@Robbie Mubbledutt – $1400 for a frameset is typically $600 cheaper than most full custom frames with that same tubeset would run. These seem like a pretty good deal to mean. Along the same lines as the bikes from Wraith.

Robbie Mubbledutt
Robbie Mubbledutt
9 years ago

5lb 7ozs? The tubeset can’t be that great. I ‘m not saying that it’s not a nice frame for the price, but that money does buy a pretty decent custom frame. Not Marin Co. custom, but some of the lesser known guys are selling good stuff for $1500 or less (even though they should know better).

PartyTime
PartyTime
9 years ago

Congrats Tyson, awesome you are keeping the brand alive after the Backcountry.com fiasco. Digging the details and color! Now where did those new orange Giro shoes go….?

michaelpath
michaelpath
9 years ago

So cool to see another brand bringing production back to the States. Great looking bikes!

Ajax
Ajax
9 years ago

Sweet build! I hope that the rear dropouts are compatible with Paragon rocker dropouts. That way you could convert from the 135mm quick release dropouts to 142mm thru axle rear dropouts.

Brad
Brad
9 years ago

If the tubeset is full OX Platinum, not just the main triangle, then I think the price is reasonable. That’s a big “if,” however.

OX Platinum is my favorite steel tubeset, as it’s more rust-resistant than Columbus’ or Reynold’s [non-stainless] offerings.

I agree with Ajax – it would be nice to have thru-axle on the rear.

BB
BB
9 years ago

Don’t take this the wrong way, I’m all for “Made in the USA” but Civilian’s value proposition was a solid bike at a cheap price.. I can get a full 1×11 Vive le roi online for $1225. There are just so many players in the $3200 CX bike market, I don’t really see this as a positive move.

If you want to build in the USA, Start a new brand, or super high end versions for your fans, but don’t abandon the business that you were built upon. Keep the vive le roi at it’s old pricepoint by continuing to make it overseas, and build a boutique version in the USA, like Waterford Schwinns were.

AbelF
AbelF
9 years ago

Why did they choose to crap all over this steel frame with a press fit bb!!??? aargghhh

Dunski99
9 years ago

T. Hart is a stud. Nice work keeping the dream alive.

Mark
Mark
9 years ago

I ride two civilians, a vive le roi and luddite. These are great bikes only getting better. GO USA!

Jonno
Jonno
9 years ago

Looking good Tyson. I might have to switch teams. You guys got room for a 50+ racer?

mitch
mitch
9 years ago

The downtube cable routing is to allow the use of standard bottom pull front derailleurs without additional hardware, like a pulley. Smart move!

Also, good work bringing production back to the US!!! I have seen and worked on several Civilians and they seem like great bikes. The PF30 standard can be frustrating sometimes but with the use of high quality adapters it’s the only real universal standard. I still love me some English threaded BBs though.

Good work, Tyson!

Equine Master
Equine Master
9 years ago

I think it’s disingenuous to scream “MADE IN ‘MERICA!” when most of not-the-frame is made in them “damn foreign countries!”

How about “FRAME MADE IN USA”?

Why not Paul Components? Why not Thomson? Why not non-Japanese bearings? If they’re the best, why not try to make them better in the US of A?

This piecemeal jingoism isn’t very motivating. “My bike is American made, dammit. Well, except for the…um, everything but the frame.”

David Lewis
David Lewis
9 years ago

Only the frame is Made in USA, which until recently, wasn’t.

The rest of the bike is still Asian, so whoop-di-do.

I am very happy for Zen to get more business, though. The more bike frames pumped out of Portland makers the better, but let’s start making parts here too!

Ck
Ck
9 years ago

Avoiding the use of a pulley is a silly reason to go downtube routing. You’re still left with the more important rear shifting running the downtube. Plus, CX70 FD’s are easy to get for those still married to 2x systems.

Ajax
Ajax
9 years ago

There’s nothing wrong with components made in Asia. You eat the sushi, so what’s the problem with Shimano?

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