Journal

In 2025, I was at Bespoked Dresden with Marie and Laurent from Avalanche, who design and build custom bikes here in Paris. We were working together on a few things and I was fascinated by their way of making bikes : a blend of modernity and functionality which reminds me vintage steel bikes, before carbon became massively used. As a designer-maker myself, I don’t think that our mission is to invent new things, always. It’s designing and making products that simply work. I’m not supporting progress for the sake of progress ; aero carbon frame, electronic shifting, hydraulic brakes... etc. all those things can be appealing but what if you run out of battery or if a hose leaks in the middle of nowhere ? Bike is freedom, not enslavement. This race for technology impacts every part of our lives and it’s easy to get caught. It's not about going back to the Stone Age but to use it when you need it. 
Well, the idea of a bike made by friends in Paris was rolling in my head for a long time and back from these few days together, I wrote them an email with a few wishes : an adventure bike made of titanium, dazzle painting, big tires, reliable, low-maintenance and “low-tech” components. And more importantly, most parts will come from small and passionate manufacturers. I make custom things for a living and I have actually never lived the experience of waiting so long for a thing you dream about. I couldn’t be happier.

For the geeks out there :
• titanium frame and fork made by Avalanche
• titanium seatpost and stem made by Avalanche
• Enve carbon gravel handlebar
• wheels : Duke Sierra Aera 42mm carbon rims, Duke and Son Dynamo 29S hubs. Ultradynamico Mars 29x2.3” tires
• brakes and levers : Growtac
• drivetrain : Ingrid 1x12 speeds, 10-52t 
• light : Exposure Revo5 and Supernova

• bag : made by myself in Challenge Sailcloth Ultra 100 black and glacier grey. The pattern is not printed : I cut and sewn every strip together before seam taping

People often asked what I’m taking during my adventures and how I pack things. This list has evolved over time but I believe I’ve found exactly what I need for a 10-days summer trip in rough terrain :
• harness + 14L drybag : Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 2-persons tent and groundsheet, Sea-to-Summit Spark III with silk liner, Sea-to-Summit Aeros regular pillow
• Buddy Bag : snacks, spork, knife, lock and small trash bags in the exterior pocket
• rolltop camera bag with Fidlock magnetic buckle : Fairmean bike bag (for the high-speed train), 26k Anker battery and chargers, ultralight musette, Petzl headlamp
• half-framebag : tent stakes, pump, tube, 750ml Toaks cup with Vargo alcohol burner, 220ml Snow Peak insulated mug, coffee filter, small cloth, lighter, towel, rain gloves, coffee, 1x dehydrated meal, Vargo windscreen and Tent Lab trowel in the non-drive side map pocket
• top tube bag : hygiene things, 250ml alcohol
• Booty Bag 14L : Sea to Summit ultralight mattress, spare bib, 1x merino underwear, 2x merino socks, 1x long-sleeves merino top, merino beanie, Arcteryx Atom SL jacket, The North Face Tanken pant, Havaianas slippers, tools and spare parts in the top zippered pocket
• on me : Rapha bib, The North Face Glacier short, Patagonia merino top, Maap Prime jacket, Mission Workshop cap, Giro Helmet, 100% glasses, Giro light gloves, Mission Workshop socks and Quoc shoes
• bike : two years ago, I asked Yasin from Soulrider Frameworks in Istanbul, Turkey, to build me a custom titanium gravel bike (with clearance for 29x2.25 tires, if needed). For adventures where resupply points can be hard to find, I like to bring 1L Nalgene bottle + 2x 750ml bottle on the downtube using Wolftooth double bottle adapter. I sometimes switch to a full framebag with 3L hydration bladder inside the bag. I use Wahoo Element Roam for navigation and Supernova lamps.