Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Edelbikes Rapha Continental

Edelbikes Rapha Continental

Despite the worn-out Sound of Music references, the Edelweiss flower is a wonderful association for the crystalline atmosphere that inspires Francois Cau to build his frames. Francois and his Edelbikes workshop, located at the foot of the majestic French Alps, was recently selected to produce a machine for Rapha’s European Continental crew.

Edelbikes Rapha Continental

Rapha, manufacturers of ultra-fine riding apparel, sponsor a band of riders to explore some of the world’s most exhilarating roads. Their adventures are borne upon frames by builders synonymous with the regions they ride through. This season, they head to Europe on bikes built by Amaro Bikes, Crema Cycles, St Joris Cycles, VANDEYK, Vogel Fahrradrahmenbau, Zullo Tiziano and Edelbikes.

Edelbikes Rapha Continental

Francois relishes the environment he lives in, ski-mountaineering the Alps in winter and mountain biking over them in summer. The frame he compiled for the Continental team is a heady mix: a Columbus down tube, Reynolds 853 top tube, Dedacciai seat tube and a True Temper head tube, while the chain and seat stays are formed from stainless steel Reynolds 931.

Edelbikes Rapha Continental

The theme is in keeping with the other Continental bikes: predominantly steel frames based on a geometry that’s a happy medium between sport and long distance touring. It’s all style, though, reflecting the exclusivity of Rapha’s range. Check out the beautifully shot mini-doco about the European Continental builders by Ertzui Film on the Rapha website.

Edelbikes Rapha Continental

Special thanks also to Dirk Kaufmann and Ertzui Film for the photos.

Edelbikes Rapha Continental