Where are Vivente bikes made?
They are actually made all around the world. The rear hubs in Germany, the carbon belts in the USA, the frames in Taiwan, the spokes in Belgium, and the mirrors and lights in Germany. The final assembly is done in Tasmania. We say “Australian Made” and that is correct according to a legal definition.
They have to be put together somewhere after all. But the advantage in doing the work here is that we can offer a range of choices. We can make 896 different bikes. The chances are, yours will be the only one of its kind on the planet.
What are the main differences between the models?
There is only one necessary difference and that is the handlebars. The other things that vary (frame sizes, tyre widths and gear levels) may be on any model. Bikes with trekking bars are called The Gibb. With flex bars are called Diamantina. With Barcoo bars are called Barcoo. Bikes with drop bars are called Swabia.
What is the widest tyre that can be fitted on an older Vivente bike?
On a bike produced after 2015 and having 700c rims you can fit up to 47mm tyres and still have mudguards. Bikes older than that will take up to a 45mm tyre. You can get our 60mm guards, but if you have an earlier unicrown fork, the guard won’t slide right up. And you can even change the rims to 650B, which we stock in 32 hole and 36 hole, and then fit up to 57mm tyres. (With modern Vivente bikes you can fit up to 70mm tyres).
Can I get a replacement saddle or mudguard? Mine is dying.
Yes. These things eventually wear out and we carry them and ship them. We supply the guards in 46mm or 60mm widths and sell front, rear or both. Contact us to place an order.
Does Vivente have a showroom where I can see and even test ride a bike?
No, although in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne you can see one or two versions on display at our dealerships there. We make bikes individually to order.
How do customers identify the bike they want as you have all these combinations?
We use a coding system that identifies the handlebars (model), frame size, gear ratios and tyre. For example, a V25GIBB-L-R5019-40TT is a Large regular frame Gibb with trekking bars and a Rohloff-Gates: 50:19T gear ratio, with 700 x 40 Transit Tour tyres by Goodyear.
Do the DTT (dropped top tube) bikes feel different to ride?
No. They don’t feel different to ride, but be aware that on the M-DTT and L-DTT you lose a waterbottle mount on the seat tube. On the S-DTT we use a side-release waterbottle cage.
All bikes can take an extra waterbottle underneath the downtube. You can also carry back-up water in a bladder in a pannier.
I’m shorter than 157cm. Can I get a bike with 26” wheels?
Yes you can. We don’t show this on of size listing but we do have frames, rims and tyres for riders in the 4’10”- 5’1” (147cm – 155cm) height range. We have limited stock on mudguards though.
Why are all the bikes black and can I get a different colour?
There is no single colour that everyone likes but we are a small manufacturer that can only manage one colour. This way we are never out of stock. We can replace an old frame or fork as they don’t change.
We can repaint a bike frame and fork for about $500.
Why doesn’t Vivente make derailleur bikes anymore?
A derailleur version would cost half of what a Rohloff version costs. Understandably, many people would rather pay half. But there are downsides. Functionally, a derailleur system is not long-lasting. A chain lasts as little as 5,000km whilst a belt lasts 30-45,000km. Derailleurs are vulnerable to rocks and sticks.
Shimano also regularly discontinues its transmission parts. When they wear out or break it might not be possible to find a compatible replacement. We regularly are asked to help solve such problems on bikes we made five or more years ago.
How long is the frame and fork warranty on a Vivente?
Fifteen years. See warranty information
Can we come to the Vivente bike factory?
Yes you can. Just email us with your dates.
What are Vivente’s carbon emission credentials?
The Vivente assembly factory has a 96-panel solar power system with a 38KWh battery. The entire operation is powered this way.
How long does it take to make a new bike for me?
We already have the frames and the wheels built so can produce a new bike in a few days. But usually there is a queue and we need one to two weeks. We go on four test ridding trips a year so we don’t do much bike building in January, May, August or November.
What does a Vivente bike weigh?
About 17kg. It varies slightly with size of course. This includes the rack, pedals, stand, guards, lights and waterbottle. Read more about weight and carrying capacity.
What about tubeless? Can we get a bike supplied that way and is it a good idea?
All new Viventes have tubeless ready rims and tubeless rimtape. Several tyres we offer are tubeless ready (TR) but we ship them with tubes. The only issue with tubeless on very long distance bikes is that they tend to be thin and not as long wearing. The big advantage with tubeless is that they can handle goatheads/catsheads.
Do you only offer Rohloff or can we get Pinion?
We checked Pinion out years ago. There is no service available in Australia. Well, not when we checked anyway. Rohloff has a service centre in Australia. Eventually (after about 50,000km) you will need to have the seals changed. Many Rohloff hubs, including our test bike, have done over 100,000km and have had seals replaced.
Has Vivente frame geometry changed over the years?
Not much. We set up the geometry in the 1980s and revisited it in 2005. When we started with Rohloff in 2014 we needed to adjust the chainstays from 450 to 464 mm to match belt and sprocket sizes. Since then, we have not changed it. We’d be mad to as people often say things like … “this is the most comfortable bike I’ve ever owned”. See our geometry page.
Is Vivente custom building a bike any different from a bike shop custom building one?
Vivente has worked most components out and holds stocks of them. We have limited the custom choices to frame size, handlebars, tyres, and gearing level. We assemble each bike individually but it’s streamlined. We pass on these substantial value benefits. We don’t like to present ourselves as a “value” brand because we are focused on quality. But compared to a bike shop, this process saves a customer a lot of money without them needing to compromise.
What’s the history of this bike brand and range?
The name “World Randonneur” and the touring bikes connected to it arose in the 1980s in Sydney’s Inner West. Until 2005, the downtube brand was called Gemini, but in 2006 it was swapped to Vivente, which is a brand name owned by Gemini. You can read this thread on bicycle.net that spans 13 years for some more insight into the history. You can also read more on our About us page.