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My first encounter with custom paint shop Velocolour came at a low-key industry event in 2015 somewhere in the middle-of-nowhere, Virginia. It was called Baller’s Ride, organized by NixFrixShun founder Josh Simonds, and intended to be a mixed-terrain meeting of the minds of sorts: a diverse gathering of folks that included custom framebuilders, small component and accessory brands, associated retailers, and so on (somehow I got invited too).
Most of the attendees were on custom machines they’d crafted themselves given the then-unusual mixed-terrain format, not to mention the fact we’d be spending most of the time outside of cell range. This was before “gravel” was a thing, after all, so off-the-shelf options were few and far between. But this one fellow was on an old Olmo steel rig that he had no troubles keeping up on despite the fact it didn’t exactly seem particularly well-suited for the mission at hand. The bike was old, but also beautiful, with the patina of a machine that was simultaneously well-loved and well-used. As I came to eventually find out, the bike’s owner was Noah Rosen, and the reason that Olmo was such an impressive specimen was because he was a specialist in restorations, operating out of a small facility in Toronto, Canada.
It was the first time we’d met, and I’m happy to say it wasn’t the last.
I’d later see Rosen – and Velocolour co-owner Suzanne Carlsen – regularly on the custom bike show circuit at events like NAHBS and the Philly Bike Expo, and I never failed to be blown away by the samples of their work they brought with them. In fact, I have a board I maintain on my Instagram account filled with nothing but custom-painted bikes because of them, with the hopes of one day drawing inspiration from those images and indulging myself in a custom finish of my own.
I’ve had the luxury of watching Rosen and Carlsen develop the business of Velocolour since then from afar, but it was only recently I was finally able to pay them a visit in person. The paint shop stuff I was completely prepared for: the plotter cutter, color samples everywhere, design sketches, mixing tables, spray guns, paint booths, you name it. And there certainly was no shortage of eye candy both in progress and hanging on the walls. But the other stuff? Not so much.
Velocolour has become much more than just a custom paint and restoration shop, expanding into a curiously diverse operation with a common theme: be mindful of your consumption, love what you do consume, and do whatever you can to keep those things in good working order so you can enjoy them for years to come.
For example, the Canadian brand has its own range of soft goods – saddle packs, tool rolls, rack top bags, musettes, and so on. They’re made entirely in house by a local craftsman who apparently transferred his talents over from costume design, and often using salvaged fabrics that not only lend a unique style, but keep those materials out of the landfill. The items in the soft goods collection are far from inexpensive – the Rocket Pocket saddle pack is a substantial US$62, for example – but Rosen and Carlsen feel it’s important that they’re made to last, manufactured locally, and thoughtfully designed such that people don’t feel the need to “upgrade” to something else sooner than later. They seem to be on to something, too, given how the design has since been “borrowed” by more than a few well-known brands.
Velocolour went further into the soft goods rabbit hole by launching into clothing repair, covering everything from a blown stitch on a jersey, replacing entire panels in a pair of bibs that were shredded in a crash, and even shortening tights that otherwise fit aside from being a tad too long. The goal here is for the garment to be returned as close to original condition as possible, and the company is now even working directly with some clothing brands – such as Velocio – to ensure OEM fabrics are on hand for repairs. More recently, Velocolour has expanded even further on the repair theme, branching out into carbon fiber frame repair.
Despite the steady expansions, Velocolour is still a tiny operation. There’s Rosen and Carlsen, soft goods master Perseus Rebelo, and painter Elodie Feugeade – and that’s about it.
“We’ve had slow enough growth over the last 15 years that it’s been nice and steady,” Carlsen told me during my visit. “I think if you’d asked Noah in 2008 if Velocolour would have all of these things, he would have laughed at you. The motivation has definitely been on the repair side, keeping things out of landfills and giving people options to fix things. And that’s definitely been with, probably since 2016 or 2017, really looking at the climate. Realistically, if all we’re doing is high-end custom paint and shipping bikes to California, like, is that still going to be a business in 2025? If California is on fire, are people still going to be thinking about that? It’s a way for us to contribute.”
Well said, Suzanne. Well said.
If you want to check out more of Velocolour’s work, a good place to do so would be the company’s Instagram account. Fair warning, though: it won’t be a quick visit.
Velocolour may not have a big presence on the outside of its facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but there's a beehive of activity on the inside. Just about all of these frames are in various states of refinishing or restoration – and this isn't even all of them.I first knew about Velocolour as a custom paint shop, but its roots are actually more on the restoration side.Got a sentimental bike or frame you'd like to bring back to new? Give these folks a call. I hope I look this good when I'm as old as this Frejus.Velocolour is happy to work on just about everything and anything, regardless of vintage, material, or discipline. When you think about how broad the skill sets need to be to accommodate this sort of breadth ... it's pretty mind-blowing.These Colnago C40 chainstays have seen better days, but they'll be as good as new when they're returned to their loving owner. Velocolour says that repair work like this can sometimes cost just as much as a complete repaint, but when you're dealing with things with strong emotional ties, sometimes people just want what they want, and they're more than happy to be properly taken care of.Oh. My. God.Maple leaf-themed bikes are hardly unusual, but this one was done using actual maple leaves.Custom finishes don't always have to be super fancy or bright. But the point is that they're yours, and yours alone.Few things put the finishing touches on a frame like a painted-to-match seatpost (and cockpit).I so wanted to see the rest of the bike that these parts would be attached to, but alas, it wasn't there.This titanium stem (I think it's a Moots?) was expensive enough on its own already, but the custom paint takes it to another level. Note the matching computer mount, too!Velocolour often has to be quite creative when it comes to figuring out how to hold whatever it is someone needs to paint.Velocolour recently started painting hubs – and oh my, do these look so much more interesting than the stock ones.Painted-to-match Arundel bottle cages? But of course.Any custom paint job has to be very carefully documented to ensure the client gets exactly what they want.This cutting plotter is unquestionably one of the hardest working pieces of equipment at Velocolour.So. Many. Colors.Mixing paint is an art form in and of itself.Velocolour prides itself on being extremely environmentally conscious, not just at work, but also in how its employees conduct their lives in general. As such, water-based paints were an easy choice, even though they require a lot more care and work to cure properly.This table has seen some things.Colors are often tied to emotions, with certain hues often conjuring feelings or memories of people, places, and so on. I'd imagine there are a lot of stories attached to these swatches.All spray guns are not created equal.The prep work takes far more time than the actual spraying.I've come to appreciate working spaces that actually look like someone works there, as opposed to ones that are so carefully manicured that you can't help but wonder if they're just for show.Velocolour is very big on dust and fume management.Seriously, there are color samples everywhere.A place for everything, and everything in its place.As you can imagine, Velocolour goes through a decent amount of masking tape.Well yeah, what's the point of being a custom bicycle painter if you're not going to embark on a side project or two every now and then? As it turns out, Velocolour's most recent addition to the paint crew, Elodie, used to paint race car helmets for a living.Everywhere you look is evidence of Velocolour's "hustle" mentality. Early on, co-founder Noah Rosen didn't want to spend hundreds (thousands?) of dollars on ready-made double repair stands, so he made them himself.Sure, they're not (easily) height-adjustable, but then again, they didn't always need to be, either.This Campagnolo seatpost is looking a little worse for wear, but not for much longer.Who said only drop-bar bikes get to look fancy?Hey, Sheldon Grant, I'd like a word with you about your Garmin Varia mount. ;)Virtually no bit of space – horizontal or vertical – goes unused inside Velocolour's modestly sized workshop.I long for a proper drill press.Despite all the painting that goes on inside Velocolour, your nose would hardly know it.Safety first. But perhaps more interesting is how these glasses are mounted to the wall. A piece of webbing and a few screws? Done.Likewise, I love how Velocolour made this file rack out of some scrap furring strips and metal washers.It may not be pretty, but it gets the job done.Velocolour maintains this area at the front of the shop for client consultations. It's also where I happened to eat one of the best pizzas I've had in recent memory.Velocolour is a full-service shop, even offering certain types of custom head tube badges.Pretty.Velocolour is a single – and small – company, but its business is actually split between several rather disparate categories. Operating alongside the paint and restoration shop is a soft goods factory that churns out a remarkably broad range of bags.Velocolour's Rocket Pocket is still, hands down, the finest saddle pack I've ever used – and they're made right upstairs from where they're sold.The genius of the Rocket Pocket lies in its extra flap, and the way the lid is creased to form a sort of fabric hinge. The design allows you to keep your multitool in a separate compartment (where it won't wear through your spare tube), and it's easily accessible without having to open the whole pack up or even loosen the mounting strap. It's a design that's been copied by the likes of Silca, Topeak, and probably countless others at this point, but the original is still the best in my opinion.Velocolour occasionally does special editions of the Rocket Pocket. I'm kicking myself for not picking one up while I was there.Custom editions are on the menu, too.Velocolour recently started offering tool cases, which were designed with the help of a few pro mechanics, such as Scott Kelly of nearby Dundas Speed Shop. The tool pallets can be stored in their dedicated soft case, but also easily hung on the wall when you're not on the road.This rack-top bag looks mighty tidy.Velocolour often sources off-cuts of fabric – basically the leftover scraps that companies with much larger production volumes can't use. Velocolour is more than happy to turn it into usable limited-edition runs.Caps, get yer caps right here!That musette you saw just a few frames ago? They were once airline life jackets that were deemed out of date.Velocolour's commitment to sustainability also carries through to the limited number of items it sells in its retail storefront. Switching to Bivo water bottles was apparently an easy decision to make given their long-lasting stainless steel construction (plus, they also just work really, really well).Up in one of the lofts is where all the soft goods production occurs. Like the rest of the facility, it's a compact space with a lot going on inside.That Elna L-5 serger looks a bit yellow, no? That's because it's pretty darn old (seemingly long discontinued, from what I can tell), but it's also highly valued for the professional-looking seams it produces.Those new tool cases shown earlier in the gallery are produced at this station.Velocolour cuts all of the individual pieces for its Rocket Pocket saddle pack in-house.Watch your fingers.Velocolour's packs aren't inexpensive by any means, but the company also seems to go to great lengths to ensure it's providing a durable product – including through the use of high-quality hardware.This doesn't look like your typical bike shop tool wall, eh?Clothing repair has become a decent part of Velocolour's business, comprising everything from crash-torn shorts to blown-out seams and just about anything else they can manage.Most people would probably just toss these gloves away if a seam failed like this one did. But for those that would rather repair something than throw it in the bin – particularly for something so simple to repair – Velocolour's got you.Nice cycling jerseys are awfully expensive these days, and it's a bummer when stuff like this happens. Thankfully, there are places that know how to work with fabrics like these to make things whole again.These tights are well-worn, and well-loved, and the owner – Velocolour co-founder Noah Rosen – just isn't ready to let go of them yet. They've also apparently always been just a bit too long the entire time he's had them, so he's going to take the opportunity to (finally!) shorten them a bit, too.Might some of these hues look familiar? Velocolour is working directly with Velocio, meaning original stock fabrics can now be used for many repairs.Velocolour has a few more modern sewing machines, too. Horses for courses.The various bundles of fabrics are what first caught my eye here, but check out what they're sitting on, too. Need some extra shelves? Just make them yourself, obviously. Duh.A stitch in time ...Hmm, you don't remember seeing these colors in the Lezyne catalog, right? That's because they were all custom painted in-house at Velocolour.Velocolour's commitment to the whole right-to-repair movement now expands into hard goods, specifically to carbon frame repair. This Specialized top tube has suffered typical damage from handlebars smashing into the side during a crash. Photo: Suzanne Carlsen.In process ... Photo: Suzanne Carlsen.... and done. Photo: Suzanne Carlsen.Ouch! The damage on this Cervelo P5X probably isn't structurally dangerous, but the owner wants it fixed nonetheless. It'll be good as new soon enough.Velocolour is using ultrasound scanners to evaluate damage on incoming frames.While it's good to repair, it's also good to protect. Velocolour also offers custom-cut vinyl paint protection film, and I can guarantee that whatever they're charging for the job isn't nearly enough.Rosen's apron has been around the block a bit. This old Syncros logo definitely brings me back.Fun fact: Velocolour co-founders Suzanne Carlsen and Noah Rosen at one time ran a handmade jewelry company called Carl&Rose (Carlsen has a background in jewelry design). Littered around the Velocolour office are a few remaining samples of previous work.Cute.Seems unique toilet paper holders are a thing at bike companies.What's the point of being a custom bike painter if you're not going to have a sweet custom paint job for your own bike, right? This is Rosen's do-it-all custom Seven all-road machine, and it's far from babied.I love how delicate these masked lines are.This bike was painted several years ago, but I'm pretty confident it's never going to look old.You know what they make here? Magic. Really, it's magic.
