What exactly is Joli Velo?

If I summarize it in a few lines, Joli Vélo is a shop where you can find beautiful old racing bikes for men and women, which come directly from France and were often picked up by their first owners.

On Joli Vélo you will mainly find racing bikes from French manufacturers such as Peugeot, Motobecane / MBK, Gitane and many smaller, less well-known but equally interesting brands.

Who is behind Joli Velo?

I'm Chris, a Frenchman who owns a shop for vintage racing bikes.

In the beginning, even before the Joli Vélo project, there was a passion for everything that has to do with mobility in vintage form, be it vintage cars, motorcycles or bicycles.

I've never been interested in modern bikes, which certainly have to be very efficient and powerful, but whose aesthetics I don't like at all. My preference has always been for the racing bikes that were manufactured until the early 90s.

I founded Joli Vélo to offer you these fabulous bikes in the best possible condition, ready to ride and at affordable prices.

How do I work?

Without exception, all bicycles come from France and were purchased by me during my stays in my country of birth.
These bikes are bought by private individuals, collectors or junk dealers.

What I always look at first is the general condition of the frame. Whether there is not too much rust or paint chips.
The bike must be beautiful or “joli”., in its original condition.

Once in the workshop, tires, tubes, cables and casing are almost always replaced.

A thorough inspection takes place, checking the gears, brakes, steering and wheel alignment.
The bike is thoroughly cleaned, the rims are polished, the moving parts are given new grease and a test ride of a few kilometers checks that everything works perfectly.

When everything is done, you will find the bike again on Joli Velo, ready to be adopted and start a new life in the hands of an enthusiast.

The motto of Joli Vélo?

...Beautiful, well-maintained vintage racing bikes for a fair price!