The night from Friday to Saturday may have been one of the wettest in existence. After stopping for a day in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Veloptuous Times went through the Franches-Montagne and Biel to end the wondrous week with a cocktail party in Neuchâtel.
WORLDTEMPUS – 22 June 2011
Louis Nardin
Veloptuous Times demanded the best that its protagonists could produce: endurance, resistance to cold and rain, the ability to focus attention after strenuous physical activity for interviews, and stopping as frequently as necessary to take a good photo. There was continuous mental and physical activity at the same time. Between bursts of pedaling, sun and wind, we also needed to find the time to care for our electronic equipment in order to write and publish. This is the reason why this last trip summary is only being published today, three working days after Veloptuous Times officially ended with a successful cocktail party in Neuchâtel.
PHOTO GALLERY
From La Chaux-de-Fonds, during the first hours of Monday, Veloptuous Times soared through the Franches-Montagnes region, along the Jurassic mountain chain. The rock relief practically anticipated our arrival, and our wheels spun quickly across the long country routes. The region has a number of interesting technical elements to offer and we pass many windmills and the central electricity production from the solar panels of Mont-Soleil. Our surroundings are nothing but prairie, forest zone, and fir trees reigning supreme against the backdrop of the permanent music of cowbells.
The wind increased, and we had to fight to arrive in one piece at Georges Cattin's workshop in Le Noirmont. A case manufacturer, organist for 30 years, and collector of electric motors, his workshop is populated solely by mechanical machines, with the most recent dating from 1980. While numerically controlled tools have become the norm among suppliers, Cattin perpetuates a vintage and artisanal way of manufacturing. Son and grandson of a case maker, he is specialized in manufacturing cases decorated – among other things – with fluting and perlage. His services are particularly useful for brands specialized in small series and other operations where CNC is not the best choice or plain incapable.
We parted ways in the afternoon. Anders went toward Saignelégier to meet with a brewer of Franches-Montagnes beers and a cheese producer specialized in tête de moine, which is typical of the region. For my part, I capped my visit to the Bien region with a long, slow descent that gifted me with plenty of different altitudes before hitting the plateau of the countryside boasting three lakes. Arriving in Biel, however, was not so pleasant thanks to the region's heavy traffic, which is concentrated on one thruway connected by a series of tunnels. Side by side with trucks and cars at full speed, the bike – even this super bike – does not carry much weight. Arriving in the city, underneath a sunny sky, was like a release.
Without stopping in the city, which seems to have been built by the Swatch Group, but which is home to many other famous names as well — like Rolex — I headed toward Granges to visit BMC's bike factory. Flat and monotone, this particular stretch was not the most spirited as the savage nature of the Jura had given way to a universe that was agricultural and industrial at the same time.
BMC is specialized in the creation of bike frames and mainly has the other components produced by suppliers – with the exception of the Impec, a bike model presented in 2010 and realized entirely in carbon fiber and reinforced plastic. It is the first full in-house production by the brand. An obvious analogy with horology exists when one discovers the care and high degree of technology necessary to produce these frames.
I now needed to return to Biel to meet up with Anders. We were to establish our camp on a hill overlooking the city and affording a view of the Jura cliffs. This was the last evening spent with Veloptuous Times, and Anders cooked up some scallops and a vegetable curry over the camp fire. Dessert was mousse au chocolat and a celebratory bottle of champagne. Nature made a luxurious backdrop to this final party.
Tuesday began with a visit to Perrelet in Biel to meet up with Fausto Salvi, its CEO, and Karine Marie, in charge of communication. Veloptuous Times then left for the final stage of the ride to Neuchâtel. Along the way, a baker we met during a visit to a wine cellar offered us bread for the evening's cocktail. Having reached the lakes of Biel and Neuchâtel, we managed to enter the heart of the city, ready to prepare the event scheduled at the end of the day. The partners of Worldtempus and Plaza Watch had convened at the Interlope restaurant, which also has an old brewery, to partake in local wines, cheeses, and an excellent mood of all involved – happy to celebrate not only an end, but also a beginning: the beginning of summer.
