Yes, the Paul Components 30th Anniversary boxed groupset costs $1989, but just look at it! And it’s not like a 30th Anniversary pops round very often.
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Chico, California company Paul Components, Paul and his team decided to commemorate the occasion with a special one-off groupset. Paul has previously come out with celebratory things like the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) singlespeed groupset and was the only small company to make a front and rear mech in the nineties, but we think that this time Paul and team have gone perhaps a touch far with the work behind the 30th Anniversary box set…
As Paul’s PR guy says “This 30th Anniversary Box Set literally took us all year. Every time we thought of something special and unique to add to the project, we said “Let’s do it!”.
“First, we anodized all the parts and commemorative bottle openers in a super limited alternating Royal Purple/Smoky Pewter colorway. Then, we engraved each part with a number “30”. Finally, we decided they should come in a CNC engraved and individually numbered wooden box with brass hinges and hardware.”
The boxes themselves were hewn from solid planks of wood in Paul Price’s home woodshop, then brought to the factory for CNC machining (once they’d sealed off an area for woodwork in the clean room atmosphere of the metalwork shop. Then the boxes went back to Paul’s woodshop where he personally sanded them all… Then it got back to the factory for the hinges and components to be added.
There are only 30 of these Paul Components 30th Anniversary box-sets available, and they’re $1989 – which is a play on the founding year of the company (which means you’re paying something like $1100 of a premium for the special colour and the special, numbered box – but hey, collectors…) And there’s no denying that there’s a lot of extra work involved…
But can we get a ‘How much?’? And do you think we’ll ever see one in the wild? Perhaps on a NAHBS show bike? But don’t expect to see one down the Surrey Hills any time soon.
Technical Information
• Includes: Pair of Short Pull Klamper Brakes, Canti Brake Levers, Quick Release Seat-Collar, and Commemorative Bottle Opener
• Available Seatclamp Sizes: 30.0, 31.8, 33.1, 35.0
• Materials: American 6061, 7075 Alloy and American Poplar Wood
You can be astounded at the 30th Anniversary groupset at the Paul Component website, which does sell more reasonably-priced American made components too…
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Do we now call a set of brakes and a seatclamp a groupset? It’s lovely looking and everything but it’s not a groupset.
I came to post just that.
There again I’m not the target audience, having nowhere near enough disposable income nor a liking for purple ano.
A fair point. What do you call it? A brake and clampset?
Didn’t groupsets include seatposts too in the olden days?
Are they really going to be able to sell 30 sets at that price? Are there that many people who want to spend over twice the normal price not to use them? It’s a strange world.
At $1989 for that lot, The Surrey Hills is probably the ONLY place you’re likely to see it 😉
Thing is they are not even lovely. In fact the whole idea shouts nasty overpriced rip off. Perhaps Paul could have thought about what would be a more suitable 30 year celebratory activity in 2019 than pandering to the swarovski crowd. Yuk.
What a load of utter shite. Amazed if they sell 10 of them.
Just noticed that the lid has just been hollowed out to accommodate the calipers, not even machined a snug fit, they’ll rattle about for that money the box should have been lined like a watch box is.