reaffirmation of a nice frame

[Brian Hanson]

I went on a lunch ride today with the "fast guys" at work.  I've done this ride with them before on my rando'd out AHH, but this time I wanted to try out a bike I recently set up for my wife.  It was unencumbered by fenders, racks, lights, and all the things I normally ride with.  It also had 28mm tires at about 60-70 psi.  

The frame/fork is attractive, and lugged steel construction (made in China) and designed by a semi-local Washington company, so that much is consistent, but everything else was very different.  The bike is unridable no-handed.  It wanted to veer left every time I let go of the bars.  The steering was twitchy - high speed and low.  The ride was harsh and bone-rattling - all on pavement, no less.  When I got home, I decided I never wanted to ride that one again.  It makes you wonder all the work and time folks waste building and riding uncomfortable bikes. 

I rode a total of 36 miles today, and never "got used to the handling".  Talk about a great way to make you appreciate how great the frames are that Rivendell makes.  I was mentally comparing the ride of my Hunqapillar and AHH with this thing all the way home.  They are in another class altogether.  Next time someone says that the components make all the difference, I'll just have to smirk.   

I think I may have to get rid of this bike and convince my wife she needs a Hillborne or a Betty.

Brian

Seattle, WA

[Frank]

Hey Brian, she can come by and ride Sarah's GlorBury and we can do the whole thing over again; you know where it leads.  

FWIW, a good friend and Bleriot rider Resurectio'd a 1980's Nishiki with Super Champion tubing, lugs, etc. Purty as it was, he can't stand to ride it. His experience reminded me NOT to jump on the next 1985 Trek 770 that comes up on the Internets just because I have fond memories of a time and place where options didn't exist. Contrast is a powerful lense.

The only bike I miss from back in the day is my '92 XO 3 which had the "other" kind of Mustache bars that I'd buy again in a minute if they still made 'em.

[RJM]

I know exactly how you feel.

 

My Riv just rides great and now everytime I get on my older race bike or even my mid-90's mountain bike I just feel all weird on them

 

Although, my wife is currently riding an early 80's Nishiki International setup with mustache bars that she loves.

[Kenneth Stagg]

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM, Brian Hanson <ston...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I rode a total of 36 miles today, and never "got used to the handling".
>  Talk about a great way to make you appreciate how great the frames are that
> Rivendell makes.  I was mentally comparing the ride of my Hunqapillar and
> AHH with this thing all the way home.  They are in another class altogether.
>  Next time someone says that the components make all the difference, I'll
> just have to smirk.

I know the feeling. After I got my Mariposa nothing else was any fun
to ride (except the tandem.) I could ride the Heron or one of the
Moultons but they felt dead and heavy. Eventually they all went away
and I still marvel at the incredible feel of the Mariposa each time I
ride it.

-Ken

[PATRICK MOORE]

What was the brand and model? (So I can avoid it.)

FWIW, the SOMA Smoothie (as distinct from the Smoothie ES which has
oversized tubing; the Smoothie "tout court" is standard gauge) at sub
$400 for the frame (no fork -- Riv's Carbonomas might work well) has
gotten good reviews for a fast, smooth and good-handling ride. It has
me interested.

Exempli gratia: http://tinyurl.com/6mk9el2

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/6Mp7_Q6S1WIJ.
>
> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.



--
"Push back against the age as hard as it pushes against you."

Flannery O'Connor

-------------------------
Patrick Moore, Albuquerque, NM, USA
For professional resumes, contact Patrick Moore, ACRW
http://resumespecialties.com/index.html
-------------------------

[William]

Is it a blessing or a curse, getting a bike that makes all other bikes feel bad?  I think it's a blessing.  My first Riv was a tipping point for me.  It changed the way I viewed cycling as a whole.  The consequence was that 100% of my kinda substantial stable got turned over (let me see one, two, three....seven bikes that I had in the garage in December 2009 are now gone).  I'm back up to 5 bikes for me, and only two of them are Rivendells, but they are all the direct consequence of the transformation in me that began with my first Riv and continues.  

[Kenneth Stagg]

Blessing here. I spend more time riding and less time thinking,
writing, talking or stressing about bikes. I have more money in my
pocket because I don't worry about trying to find something better
than what's already on the bike. The only tweaking I've done on the
bike since I got it has been to change out the pedals and (recently)
the cassette for a different set of ratios since I've moved away from
the area for which it was originally geared.

-Ken

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
> To view this discussion on the web visit

> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/DdH0xpGmAKQJ.

[PATRICK MOORE]

Ken: can you post a photo? I think I saw it on the Boblist when you
first took delivery, but it has been too long to remember what I saw.
IIRC, it's a 559 wheeled design, right? I'm curious to see again what
it is like -- and, if I am right in thinking that it is 559, to learn
what tires you are using.

Thanks.

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 12:50 PM, Kenneth Stagg <kennet...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Blessing here.  I spend more time riding and less time thinking,
> writing, talking or stressing about bikes.  I have more money in my
> pocket because I don't worry about trying to find something better
> than what's already on the bike.  The only tweaking I've done on the
> bike since I got it has been to change out the pedals and (recently)
> the cassette for a different set of ratios since I've moved away from
> the area for which it was originally geared.
>
> -Ken

[Kenneth Stagg]

Yep, 559. Still using Panaracer HiRoads. Haven't decided what I'm
going to move to when my stash of these is used up. I'd love to find
a smooth, light, flexible, moderately durable 26x1.5 tire if someone
has suggestions.

http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2005/cc026-kenstagg0805.html

Note I think the lugs the modified Riv 1st generation (to qualify for
posting on RBW :) Oh, and this sold me on low trail - the handling
difference with cushier tires and a handlebar bag - both of which I'm
fond of - is amazing.

-Ken

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.

[Steve Palincsar]

On Thu, 2012-06-21 at 13:50 -0500, Kenneth Stagg wrote:
> Blessing here. I spend more time riding and less time thinking,
> writing, talking or stressing about bikes. I have more money in my
> pocket because I don't worry about trying to find something better
> than what's already on the bike. The only tweaking I've done on the
> bike since I got it has been to change out the pedals and (recently)
> the cassette for a different set of ratios since I've moved away from
> the area for which it was originally geared.

Yes, but honestly, Ken, that Mariposa of yours is literally nothing shy
of perfection. Of course you don't worry about tweaking it -- any more
than they worry about tweaking the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

[Kenneth Stagg]

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 2:11 PM, Steve Palincsar <pali...@his.com> wrote:
>
> Yes, but honestly, Ken, that Mariposa of yours is literally nothing shy
> of perfection.  Of course you don't worry about tweaking it -- any more
> than they worry about tweaking the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

And the really cool part? It rides better than it looks. I think
Mike must have performed some magic to make it handle so well - either
that or years and years of practice and study grounded in an intuitive
understanding, but magic sounds more interesting ;)

-Ken

[PATRICK MOORE]

Thanks, Ken.

Not 1.5, but for 1.35 the Schwalbe Kojaks are very nice.

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.

> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
>

[Kenneth Stagg]

Thanks. Worth looking into. Actually your suggestion reminded me of
something else. Anyone tried the Primo Comets in 1.5? I see that the
Hostel Shoppe lists them in both wire bead and Kevlar.

-Ken

[Seth Vidal]

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 3:24 PM, Kenneth Stagg <kennet...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks.  Worth looking into.  Actually your suggestion reminded me of
> something else.  Anyone tried the Primo Comets in 1.5?  I see that the
> Hostel Shoppe lists them in both wire bead and Kevlar.
>

I had those on my bike friday tandem. They were great. Didn't really
test durability much but they rolled smoothly and didn't feel dead at
all.

-sv

[William]

Give me a break!  You can always improve a bike.  That's just laziness and settling for 'good enough'.

For example, on that Mariposa you could improve the.....um.....well, look at that...ummm....uhhh.... 

##stares##

##ruminates##

##cogitates##

##deliberates##

Well, there's always the, um.....OK, I guess it is perfect.  

[Kenneth Stagg]

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 2:37 PM, William <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Give me a break!  You can always improve a bike.  That's just laziness and
> settling for 'good enough'.

Well... Maybe. I have thought about swapping the headlamp out for
one of the new LED headlamps that wasn't available when I spec'd the
bike :)

-Ken