Contemplating herd thinning to all-26"

[b hamon]

Fellow Riv-freaks:  As my life and my bicycling style both evolve, some things have become evident. Chief among them is that, of all my bikes, I tend to ride just two the most: 1. My Surly Big Dummy (no matter what BQ says, I really like mine); and 2. My 1999 Riv All-Rounder (an acquisiting from another Riv-freak several years ago). The former is absolutely necessary for hauling my guitar and amp to gigs, not to mention groceries. The latter is my daily transportation. I had promised the previous owner that I would "ride the crap out of it", and that is basically what I've been doing since I set it up for city riding. I have two other bikes that I don't ride so much anymore.  One is the singlespeed mountain bike I've raced on for the last three years, and since I'm fairly certain I won't be racing anymore (my knees can't really handle singlespeed and I don't want to race anything else) the former bike will probably go this year.  The latter is my 700c-wheeled LongLow, a bike I've had since 1999 and which I ride less and less as my style and needs change. I am more emotionally attached to this bike than practically so, and I'd like to hear from other folks who have become fans of an all-26"-wheeled stable. When did you do it and why? Beth in PDX http://www.reverbnation.com/bethhamon http://beth-hamon.blogspot.com/

[PATRICK MOORE]

Beth: don't precipitously sell the LongLow! You know that I love my 26" wheel Rivs (put some 35 mm Kojaks on the AR) but even in the last few years my tastes have changed: not that I dislike smaller wheels, but that I no longer feel that wheel size, for pavement, makes a big difference compared to other qualities like fit and overall feel. If I were to have replacement customs made today, I'd probably go with 700c, as much because there are more tires available than for any other reason. The biggest handicap for 559 and 571 wheels, IME, is the relative lack of tire choice.

So, if the LL feels like a Riv ought to -- a sort of amalgam of fit, positioning, handling, "spriteliness," then, if I were you, I'd hold on to it until I was very sure that I no longer really wanted it.

I have suffered much by precipitously selling bikes and parts that I later regretted losing.

--
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.

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

[PATRICK MOORE]

FWIW: http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/ -- 4/6 post.

On Sat, Apr 7, 2012 at 9:33 AM, b hamon <periwi...@yahoo.com> wrote:

--
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.

[cyclotourist]

Gosh Beth, that's the cyclist's dilemma... nostalgia vs. needs. I've let go of two bikes I wish I didn't (Bleriot, Quickbeam) and have two bikes that don't quite meet my needs but I'm loath to replace (Riv customs). I can't give you advice about wheel size, but it sounds like you already know what you need/want. FWIW, you could build up a "go-fast" 26" wheelset (Compass' new 26" tires look awesome!) and keep those for spirited riding events. Sort of the best of both worlds that way. Of course if you have the space and don't need the liquidity, you can always keep 'em all.

Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

**
“I believe in an America where millions of Americans believe in an America that’s the America millions of Americans believe in. That’s the America I love.”

[charlie]

I have a garage full of bikes I haven't ridden in years now....... :
( These days my Surly Trucker gets the most use because of the gnarly
700x47 Schwalbes and my generator lighting system. Been thinking of
getting a "Hunk" or an Atlantis and moving the parts over as my last
good bicycle to ride into the sunset with......the 26" vs. 700c thing
has crossed my mind as the wife rides a 26" (now converted to a cargo
bike) but truthfully, I'm the bike nut in the house and she would/
could ride anything. There is something to be said for having the same
size spare tires, wheels, general parts etc. if you ride all year and
shun autos. I plan to stock up on an extra wheel set, chains, tires,
tubes and other misc. parts that get used up. What I'm really looking
into is a source for either buying or making my own chain lube/cleaner
by the gallon (and cheap) plus learning to build my own wheels. When
you really put on the miles maintenance has to be fairly routine and
thorough or else you end up buying a whole new set of parts. My head
has been in the same place it seems trying to consolidate my rides
into what I really need and will actually use. The same goes for other
aspects in my life so yea.... downsizing can be a liberating thing but
I think its okay to keep a "show bike" that you only use on super nice
sunny days......on the flip side, for me, I've noticed as I get older
that I'm wanting less stuff in general and look forward to more life
experiences....too many things to take care of seem to get in the way
of that.

On Apr 7, 8:33 am, b hamon <periwinkle...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Fellow Riv-freaks:
> As my life and my bicycling style both evolve, some things have become evident. Chief among them is that, of all my bikes, I tend to ride just two the most:

> 1. My Surly Big Dummy (no matter what BQ says, I really like mine); and2. My 1999 Riv All-Rounder (an acquisiting from another Riv-freak several years ago).
> The former is absolutely necessary for hauling my guitar and amp to gigs, not to mention groceries.The latter is my daily transportation. I had promised the previous owner that I would "ride the crap out of it", and that is basically what I've been doing since I set it up for city riding.

[John Blish]

Hi Beth,

Your note resonates with me.  I am also recently more in touch with what I like to ride and what style works best for me now. 

I sold 4 bikes last summer, all 700, 3 of them Rivs.  My wife asked me to reduce the fleet and those were the bikes that I believed would bring the most return and some of them were similar to each other and to bikes that I still have so I didn't lose anything unique - except my QuickBeam.  It has gone to a good home nearby where it is fully appreciated.  I can visit if I want.  I have made my peace with that but I missed it immediately and started riding my 26" single speed RedLine MonoCog, which had sat mostly idle for a few years.  

https://plus.google.com/photos/111838829033930119881/albums/5708720188748611345/5728705989593648738

I put on new bars, pedals, Dos Eno cog, Schwalbe Fat Franks 26 x 2.35 and re-cabled and it seemed like a new bike.  The fat 26"s are a treat.  Obviously not a QuickBeam but a good single speed ride.

I liked the result of that revival so much I redid my 26" 1991 Bridgestone MB-1 with Schwalbe 26 x 2.15 Big Apples, new bars, new saddle, new pedals, V-brakes, new cables and new wheels with a switch from freewheel to cassette, still 7 speed triple.

https://plus.google.com/photos/111838829033930119881/albums/5724265447661313041/5724604809168276370

The Bridgestone cleaned up better than I thought it would and it seemed like another new bike.  Wow.  I had two (new) bikes in my garage waiting to be (re)discovered.  Cool.

I knew these were good bikes but it was only by letting some other bikes go that I appreciated these 26" bikes more.  These bikes may be more my present style than a Rivendell.  I mean no offense to anyone by that statement and I personally consider the MB-1 to be the Father of Rivendell and therefore a sacred device.  The statement is not about Rivendells, which are the finest bikes available, but about me and what I like now.  It was a little tough to take the MB-1 so far from its stock parts but I am happy I did it.   

In making these changes I realize what you implied - a person's bicycling style, needs and preferences are not fixed.  They are changing as time goes on and when the opportunity presents itself, and if the funds are available, certain changes, even to less expensive and less refined bikes, can be rewarding.  I am in complete agreement with you and also with Charlie.

John

--
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.

--
John Blish
Minneapolis MN USA

[Bruce Herbitter]

Beth & John:

I sold my last 700c size bike in 2007, to raise $ for a 26" wheel size Rambouillet. My other bikes are now all 650B, which is a "26" size, but rides somewhere between 26 and 700.  I rode the Ram today with its heavy duty 26" wheelset (some CX Rich built wheels) and 37 mm tires at 60 psi. Very comfy on coarse roads and quick enough on smooth. I still have the original Ram wheelset, which is lighter, but sees less ride time.

I find that at 5' - 6" and a 29 1/2" inseam, I get better bike geometry in a larger frame size, and the smaller wheels let me ride it. I am very happy in the 26" world, and the fatter the tire, the better. 

Bruce

(PS Beth, didn't know you played guitar. Youtube videos?)

On Sat, Apr 7, 2012 at 12:46 PM, John Blish <jbl...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Beth,

Your note resonates with me.  I am also recently more in touch with what I like to ride and what style works best for me now. 

I sold 4 bikes last summer, all 700, 3 of them Rivs. ...  The fat 26"s are a treat....

I liked the result of that revival so much I redid my 26" 1991 Bridgestone MB-1 with Schwalbe 26 x 2.15 Big Apples, new bars, new saddle, new pedals, V-brakes, new cables and new wheels with a switch from freewheel to cassette, still 7 speed triple.

[John Blish]

Sorry.  I have now unlocked the photo of the MB-1 and made it available. 

And thanks, Bruce.  We are in agreement.

-jb

On Sat, Apr 7, 2012 at 12:46 PM, John Blish <jbl...@gmail.com> wrote:

[PATRICK MOORE]

Kewl. I had a Monocog 29er on which I ran 722 BAs.

Questions:

What gearing?

What is that rack?

[John Blish]

Hi Patrick,

The front ring is a 32 on a Shimano LX crank.  The freewheel is the Dos Eno red, a 17 /19.  So far I have only used it in the 17.  Twin Cities is mostly flat and this is an easy combination. 

The rack is a Nitto R10 that I have had a long time.

Also shown here in more detail:

http://www.pbase.com/jblish/image/36187942/original

and here on a different bike

http://www.pbase.com/jblish/image/27704948

Although they show Out of Stock, they do have it listed at Ben's:

http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=872

Mine came directly from RBW long ago.  I don't know whether anyone still sells them.

Formally, the RedLine 26" is known as Jerry Pearce, which is also the name of the guy I bought it (new) from off eBay. 

I like RedLine products. 

John 

[Beth H]

Fellas -- thanks for the feedback. I should've included a few more
tidbits:

a. Space is much more of a consideration than money, though money may
become a consideration in the next year as my career situation
evolves.

b. I generally live car-free, though I will sometimes ride as a
passenger in my partner's automobile and actually help spell her on
long drives (i.e., outta state, which happenes once or twice a year).
In the city I don't drive a car. Ever.

c. In the last dozen years, I've gone from being a transportational
cyclist to being a tourist, a randonneuse and a racer, and now I feel
myself heading back into utilitarian cycling again and loving it. The
thought of "training" holds little appeal; The idea of signing up for
a ride to beat the clock holds even less; and paying to ride or race
my bike makes less and less sense as I evolve as a cyclist. The things
I continue to relish are my commutes, my cargo-hauling errands, and my
leisurely weekend jaunts, all done by bicycle.

d. How many bikes I own -- and all the seemingly-requisite gear that
goes with them -- feels far less important to me now. (No matter how
many bikes I own, I still have only one butt.)

As space and money are increasingly important considerations, it
becomes clearer to me that a serious winnowing-down is probably in
order. And because I rely on bikes for transportation, it makes such
excellent sense for me to have a smaller stable which all utilize the
same wheel size. Fewer bikes, fewer spare parts, more space.

So yeah, I will probably think about selling the two bikes I ride the
least, sometime in the next year or less. Thanks again for the
feedback. --Beth

[rob markwardt]

Bikes come and go. If I bought or kept every one that I've liked I'd
have over a thousand.

PS...Your music is fantastic.

[Zack]

I came across this Long Low in the Riv Reader (I think #16)!  Great story about how you wanted something that would be like your old Centurion.  Count me in the group that says hold on to the Riv.  There are surely better places to downsize than a bike that you will literally not ever be able to replace.

[newenglandbike]

+1.   I would keep it and try find another way to downsize.   But then again that's what I do, and now pretty much all I own are some bicycles and a guitar.

[Joe Bernard]

I advised her to keep it, too, but would be more than happy to give it a good home!

 

Joe "Love. That. Bike." Bernard

Vallejo, CA.

[Smitty]

I have an old 56cm Pinarello road bike that's too small for me and too big for my wife. It's dead weight hanging in the garage. Not sure why I don't get rid of it. I do know that it's pretty much just dead weight. Maybe my preschool age kids will grow into it in a decade.  I say if you want to go down to all 26 inchers to simplify the parts bin, go for it. 

Regarding Big Dummy and BQ... I haven't read the BD BQ review but would be interested to get my hands on a copy of the issue if anyone wants to part with it. I own a Big Dummy and ride it quite a bit... and I love it.  

--Smitty

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

Summary from imperfect memory: While reviewing the BD, Jan experienced a variety of technical troubles that are not common with BDs (namely with the disc brakes trying to eject the ft wheel). Not sure if he had a defective example (Surly almost never has a defect, but you never know), or if there was some user/setup error. And he had difficulties getting up to speed with it. He seemed (to me) inclined from the start to bias toward cargo bikes that load in front of the rider, rather than behind.

Personally, I like the BD ok, but it's a little too sporty mountain bikey for an urban utility bike, IMO. I like the Yuba Mundo better. Never tried the front loader style except for a couple rides on Bakfiets, which are sort of a different animal altogether,

[Liesl]

Yes, John Blish, you can visit your old beloved QuickBeam any time!
(I for one think it's great when people sell their wonderful Riv's and
we get to buy them!)

with love, Liesl

[PATRICK MOORE]

Thanks, John. So roughly 49" ad 44" gears. 

That is a very nice rack -- had I discovered it earlier I may not have been so ready to abandon saddlebags for rack-and-panniers.