Crust Romanceur vs Rivendell 650b ride

[Tom Goodmann]

I'm intrigued by the Romanceur (and the Lightning Bolt) but have not ridden one. I have ridden and owned several Rivendells, and like the Riv ride a lot as a not-so-young rider (and still have an RB-T too).  Road, gravel, light touring are the intended uses.  How would those of you who have ridden both compare the ride of a Romanceur with, say, that of a Saluki?

BTW, looking for other well-regarded 650b rando bikes, I can't seem to find any current information for a Box Dog Pelican or a Boulder Bicycle All-Road; I am guessing that the latter disappeared with absorption into RH.

Tom

Miami, FL

[Brett Callahan]

Not a completely on point answer to your question, as I have no experience with the Romanceur and haven't ridden a Saluki.  

That said, I did briefly own a (2nd?) generation canti Lightning Bolt and found it be fantastic. Mine was the root beer colored one.  I can compare it to the canti braked Velo Orange Polyvalent and the Soma Grand Randonneur, both of which are 650b, low trail 'competitors.'  The LB ride qualities were a step above both. It was noodlier than the VO by far, and didn't give me any shimmy issues as the Grando did (both with needle bearing headsets).  Although not lugged, the welds were extremely nice and I found the finish and paint to be very good. I'm significantly over the weight limit for the original LB frame and had zero issues. It was flexy, yes, but not problematically so. The best comparison I can give is to a 650b Fitz Cyclez Randonneur that I briefly owned. That bike was extremely nice, lugged, and used Kasei fork blades, which were too flexy for my taste. (Again, I'd have been heavy for the bike).  The LB was my favorite out of the three, with a smooth (maybe even 'planing' ride quality).  I didn't keep the bike long as the friend I purchased the bike from had second thoughts and I agreed to sell it back to him. The lighnting bolt is a great bike, and since other mass produced 650b low trail bikes are few and far between (Kogswell, Boulder, and Box Dog Pelicans being available only used and sporadically) I'd recommend it without reservation.  

Turning to Rivs, while both are 700c and mid/high traiI, I can also compare the lightning bolt to a 2000 Toyo Atlantis and a 2015(ish) Sam Hillborne. The handling differences between low and high trail bikes make any comparison apples to oranges, but the LB was significantly flexier in terms of tubing than both, as you would expect.  I'd guess that the LB is going to have thinner tubing and a flexier ride than anything Riv has produced outside a lighter tubed custom or possibly a Roadeo. (Not a knock on Riv, just that I think the priorities are somewhat different). I've read that Salukis have somewhat tight clearances and make it difficult to fender 42mm tires relative to the Canti Bolt, which had more than adequate room. 

Hopefully this somewhat rambling almost comparison is of use, and good luck in your search. 

Brett in PDX

[Tom Goodmann]

Many thanks for your thoughts, Brett; these are very helpful and I appreciate the positive take on the LB and on Crust build quality (about which I've only read positive things).  I liked that root beer color too on the Lightning Bolt, too.  

I also have a friend with whom I have traded bikes, as we ride virtually the same sizes and set-ups, consistently offering one another "right of first refusal"; we're talking over a 650b bike swap just now.  His knowledge and mechanical abilities are far superior to mine.

Tom in Miami

[Harry Travis]

Just to note: The V-O Polyvalent (PV) has always been this small marque’s 650b sort-of-long haul trucker without Velo Orange ever out and saying that, the while encouraging belief the PVwill work set up different ways and with different loads. 

For more ‘spirited riding’, V-O has long offered the ‘Pass Hunter’, which suggests BicycleQuarterly and Jan Heine’s pastime.

My main rider is a rim-brake PV. I rarely worry about the stress of camping or grocery loads.  

20% discount on V-O frames until 12 Feb.

--

Harry P Travis

16.3

On Feb 7, 2023, at 9:10 AM, Tom Goodmann <tgoo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Many thanks for your thoughts, Brett; these are very helpful and I appreciate the positive take on the LB and on Crust build quality (about which I've only read positive things).  I liked that root beer color too on the Lightning Bolt, too.  

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "650b" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to 650b+uns...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/650b/fdefa5ae-7775-438a-a1bd-ea9a851add62n%40googlegroups.com.

[DB]

Hi Tom,

I used to own a Saluki and a Crust Nor'Easter but currently ride a Pelican.  The main thing to keep in mind is that the Crust bikes you mentioned are low trail and can carry a front load much better than my Saluki did.  If you're planning to carry a rando bag then I'd go with one of the Crusts you mentioned.  The Saluki was perhaps a little flexier than the Nor'Easter but would likely be stiffer than a Lightning Bolt.  In the end, I preferred the ride of my Pelican enough to sell the Saluki and Nor'Easter.  

All of this is pretty subjective though depending on your preferences, riding style and size.  

On Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 7:34:44 AM UTC-8 tgoo...@gmail.com wrote:

[krisbu...@gmail.com]

I have a Crust LB and a Riv Saluki, both rim brake and 650b'd.  Also a not-so-young rider.  They ride pretty different, but I like them both for what I use them for. I also had a Boulder All Road for a few years, but switched it out for the LB. I haven't ridden a Romenceur, but a friend has one and likes it, but describes it as heavy.

I've had the Saluki for about 12 years(got it here!) and mostely use it for commuting and groceries, and it's great for that. It's set up with alt bars and 42mm tires. I've used it for overnight trips in the past, and it worked well for that too, but found it too flexy with large loads.

I've had the LB for about a year and love it. It's set up with drop bars and I go between 42 and 48 mm tires. I ride it on longer rides on road or dirt road/gravel, and even a little single track. I've taken on overnight trips a couple of time with just a lightish front load and it handles great.

The Saluki maxes out at 42mm tires, while I comfortably have 48s on the LB. The LB feels quicker than the Saluki and climbs great.

Hope this helps!

Kris in ATX

[Tom Goodmann]

Thanks, DB. The Pelican is appealing--but no longer available, right?

[DB]

I don't think there's been a batch in several years now so probably not.  There was one available on eBay recently.  The Lightning Bolt is probably the closest available alternative.  

[mackenzy...@gmail.com]

IME the Romanceur is a little stiff/heavy if you like spirited riding. It does lug front weight wonderfully though. If you're doing light touring or S24O I'd lean towards a canti lightning bolt. 

I haven't ridden any triangle frame riv's so no cross reference. I love my clementine more than any other bike I've ridden though. 

[Brent Knepper]

i come close having both a romanceuse and a riv bleriot, and my biased yet influential opinion is get whatever bike sounds fun and costs what ya want to pay

both mine have seen the spectrum of pavement to lil baby singletrack with occasional bike camping thrown in, always some kinda bag to carry tubes n treats or hot tea (as is customary for chicago winter) with dyno lights and 38-48mm tires. I haven't looked up the geo differences but I'm sure others have such forbidden knowledge ready to go

•Bleriót (54cm) gets a lot more time right now in its fenders and 38s, that's snow melt for ya, and its ride is quite planted with a super low-feeling bb– I am to understand this is the riv style. I can ride no-handed seemingly forever, but it's geo doesn't keep me from dorkin around on a deer trail

•Rommy (55cm) feels similar in a lot of ways, I notice the lo-trail but after 10 min I'm used to it. maybeeee the trail tricks me into thinking its more nimble with a front load?? who's to say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ can also ride no handed, but less than forever. only advantage I'd give it is 2.2 tire clearance so it's possible if I put fenders on it (quelle horreur!) it'd render the bleriót redundânt

I'll add a pic of each from strava to share in hopes this pushes the op in any and all directions, but just for laughs I also have an rb-t (53cm) that lives in a 700x33 roadie setup for those nice weather days relegated to pavement, it is a lil faster than both, less nimble than the Romió and less stable than the Blerió

Brent in chicagó

[Tom Goodmann]

Thank you, Brent, Mackenzy and all of you for sharing your experiences; just a decision, then, about what kind of riding I'm most likely do.  

--Good to see those front bags on both bikes, Brent; I'm assuming both handle the load just fine. Two different kinds of good.

--Interesting to read, Kris, that your Saluki maxes out at 42; reading the original Riv lit suggests that 46 is the max (but such was not even available when the frames were first sold, according to that issue of the Reader).

Tom

[drewh...@gmail.com]

I have a lightning bolt (canti, brown), romanceur (canti,  pistacio), and 2019 MIT homer (650b). i love the LB, like the romeo, and am indifferent on the homer. I rotated the romanceur and homer for commuting for a while but the homer was too sluggish for my tastes with my relatively hilly commute.  the homer rides sublimely on flats and downhills tho if you want to just cruise. it is of the recent riv vintage with loooooong chainstays.

i think the LB is 7-4-7 tubing and the romeo is 8-5-8, so the romeo carries my commuter more confidently. the LB fits me better with a higher stack than the romeo. I am semi-embarrassed to own both of these bikes if i'm honest, there's not that much daylight between the two. i have 42mm tires on the LB and 48s on the romeo.

i've also just built up a sam hillborne from the most recent run and my plan is to sell the homer. it's 700c, but i LOVE the sam so far. i think i like it more than the romeo but it's too soon to make that call.

[Tom Goodmann]

Drew, you have a great perspective here from riding those three bikes, able to go from both Crusts to a Riv "country bike" and back again. I had a Sam, and enjoyed it a lot (got lots of admiring comments too) but, as I've shared, I switch bikes around with a local friend on this board (and iBob, Riv), which has given me the chance to ride a few other Rivs, including a light, fast Legolas (the bike was quick; the rider, less so).  

At this stage of thinking about the two frames, I am caught between the LB and the Rom, understanding their different purposes: the Rom being an all-rounder, ready for touring, commuting, trail riding (RonnieRomance seems to know no limits on his), while the LB seems to be a lighter, affordable rando bike that is fine for any long ride, packed trails, and light touring.  I like the brown LB, but have not seen (much less ridden) either bike in the wild to know about colors (which are not make or break matters for me).  Meanwhile, I like riding every day my grilver Heron Touring bike with Albatross bars and Schwalbe Marathon 38s.

BTW, if all of us on these boards were suddenly to grow embarrassed over the number of bikes we own, or have owned, our screens might blush!

Tom

[lj mangin]

I believe that the Boulder All Road has not been available for a few years.  I have one with the lighter tubing option and I love it.

I have a Crust LB canti and highly recommend it.  For me it is a flexy frame, which I like, and it is fast and comfortable on the road.  If one were looking for a bike "for spirited riding", I think the Crust LB would do nicely.

John M 

Loveland, CO

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "650b" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to 650b+uns...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/650b/558b4c34-5f9e-4c22-b80b-304354fa850fn%40googlegroups.com.