Another Pre-Sale tomorrow 4/6/26

[Bill Lindsay]

There's going to be a Leo Roadini pre-sale tomorrow.  Who's jumping in?  Is there anybody in need of parts for their forthcoming Leo Roadini builds?  I think I have some good stuff for just about everything but brake calipers and chains.  

I'm kind of eager to sell a few things to help build up a little piggy bank for the NEXT pre-sale, which should be the YelloWolleY.  I should probably build a spreadsheet/price list and photo album for a big swath of stuff.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Bill Lindsay]

This looks to be a subdued pre-sale...

BL in EC

[Joe Bernard]

We may have reached saturation for this particular model, I'm thinking most people who wanted a Roadini already have one. 

Joe Bernard 

[John Andersen]

I think I will jump in, but I'm not certain which color I would choose (probably Sergio Green).   

I think I have enough bits, sans a good quality leather saddle, and long reach brakes to build it up.   We'll see.

-John

[michael stallman]

In the past people might have gotten a Roadini to join their friends on club rides

But now those friends are into the new "gravel" hotness

Speaking for myself, I enjoy mixed surface riding and separated paths much more now than I ever did road riding.

Michael

[Dan]

I think that Sergio Green is a great choice, especially now that it’s lugged. You won’t be disappointed. 

As many here would attest, the Roadini does make a good all-road / gravel bike, so long as that gravel is mostly of the road variety!

[Mathias Steiner]

>> In the past people might have gotten a Roadini to join their friends on club rides

>> But now those friends are into the new "gravel" hotness

..making the Roadini an even better fit, no?

Though I can't think of a reason to take a Roadini over a Hillborne. Better brakes, more braze-ons for versatility, and I'm not sure the ride would be different. 

I thought the tig'd Roadini was a great idea, and at a great price. 

Until we see mass failure of tig-welded rames, I won't worry too much about the "greater strength" of lugs.

I'm not immune to classic looks; I drove a hundred fifty miles round trip to buy a $120 Motobécane, just because I fell in love with the wraparound seat stay treatment...and then discovered it's a lovely ride. I just wish they'd kept the Roadini as the inexpensive gateway drug.

...and Sergio green is the korrekt color. It is known.

[CMR]

I think the Roadini is one of the underrated Rivs! It has lighter tubing, 130mm hubs (go dura ace), and slightly sharper angles (headtube angle is a full degree sharper than an equivalent Hillborne).

[Piaw Na]

On Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 4:43:13 PM UTC-7 mjsta...@gmail.com wrote:

In the past people might have gotten a Roadini to join their friends on club rides

But now those friends are into the new "gravel" hotness

Speaking for myself, I enjoy mixed surface riding and separated paths much more now than I ever did road riding.

I treat my Roadini like a MTB. (40mm Conti Terraspeed tires). It can't keep up with dual suspension MTBs downhill, but it can sure outclimb them! 

[Bill Shaw]

I have my 2023 61cm Roadini in Mermaid Green with <100 miles up for sale. Willing to entertain offers as far as price and shipping are concerned.  

https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/d/austin-rivendell-roadini-road-bike-61cm/7912289043.html

Thanks,

Bill 

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[Patrick Moore]

Bill: I’m curious about why you are selling. Seeing the bar height, I’d guess that the reason is that the frame is too small for use with a drop bar; is that right?

I wonder whether the the Roadini built with a swept-back bar might not make the fit less awkward?

I’ve bought 6 Rivendells and kept 2, so I know all about buying and selling Rivendells. I did put extensive miles on all of mine. But I’m struck (and others too; someone mentioned this to me recently) by how many Rivendell frames and bikes are put up for sale with very few miles on them. 

I’ve not ridden a Roadini, but from others’ descriptions, I’d tend to agree that it would make a dandy pavement-biased all-rounder, capable on pavement but better than a Roadeo for the sort or riding we did last weekend, 7-8 miles of steep rutted, rocky and in places muddy dirt climbing. If I had a spare $2K I might be interested in one — just looked at geom chart: I’d have to use a 50 to get the preferred 56-57 cm effective tt?? I’m sorry, Grant, but top tube length does matter if you are set on a certain type of bar and a defined saddle-to-bar relationship. 

Piaw, what size is your Roadini, and how do you set it up?

On Sat, May 9, 2026 at 10:48 AM Bill Shaw <wmcs...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have my 2023 61cm Roadini in Mermaid Green with <100 miles up for sale. Willing to entertain offers as far as price and shipping are concerned.  

https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/d/austin-rivendell-roadini-road-bike-61cm/7912289043.html

[Bill Shaw]

Hello Patrick,

Thanks for the suggestion on the swept-back bar as I've considered that as an option. 

As to why I'm selling the Roadini, it's a matter of it not getting ridden enough (obviously with <100 miles) due in large part to an accident I had a few years ago (not on the Roadini) that limited my riding time, and the fact that I've since purchased a Platy and Charlie Gallop. The ride quality on those two bikes is hard to beat, and despite how well the Roadini frame and setup fits, it just feels different, although still plush and comfortable. I admit having it up for sale "reluctantly" as I could probably tinker with the handlebar and tire width options (such as Piaw noted on his Roadini) to make it more multi-surface friendly. If someone wants a great road bike complete with its current features and setup and would get alot of enjoyment from it, I'd be happy to sell it. 

Otherwise, I'll continue to consider other tweaks and options to perhaps get it to where it's ridden more. 

Thanks,

Bill 

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[Piaw Na]

On Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 11:50:25 AM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote:

I’ve bought 6 Rivendells and kept 2, so I know all about buying and selling Rivendells. I did put extensive miles on all of mine. But I’m struck (and others too; someone mentioned this to me recently) by how many Rivendell frames and bikes are put up for sale with very few miles on them. 

Famed framebuilder mentioned that after he retired he found many of his frames sold on eBay and other side, essentially unridden. He commented on his blog that this is because people bought these bikes on impulse, and that many of them were bought like gym subscriptions, with the intent of riding for fitness or exercise and then abandoned when it turned out that exercise wasn't what the purchaser enjoyed. I don't think Rivendells are exempt, despite being a boutique brand that eschews focusing on fitness or racing.

 

Piaw, what size is your Roadini, and how do you set it up?

It's a 54cm with drop bars and wide tires. Full build writeup: https://blog.piaw.net/2022/10/putting-together-my-roadini.html

I've since been forced by too many broken spokes to downgrade to a pair of Superteam wheels that I found cheap. My older son is about an inch of growth in his legs away from switching from his 50cm Roadini (he'll run out of seatpost insertion height) to mine. (The Roadini was purchased as a backup for my primary touring/commute custom titanium bike that I've already broken the frame twice on). I'm crossing my fingers that I do not have another broken frame for the foreseeable future.

[Patrick Moore]

If you also have a  Platypus and a Gallop, you are well covered. 

I’d love to try a much lower geared Roadini on the hills we rode a week ago Saturday, with 38s (what’s the largest tire the Roadini will fit?) instead of 32s and a sub 1:1 gear (my bottom gear was 1.0625:1.

[Patrick Moore]

I just found the geometry chart: it takes 42s. Perfect. Only, I’d have to buy a 50 cm (c-t??) to get the right top tube for a drop bar. I’ve been measured for (and perfectly fit) a 60 X 56 c-c, so I don’t know how that would work.

I’m curious: those of you in the 70 to 72” range who ride a Roadini with a drop bar: what sizes of Roadini do you ride?

--

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Christian B-H]

I agree with Joe and Mathias- 

1) Wasn't there just a Roadini sale in late 2025? maybe it was mid-summer...I remember looking and almost buying, but to point two, I went for a used Tig welded complete for $2k versus new lugged frame for $1,750 in 

2) In the current economy, I feel like having another tig welded option in addition to the Clem would give another and vastly different entry level option to new riv owners or second riv buyers would probably sell faster than the current lugged riv. The lugs are beautiful, the front rack mount braze-ons are useful, but...there's the Homer and the Sam for those purposes- already relatively similar bikes... 

Patrick- I'm 72.05" on a size 57 but only have a fistful of seatpost (78cm saddle height) and am using a 7cm stem. I like the handling and fit for the most part, but for a racier fit (which is not what I'm using it for) I would much prefer a 54 with a 10cm stem. For what it's worth, I've seen in many of Ron Romance's photos his friends with 42 knobbies up front and a 42 or 38 smooth in the back. I think that's the right setup, and I'm looking to grab a pair of 40mm caracal's to compliment!

- Christian 

[Galen Gruman]

Bert: I am 71” with PBH of 89-90. I have a 2025 Roadini 61cm frame, with 54cm Noodle bar. I have wide shoulders and slightly long arms (34/35 sleeves) but am otherwise a pretty standard medium. I tried a buddy’s 57cm Roadini but it felt too small. I fall right at a size boundary for various bike brands and have consistently found I need to size up, so 60-61cm for a road bike and XL for a hybrid. YMMV.

I ride almost exclusively on roads (typically 35-40 miles but as far as 75) and really like it, though I have not tried other Rivs so can’t compare. The 2026 Roadini is identical per Riv’s 5/1 post except for adding a pump peg on the seat stays. 

I did swap out the installed 8cm quill stem for a 5cm one because the hoods were too far away for comfort. The 5cm did the trick. Although I mostly ride the drops (better control and easy access to both brakes and bar-end shifters), I can now also comfortably ride both the hoods and tops as well, which helps avoid numbness and lower back strain by being able to shift positions. 

My only complaints about the Roadini are 1) that the 61cm version’s top tube is too long for the Mike frame pump (only Silca’s pump fits it, but the black color is unaesthetic on a Riv frame) and 2) the front derailleur bracket is mounted on the seat tube between the water bottle cage mounts so you can’t put a lock or pump bracket on them (the derailleur bracket is in the way); the Mike frame pump has a slight bend on one end do that, when mounted via tension on the seat tube, it fits over that unfortunately placed derailleur bracket. 

[Galen Gruman]

Bert: Sorry, 73"

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks. So, just possibly, I at 5’11” could fit a 50 cm with the right seatpost and stem, given the tall stack and that I’d put the bar a bit below saddle.

But, I’m just thinking out loud. I don’t need another bike at all, need to ride those I have more. Still, I think the Roadini would make a great underbiking road bike for rougher dirt roads that aren’t sandy.

I really should get a “road” wheelset for the Matthews dirt road bike, with RH Barlow Pass extralights; per the blurb they ought to approach 40 mm actual width on my Blunt SS rims set up tubeless.

On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 9:25 AM Christian B-H <bei...@gmail.com> wrote:

…  Patrick- I’m 72.05" on a size 57 but only have a fistful of seatpost (78cm saddle height) and am using a 7cm stem. I like the handling and fit for the most part, but for a racier fit (which is not what I'm using it for) I would much prefer a 54 with a 10cm stem. For what it's worth, I've seen in many of Ron Romance's photos his friends with 42 knobbies up front and a 42 or 38 smooth in the back. I think that's the right setup, and I'm looking to grab a pair of 40mm caracal's to compliment!

- Christian