Clem L arrived, couple of thoughts and questions

[Kurt Henry]

I asked a while back about a small bike suggestion for my son's mom, followed by a WTB for a 45cm Clem-L.  No leads turned up, so I got in line for the presale.  And it finally showed up today!

We went with the green, which I had read was a very interesting color that doesn't photograph well.  I'll second (third?  fourth?) that comment.  Such a cool bronzey-browney-green that seems to change color in different light.  I got it put together and took it for a short spin to make sure the shifting and braking were all set before I handed it over.  Shifting was great and the braking was as well once I cleared a minor hurdle: the front brake cable was fine for length, but was routed behind the fork.  I thought maybe I'd managed to loop it under the fork leg when I got the bars out.  But for the life of me I couldn't get it looped back around.  No big deal, loosen clamp, move cable to correct side, reattach, and ready to roll.

The bike is definitely too small for me at almost 5'10". On the road it was very smooth and well behaved.  The steering was really light, but that's probably not helped by the extended seatpost and slack seat tube pushing me back out toward the back.  I did take it through some gravel at the park behind our house before looping around.  Slow speed in the gravel was really dicey and twitchy.  I was about to hop off to avoid taking a spill and scratching it before she got to ride it it.  Not at all what I was expecting!  But back out on the road, it was a very nice ride.

After the quick shakedown, the key item of the day was dropping the seat back down to Jenni's height and letting her take it for a spin.  She LOVED it!!  So, end of the day, mission accomplished.

Now, a couple of questions.  Just when I think I've been around the block a few times around bikes, this one has a few braze-ons I did not expect.  There are tabs on the front of the seat stays, going straight into the stay (vs. hourglasses).  What are those for?  And the rear dropouts have more eyelets than I can imagine a use for.  I can see the ones part way up the seatstays as intended for a rack, to stay out of the way of fenders (or perhaps I have that backwards).  But what are the extra eyelets behind the rear dropout intended for?

Finally, who builds the wheels for the production bikes?  I'm assuming they're machine built to hit the price point.  But I was surprised to find a rainbow of colors for the nipples.  Totally unexpected, and a very nice surprise!

Thanks all!

Kurt Henry
Lancaster, Pennsylvania USA

P.S. Yes, I know, the bike is turned the wrong way, should be drive side.  I was about to set the kickstand on the downhill side (toward me), realized it was too steep, so let it rest the other way against Jenni's jeep for a quick picture.  Had to get inside and get dinner going!

[lconley]

The front of seatstay braze-ons are for a frame mounted lock.

Laing

Delray Beach FL

[Jingy]

Mine is supposed to show up tomorrow. I'm super antsy for it!

Jim in Mpls

[Jeremy Till]

I'd agree that the twitchyness was from riding too small a bike. I'm taller than you and have a first generation 59cm Clem H and find it to be one of the most planted (but still nimble) bikes I've ridden; that being said the front end geometry has changed slightly in the most recent generations.  

My thought with the the multiple rack mounts is probably that the dropouts are a standard item, not specific to Clems, that come with rack mounts cast in, but Rivendell also wanted to include a more forward rack mounting location that allows you to take more advantage of the long stays and have the weight on the rack more centered within the wheelbase of the bike, instead of hanging off the back (see also: "longtail" cargo bikes). Thus they added the mounts on the stays. At that point you do have more braze-ons than needed but there's no point in having the factory cut off the extra ones, and you could use them for creative uses (light mounts?).  

Wheels such as this are generally built at a factory by a machine. I think they just load the nipple hopper with multiple colors when they build these ones.  

-Jeremy Till

Sacramento, CA

[Fullylugged]

Hey Kurt!

Nice looking bike!  I suggested it to a local rider who needed an upright posture. She loves hers. She started out last Fall at 10 - 12 mph avg, but now is around 16 on club rides with it. A one point this morning, she was pulling our pace line at 18. So the bike isn't that slow. (This bike has the Conti basketball tires and cliffhanger rim wheels) All that to say that your wife can expect to ride about as quick or slow as she wants, in comfort, and looking good.

  Bruce

[EricP]

Jim,

Cool. Mine is due on Monday in St. Paul. Am really getting excited about it. Saw one near our place back in June. Smaller frame. Just love the look of the bike. And that's not easy for me anymore. Have all the parts needed to get riding. Even though I have Big Bens waiting, might give the stock tires a try first. And yes, it follows that since I have a new bike due, the weather forecast is for rain.

Eric Platt

St. Paul, MN

[Adam Leibow]

My wife has those wheels on her Sam Hillborne and she loves the multicolored nipples. They are machine built wheels. My theory about all the braze-ons is they just give you way too many so you can mount any kind of rack + fenders + reflectors and doo-dads of all sorts. Ultra flexibility. 

[Jingy]

Got my Clem today!

A couple of thoughts-not super impressed with the wheels. The rear has a pretty good hop. The multi colored nipples are cool though.

The tubing sticker placement wasn't really thought out. The front der covers  a good chunk of it.

The lower rear rack bosses take a 6mm bolt and these were about the only bosses that didn't have screws preinstalled, but a quick trip to the hardware store was able to tide me over for now.

For the gearheads, the chainstay length is slightly more than 12 ounces!

I love the color!

Can't wait to get some miles on this!

Jim in Minneapolis

[Jingy]

Well, that didn't work so well. Sorry for the sideways photos and a couple didn't attach, so I'll put them here.