Any Susie owners out there?

[Benjamin Park]

Hi all, my first post here!

I am close to pulling the trigger on a Susie, but am not finding many descriptions of how it rides, handles, etc.  What should I expect?  How is the acceleration?  I am looking for something for 50% single track and 50% gravel roads, and an occasional short bikepacking trip.  I ride a rigid MTB currently so the lack of front suspension won't be a shock (get it?), but still am looking to smooth out some of the bumps.  How is it to ride with swept back bars on technical single track? 

Thanks a lot for the thoughts!!

[Mark Roland]

It rides and handles great.The rear will almost certainly be longer than your current rigid, and this will further smooth the ride, but still plenty responsive on single track. Not sure what you mean by How is the acceleration--it's a bicycle;^) I guess if you are getting the medium with its 27.5" wheels vs a large with 700c, the wheels theoretically will get up to speed a hair faster, depending on your wattage output out of the gate. It is not a criterium or bmx or track bike, it's a Hillibike, so jack rabbit starts are not one of the major design inputs here. Me on my 1984 Trek 830 would probably beat me on my Susie in the first ten yards from a dead stop. (But I'm pretty fast.;^)

Swept back bars come in a variety of flavors. If you want to favor single track handling, I think something like the Wavie would be good. I have VO Klunker bars on my 56cm Susie, which gives it a real cruiser feel. I've done single track no problem, but if I were doing more technical terrain on a regular basis, I would try a Wavie or something similar. As it is, I plan to experiment with drop bars this summer.

I would re-read the description on the Rivendell website, it will give you a good idea what to expect. Other than that, there is not much to do besides pull the trigger, something I would highly recommend if that description speaks to the kind of riding you enjoy. One other aspect of the Susie/Gus is the beauty of these frames--fillet brazed construction complements the swoop of the top tube.

[Paul Richardson]

Clearly I'm biased, but I can't imagine any bike riding better on 50% gravel/singletrack.  Suzie is amazing.

I'm new to "mountain" biking but she inspires a lot of confidence, even in quick descents on rough terrain.  Totally smooth, responsive, buttery.

Before I got knobbies, I ran 55mm slicks and rode mostly roads and it was awesome in that application as well.

Hope this is helpful.

paul

takoma park, md.

[Paul Richardson]

[Mark Roland]

Went for  a lunchtime WFH ride to the hardware store today.

[lucky...@gmail.com]

Wow! Bitchin’ bike.

Love the BMX stem. What crank is this? 

On Jan 27, 2021, at 14:48, Mark Roland <absolut...@gmail.com> wrote:



Went for  a lunchtime WFH ride to the hardware store today.

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On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 3:22:29 PM UTC-5 Paul Richardson wrote:

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 3:22:00 PM UTC-5 Paul Richardson wrote:

Clearly I'm biased, but I can't imagine any bike riding better on 50% gravel/singletrack.  Suzie is amazing.

I'm new to "mountain" biking but she inspires a lot of confidence, even in quick descents on rough terrain.  Totally smooth, responsive, buttery.

Before I got knobbies, I ran 55mm slicks and rode mostly roads and it was awesome in that application as well.

Hope this is helpful.

paul

takoma park, md.

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[Matthew Williams]

I don't know what you've mounted there, but whatever it is, I love it.

On Jan 27, 2021, at 2:48 PM, Mark Roland <absolut...@gmail.com> wrote:

Went for  a lunchtime WFH ride to the hardware store today.

<IMG_20210127_103242169.jpg><IMG_20210127_111312270.jpg><IMG_20210127_111327196.jpg>

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 3:22:29 PM UTC-5 Paul Richardson wrote:

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 3:22:00 PM UTC-5 Paul Richardson wrote:

Clearly I'm biased, but I can't imagine any bike riding better on 50% gravel/singletrack.  Suzie is amazing.

I'm new to "mountain" biking but she inspires a lot of confidence, even in quick descents on rough terrain.  Totally smooth, responsive, buttery.

Before I got knobbies, I ran 55mm slicks and rode mostly roads and it was awesome in that application as well.

Hope this is helpful.

paul

takoma park, md.

[Mark Roland]

Hi Matthew. It's the Surly Kickstandholemonkeyplug.

[Mark Roland]

Oops, accidentally posted and then deleted the post, which was a little on the bizarre side anyway and I don't have time to recreate it, time to make dinner. The crank is a vintage Kooka:

[Tim Baldwin]

Mark, that is one sweet Susie. Great colors and looks like a fun ride. I wish Riv would sell out of the small Susies so I can stop being tempted. I've gotten down to just two bikes, an Atlantis and a Troll. I've barely ridden the Troll since getting the Atlantis. Most of my riding is pavement (including plenty of rough roads) but I look for dirt whenever I can. I could sell the Troll and replace with a Susie but I don't have much hilly bike territory here. And the wheels wouldn't transfer so that would be a pricey swap. I am surprised all the frames haven't been snatched up. My birthday is in a month, if they still have frames I may have a nice expensive present for myself.

Tim B in Chicago

[Ray Evans]

It's almost worth ditching my kickstand to get that little gold monkey mounted

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[Jared Wilson]

Got mine set up a couple weeks back with Tumbleweed Persuader bars. 

Bike is looonnnggg, but still feels nimble enough on single track, not to mention smooth! I find she likes to self steer towards rougher terrain just to see what happens ;)

I came from a Bridgestone MB2 and I'm very happy with how the Susie handles in comparison, I'm left wanting nothing more than to put down more miles.

Jared in Santa Cruz

[Paul Richardson]

would love to see a pic of your build, jared!

paul

takoma park, md.

[Mark Roland]

Don't do it, Ray! I have many years of practice leaning bicycles. Plus, my Clem has a double kickstand, which makes up for NKS on the Susie.

[Mark Roland]

I don't quite get it either, why they still have Susies. Especially singe they upped the recommended weight another 50lbs, to 210. I've said it before, but I think the latest generation of Rivendells, led by the Hillibike models, represent some seriously high level, A-game bicycle design, arrived at through a lifetime of working with, thinking about, and riding bicycles.

[Joe Bernard]

"Susie still available"

Right now the problem is Will's update on the max weight was only in a weekly email, it's not on the product page at rivbike.com. If I hadn't seen that email I wouldn't have picked up a used one here a month ago. They need to fix the page. 

[Mark Roland]

Good point. Which brings up the whole notion of weight limits. My guess is, the Susie is stouter than a vast majority of production bicycles out there. How many of them come with weight limits?

[Jared Wilson]

Here ya go Paul

Still needs some tweaks and waiting on my saddle so I'm breaking in the Brooks for my fiancee

Jared in Santa Cruz

[Mark Roland]

Nice setup. Those Tumbleweeds look sweet on there. Too many dang bars to choose from is the problem these days. Back in the day it was Cinelli or 3TTT, 40 or 42.

[Sam Perez]

How does the susie compare to an mb2 I have an mb1 and assume it is the same geometry. Had to use a short stem for drips and just picked up some albatross bars to experiment.

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[Clark Fitzgerald]

Sam- The Susie is completely different from a stock MB2. Susie has higher bars for a more upright position centered over your feet, wider tires, and a longer wheelbase. I found the Susie much more comfortable and confidence inspiring on rough terrain. I sold my 1992 MB2 and bought an Atlantis- no regrets.

[Jared Wilson]

I largely agree with Clark.

My '91 MB2 was "light" and "snappy" compared to the Susie, but I never really felt comfortable on it.

The Susie is what you want your bike to be, but it isn't.

[iamkeith]

As long as I was posting photos to the fender thread, I took a couple showing an MB-1 and Susie next to each other.  Same saddle height on both.   Pretty much entirely different bikes, as you can see.  The seat and head tube angles are more different than they appear  but the ground wasn't level enough, with the snow, to really show it.  You get the idea though.  The MB-1 is still a good bike but, as with all 90s NORBA bikes, I've grown to think of them as road bikes.  Really GOOD road bikes.  It's hard to adapt back after riding a modern mountain bike with a slacker head tube, longer top tube and fatter tires.
<

[iamkeith]

[Jared Wilson]

Awesome photos Keith, well done

Very cool to see them side by side, you can feel the difference just looking at them.

Jared

[Eric Daume]

I actually LOL’d when I saw the difference in stack height between these two. Then the wheelbase, tires, etc... but the stack really nails the difference for me. 

Eric

On Sunday, January 31, 2021, iamkeith <keith...@gmail.com> wrote:

As long as I was posting photos to the fender thread, I took a couple showing an MB-1 and Susie next to each other.  Same saddle height on both.   Pretty much entirely different bikes, as you can see.  The seat and head tube angles are more different than they appear  but the ground wasn't level enough, with the snow, to really show it.  You get the idea though.  The MB-1 is still a good bike but, as with all 90s NORBA bikes, I've grown to think of them as road bikes.  Really GOOD road bikes.  It's hard to adapt back after riding a modern mountain bike with a slacker head tube, longer top tube and fatter tires.
<

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[Michael Williams]

Hey Keith,  what size Susie?   L or XL?

Sent from my iPhone

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[iamkeith]

Mine Susie is a large (56).  The MB-1 is a 52.  I should have gotten a 55 in the later,  but weren't we all sold bikes that were too small for us back then?!  My saddle height is 76cm on both.  I stubbornly want to make the fillet bosco bars work  but will likely need something lower and with less reach-back to really get the susie to fit perfect.  Completely OPPOSITE problem to the MB-1.  (I actually just gave that one to my daughter anyway.)

On Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 5:44:30 PM UTC-7 mkernan...@gmail.com wrote:

Hey Keith,  what size Susie?   L or XL?

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 31, 2021, at 12:25 PM, Eric Daume <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:

I actually LOL’d when I saw the difference in stack height between these two. Then the wheelbase, tires, etc... but the stack really nails the difference for me. 

Eric

On Sunday, January 31, 2021, iamkeith <keith...@gmail.com> wrote:

As long as I was posting photos to the fender thread, I took a couple showing an MB-1 and Susie next to each other.  Same saddle height on both.   Pretty much entirely different bikes, as you can see.  The seat and head tube angles are more different than they appear  but the ground wasn't level enough, with the snow, to really show it.  You get the idea though.  The MB-1 is still a good bike but, as with all 90s NORBA bikes, I've grown to think of them as road bikes.  Really GOOD road bikes.  It's hard to adapt back after riding a modern mountain bike with a slacker head tube, longer top tube and fatter tires.
<

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[Andrew Stevens]

I'm working on a longer review, but I rode mine all over the place in December: Sedona and Tucson on real MTB trails, in snow in Taos, lots of single track in my homebase of Austin. I have 700mm wide, custom bent bars from DOOM Bars, of Albuquerque: they are deliberately an oversized version of the Billie bar, with 5 degrees more flare, so between a Billie bar and the VO granola bars. I'm only 5'10'' and this is an xl, but the bars give me plenty of setback to reach.

I would say, like many rivs with LWB and swept back bars, that you feel solidly over the back wheel and upright, but that the steering is light to the point of being twitchy. I can't ride this bike with no hands, but I have so much of my weight on the saddle, having my hands on the bars isnt uncomfortable.

I've since replaced the terrible Kasai Trail Beam light with the always recommended B&M IQX, and its on the fork crown now. I also have the 2.8" Teravails on there now, not the 2.3"s pictured, and a Surly Nice Rack replaced the Pec Dec.

[Andrew Stevens]

Sam, the MBs were 90s mtbs, more similar to an Atlantis than a Susie. The Susie has a much more upright position, and a radically longer top tube (70cm on the XL, with a 59cm seat tube.) The design of early mountain bikes, and most race designed bikes regardless of generation, is to spread your center of gravity more evenly between the hbars and seat in order to reduce drag. None of these principles apply to the Susie, which is designed to have most of the weight on the saddle, further back and over the rear stays, for the purpose of comfort. 

[Jared Wilson]

Killer build Andrew

We'd love to see some updated pictures if you've got any

Jared

[Tim Baldwin]

Yes more pictures please Andrew. I'd especially like another shot of the handlebars. Those are exactly what I've been dreaming about lately. I'm trying the Persuader bars on my Atlantis. After going that wide, the swept Riv bars seem so narrow. I'd love a wide version of the Albatross or Billie. The Susie seems like the perfect bike for those bars as my Atlantis feels cramped with swept backs.

[Mark Roland]

Just an FYI, the VO Klunkers measure 700 from outside end to outside end. Has some flare and return, not sure how much but nothing like a Bosco.

[Paul Richardson]

re: Andrew's comment that the steering is "light to the point of being twitchy"

I'm curious if others have that experience.  I ride hands free all the time (again, XL frame + 10cm DirtDrop + choco bars) and find the bike to be supremely stable and not at all twitchy.  Basically, my question is, is twitchiness inherent in frame design, or is it affected by the build?

paul

takoma park, md.

[iamkeith]

"Twitchy" often means different things (I'm guilty of using it to describe multiple things myself) but, if Andrew means what I think he menas, then "yes," I am experiencing it too.  Namely, I have to make constant small steering corrections - especially at slow speed.   This isn't a flaw in the bike though.  It just means I don't have the fit dialed-in yet.  I had to solve this on my Clem, that my Susie replaced, and it took a half dozen stem/bar combos to do so.  And maybe some saddle adjustment too.

In a nutshell, I think the problem exists because there's not enough weight on the bars to stabilize the steering - which is why I want to lower them and push them away from me.   Part of the beauty of the long chainstays though - if I understand it correctly - is that you don't need NEARLY as much weight on the bars as you would with a traditional bike to get that ballance correct. Which is why you CAN get away with a more upright seating position.   

However there's also the fact that the seat tube is WAY more slack than current mountain bike vogue too.   This means that you can (and do) support your upper body weight without relying on your hands and arms to do it, even if your upper body is leaned forward.   So you don't really NEED as upright of a position as you would on another bike, to get the weight off of your hands.   

So - between both things - I think it's just easy to get too much weight off of the handlebars, which leads to "twitchy."   Nothing that can't be solved with some experimentation and trial and error.   (My 2 cents, for what it's worth.)

[Christopher Cote]

I haven't ridden a Gus or Suzie, but I have had a similar experience on more conventional MTBs. If I set the bars up high and back for ultimate comfort, there's not enough weight on the front tire to "bite" into the terrain, and handling suffers, IMO. If you're just tootling along, the sit up and beg position is fine, but if you're interested in riding technical trails or in an aggressive manner, you need a more aggressive position. Given Grant's philosophy that riders should get off and walk more, I think that is reflected in the Gus/Suzie design.

Chris

[iamkeith]

On Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 12:28:41 PM UTC-7 Christopher Cote wrote:

I haven't ridden a Gus or Suzie, but I have had a similar experience on more conventional MTBs. If I set the bars up high and back for ultimate comfort, there's not enough weight on the front tire to "bite" into the terrain, and handling suffers, IMO. If you're just tootling along, the sit up and beg position is fine, but if you're interested in riding technical trails or in an aggressive manner, you need a more aggressive position. Given Grant's philosophy that riders should get off and walk more, I think that is reflected in the Gus/Suzie design.

Chris

^^ Right!  However, on a normal mountain bike that's set up this way, you end up doing wheelies while climbing, because the rear wheel is tucked under your butt.   On Grant's long-chainstay bikes, you still have a chance of riding it out.   

[Mark Roland]

I guess I am either blessed or cursed with less sensitivity in these matters.  I tend to ride the same roads and trails 80 percent (or more) of the time, and over the years I've ridden them with lots of different bikes with lots of different geometries and setups.  I'm not sure exactly  what handling characteristic is under discussion, but on my normal single track trails, I don't notice a lack of bite from the front tire of the Susie. The Klunker bar does not overly entice one into aggressive riding, but I'll dive into a dirt turn at speed now and then, no problem. When going up a challenging hill, yup, the bike will wander a bit. In my experience, whatever the bike, unless you are practically hammering out of the saddle, you are going to experience some of that at 3-4mph on a sick dirt and rock grade.

The Susie per se is not designed to make you walk. If I were going to be going out into  the landscape aggressively, I could easily choose bars that would get me level with the saddle on my Large. If I wanted more aggression, I could put them on my Medium Clem L. I'm not sure it is terribly helpful to compare the Hillibike geometries to current offerings from the big boys.They share much more of a bloodline with my 1984 Trek 830, able to traverse hill and dale, rock and road, with equal aplomb, but with the ability to also get more comfortable via high head tube and longer chainstays and small refinements in the geometry. And bigger wheels.

[Christopher Cote]

I think part of it is your physical proportions and fit. I tend toward a shorter torso and longer legs, so I'm naturally going to have less weight on the front wheel, especially with a long front-center.

I didn't mean to go so far as to say that the Susie (sorry for the misspelling earlier) was designed to make you get off and walk, but with Grant's philosophy, I just think it's unlikely he's designed the bike to "conquer the terrain". 

Chris

[Bill Lindsay]

Grant is a notably competitive steep-climber.  His "philosophy" of short periods of extreme exertion coupled with his tendency towards slow riding makes ultra-steep-climbs his perfect activity.  Many of us RBWHQ visitors know that if Grant doesn't have his hands full, he may just decide "Bill, grab a bike, let's go" and take you on a climb that will make your lungs jump out of your chest.  Hillibikes climb exceptionally well.  IF you put bosco bars on a mainstream mountain bike with really short chainstays, THEN you would have too-little weight on the front wheel and 'wheelie' on steep climbs.  Loooong chainstays keep your front wheel planted.  Also, climbing a Grant-selected steep pitch will encourage you to grab your Boscos down as low as you can to get more leverage over the pedals.  

Hillibikes aren't for life risking decents and getting sick air, but they are really good for aggressively conquering steep climbs.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Matthew P]

Andrew,
You mentioned you ditched the pec deck. Care to give your opinion on it? I'm planning on making & using one or two.
Thanks.

-Matthew
on the fence about starting a (new) pec deck post/thread

[Den John]

Hey all,

Not sure if this is on topic, but I wonder if the long chainstays on the hillibikes makes dropper posts a bit redundant for this kind of bike?

I.e. do the long stays give more traction and stability and a more laid back position so it's not necessary to hang off the back of the saddle so much?

Or are the long stays more an advantage for climbing (as mentioned in some posts above).

I have a dropper post on one of my bikes and I do like it, but having one less mechanical thing to service/go wrong would be nice.

Cheers,

Johnny

[Mark Roland]

Johnny wrote: do the long stays give more traction and stability and a more laid back position so it's not necessary to hang off the back of the saddle so much?

Short answer: In my experience and opinion, the longer stays contribute to a more stable descent.

I am not an expert gonzo descender, but I ride most of my bicycles up the Mount Beacon service road. It is steep in places and very steep in other places, with rutty, rocky, loose dirt conditions most of the year. You will quickly build up a serious amount of speed without judicious scrubbing with the brakes.

While I don't have a dropper post on any of my bikes, or suspension for that matter, a number of bikes I've gone down on have the seat post quick release capability, and when I remember, I put the seatpost down, which puts you in a better control position and makes a different.

With my Clem Ls and my Susie,  I don't have the quick release. Yet the downhills feel more manageable and my body does not feel super pitched forward as on a NORBA geo or even a traditional 80s mtb, with lower bars. As you surmise, the more laid back position on the bike helps. You also feel the bumps and moguls a bit less with the longer end--you're not sitting right at the back of the bus. This is on a road with only a couple of sharp turns and lots of straightaway. And it may be that adding a dropper would make a Hillibike even more pleasant on a descent. But unless you are doing lots of steep, long, or tricky downhills on sketchy stuff, I'm not sure it would be needed.

My first Clementine/Clem L at the top.

Susie about to head down.

[Den John]

Thanks Mark. That middle photo looks just like a descent I rode a lot in the summer here in Belgium. Wasn't from 500m elevation though :-)

I rode it on a late 80s vintage MTB with no QR, so that was interesting.

Cheers,

Johnny

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[Mark Roland]

And as you know, photos rarely capture the significance of the grade. Those late 80s geos are basically like small, flat bar road bikes with a bit fatter tires. A geo responsible for popularizing if not coining the term "endo", so not terribly confidence-inspiring.

[Den John]

That's probably also why a lot of vintage MTBs make better gravel bikes than most actual gravel bikes :-)

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[Ashwath Akirekadu]

Hey Jared,

Which is that black stem on your Susie?

I wanted to completely 'black out' my Susie build.  I'm almost there.  I do have a vintage dirt drop like black stem that I'm not too happy with.  

Benjamin,

I can write a page about my thoughts on Susie, compare and contrast its ride with the other Riv's I've owned (which include 2 Appaloosas, 1 MIT Atlantis and 1 Sam), but various posts in this thread cover Susie pretty well.  In short, it's the most comfortable and versatile of any bike I've owned.  It definitely does not fall into 'fast' category.  When I'm on this bike, I'm so relaxed and enjoying, I basically do not want the ride to end!  Hence the speed does not feel important.  Something about its geometry it feels super stable.  Feels like it has some sort of 'self-driving' tech.  I also get the feeling that the bike is very forgiving of rider distractions.  There are instances where I'd be looking at either my phone or something interesting along the path, I go over a rock or pot hole and go 'oops!',  but bike is still moving along.  On other bikes I feel like I'd have either crashed or would have had to scramble to regain balance.  I admit, to me this bike is not my favorite in the looks department.  I'm not a fan of the swoopy top tube from aesthetics standpoint. I do understand that functionally this shape is better than the straight TT.  On occasions I do need to make a fashion statement at the place I arrive, I take my shiny Roadini.

Cheers,

Ash in Sunnyvale, CA 

On Friday, 29 January 2021 at 15:55:40 UTC-8 duh...@gmail.com wrote:

Here ya go Paul

Still needs some tweaks and waiting on my saddle so I'm breaking in the Brooks for my fiancee

Jared in Santa Cruz

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[Jared Wilson]

Hey Ash,

It's a  Nitto/Crust I purchased off of a group member, 31.8 30* I believe.

I did however just switch to a Nitto/Riv FacePlater with Tosco, I'll try and upload a new picture soon.

-Jared

[Ashwath Akirekadu]

Thank you Jared.

[Mark Roland]

Sharp looking build! What black seat post will you be using? I think the all black but keeping the saddle brown would  look fantastic.

In terms of the swoop, that is a big positive for me in the looks department, in addition to making a lot of sense from a functional standpoint. It gives the bike elegance and a flow, and it goes so well with the construction method. Much more character than your basic diamond frame. Zzzzz. Truly a beautiful bicycle, so much presence.

In

[Mark Roland]

Great looking build, Ash. What black seat post are you planning to use? All black components but keeping the brown saddle would look pretty awesome.

The swoop top tube is actually a big plus for me. In addition to being functional, that graceful line complements the fillet-brazed construction. It give the bicycles a distinctive character.

On Monday, February 8, 2021 at 2:16:19 PM UTC-5 Ashwath Akirekadu wrote:

[Jared Wilson]

Update on my Susie:

Now running Selle Anatomica X1, Nitto/Riv FacePlater, and Riv Tosco bars.

Keeping the black Nitto/Crust stem & Tumbleweed Persuader handlebars together with other shifter/brake levers for easy swap-age.

Cheers

Jared

[Ashwath Akirekadu]

Very nice configuration there Jared.  The ergonomics looks quite perfect!

[Ashwath Akirekadu]

Mark,

As for seat post, I picked up a NOS Shimano black one on eBay.    Thanks to Analog, I even got a powder coated black Mark's rack.  Haven't had a chance to mount it yet.  Will post pictures once that's attached.   I replaced the Bosco with Nitto B604AAF Promenade black from Soma.  So, other than the front derailleur, there's no noticeable chrome part.   There doesn't seem to be any good FDs in black color out there.

Ash

[Tim Baldwin]

Well after seeing all these great builds, I decided to pull the trigger on a Susie frame this week. It was down to a blue 51 and an orange 53 since I could fit either one. I went with the orange seeing as I have the blue (well blue-green) covered with an Atlantis. Excited to build this bike up!

[Jared Wilson]

Congrats Tim, you're gonna love her!

I'd have gone orange if I could've, looking forward to seeing your build.

Jared

[Tim Baldwin]

Thanks Jared. I really like the looks of your setup with the Tosco bars. I have Persuader bars on my Atlantis and I really like them on there. I think they would be quite a stretch on the Susie unless using a very short stem. I do miss having a swept back bar bike so that's what lead me to the Susie.

[Ashwath Akirekadu]

Congrats Tim!  

Curious what's your PBH.. 

[Tim Baldwin]

Ash, my PBH is 80cm. I like my saddle a little lower than Grant's recommendation. I won't have much seatpost showing on the 53 but I like that look and it's easier to get the bars higher.

[Joe Bernard]

This is exactly my measurements and setup. I show a little more post because I use short (152) cranks, but I have those Boscos WAY up there. I can't emphasize enough what a great bike this is, which is funny because I wasn't into them at all from looking at pictures. 

[Tim Baldwin]

Nice ride Joe! That gives me an idea of how the proportions of mine will look. I briefly tried 155 cranks but they felt strange and didn't last long. I used to ride 170 but but have been riding 165s for the past couple years. I have some of the Silver two piece cranks in 167 for the Susie. Wonder if I'll be able to feel the difference. I can feel it going from 165 to 170. If Riv was set on doing odd sizes, I kind of wish they'd gone 163.

The look took a little while to grow on me but now I love the swoop. Looking forward to more stand over clearance when riding in snow or off road.  

[Jason Fuller]

Every few days I'd go on the Riv website and see if that orange 53 was still available - and I noticed the other day when it wasn't.  Glad it's gone to a list member and I'll get to see it built up hopefully!  There was no possible way I could buy it, but I liked to daydream... 

[Benjamin Park]

I snagged the last one! Well thanks to all the reviews here and elsewhere, including some long discussions with Will, I bought the LAST Susie! It's a large, and I'm a little anxious it's too big even though plenty of people say it won't be (PBH 86). I currently ride a Jones Plus LWB size M, and that's a big bike. I imagine the L Susie will be big too but hopefully not as heavy, and the ride might be similar. Any Jones riders out there who can confirm?

Gonna get RBW to build it. I'll be using it for single track and gravel, as well as around town.  Drivetrain wise, thinking of a double in the front, and maybe 10 speed in the rear? What set ups have people been using?

Thanks y'all- Ben in ATL

[Joe Bernard]

You're going to love it, I think it's one of the coolest bikes Riv has ever done and I love the fillet joints. I'm 80-ish PBH on a Medium, I think your Large will be perfect for you.

[iamkeith]

Congratulations, and good call.  This will be your prize bike for many years, if not life.  86cm PBH will work well (I have an 87 PBH, you can see my seatpost extension in the photos further back in the thread)  Depending on the rest of your proportions ( torso length) and assuming you're average, you'll likely want a stem/bar combo without a lot of rise though.  But that's good, and gives you more options than most bikes where adequate stack height is not a design feature.  Too high will take weight off the bars and make steering less stable  in my experience.

I also have a short-wheelbase Jones and another long, rigid mountain bike with similar steering geometry to the Jones LWB (crust scapegoat), and had a Clem that the susie replaced, but don't find the Rivendells to be very similar to the other two.  Susie feels equally if not more comfortable, lighter and quicker, but also seems to encouage a more leisurly ride.  For me, the hillibikes work best as my daily, do- everything bike that I COULD take anywhere without worry.  But I'll use the Jones if my intention is a rough trail ride.

[Jared Wilson]

Congrats Ben on your new Susie, please keep us posted with the build!

Mine is finally "done", tho I'll probably end up fitting some Flat 80 fenders in the fall.

Thanks to everyone at Riv who were super helpful with the build, as well as the group members who helped supply and buy parts to get this thing dialed in.

See you out there!

My riding partner insisted on a photo with Susie

[Eric Marth]

I'm late to the party but thanks, Keith, for the MB1/Susie photos. This is reference material worth holding onto!

[Benjamin Park]

Thanks all! Keith- wondering why you use Jones over Susie for rough rides? How do your swept back bars (Tosco?) work for the rougher more technical rides? I have limited experience using that degree of sweep and a little concerned about control- having elbows out seems more stable to me albeit less comfortable.  Also, how do you like your drivetrain choices? I'm also looking at a similar setup (2x in front; 10 speed? in back).