The do-it-all Rivendell of choice

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Patrick Moore

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Nov 16, 2022, 4:35:25 PM11/16/22
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The threads on Platypus versus [name] and using versus "saving" your Rivendell raises an interesting if (fortunately!) academic question: if you could have only 1 Rivendell as your only bicycle, and that Rivendell had to serve all purposes -- fast pavement, commuting, errand loads, at least light dirt and gravel: what model would you choose and how would you build and equip it?

I'm fortunate to have a bike for each of my purposes, except a theft-be-damned but fun to ride grocery beater, which I hope to add to the collection*, but if I had to choose just 1 and that a Riv, it would be my gofast with a second set of wheels shod with 42 mm Naches Passes (which fit with room to spare under the front normal reach single pivot) but not bolt anything else to the Riv. Lights: I have an excellent B&M Ixon IQ Premium which puts out at least as much brightness and has a nicer beam pattern than my Edeluxe I, and Cateye clamps are cheap and easy to find. There are all sorts of bright, strap-on blinkies for the rear. I'd rig up a QR for my Saddlesack Medium and attach it with the Nitto standoff only as needed, and augment it with a courier bag in 1 of 3 sizes. I'd get some clip-on, easy on/off fenders, shorties if need be -- hell, this is New Mexico. 

Wheels: Actually, I might do as I did decades ago when I tried to make a mountain bike do triple duty with 3 wheelsets: gofast with 23 mm tires and 12-19 (7-sp) cassette, commuting with 35 mm tires with 13-21, and off road with knobbies and 14-28. The Phil fixed/fixed with Elk Pass would keep the 17/19 Dingle and the 28 mm Elk Passes, but I'd have another Elk Pass rear for the TC fixed hub with 17 t cog for 76" direct and 66" underdrive; and then I'd have a third wheeset for Naches Passes with the fixed TF hub with a 19 t cog and the Naches Passes for 70" and 52"; good pavement-to-moderate dirt ratios.

Of course, I'd have to overcome the scruple of keeping this bike pristine .... Funny, I usually take a brief detour for a mile or  mile-and-a-half along a very busy 6-lane when I ride North from my house because the direct route is dusty, sandy crusher fine. Would have to strenuously overcome that vice.

* Actually, one reason for this 5th beater bike would be just the fun of building up a bike that rides nice and meets my gearing and handling preferences at the lowest possible price.

--

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

Hoch in ut

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Nov 16, 2022, 6:28:07 PM11/16/22
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Ah, one bike topic—winter time must be upon us. 🙂 
I’m also fortunate to have a bike for almost every purpose. But if I had to choose one, it wouldn’t be a Rivendell. Unfortunately, there is no lighter tubed, traditional Diamond frame bike with ~2.2” clearance available. 

I currently ride a Romanceur. 2.2” for off road and (currently) 38’s for commuting and road riding. Diamond frame for a frame pack for bikepacking.  I’d happily ride this bike year round. 

Matt Beecher

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Nov 16, 2022, 7:31:43 PM11/16/22
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I've said it before and will say it again.  The Saluki is the best bike I have ridden.  It goes as fast as I can, is lighter than the Atlantis, can carry more than I have ever tried, takes wide enough tires + fenders, and climbs as well as my lighter bikes.  It was also my introduction to 650B.

The one fault it has is that they are pretty hard to find, so I am not willing to lock it up for more than a couple minutes out of my sight.  

My biggest fault is that I seem to be concerned about exposing it to active rain and salt (snow), but I wish I could break myself of that fear and ride the heck out of it more.  

This one returned to me this year and is the closest of the two in being a beater.  I pamper the purple one still. It now has a dynamo wheelset and a Pass & Stow 3 rail rack.  

IMG_0408.JPG

Cheers,
Matt



Eric Daume

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Nov 16, 2022, 8:04:19 PM11/16/22
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My riding is 75% around town on a fixed gear, with the rest made up of mountain biking and some geared road rides. 

I would probably end up forgoing my mountain biking and get a Quickbeam as my Riv one and only bike. 

Eric

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Joe Bernard

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Nov 16, 2022, 11:15:13 PM11/16/22
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I have one Riv that already does all this, but I'm cheating the premise of the thread cuz it's a custom I had built for the purpose. So I'll shift my answer to: What if I didn't have a car and part of the ride to go shopping included gnarly singletrack! 

Ok the answer is Gus Boots-Willsen. I'd move most of my parts over:
SRAM 1x11 drivetrain
Sugino 152mm 36t cranks (maybe a smaller front ring, I don't care much about spinning out)
Deity pedals 
WI rear hub
Velocity Atlas rims
Bosco bars
Face Plater stem
Nitto post
Brooks B17
Paul Motolites and levers
Nitto Big Rack

I'd swap the front hub for a SON Dyno, a move I wish I'd done when I had Rick build my wheels. 
Would probably add front low-rider racks. 

This would give me all the stuff I love about Rivs (except lugs..don't tell anybody but I love the fillet welds on Gus, my custom has a couple, too) in a stouter frame that will handle big loads and gnarly terrain. 

Luke Hendrickson

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Nov 17, 2022, 2:20:20 AM11/17/22
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This is a fun one! I guess that I’ll kinda cop out and say that what I have now is what I’d run as a do-it-all. I really like the Gus but I see it as a 75% unpaved sorta bike which is why I’m pretty happy with my Atlantis. I live and ride in San Francisco and so see a lot of elevation changes both while commuting and while riding aimlessly. Thus my current setup (44-32-22 up front, 12-32 in the rear) allows me to take on the steepest San Francisco hill and gnarliest unpaved route in Marin.

The addition of the basket has made it a true quiver killer in my eyes and makes me so happy that I no longer view baskets with disdain. I was sorely missing out. I’ve been a long time admirer (I saw my first Riv in 2008) but I’m a new owner (August of this year). I’m sure my answer will change over time, but, for now, the Atlantis is all that I need. 

Also also: I just did the attached route and featured a lot of rough terrain with the final 40 miles being exclusively paved. The Atlantis was supremely comfortable on all of it. 
82D6E2F7-3BCD-45B6-8D39-C0BE02C4B104.png

Chris L

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Nov 17, 2022, 7:35:43 AM11/17/22
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20210614_081755.jpg

Conway Bennett

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Nov 17, 2022, 7:41:29 AM11/17/22
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I nominate my 650b Hunqapillar.  It's the most comfortable bike I've ridden, and it's geometry doesn't seem to be intended for drops, flat, or upright handlebars--it feels different but good with each.

J J

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Nov 17, 2022, 8:41:15 AM11/17/22
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I, too, would choose my Hunqapillar. The setup would be generally what I am currently running on my green Waterford-built 58:
  • Upright, wide, swept-back bars with mirror and bell
  • Low gearing (triple with 24 tooth smallest in front, 9-speed with at least 36 tooth biggest in back)
  • Rapid Rise RD
  • Friction thumb shifting
  • Tires no smaller than 50mm
  • Cantilever brakes
  • B67 saddle
  • Robust wheels with at least 36 spokes; dynamo hub
  • Good lights
  • Flat pedals
  • Rear rack
I could get particular about specific components; they would just have to fit these general parameters. The main thing is the Hunq itself. The  more examples of other bikes I’ve ridden — including other Rivs —  the more attached I get to the Hunq as a do-it-all. The other bikes seem to have too much or too little of something relative to the Hunq. They might be fun, interesting, comfortable, capable, whatever, but they feel compromised or annoying in some way, big or small. The Hunq compromises nothing to me and riding it puts me in a happy place.

larson....@gmail.com

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Nov 17, 2022, 8:48:49 AM11/17/22
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My riding is road-centric (paved, gravel, dirt farm roads) so my  2TT 62cm Appaloosa does it all very well. It is comfortable, capable and fun to ride. The only thing I would like is more tire clearance to be able to ride trails and rough national forest roads, so maybe the 62cm Atlantis MIT, although I would love to give a Hunqapillar a try!
Randy in WisconsinAppaloosa 101022WEB.jpg

lconley

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Nov 17, 2022, 8:57:34 AM11/17/22
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I am going to go with my Mystery Bike / Long Bike / Protoveloosa for one main reason - it has horizontal dropouts, so it allows me to use single speed and internal gear hubs without any extra devices or eccentric hubs. I change my builds almost continuously, so this would allow me to be unfettered when choosing hubs, including fixie. It was the forerunner of todays long wheelbase bikes. The main triangle is actually not that far off of my custom, so it fits really well. It takes up to 700 x 50 tires.
4-9 2s.jpg

IMG_1220s.jpg

Laing

Marc Irwin

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Nov 17, 2022, 9:15:55 AM11/17/22
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Hunq for me.  Here in Michigan we have every kind of road, temperature and precipitation, if I had to have only one bike, the Hunq can handle it. 

Marc



On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 4:35:25 PM UTC-5 Patrick Moore wrote:

John Phillips

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Nov 17, 2022, 10:37:16 AM11/17/22
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My 2013 700c 54cm Waterford Hunqapillar. Stripped down or loaded up, skinny tires or fat, swept-back Albratross bars or flat bars, it's perfect for me.

Sad Riv decided to stop making them and if mine were wrecked or stolen, I'd ask about ordering a custom copy.

John

On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 1:35:25 PM UTC-8 Patrick Moore wrote:

Piaw Na

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Nov 17, 2022, 10:38:23 AM11/17/22
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I'm a serious under-biker, so I'd probably pick a Roadini or A Homer Hilsen.   For years I only owned a single road bike as my do-it-tall bike. My touring frame takes at most 32mm tires but I'd actually tour on 25mm tires. Everywhere I rode people would swear up and down that I needed a mountain bike to do certain rides I was planning on doing, and yet I'd manage to ride just fine. I finally ordered a pair of Continental TerraSpeed, and I'm going to look forward to tackling certain rides that I'd previously done on the mountain bike with a much ligher, more agile bike --- the Roadini.

On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 1:35:25 PM UTC-8 Patrick Moore wrote:

RichS

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Nov 17, 2022, 11:22:44 AM11/17/22
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Sam Hillborne is the one Rivendell that has had staying power for me. I've run the gamut of Rivs but there was something special about the Sam that has been just right from the first day I rode it. It's had many guises — from commuting to randonneuring and continues to do whatever I ask.

Best,
Rich in ATL
SH.jpg

Shoji Takahashi

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Nov 17, 2022, 11:32:25 AM11/17/22
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My 650b Toyo Homer does all that presently. I'd change two things: canti/V-brakes instead of Paul centerpulls and clearance for 42 with fenders. 

I'm tempted by the Platypus for those reasons and the long chain stays...

I am fond of the Hunqapillar, but it was overbuilt for me and the riding I do.

Happy Thanksgiving!
shoji
Arlington MA

J.C. Bryant

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Nov 17, 2022, 11:41:26 AM11/17/22
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Everyone choosing the Hunqapillar makes me mighty envious, especially since those are long gone. To all the Hunq owners: what bike in Riv's current catalog fills that role now? Is it the Appaloosa, their heavier-duty road touring frame? Or is the Hunqapillar the genetic precursor to the current iteration of the Atlantis? It looks to be a cool bike that represents the transition between classic Riv geometry and the more extreme long wheelbase swoopy bikes they're making now. Interesting to see how the bikes and designs have evolved over time.

lconley

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Nov 17, 2022, 12:05:17 PM11/17/22
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They made the Atlantis both before and after the Hunqapillar (and Bombadil). The Hunqapillar was basically a lower cost Bombadil when first introduced. I would say that the Gus/Susie is the successor to the Bombadil/Hunqapillar. 

When I inquired about getting an Atlantis years ago, Riv recommended the Hunquapillar because of my weight for use as a touring bike. Later, a brand new Bombadil frame in my size (52) appeared on the website as a frame special for 40% off over the Thanksgiving weekend. Evidently someone had ordered it as a semi-custom and didn't like something about it. I maxed the credit card and bought it. I understand why people pick the Hunqapillar. When I put 650 x 41 Fatty Rumpkins on my Bombadil, it accelerates like road bike, but the bike can handle any load I throw at it. I have run it with drops and bullmoose bars. The Hunqapillar also has the best head badge of any Rivendell - love those trilobites.

Laing

David Person

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Nov 17, 2022, 1:40:56 PM11/17/22
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Sample size of one, so for me I have to say the Sam Hillborne.

DSCF0319 copy.jpeg



Conway Bennett

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Nov 17, 2022, 1:48:33 PM11/17/22
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The Clem Smith/tine use the Hunqapillar fork.  I have it in my head that those forks were produced in Taiwan and the frame in the USA.

James M

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Nov 17, 2022, 2:11:56 PM11/17/22
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Another vote for the Hunq!  (Granted my only Rivendell.)  It just feels like a go-anywhere, do-anything, all-day bike.  Granted not "fast" pavement, but I've used it for commuting, grocery runs, long road rides, bikepacking, MTB flow trails, etc...

James

IMG_20220920_125430504_HDR.jpg

James M

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Nov 17, 2022, 2:12:59 PM11/17/22
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Randy - I love this photo of your Appaloosa.  I gotta up my bike photography skills!

James

larson....@gmail.com

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Nov 17, 2022, 2:42:07 PM11/17/22
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Thanks James! The Appaloosa is the most aesthetically pleasing bike I own, and I guess that is factored in by many of us!

Scott Luly

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Nov 17, 2022, 2:51:45 PM11/17/22
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@junes1junes, I'm building an Atlantis that I hope to use here and there loaded for dirt touring and bike packing. At this point, I'm undecided on gearing and your gearing raised my brows. On my MTB I run 26 front and 32 rear (as my lowest gear ratio) and that feels on the verge of spin out.

Any thoughts on where your 24 front/36 rear combo shines and why you run it?

Thanks in advance,

Scott

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Mackenzy Albright

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Nov 17, 2022, 3:55:34 PM11/17/22
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PXL_20220927_221729351.MP.jpg


I love my clementine and I would be content with this as my one and only. It is a forever bike. The problem isn't so much choosing "one bike" - problem is now owning "the one bike" Rivendell I would love to own them all...

Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!

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Nov 17, 2022, 4:27:47 PM11/17/22
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I have held off replying because nobody is wondering what my answer would be. My heart belongs to the Platypus, or more accurately, the Rivendell mixtes. I just want Grant to make one more - an anniversary model, extra fancy. It should be a Unicorn, or maybe a butterfly. If he made it a pearlescent pink I would be over the moon. He will never do this.

I could just have a Platypus and sail off into the sunset of my remaining decades. I tried, actually, but then didn’t like the constant switching of bags and racks. So, I got a second. One a minimalist, one a beast of burden. 

When you ride a bike and it feels as familiar as your own legs, that’s when you know. Anything else you throw a leg over is going to feel foreign or make you feel wistful, “This is fine but I wish it had ___________ like my Platypus.”

I’m impressed with the number of Hunq votes! That must have been a near-perfect bike for a lot of people. I always thought the Legolas reigned supreme with the people who liked Rivendell’s early models. 

Leah

739B9C0D-00D1-4DF1-9F43-EBF09320F9D0.jpeg
F3FFC308-64C0-4C6A-A31F-8412F1B16191.jpeg

James

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Nov 17, 2022, 6:04:04 PM11/17/22
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I'm lucky enough to have 3 rivendells but I have to say, if I could only have one, it would be the Sam Hillborne or Atlantis.  Neither of which I have ever ridden but both seem like perfect do-it-all bikes.

Greg J

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Nov 17, 2022, 6:56:52 PM11/17/22
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I've only ridden 3 Rivendells, all of them pre-2003 models, so I don't know what I'm missing on the newer models with the relaxed geo and long chain stays.  But I have yet to find any faults* with the Waterford A/R that I have, so I guess that would be the one for me!  26" wheels, triple crank, bar end shifters, and (currently) drop bars.

*Sometimes I wish it were lighter, but that would mean that it would be less versatile for touring, off-road, etc., so I'll take it as is.  

Greg

Jason Fuller

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Nov 17, 2022, 8:40:43 PM11/17/22
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I've approached this thought experiment from every angle before. Given that I participate in a wide range of types of cycling (brevets, errands, commutes, multi-surface exploration, bikepacking / touring, and technical mountain biking) it really comes down to what is the number of bikes I own total vs. what Rivendell(s). 

I've consistently come to the same conclusion on an optimal balance - three bikes; a Brompton, the Hillborne, and a hardtail mountain bike.  So that means the Hillborne is my pick for one Rivendell: it's quick enough for brevets but also capable enough for loaded touring on FSRs. Even if I dropped the Brompton from that trio, the Hillborne could pick up the slack and do all the erranding I need with aplomb. 

If I had to go to one bike total, I'm not sure if it would be a Rivendell.  But if it was, my Bombadil would be my pick with the Platypus in second place 

Philip Williamson

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Nov 17, 2022, 8:48:03 PM11/17/22
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I have a custom Fitz that's my do-it-all one bike (just ignore those other bikes in the shed), but if I had to replace it with a Rivendell, there are a couple options. 
1. If it was my Quickbeam, I'd just change my riding habits, and maybe cheat with a couple different wheels. 
2. If I could buy a friend's Hunqapillar, I'd raise the gearing a bit and add a dynamo light.
3. If I was starting from scratch, it would be a nu-Atlantis with parts from the Fitz:
- SON/Onyx 700c Quill wheels with RH 55s
- Nitto RM-3 flared drops (I guess I'd need a Discord stem)
- Basket
- A 26.8 Gravity Dropper post (or hone the seat tube to 27.2 and use a Thomson)

Philip  
Sonoma County, Calif

Davidbea

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Nov 18, 2022, 7:40:11 AM11/18/22
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Homer at Glen Falls 3.14.20.JPG
My Toyo Homer fits 650B Hetres and VO fenders.

Patrick Moore

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Nov 18, 2022, 12:07:13 PM11/18/22
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Since I opened the thread I get to set the (ironclad) conditions of the thought experiment. The conditions allow you to have several wheelsets for the "one-and-only." So -- how fat a tire can a QB contain? Perhaps with 42 mm knobbies and a bigger cog or fw you might be able to do at least "light" mountain biking.

On Wed, Nov 16, 2022 at 6:04 PM Eric Daume <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:
My riding is 75% around town on a fixed gear, with the rest made up of mountain biking and some geared road rides. 

I would probably end up forgoing my mountain biking and get a Quickbeam as my Riv one and only bike. 

Eric

Eric Daume

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Nov 18, 2022, 12:31:06 PM11/18/22
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I had an Orange QB, and it was a bit tighter clearance than I expected (my Surly Cross Check had better clearance). Maybe a 42 would fit, but that's not enough to let me ride briskly with my friends on their 29ers. Which is why I currently have a handful of mountain bikes in addition to a pair of fixed gears. And a couple of folders.

I'm a ways from the "one bike" level.

Eric

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J J

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Nov 19, 2022, 7:43:27 PM11/19/22
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@scottluly  thanks for your note. The 24F/36R ration is important to me for a few reasons, a few scenarios. It's there when I need it.  It gives me the proverbial bailout gear. It allows me to tackle steep, long climbs if I'm otherwise fatigued or in pain. It's easier on my knees and back. It helps when I haul very heavy loads up hills (75, 80 pounds is not unusual). It helps me get through slogs when I can balance pedaling anaerobically with going aerobic. I have as much high gearing as I practically need for the riding I do with the 46 big ring and 11 tooth rear, and I'm not interested in competitive riding, even "friendly" competition (I ignore riding mates who try to foment that dynamic!). It's handy to have the wide range. I see no down side to the super low gearing even if I don't use it much. I'm glad to have it when need arises though. I can only speak for myself, though! Everybody has their own needs and desires.

As an aside, I have not warmed up to 1x gearing even though I get why folks swear by it. I like triples.

I hope this was helpful, but if you were looking for something else, let me know.

Best wishes.

jeffbog...@hotmail.com

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Nov 19, 2022, 8:27:13 PM11/19/22
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9A9D2B46-EFDC-42B6-BF27-8B0F47E922AE.jpeg
Here is my n=1; it's a 2011 Toyo Atlantis and it is PERFECT (for me)

Jeff
Fairhope, AL

James

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Nov 19, 2022, 9:49:56 PM11/19/22
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That's my dream ride.  The 62 Appaloosa is a touch large for me, and i'd love a single top tube.  Looks like a 61cm?  What's your PBH?

Chris L

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Nov 19, 2022, 10:09:05 PM11/19/22
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I would say the Appaloosa.  I don't know the tube specs on the Hunqapillar but I've seen them for one run of the Appaloosa and I'm pretty sure the Hunq has lighter tubes.  

Last time I looked at Appaloosa geometry in my size (54-55cm), the Appaloosa was pretty much a longer chainstay Hunqapillar.  

On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 10:41:26 AM UTC-6 jcbrya...@gmail.com wrote:

brizbarn

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Nov 20, 2022, 1:22:38 AM11/20/22
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I'll give another vote to the Joe Appaloosa, 2021 60cm for me.  Although, I'm sure a least an handful of models would do the trick, this is just the one I chose to buy, and certainly don't regret it.  Pictured here on the banks of the Willamette River, in Portland, OR, recently fendered-up for the season with home-made leather flap. 
DSCF8533.jpg
Brian

Jay Connolly

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Nov 20, 2022, 6:54:47 AM11/20/22
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I bought the Appaloosa for touring, but I have not yet used it for that purpose. It's the bike I have tinkered with the most. I have run it "lean" with drop or moustache bars, but at the moment, it's in full commute/winter warrior mode. In its current configuration, it easily outweighs my Sam by 10-15 pounds, and yet I am drawn to it even for easy recreational rides. It's just such a pleasure to ride.

Jay
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

Joe_Appaloosa_Nov_2022.jpg

Joel S

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Nov 20, 2022, 9:31:53 AM11/20/22
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FAC35277-76B6-4A4C-9309-F0F0D7425C13.jpegI do love my Saluki that I was lucky to find last year, same color as Matt’s.  I also have a Hillborne fitted with 48mm tires but I think my vote goes to the Saluki just because of the older styling. 

On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 7:31:43 PM UTC-5 Matt Beecher wrote:
I've said it before and will say it again.  The Saluki is the best bike I have ridden.  It goes as fast as I can, is lighter than the Atlantis, can carry more than I have ever tried, takes wide enough tires + fenders, and climbs as well as my lighter bikes.  It was also my introduction to 650B.

The one fault it has is that they are pretty hard to find, so I am not willing to lock it up for more than a couple minutes out of my sight.  

My biggest fault is that I seem to be concerned about exposing it to active rain and salt (snow), but I wish I could break myself of that fear and ride the heck out of it more.  

This one returned to me this year and is the closest of the two in being a beater.  I pamper the purple one still. It now has a dynamo wheelset and a Pass & Stow 3 rail rack.  

IMG_0408.JPG

Cheers,
Matt



Slin

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Dec 5, 2022, 3:27:20 PM12/5/22
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My answer is my Clem Smith Jr. I've been riding my first and only Riv for about a year now and love it. Since I'm on the lighter side, every once in a while, I wonder how a not-as-heavy-duty Riv, like a Platypus or AHH would be for me. But then it might not work for the 95% of my rides where I'm carrying about 60 lbs extra of passengers daily :)

The step-through frame let me size up so there's no knee interference with the front seat when pedaling, plus I can get on and off nice and easy.

Here it is in Voltron Mode on a foggy day up on Twin Peaks here in SF.


IMG_0421.jpg

Will took it for a spin too:

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Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!

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Dec 5, 2022, 5:00:58 PM12/5/22
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Look at those yummy babies! I mean, nice Clem, but the babies!!! 😍😍 

Once one has had a Clem with that wonderful step-through tube and the way way lax geometry, it is hard to replace. I ride my Platypuses nearly exclusively, but I won’t part with that blue Clem. It’s too good, too comfortable, and has its own brand of beauty. Someday you might like a Platy, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of your Clem. Have both! And, when those little darlings get bigger, how about a 45 Clem for them? I’m full of the good ideas.

Masa

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Dec 6, 2022, 12:19:24 AM12/6/22
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Hi Leah, I would like to ask you how you compare Platypus and Clem Smith Jr L.
They both are step-through but I assume that they feel pretty different when you ride them.

And yes, what the nice photo of Slin, Clem and the babies!

Masa

2022年12月6日火曜日 7:00:58 UTC+9 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!:

Andrew Turner

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Dec 6, 2022, 12:41:53 AM12/6/22
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My N=1 will very soon be the new Roadini with 44mm Snoqualmi EL tires. I'm another underbiker and my rides are usually recreational with a fanny pack's worth of gear on a lot of broken pavement. It took me a year to realize it's everything I wanted in a custom frame since they've upped it's appetite for tire capacity and when I saw Will's built up...Oof. As for commuting and grocery-getting via bike, I prefer a trusty-rusty fixie to lock-it-and-forget-it, so I'd personally steer away from Riv for that, but I won't promise the Roadini won't get a basket bestowed upon it one day ;) 

Leah Peterson

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Dec 6, 2022, 3:08:53 PM12/6/22
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Hi Masa! Are you enjoying your new Platypus? Good to hear from you.

The Clem is definitely heavier, and I notice it at my weight. I have replaced a lot of parts with lighter ones (the most expensive being the wheelset) to lighten it up. The Clem accelerates more slowly but trucks along quickly once up to speed. I love the step-thru design - it’s romantic looking and dead practical.

The Platy is more nimble and quick to accelerate. It feels notably lighter. I feel like it fits me better, but that’s not something I can quantify or that will necessarily be the same for you.

They don’t feel similar - even though they are both step/thru or mixte they are very different machines. I’m glad to have both bikes. I wouldn’t want to part with either.

I’m not sure if that was helpful but I ‘m happy to elaborate if you have more questions!
Leah

On Dec 6, 2022, at 12:19 AM, Masa <msts...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Leah, I would like to ask you how you compare Platypus and Clem Smith Jr L.
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Nick Payne

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Dec 6, 2022, 3:57:31 PM12/6/22
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I have four Rivendells - a custom, a Romulus, a Bleriot, and an Appaloosa. If I had to keep only one, it would be the Bleriot. It's the most all-round versatile of them. I use it for commuting, touring, Audax, grocery shopping, bunch rides with racing cyclists, etc.
IMG_0107.JPG

Nick

Masa

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Dec 7, 2022, 8:27:19 AM12/7/22
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Leah, thank you for your comparison between Platypus and Clem! It's really informative and helpful.
I did a test ride when the shop had a Platypus and I decided to get one. It seems like my impression was right for my current purpose of rides as I heard your comparison. I agree with you that Platypus is quick to accelerate. It is quick to accelerate and then stable to handle.

Someday I might need another Riv for another purpose but until then my Platypus will be do-it-all Rivendell for me!

Masa

2022年12月7日水曜日 5:08:53 UTC+9 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!:
IMG_0360.HEIC

Slin

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Dec 7, 2022, 1:15:49 PM12/7/22
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Thanks, Leah. I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a Platypus frame since they're in stock in a size my wife can ride. And who knows the next time they'll be available!

As for kids bikes, I think it would be too cool to get one of those test Riv kids bikes that were made years back.

S

Leah Peterson

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Dec 7, 2022, 2:46:40 PM12/7/22
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Slin, 

I hope you get one of those bikes because you’re right - they may not be available for a long, long time. The 55s are already gone and only a few of the 50s remain. I used a Betty Foy (the Platypus predecessor) to pull my son with both a bike trailer and later, a tag-along and it did great. Not sure how tall you are but maybe you could ride that Platypus from time to time!
L

On Dec 7, 2022, at 1:15 PM, Slin <sli...@gmail.com> wrote:


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Slin

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Dec 8, 2022, 11:25:38 AM12/8/22
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Leah - yes, in fact, my wife and I would ride the same size frame. :) The step-thru frames are so accommodating that way. Part of my hesitation to get the frame is because I'm worried I'm pulling a 'Homer Simpson gifting Marge a bowling ball' if you get the reference, hah. My wife rides her Brompton to commute and it just fits her use so well -- biking to take a train and then storing the bike under her desk.

Kim Hetzel

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Dec 8, 2022, 3:28:34 PM12/8/22
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Being that I have not owned other Rivendell bicycle to compare my Clem Smith Jr. "L" with, I must say that the timing could not have been more perfect in finding another bike thanks to Paul Shin out of Alpine, Utah. His encouragement and offering me the sale of his 59cm Clem was and remains a blessing in disguise. Thus, I am very grateful.

I can ride upright and with great comfort and big smiles knowing the reasons what is like to own a Rivendell bicycle. This is my ATB, my last and retirement bike.

My problem with wanting more setback with my Brooks B67S saddle is coming to a close. Bought a 2.6mm shim and a PAUL Tall and Handsome 27.2mm seat post. Now, I have just some fine adjustments on angle and tilt of the seat. I am truly happy for this.

Kim Hetzel
Yelm, WA.
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