Yellowolley: what's in a name?

[Dan Bluestein]

Other than the palindromic nature of the word, if there's been any discussion of the Yellowolley name, I missed it. Does anybody know the origin of the name?

I thought the Yellowolley-curious in the bunch might be interested in this page from a book titled Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech.

(For those of you who might not be able to view the photo, it show a poem that describes a yellow dog, written in the shape of a dog. In the poem the word yellow appears several times, adjacent to the dog's tail which is "wolley" written vertically from top to bottom.)

Dan in Oakland

[Ron Mc]

I thought Grant's Blug and most recent e-mail made it pretty clear - also a good photoset on the website.  

TIG-welded frame, closest to Platypus, and sold only as turn-key bike in a box - 4 frame sizes, one color (good color).  

Probably difficult to have any discussion on a bike that hasn't been delivered to anyone yet.  

To me, boxed, complete bike takes the fun away - building a bike is a rare joy, and when it's done, it's Mine.  

I can see the dog in fun photo, but can't read the poem.  

[Dan Bluestein]

Thanks Ron, but I was asking if anybody knows the story behind the NAME of the bike. Maybe I skimmed over those recent Riv communications too quickly, but I didn’t see that mentioned.

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[Ron Mc]

The only yellow wooley reference that googles up is the caterpillar of Spilosoma virginica moth.  

While yellow is a variant color, folklore says abundance of yellow wooleys is an omen for a hard, snowy winter.  

[Kim H.]

@Ron,

"To me, boxed, complete bike takes the fun away - building a bike is a rare joy, and when it's done, it's Mine."

Perfectly said ! !

I will remember this.

Thank you.

  

On Sat, Jun 27, 2026 at 3:22 AM Ron Mc <bulld...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Dan]

I think it's no more and no less than what you've identified already: a fun palindrome!

[Menos Joven]

I will take the other viewpoint, I say that for me, completes do not take the joy out of ala carte parts spec and build. This will only be the third complete offered besides the Platypus and Clem. Imo, they are all spec’d thoughtfully by Riv and offer you their considered opinion on all that need to have a great Riv experience right out of the box. The complete comes with significant savings which allows more folks access to this world and as they’ve said, you can enjoy as is or swap out parts whenever for whatever reason. I’ve built up several of my bikes that I bought frame only which can indeed be a joy but I’m no longer racing or bling or gram chasing and honestly like how Riv specs bikes.

[Ryan Fleming]

I do too, Les. And many of the parts are OEM, including the OM1 r derailleur and skeleton key front, cranks, and hubs...as well as Nitto. Hardly low-budget(not that there is anything wrong with that...inexpensive parts that are very functional still exist). I think it looks like a fun little bike and I really like the color. Almost tempting me :)

[Tom Powell Davies]

The bike looks like it would be a lot of fun! It totally makes sense that Riv is using their own components.

Living in the UK, where bike theft is a major hazard, there is quite an art to building a lock-up bike that rides nicely, but that is not showy or overly tempting to thieves. For that use case, I had been hoping that maybe this bike would be more of a budget option, with tig welding and solid yet cheaper parts to keep the overall costs down. Likewise, I was thinking how nice it would be if the price-point made a Rivendell an option for people not able or not used to spending a fair chunk of money on a frame. 

Still, it looks great, and I look forward to hearing reports of how it rides! I'll be curious also to see if they change the yellow used from year to year :)

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[CMR]

Rode one yesterday - rides like a Riv! Smooth and comfortable, with a nice parts configuration. Yellow looks great online but even better in person.

[Stephen Durfee]

I'll just chime in that the Roaduno was also offered as a complete, although I'm not sure that's an option any longer...

[iamkeith]

Both my Rambouillet and Quickbeam were sold as complete builds, too.  So there have been others.  

In those cases, I ultimately upgraded a number of components though.  Yellowolley  looks great. I'm thinking about getting one for my daughter and, honestly, the only thing I think I'd do differently - even if money was no object - would/will be a smaller chainring, adding some fenders and, eventually, some different tires.

[ly29]

Thanks all for the knowledge on the other completes that Riv has offered previously. For those who’ve the YelloWolleY in person, is the color metallic? Thanks!

The light within me honors the light within you!

"I'd put my money on solar energy... I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."
-Thomas Edison, in conversation with Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, March 1931

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[Adrian]

From what I remember, little to no metallic flakes/pearl in the yellow paint.

TBH I'm a little confused by this model. Shorter chainstays than a platypus but longer reach and top tube on a 57 YWY than a 60 Platypus. Kind of an oddball geo.

[Richard Rose]

I like it. But, do we think it is significantly different than a Clem? Also, wouldn’t it look sweet painted the blue color of the lug window with yellow accents. A color palindrome if you will?

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 30, 2026, at 4:00 PM, Adrian <adria...@gmail.com> wrote:

From what I remember, little to no metallic flakes/pearl in the yellow paint.

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[Joe Bernard]

"But, do we think it is significantly different than a Clem?"

Riv describes it as an all-purpose pavement bike with light trails thrown in. I suspect lighter tubing than my Clem L, a bike I consider on par to '90s rigid mountain bikes. Also the step-thru feature looks and works much different from Yellowolley. 

I consider this frame a TIG'd Platy without the mid-stays. 

[Laing Conley]

I really, really don’t need another bike, but it is yellow. 

It also has a long effective top tube that would pair well with the Bar68s for my long torso and it is yellow. 

It also takes a 27.2 seat post that would pair well with the lugged Nitto seat post for my long torso and it is yellow. 

I don’t mind it being a complete because I have lots of parts in the parts stash to play with and it is yellow. 

I like yellow bikes and it is yellow. 

Laing Conley

Delray Beach FL

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[Kim H.]

@Laing,

Quite the entertaining post... lol.

Kim Hetzel

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[Johnny Alien]

Rivendell says its almost identical in function to the platypus. I personally consider it to be a more affordable version of that bike.

[Ron Mc]

Kim, all Laing's prose lacks is to be arranged in the shape of a yellow dog - or a yellow bike.  

[Jonathan Carmack]

Just don’t call it yella 

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[Bill Lindsay]

I didn't consider it as all that affordable, as long as there was a $1700 Betty Foy on craigslist locally.  Now that there is no $1700 Betty Foy on craigslist locally, the YelloWolleY looks a lot better.  

BL in EC

[Johnny Alien]

I thought the same when comparing it to the price of the complete platypus but then I remembered thats a 2025 price and likely will be higher in future batches

[Doug Van Cleve]

I’m sure they’ll sell like hotcakes, as most things RBW seem to since that New Yorker(?) article.  Also, Grant et al. should spec them however they see fit.  That said, I don’t understand the heat treated Nitto bar, the Nitto seatpost, and the Silver cranks on what is supposed to trend toward “budget“.  Those three items alone add several hundred dollars to the price, compared to perfectly serviceable silver alloy parts that RBW stocks, or has stocked.  To the earlier responder lamenting the price, you might be able to buy one of these and swap out those parts before use and resell them to knock a decent chunk off the price of the bike…

Doug

[Johnny Alien]

They are never not going to use their own branded parts. It doesn't make a lot of sense. So I expect the silver cranks and honestly they aren't crazy out there as far as price. I do think you could get away with a Kalloy seatpost as they are quite nice. They aren't Nitto elegant but I honestly have never swapped one out. In the end what does that really save you on a complete? I think the nice specs on their completes is exactly what makes them worthwhile vs other completes. Other than tires and maybe the handlebars (based on preference) there is nothing that is lacking in the parts

[Richard Rose]

Probably getting most of the nice parts @ a fraction of their retail prices?

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 3, 2026, at 8:15 AM, Johnny Alien <johnny....@gmail.com> wrote:

They are never not going to use their own branded parts. It doesn't make a lot of sense. So I expect the silver cranks and honestly they aren't crazy out there as far as price. I do think you could get away with a Kalloy seatpost as they are quite nice. They aren't Nitto elegant but I honestly have never swapped one out. In the end what does that really save you on a complete? I think the nice specs on their completes is exactly what makes them worthwhile vs other completes. Other than tires and maybe the handlebars (based on preference) there is nothing that is lacking in the parts

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[Ron Mc]

Certainly, if your goal is the most bike for the $, buying complete is most cost-effective.  

Even buying a build kit is going to be discounted over individual parts onshore retail purchases.  

I'm glad Kim got my first post on this thread.  If you like to build your bike, it's a rare treat, so savor it.  

As many in this group demonstrate, it may never be quite "done"

FWIW, I had my RoadUno rolling for close-enough to the cost of the complete Web Special bike (listed as Sold) - and I'm still putting more into it.  

One member on IBoB group ran an experiment, bought an old Motobecane frame, and had it updated with new parts at his local bike shop.  

He accurately opined the $1900 the project cost him would have bought a very nice complete new bike.  

Part of the reason we join groups like this is to snag deals on good parts.  There's also knowing how to shop across the big ponds, which was a bigger price break in the past than it is currently, though it's still cheaper than onshore retail.  

[LeRoy]

There's an element or two missing in the price discussion of the YelloWelloY. It was originally suggested that Rivendell planned/hoped to bring it to market at around $2700 complete. In fact, the actual price for those taking part in the July pre-sale is $2500. That's a couple hundred dollars back in the buyer's pocket. Add that to the incremental value of things like the better-than-necessary Nitto seat post and stem, Silver3 crankset, heat-treated Nitto bars, Silver2 bar end shifters, Silver OM-1 derailer. From this point of view, I'd say that there is a great deal of value in the complete bike.

LeRoy in Rochester, MI

[Ron Mc]

yeah, there wouldn't be so many Kalloy seatposts floating around if we all didn't prefer 2-bolt S83

[Ryan Fleming]

Add to the value proposition the St. Jump wheels laced to the OM Silver hubs...as opposed to the functionally fine Deore hubs...and I'd say the Yellowolley is a great deal. If I was in the market for another bike, I'd seriously think about it as a step-thru

On Friday, July 3, 2026 at 10:54:06 AM UTC-5 LeRoy wrote:

[Dorothy C]

And Nitto seatpost instead of Kalloy and the OM-1 derailleur, and Silver 2 thumbies instead of Microshift. I'd say it is a very fair price

[Dorothy C]

I see other posters pointed those out, and more upgrades. If I didn't already have three step through Rivs (50 and 55 Platy, 55 Cheviot) I would be jumping on that deal

[Johnny Alien]

I feel like I should explain that when I was talking about price I was only talking about in relation to the Platypus. As in...its only XX amount more to go fully lugged. I was shocked it was so close in price. BUT as I pointed out before that was a 2025 price on the Platypus and I doubt it will be that low again when it comes back. Just didn't want to come across that I thought this new offering was over priced. I do not

[LeRoy]

    I think you're on the right track, Johnny.

    The 2025 price for a both a complete Platypus and frameset is almost certain to go up. Beyond that, I would expect a few enhancements to the next Platypus complete, if only to keep pace with the YelloWolleY. For instance, the existing (2025) Platypus complete uses a Kalloy seat post, a Sunrise rear detailer, and Novatech hubs. I would expect the next generation to use the following, or better; a Nitto S65 seat post, the OM-1 rear detailer, and Silver hubs. The Platypus already uses what many would agree are better tires (Graveling vs. Kenda Kwick Drumlin), so that probably wouldn't change. What else might be tweaked?

    I'm sure there are other items, but I expect that the folks at Rivendell know a bit about product positioning.  If not, I'd be ready to spend another $500 to move from YelloWolleY to Platypus.

    One final thought: Is it clear that September release of the next Platypus will include both frame sets and complete bikes?

LeRoy in Rochester, MI