How long did the search take to find your perfect "grail" Riv?

[Joseph Burge]

I know I am looking for a unicorn: a Hunq or Bomba in the 56-58cm range, so it seems to be taking a long time which is fine. The search has become a bit of a fun hobby in itself and I have no shortage of other bikes to ride so I'm ok there too...

But I am curious, for others who have looked for and eventually found their "grail" Riv. What was your experience like? How long did it take? Did you get lucky and find something quick? Or did it take weeks, months, years or searching? Did anyone give up and go with a different model? Or something slightly too big or small that they regret buying? Anyone end up getting a completely different bike all together? Share your quest for your dream bike!

-Joe

[Patrick Moore]

I signed up for a road custom in late 1994, got it in March 1995, ordered another one in very early 1999, got it in April 1999, and that second one is still after 26 years my favorite Riv and my favorite bike of all time. I ordered other Rivs, custom and stock, afterward but none were as good as that one which is my remaining Riv. I did get a couple of other customs from another builder that used the 1999 as a general “fit and feel and handling” model, with some success.

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

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[Bob]

Still looking, but only in a theoretical sense, because they closed their custom program. The closest to a "grail" production Riv would have been an Atlantis or Hunq from that brief, shining moment (2016–2017?) when both Waterford-built models were available in larger sizes with 650B wheels. Closest custom I've ever seen to my ideal trail-worthy Riv is Vaughn's (https://www.rivbike.com/pages/vaughns-custom). My ideal custom would have been the tubing and angles of my 2014 61 cm AHH; clearances, cantilevers, and braze-ons of an Atlantis; and 650B wheels.

However, I also have a soft spot for 26" wheels, and so for a long time (fifteen years or so?) I kept an eye out for an All Rounder around 59 cm or so. One popped up on the FB group in 2023, and I managed to snag it.

In short, my answer is, fifteen years and also forever.

--

Bob

[David]

I’m not wild about threaded steerers so the only reason I got involved was an unbuilt Gus frame came up for sale. Now I’m completely addicted to the high stack height and long chainstays. I’ve since purchased a second Gus frame and am in the process of a leisurely but deliberate build. 

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[Joe Bernard]

I cheated and had a custom built for me but I've owned one each of just about every Rivbike at some point. It's hard to find a "grail" Riv because they're all very good. 

Joe "my Clem L is suspiciously dang near as good as my custom" Bernard 

[Steven Sweedler]

I’ve owned 4 Rivendells, all used, a Road custom, Hunquapillar, Atlantis, and a 700 c AR. What I couldn’t find was a 26” All Rounder. My 4 bike fleet now is 26”. 

Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

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[Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA]

Let's see...these were all nice bikes, but not quite right for a variety or reasons, or just bad timing budget wise. 

Quickbeam

Bombadil (1st gen)

Bombadil (the one with the diagatube all the way to the dropouts)

Atlantis (Toyo)

700c All Rounder (Goodrich built) 

Roscoe Bubbe (64cm - the one Will designed)

Hunqapillar (too small for me)

Clem H (nice, but too long for my taste) 

And the accidental keeper I happened across after learning that customs were no longer being offered:

63cm Rivendell custom 700c All Rounder (Nobillette built - and pretty much what I would have ordered anyway) 

How long did all that take? Let's just say Ever Since 1994. 

[J S]

I ordered first Riv Road in 1997, a 53cm, then in '99 a 54cm which I received in 2000. I then got an AR frame that Riv had hanging around but that was mostly used by my lady friend of the time. I order a custom next, Grant measured me and it was a 56cm with a 56cm TT. I had sold the first  rivs by the time and the second (gold) sometime after the 56cm came in. I ordered a Rambouillet in a 56cm but knew it was too big for me and never built it up. I then ordered  56cm Saluki and I may have ordered this before I realized the Ram would be too big. I sold that bike in a short time due to the size and got a Bleriot. By that time I had met my wife and she is from Brasil and has her condo their still so I ordered a second Bleriot which never left my basement as I had a bad car accident that requited 2 surgeries to get me back on my feet and decided to sell all but my Bleriot, so the AR , Custom and the second Bleriot were sold. I did not ride for 10 years but had the bleriot on rollers with a fork mount, When Covid hit my wife encouraged me to try to ride again. I found the Beriot to be great with the wider 42mm tires I was now using. That bike was a tad large for me so when a 54 Sauki came  for sale I bought it   took the parts from my bleriot which were on my original Saluki and sold the Bleriot, but before I found the 54 Saluki  I  bought a Sam Hillborne in a 51cm and matched it with 48mm tires. Great bike.   I still have the Saluki and the Hillborne, I do think I favor the Saluki, it is just a wonderful bike. 

The 54cm road should have been kept but things happen.

[Addison Wilhite]

My first and only Riv is still my grail Riv.  A 1998 AR that has gone through so many configurations but has now settled on its best tire/bar combo.  It is also now on a ship making its way to Tirana, Albania, where my wife and I will be teaching at an International School.

You can see the many configurations of it here:

https://www.addisonwilhite.com/rambler/category/rivendell

Addison

Reno

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[Steven Sweedler]

Great bike and a great choice of having just one bike, enjoy your adventure.

Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

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[Patrick Moore]

I didn’t realize that Rivendell made 700C Allrounders. Were these only in larger — over 60 cm c-c — sizes?

My first 26” custom Riv Road was designed around the original 26” wheel Allrounder but with slightly steeper head and made with road tubing (753; were Allrounders made from this? I hear Grant had thicker walls spec’d)  and road (H James) lugs; fork was 531. It was nice but sized like the XO-1 and therefore with very low stack; I resorted to custom Salsa quill stems that worked well but looked ugly. It wasn’t bad and I rode it for at least 10 years in various builds but my later 26” customs were much better. 

[Steven Sweedler]

I heardGrant comment that they started making 700C ARs because of negative comments about the look of large frames with 26” wheels, especially the headtubes.

Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

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[Patrick Moore]

Hah! I recall a visitor looking at my 1999 26” wheel 57 c-c fixed road bike and saying, “That is a big frame.” This man was at least 6’3”. Nope, just wheels 2 1/2” smaller in diameter on a medium frame.

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[Alec Axt]

Just joined group! Have four Rivs now. First one, a custom long low road bike, purchased in 1999. Now has upright bars after going through drops, moustache, albastache.

At this point in my biking I just ride uprights.

Next is an Appaloosa from 2018 after I got back into riding following 5+years off due to knee pain that would occur each season just as I was getting in shape. Has a big wald basket in front, rear rack.

Then in late 2022 got a RoscoBubbe Platypus because it was so cool!

Now in 2025 recently came across a Clem, a very good deal on fully equipped(fenders, rack, fillet brazed stem).

The clem is something else to ride. 64cm of luxury lol.(56cm chainstays!) 57mm G-ones, 31.8 mm tosco bar. brand x rims but they are 35mm wide! Alternating in 2's light and dark spoke nipples? Picked it up from first owner who apparently had to sell. Barely ridden!

I am basically a street cruiser now and hope I am done buying bikes!

99'Riv 63cm, Appaloosa double top tube 62cm, Purple Rosco Plat at 60cm.

Was taken by Rivendell approach from chance encounter with Grant Petersen at bike club presentation.

The man has true character!

Long Live Rivendell!

I

[Ken Yokanovich]

It has taken nearly 20 years to build a collection of Rivendell frames. Each one is a little different and better in one way, not as great in another. I have tried numerous times to put something together that satisfies all of the desires, but each attempt has resulted in a mess of compromise.

If you forced me, I could maybe narrow it down to two: Appaloosa for duty and CG01 Curt Goodrich built Rivendell Custom road for fun.

As I think about replacing my stolen Atlantis, it represents an example of compromise. It fulfilled the need for a loaded touring bike, and with the S&S couplers I could travel with it. However, the changeover was a PITA. I’m thinking another Appaloosa for touring (if offered in something other than &$+#% green) and ordering elsewhere for a travel bike.

[Ryan]

So @Ken, you're not a fan of the new "general use" green, either, I take it? I have to say, I like it better than the lime-olive...and I don't think color is a trivial consideration so in building my own collection of 3 Rivs I picked colors I found appealing and I wouldn't get tired of....one of which was Sherwood Green, a metallic dark green offered in the late 90s for my allrounder.

[Drew Fitchette]

I like this thread Joseph, as the Goldilocks Riv has been a tough catch for me, and the folks on this forum have been ever so gracious with advice/help. My timeline goes like this:

55cm Holdsworth Special(high school/college bike) Donated
Lg Velo Orange Piolet(first "gravel bike"... fun, but overkill) Sold
53cm Atlantis from 2019(too small) Sold 
56cm DTT Sam Hillborne(too tall with max'd tires) Sold 
54cm Appaloosa(too small) For Sale

59cm Clem Smith Jr from 2024(Grocery getter/Camper) Keeper

60cm Platypus (recently acquired, in the stand now) 

I'm ashamed to admit that when I'd realized the Atlantis was too small I reached out to Riv and Roman told me with my dimensions that a 54 Sam or Appa would work, but that he thought then a 60cm Plat would be even better... I think I had it in my mind that I needed a diamond frame bike, but the Clem really opened my eyes to how wrong I was going about my "fit". Turns out I'm Riv's target audience with the step thru style, being 6 ft tall with a shorter PBH and I'm glad they've got options!

For what it's worth, Bill Lindsay of this parish referenced in another thread that he looks at Reach more than listed CM sizing, and since upsizing I'm using that rule of thumb moving forward.

[tío ryan]

In 2023, I pulled the trigger on a Platypus, even though I had never seen a Rivendell in person. I subscribed to the mailing list back in 2017 and always wanted one, but they seemed out of my price range. At the time, I also didn’t have much space for more bikes. That all changed when my main bike bit the dust and it felt like a now-or-never moment. I originally had my eye on a Clem, since it was more affordable and something I wouldn’t mind locking up around NYC. But after reading so many Bikesnob articles praising the Platypus, I was convinced. I talked myself into it and I ordered a Sergio Green Platypus.

My previous daily-rider was a singlespeed, so the Platypus was a bit more bike than I needed for my commute. Its long frame also made it awkward to shoulder and haul up and down 3 flights of stairs every day. I briefly considered converting it to a singlespeed, but by some stroke of luck Rivendell released the Roaduno the following summer. Buying another one seemed nuts, but the Roaduno felt like the bike I always wanted. I loved how the Platypus felt and the Roaduno was everything my old ride never managed to be: lugged steel, room for big tires, all the rack mounts, sidepull brakes, and best of all—track ends. I've said it before, but I'm fully convinced the Roaduno is my ideal bicycle!

-tio 'riv-pilled' ryan 

[Kim H.]

About three years ago, I was on the hunt for an upright riding position bicycle. My 1984 Raleigh Elkhorn that I modified was not cutting it for me. I never did fall in love with it. Next I found myself looking at Soma Buena Vista mixtes. From being a RBWOB group member for a number of years, I was offered a used 59cm lime olive Clem bicycle by a group member, who at the time told me that it would fit me without referring to Rivendell's sizing chart. To my shame later, I found out that the frame was too large for me. This was my first Rivendell bicycle. 

I sold the 59cm Clem locally. I was now on the hunt for a 52cm RBW blue Clem. 

I had a conversation with Will Keating over the phone about bicycle frame painting in early November 2023. He asked me what I was looking for. I told him that I was looking for a 52cm RBW blue Clem. He quickly replied that he had one out on the floor as a demo. I became extremely excited, like a small boy on Christmas morning with a new toy. After he took pictures, I told him to ship it !  I bought it with a discount with the money I had from the sale of the 59cm Clem. 

My RBW blue Clem arrived three days later. After assembly, personal upgrades and tinkering over time, I have arrived with a bicycle that I am truly happy with, a bicycle that suits all of my senior cycling needs. She is a keeper by far and large. I am a big fan of step-through bicycles. 

No other bicycles in my stable. I sold my old very much loved road bike last year. 

A periwinkle Platypus bicycle ?  No, not now, maybe in the future.

I never thought I would own a Rivendell bicycle. I am very glad that I do now. 

Kim Hetzel.

As we grow older, the handlebars get higher and the gears get lower. 

[David Carner]

Kim,

As a senior owner of a blue 52 Clem that I have had some trouble getting dialed in, I would be interested in what tires you are running on yours.

David

[Kim H.]

@David, 

I am primarily running a pair of SimWorks HOMAGE 27.5x43s on pavement on the trails near me.

I have also ran the SimWorks HOMAGE 27.5x55s off road as well. 

I have Honjo Flat 65 metal fenders. Both two tire sizes fit very well with these fenders without any issues.

Feel free to ask any more questions, if you like.

Kim Hetzel. 

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[thomasl...@comcast.net]

I must have always had an old soul. I've always wanted seemingly "old-person-bike" features (high handlebars, low gears, easy shifting, stability, comfort). Now I'm actually "aging in" to the market. With the help of Rivendell and a few other businesses, the unusualness of those desires has not implied (and I hope will continue not to imply) difficulty satisfying them in a quality bicycle or components and accessories.

Now I want a step-through enough to seek one out. I'm sorta glad you found the 59cm Clem too large. I hope to get a 60cm Platypus next year and you won't be competing with me for it! :-) Pretty much any color will do. Except maybe silver; that just looks weird to me as a bike frame color. Purple would be best. That was beautiful.

Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean

On Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 6:44:10 PM UTC-5 krhe...@gmail.com wrote:

[thomasl...@comcast.net]

Finding my grail Rivendell took virtually no time at all. I heard about Rivendell from a wise friend. I appreciated the aesthetic immediately. I sat on a Hillborne in a shop. It felt so right that I bought one as soon as feasible. That was 2010. It has always been and is still my primary bike today. (My secondary bike has been a 2012 Hillborne of different color but pretty much identical.)

Obviously I was pretty lucky. Had I sat on a different Rivendell model would I have had the same response? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I would have rushed out, spent far too much money on something not as perfect for me as a Hillborne, and spent the remainder of my years on the edge of poverty, buying/building-up frame after frame, seeking perfection that, once missed, may have not been obtainable in the wake of the trauma of initial failure.

Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean

[RichS]

My grail Rivendell is the 2014 Sam Hillborne. I knew it would be a keeper early on. Still exceedingly pleased with it. Previous Rivs have been an Atlantis, Rodeo, Clem (H model), and Taiwan built Homer.

Best,

Rich in ATL

[Mackenzy Albright]

I remember seeing Dominic's orange Clementine posted and absolutely fell in love. I didn't think I would ever find one, nor really tried. I snagged a newer Clem Jr. I decided to sell off my Crust Romanceur I, to my delight, was offered a 59 clementine in orange on trade! The deal nearly fell through due to some cracking on the bent tube - only to realize it's the really really really horrible thick paint. 

It probably took me 3 years to track down an affordable Clem from when I decided it might be the way to go - another year before I was offered the clementine non trade on a fluke. So probably only 4-5 years? My only regret is not getting a Rivendell sooner. The Orange Clementine is my all time favorite bike Rivendell has produced, probably only seconded by the Hunqapillar. I like the tighter wheelbase and deep orange and blue lettering. It just really hits the spot. The new Clem's FEEL great - and even had an orange run - but the clementine just is a little tighter to my liking. 

[Shannon Menkveld]

I don't know that I have a "grail Rivendell." I do know that I want a Clem somethin' fierce, or even better a Platy set up pretty much the same way, but sprightlier and prettier. I was, and am, deeply into what the various sporting road Rivs had going on, when they still made that kind of bike. They don't, really, but others do... Mercian, for example, just got saved from the grave, and slots into a similar niche. 

The pretty, sporting, mostly-fun-with-a-bit-of-practical, lightweight, several-purpose production road bike isn't dead, and Rivendell gets a lot of the credit for that being true... even if they don't make a bike like that anymore. They did it when basically nobody else was, and now that several people are, they don't really need to anymore. Still, I will one day own a sporting road Rivendell, because that's what I've wanted since I first became aware of their existence about 25 years ago.

--Shannon

[Ryan]

Shannon wrote," The pretty, sporting, mostly-fun-with-a-bit-of-practical, lightweight, several-purpose production road bike isn't dead, and Rivendell gets a lot of the credit for that being true... even if they don't make a bike like that anymore. "

Not to nit-pick but  ...they still have lugged Roadinis on the production schedule and the limited edition $2800 Roadeo frame by Nobilette available and the HH which slot into the fun, pretty,practical slot...Hillborne would fall into this category too....so they do still make them. 

[Nick A.]

Does anyone else here feel like certain bikes "tell you" over time what they're supposed to be and how they're supposed to be set up?

My first riv was purchased in 2022, a 59cm rainbow top-tube Atlantis. It has gone through many iterations since V1, and it wasn't until installing a triple crank and Billie bars did it really become fully itself. Even though I've since added a Lugged Roadini to my small stable, which I love very much, my Atlantis is my all-time, MVP, desert island bicycle . 

Wishing everyone their very own GOAT,

Nick in Falls Church VA

[Dan]

I was going to say that "pretty, sporting, mostly-fun-with-a-bit-of-practical, lightweight, several-purpose production road bike" describes the Roadini very well from my half-year experience owning one!

[Shannon Menkveld]

The newer road bikes' tubesets are significantly stouter than the frames of yore. Yeah, they're stronger. But they're also a lot stiffer, and I don't care for stiff road bikes, especially ones that will be ridden mostly for fun, and lightly loaded. I know why they're the way that they are, and for that kind of road bike, they're among the best in the world.

But they are different bicycles. And that's all I meant.

--Shannon

[Ryan]

I see what you mean...however, the Roadeo made-to-order still by Mark Nobilette might check the lightweight, lively box,  from RBW's and owners' experience . But since it's not a production bike...it's  not really their bread and butter.

[Patrick Moore]

Others’ published judgments of recent Rivendell road bikes — Roadini, for one; RoadUno? SimpleOne? — have been uniformly posititive; Bike Snob, for example, loves his Roadini and RoadUno (or whatever that track-ended, derailleur hangered 1-2-3 speed frame is); and other highly experienced riders say the same.

But my initial reaction is to agree with Shannon: Riv’s tubing, even for their “fast” road models, is perhaps stouter than needs-be. 

I was skeptical about “planing” but for 17 years I’d noticed that my 2003 Curt Goodrich road custom didn’t feel as easy to pedal as my 1999 Joe Starck road custom keeper. I had the Curt replaced because I wanted various features built into a geometrical clone, but I immediately discovered upon riding the resulting Matthews fixed/IGH road bike that I had spec’d with thinnish-wll and normal gauge 531 that it felt “easier to pedal” and, especially, “easier to keep turning over a given gear in given conditions” than the geometrically-almost-identical Curt; same wheels and tires (swapped over, along with the rest of the parts). 

The Curt weighed 7 lb for frame + fork + 2000’s Ultegra cartridge headset; a few oz over 1 lb heavier than at least on other frame in my size that I owned. I didn’t weigh the Matthews replacement.

Next, the blue, second-gen Ram I owned for a couple of years also felt — not sluggish, just not “spritely.” The first-gen Sam did feel a bit sluggish, tho’ this may have been due to the Jack Brown Greens.

I conclude that Riv’s stout tubing choices might indeed affect the “feel” of certain of their bikes for certain riders, and I conclude that I was indeed very lucky to get that instant-in-time perfect frame by Joe Starck in April 1999.

*** There is no “rule” that makes one bike better than another; the only “rule” is that a given rider might experience a frame or bike differently from another rider.*** My point is that Shannon is not the only one to have the experience he describes.

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[R Olson]

I agree with Partick and Shannon.  The tubing even for the Roadini, Homer and Sam is very stout.  The only true road bike that Rivendell makes is the Roadeo.  I wish they would do a run of Roadini's with heat-treated steel.   I think that would make a difference.  

I've been trying out Riv's ever since I could afford one - probably for 8-10 years.  Nothing rides like a Riv.  I've owned a first- and second-gen Appaloosa, a few Clems, a Roadeo, a Roadini, and now a Sam.  I couldn't justify keeping them all, so I sold them in succession to fund future purchases.  I've liked them all, but the best of the bunch was the Roadeo.  The first gen Appa was great to ride too.  In terms of "planing" and having the bike work with you when pedalling, that Appaloosa just felt perfect.  It was slightly too big, though, so I sold it and got a smaller one but the smaller one was super stiff, which I didn't like.  I'm still on the hunt for my last and final Riv.  I just got the Sam and this one might be the keeper; I feel like it can do everything I want.  It doesn't quite plane like that first Appa, but it feels super comfortable and is versatile - I can ride upright bars as well as drops, I can load it up and I think I might be able to strip it down enough so that it comes close to a road bike.  It's been super fun trying them all out, they're great bikes and I think it's like Patrick said - there's no one rule that applies to everyone.  

[Joseph Burge]

Thanks Drew! I am new to the group so trying to build a little "karma" by starting a discussion... but also a pretty relevant question I was curious about as I'm on the hunt for my first Riv in a specific model/size.

It is interesting that you've owned a pretty wide range of sizes, were you just unaware of what size would fit you? Or did you realize you preferred larger sizes for Rivs? It also appeared that you developed a preference for the mixte frames over time, how did that happen?

I gotta say, the sizing for Rivs is the most confusing part of buying an older used bike. PBH is something I have been familiar with as a Rivendell lurker for years, but I am a bit skeptical when it is said that my PBH of 92cm could also fit a wide range of sizes depending on how it's built up. Seems to be a bit of variation between the standover of a 58cm frame of one model vs a 58cm of another model. This could be the topic of a whole other thread.

[Drew Fitchette]

Good luck with finding a Hunq, Joseph. I'd love one too! 

Yeah, I think I was looking at minimum PBH/standover only when I got my hands on the Atlantis. The Sam was me trying to size up, but a perfect example of the reach feeling good but my standover clearance being too close for comfort. The Appaloosa I'd hoped would land in the middle of the two but I found it much closer in feel to the Atlantis in terms of sizing. 

I originally got the Clem trying out Roman's suggestion for upsizing with a step thru frame, and he was totally right. I've got a lower than average PBH for my height and a really long torso and arms, so the only way of riding something sized properly is either having no standover(like the Sam), or a step thru. I also think there's something to riding as big of a frame as you can fit that appeals to some folks(myself included). Upon realizing this was the case I sold my Appaloosa frame and the hunt for a a bigger Platypus began. 

I think if you already know what the majority of the riding you do entails, it might be easier to identify what one Riv would fit best. That being said, a "horses for courses" approach can also be totally rational. 

[Victor Meng]

Joseph - it looks like a Hunq just became available in Oakland - (seller thinks its a 58cm):

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/d/oakland-rivendell-hunqapillar-frameset/7872024659.html

[Garth]

The Bomba is as close as I'm gonna get to a "best" fitting Riv frame, as it has normal chainstays and is long enough front of center to satisfy my fit preference. Rides nice though. Yes, it's a tank, with the 2nd parallel top tube alone being straight gauge, that's gotta be heavy by itself ! It really doesn't need it, but the lugs are nice and it makes for a fine lift bar though.

I'd try a custom Roadeo though, if it had a 73.5d STA and was a lot longer in the front that is !  That's more custom than they'd likely go for though.

Moving forward though, it doesn't seem too rosey for another Riv the way the frame design is going. I'm really tempted by the VO Chessie butted aluminum gravel/rough road frame , supposedly about a 25 pound bike and a nice ride to it by the design of aluminum tubes used. It checks all the boxes I have for a good fit, has normal stays and designed for drop bars. The trail number is a bit higher than I had considered but it can't be judged by that alone.

[Philip Williamson]

It took about a year for the Quickbeam to come to fruition after it was first hinted at. It matched my Sheldon-influenced dream bike almost exactly: fat tires, two fixed gears, fender mounts. When they arrived at Riv HQ in February 2004 I called up, “Are the Quickbeams sold out??” They had plenty, but I assumed such a perfect bike would sell out in minutes. 

The bike came with Noodle bars, but I found a Salsa stem I’d had from the 80s and a vintage WTB flared dirt drop dialed the fit perfectly. I painted and ran a couple different fender sets, first plastic and then metal. I got to play with different wheelsets over the years without changing the fit: automatic 2 speed, 3 speed fixed, but mostly a dingle fixed setup. 

Early this year, due to a broken wrist, I swapped the cockpit to a tourist bar and Ritchey Force stem and the wheels to a kickback Sturmey S2. I love it. I may never go back to the dirt drops, which is shocking, since that’s my signature bar.

Time to get the grail bike, almost no time. 

Time to turn it into other similar grail bikes? 20 years or so. 

Philip

Santa Rosa, CA 

[John Dewey]

Good question. 

I recognized quite a while ago that my favorite bicycle is—the one I’m riding. 

For that, I am eternally grateful. 

Jock

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[Chris L]

I will say eight years, but part of that was financial.  There were probably one or two opportunities in that timeframe that I couldn't take advantage of.  

I ended up with a first-run Hunqapillar (gray/orange).  It came up for sale here and we just happened to have the sell price as hobby disposable income.  I quickly called my wife to get permission and then messaged the seller.  He said I beat the next person by one minute!!   

I've had people see it in the bike shop, when it was in for repairs, and then ask the bike shop employee to ask me if I'm interested in selling it.  A surprising number of people actually know what it is.  

[Cormac O'Keeffe]

It took about 14 years in total. Rivendell's are super rare over here in France. It's much better now that we have a reseller (La Chouette) but otherwise getting hold of Rivendell required international shipping, a bit of trust,  and it was practically impossible to find one to try out sizing.

In the meantime, I went through around 20 + different bikes (Dutch bikes, randonneuses, cyclocross, road bikes, VTC, etc) and learned a lot about maintenance and building up from a frame (and got into a co-dependent relationship with cantilever brakes). I no doubt spent more than I would have done had I just bought a Rivendell all those years ago. 

Last summer, I bought a Sam Hillborne frame and love it to bits. 

[PDXJohnny]

I started looking for a 58cm Hunqapillar in 2019. I posted a number of WTB threads here looking for one over the course of about 2 1/2 years and finally a gentleman named Matt Williams found one on CL in North Carolina (across the country from me because I'm in Portland, Oregon). The 58 Hunq & Bomba are getting hard to find and I think folks that have them are keeping them. It's a nice bike with big tires and a basket. Very practical. Not great for long days though cause those big ass tires are not easy to push. So it's not a perfect bike, but I really like it. 

[Joseph Burge]

I'm 99% sure I bought this bike! The post has been "deleted by author" but it's gotta be it.

Sorry, haven't been checking the Riv Owner's Bunch recently because it takes sooo long to make a post and get it approved and posted. Facebook and Reddit are way better forums for quick communication with other Riv owners.... but I digress.

Yes, I did find the listing using chat gpt which is a tool that I have found to be pretty useful to search for used Rivs among other things!

[Joseph Burge]

So to answer my own question: 2 years of casual searching (check ebay, craigslist, pinkbike, Rad Bazaar, etc once every few weeks to a couple months), and then 2 focused months of searching every day this summer. I am now the owner of a 2015 Waterford built 58cm Hunqapillar.

The first couple years of casual searching were not very fruitful; I would find old listings that I just missed out on. I realized that these bikes were in high demand and though they do come up for sale with some regularity, they sell fast... like days or hours even. The past couple months of focused searching (ie searching several sites and forums nearly daily) I found a couple Hunqs and a couple Bombas, some I passed on because I wasn't positive about the sizing, and others were sold out from under me. There is still an incredible 60cm Bomba for sale, but the seller will not ship and lives in a pretty remote part of the country for local pick-up :/

I eventually did find a seller on CL with a 58cm Hunq and we were able to work something out. I made a couple calls to Rivendell the past several weeks too to confirm about sizing because they do recommend riding a larger frame than I would normally ride. They were extremely helpful to answer all my questions even if its about sizing a 10 year old bike they no longer make. I even talk to the man Grant himself about PBH and his bike sizing philosophy so felt really good about getting the 58 after he confirmed that its the size he'd put me on based on height, pbh, and how I measured pbh.

So far loving the bike. The 58 feels awesome the way i have the bike set up with swept back bars; I think the 60 Bomba would be a tad too big for my standover. A 56 Bomba may have been OK too, but I really wanted that classic "big frame/ not much seat post" look for this bike which is also part of the Riv/ Grant P fit philosophy.

Thanks for all the support and sharing your stories!