Pseudo-Rivendell Thread?

[Clayton Stahnke]

I've been an admiring (lurking?) member of this group for a few months now and I've really wanted to post something for a while...but I don't have any Rivendell frames (yet!). 

However, many of my builds are heavily Rivendell-inspired and I figured I would share my latest project here with you all. The bike in question is a 1987 Bridgestone 550 (53cm), so it's not too far off from a Rivendell ;)

I purchased this bike off CL last summer as an impulse buy--I needed a new project and the price point was just right for me. It was pretty much entirely stock with only a few paint chips--I'd call this color "Blue Sharpie" since most of the paint chips were inconspicuously filled in with blue sharpie ink. I threw some bones at it to make it into a zippy singlespeed, but it sat in the garage for most of its initial revival since the 700cx25 wheelset was a bit too harsh for my tastes. 

Fast forward to last month, I was able to secure a sturdy 650b wheelset (Thanks, David B!) and I took a stab at converting this beauty into a "Track-lo-neur" of sorts. The photo below is the finished product and boy howdy, what a world of a difference the wheelset makes for this bike. I usually ride an Atlantis-ified Diamondback Apex around town, but this Homebrew Saluki makes me feel like I'm back in my college days riding around campus again.  

Any other Rivendell wannabes out there? I'd love to hear about your inspired builds!

-Clayton

[Matthew P]

Clayton,

Kudos on the bike and post. I followed this thread but didn't participate for years because I didn't own a Rivendell.
I think it was a combination of reading the rules multiple times and then seeing how welcoming everyone was that I finally believed that I didn't have to own a Rivendell to participate.
That and the fact that I started buying stuff from the forum but knew, from the rules, that this should not be a marketplace; that is not the focus; its a community (I hope I didn't screw that up).
Part of me wishes I had just bought a Rivendell much earlier. My parents ingrained a strong...thriftiness (but not necessarily in all my siblings! :-p). Humble salary, humble bike, makes sense to me. So part of me also thinks I should just ride '80's-'90's steel/rigid StumpJumpers and the like. Still in line with the Rivendell ethos! (I'll reference a Rivendell Reader on that). In that sense, your pseudo Rivendell bike is not a Rivendell (bike) but is Rivendell (in aproach). 

I'm building up an Atlantis...kind of. Been lagging / work. I'll see if I still want to ride my ~'84 StumpJumper once the Atlantis is complete!

Check out the iBoB forum: https://groups.google.com/g/internet-bob too. Lots of overlap but also great.

Nice bike.
-Matthew
San Diego, on Kumeyaay land, where yesterday we called attention to missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW)

[Philip Barrett]

Bice ride. This one even ended up as a 650b for a while which made an already comfortable bike a complete barco-lounger! Currently up for sale in Dallas if anyone's interested.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/d/dallas-trek-lugged-reynolds-city-build/7317177164.html

I also have an MB-6 single-speed build nearly finished, inspired by Riv's recent posting of the Bridgestone SS.

[Shawn Granton]

Hey all-

I'm also in the same boat! I love Rivendell and the ethos/aesthetic, but don't own one. I do own a custom that is a bit Rivvish, but the most Rivved-out bike I own is my 1984 Raleigh Crested Butte. It's gone through a lot of permutations in the almost-decade I've owned it, but it has always had a basket or rack on front. It currently has Nitto Bosco bars, which has helped with the weird fit (too short in height, too long in length.)

Best,

Shawn

[Matthew P]

Philip and Sean: those are super super awesome.
I failed to post the StumpJumper I mentioned.
Here it is at a lovely campsite behind an abandoned mansion on a rainy overnighter.
I gotta take better bike pics.
-Matthew

[Shawn Granton]

Nice one Matthew!

But who's Sean? 😁

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Get to where you need to here: 

https://urbanadventureleague.wordpress.com/landing-page/

Send me a letter, postcard, parcel, etc: P O Box 14185, Portland OR 97293-0185

[Patrick Moore]

I've owned 5 Rivendells and still own 1. These other 2 bikes are Rivendell influenced and perhaps even Grant Peterseon inspired.

[Matthew P]

Sorry Shawn! :)

[Zac Terrones]

Love this thread! Philip that Trek is a beaut. Here's my Univega Sportour that's Riv inspired. Used to have one that I commuted on for years and recently got a hankerin to replace it. Threw a basket on it and some soma Oxfords and it's a perfect grocery getter. Would love to do a 650b conversion at some point but it's pretty good as is for now. 

On Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 3:00:17 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote:

[Matthew P]

And those are awesome too Patrick!
I see cranks I don't know, lots o tire volume, and what a light mount!

[Philip Barrett]

Thanks! Amazing how the early 80's (just pre-dayglo) grays are all the rage again eh? That Univega looks lovely and I think you'll be fine with a 650b around 28-32mm, remember you'll need the Tektro R559 calipers to reach the rims though. You'll love the ride I guarantee it!

[Philip Barrett]

Talking of calipers...with these types of conversions the measuring kind are your BFF. You don't need to spend a lot of money but being able to accurately measure spacings and widths makes all this a lot easier and math is cheaper than buying parts that don't fit. Digitals are best as you can switch between metric & old school with the press of a button. The set I use are these, all of $24 worth, probably not as accurate as they could be but we're building bikes here not centrifuges -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GSLKIW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks. Currently have the fat-tire Matthews here in Ft Worth for a week. Crank on this one is a 175 mm Ritchey Logic 110/74, and that on the hub geared bike is an old 170 mm TA Pro 5 Vis.

The light mount is really a rack support, except that the builder messed up the lowriders; hope eventually to have them fixed.

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Patrick Moore

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

[Tom Wyland]

Here's my Handsome Devil all Rived out.  It's "inspired by Bridgestone" and like a tig-welded (powder coated) lower-trail Sam H.  As of this week the bike no longer exists -- all of the components are moving over to my Olive Platypus!

- Tom

Herndon, VA

[Patch T]

Here's my 650b'ed 84?85? Trek 850 mtb I gave to a buddy last year. (I kept the fancy parts) 

Patch

NYC

[Andrew Turner]

That Bridgestone is beyond awesome. Here's my '87 FW Evans back when it was doing double duty as a errands bike and quick road bike. It's much less sexy these days sporting 9 speed bits, fenders, and sturdier rubber, and it's loving life as a designated commuter. I had a quick stint with a Roadini but otherwise I'm in a similar boat: blissfully watching from a distance at all these cool riv builds...but I'm also still very content with what used framesets have left to offer.

[Je Mar]

Great looking bikes, guys.  I love Riv'ing up vintage rides, and did so for many years before I got a Sam, then a Chev.  Trying to turn my sons on to this vibe; here's my 16-year old's Fuji getting built up with Tosco bars and cork.  He loves the ride and the look, tho he's not quite ready to accept fenders (maybe he thinks they will slow him down).  

Jeff in Arlington, VA

[David Hays]

Before I bought my Homer and my Appaloosa, I Rivved a Miyata Triple Cross which I've since sold to a friend.

A nice smooth ride that fit 350 or 38 tires. Not sure which.

David Hays

Buffalo, New York

 

[Brendan Willard]

Miyata 610, Trek 620, and Koga Miyata Traveler

Thanks,
-Brendan Willard

Owner/Winemaker

Phantômé Cellars

phantomecellars.com 

Speaking in Thumbs 👍

On May 8, 2021, at 9:14 AM, David Hays <23wr...@gmail.com> wrote:

Before I bought my Homer and my Appaloosa, I Rivved a Miyata Triple Cross which I've since sold to a friend.

A nice smooth ride that fit 350 or 38 tires. Not sure which.

David Hays

Buffalo, New York

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<Miyata-Triple-Cross-with-drop-bars.jpg>

[Patrick Moore]

That is pretty! And an extra gold star for the light mount.

On Friday, May 7, 2021 at 11:19:58 PM UTC-4 Andrew Turner wrote:

 ... Here's my '87 FW Evans back when it was doing double duty as a errands bike and quick road bike. It's much less sexy these days sporting 9 speed bits, fenders, and sturdier rubber, and it's loving life as a designated commuter. I had a quick stint with a Roadini but otherwise I'm in a similar boat: blissfully watching from a distance at all these cool riv builds...but I'm also still very content with what used framesets have left to offer.

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

I do own a Riv (a 52 Clem H, purchased as a frame during the original pre-sale), but it's been built up as an MTB, so it doesn't really have that classic Rivendell look. 

But I also have a 1981 Raleigh Super Record that's been reconfigured over the years to look Riv-ish. It started out as a five-speed, 27" drop-bar bike with stem shifters, but now it's got 700C rims, a six-speed freewheel, Albatross bars, Suntour Bar-Con shifters, Brooks B-17 saddle, cork grips, VO fenders, Carradice Barley saddlebag, bell, etc. Since this photo was taken I've added a Mark's Rack in the rear. And after swapping out the crankset, seat post and other heavier parts, the only original items left (aside from the frame) are the hubs, stem, derailleurs, and brake calipers!

Bob E

Cranford, NJ

[Jim Bronson]

What brakes did you use on your Raleigh to convert from 27" to 700c rims?

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[Michael Iauch]

Im in the same category Clayton! hope to get a rivendell at some point. until then - saracen conquest 650b, miyata 615, specialized rock combo.

Michael 

Boone, NC.

[Jason Fuller]

Meanwhile this group is full of folks with Rivendells who lust after a Rock Combo  😍  beauty collection, that 615 is amazing too 

[Matthew P]

I love this thread.
And I like Liam's RockCombo on the Radavist https://theradavist.com/2021/02/liams-specialized-rock-combo-bikepacking-rig/
But I thought it interesting and funny that they went and asked the bike designer (or one of them), Bryant Bainbridge, and he basically trashed it!
Thoughts?
Any other particularly coveted bikes of yore, and why?
Thanks.
-Matthew

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

Jim,

The original Raleigh-branded Weinmann calipers had (just) enough reach -- at the very bottom of the slot in the brake arm, the brake shoes just made it to the 700C rim's braking surface. It's roughly a 65-mm distance from the brake fixing screw to where the shoes connect to the arm.

Bob

[Patrick Moore]

Classic and classy. This is what the Raleigh Sport should be.

[Den John]

@Matthew P

Here's a slightly more detailed version of the criticism of the Rock Combo, seems like Bryan Bainbridge was unhappy

that the factory that made them changed the BB drop and the tubing spec (the comment at the bottom of the page is from BB himself):

http://2wheelfetish.blogspot.com/2012/04/drop-bar-mountain-bike-redux-vintage.html

I still love the Rock Combo concept and design though.

Johnny in Belgium

[Michael Iauch]

thanks for that link johnny. matthew -  mine does have some pretty shoddy tig - seat tube connection has a hole. The BB height did seem excessively low when I first jumped on it, but surprisingly I haven't had too much issue out riding, even on some pretty rough trail. And that is pretty much what I ride it on - rougher mixed terrain rides. It has that magic feel. Would love to have a Rivendell to compare it to!

[Matthew P]

Johnny, thanks for the link. And Michael, thanks for the feedback.
This clarifies things. Sounds like the biggest downfall of the bike was just the 26" wheel size, and is only a downfall in terms of acceptance and not in performance.
Its sad to think that a market preference for 700c wheels, with skinny tires, "killed" 26" bikes like the Rock Combo.
Something like the visionaries having to follow the blind.
I'll tack some on to my question in my previous post: desired allrounder bikes of yore - 
- Rock Combo
- XO-1
- MB-1 and MB-0 ?
- Hunqapillar
Happy to see additions or subtractions to/from this list.
@kevs_bikes and @sfbiketrader have some interesting ones on Instagram.

[Den John]

I agree, I also think modern gravel bikes would be better off with 26" x 55mm tyres, rather than 700 x 42 or whatever the 'standard' is this year.

Couple of possible additions to the list:

Raleigh Tamarack - an early and seemingly unsuccessful attempt at a 650B mtb: photo (not mine) here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7556426@N06/1424440013/

Bianchi Project Series - there is a bit of discussion about these but it seems the Project 7 was an early attempt at a 29" MTB rather than a hybrid. Would probably do nicely as a version of one of Rivendell's 29" models, if you could find one.

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[Steven Sweedler]

Matthew, I got the impression from comments that Bryant Bainbridge made years ago that the extra weight was  a big part of the low sales. Specialized sold them to shop employees for a very large discount. Steve

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Plymouth, New Hampshire

[ascpgh]

I took a pass on a RockCombo in '89 to get a StumpJumper in Mark's magenta and Di Nucci green with the acre of sticker (not decal)  smoothing the colors' junction on the top tube after seriously considering it but opting for the more relaxed steering geo of the stalwart MTB. I had tough enough trails that for riding them my bike needed to be less of a combo and more of a specific tool. I guess that was an accurate decision as I broke a chainstay on that frame which they warrantied with a dark smoky purple Prestige StumpJumper Comp with dark red lettering. Now that was sweet. I just couldn't swing the sticker price money for the complete bike over the base model.

Three years later I did get a "92 Bridgestone XO-2, the purple one with the WTB Dirt Drops as a non technical trail all-roader. A very under appreciated yeoman all arounder that should join your list. Still in long term loan use up the block. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[max.c....@gmail.com]

Philip, I saw this bike on CL and was very sad it wasn't in my size; it's a beautiful build! If you ever have anything in the 58-60cm range, let me know; I'm in your market!

I remember a thread I stumbled across a few years back when I first got into bike commuting called "What's the Poor Man's Rivendell" over on bikeforums and it was an inspiration to me. Lots of great bikes on there. Since then I've been through a few bikes as I commute daily to work. This '86 Schwinn Cimarron is my current commuter and needs a few details, like fenders, but is probably the closest I've come to the Riv style yet.

On Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 1:26:59 PM UTC-5 philipr...@gmail.com wrote:

Bice ride. This one even ended up as a 650b for a while which made an already comfortable bike a complete barco-lounger! Currently up for sale in Dallas if anyone's interested.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/d/dallas-trek-lugged-reynolds-city-build/7317177164.html

I also have an MB-6 single-speed build nearly finished, inspired by Riv's recent posting of the Bridgestone SS.

On Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 10:45:57 AM UTC-5 Clayton Stahnke wrote:

I've been an admiring (lurking?) member of this group for a few months now and I've really wanted to post something for a while...but I don't have any Rivendell frames (yet!). 

However, many of my builds are heavily Rivendell-inspired and I figured I would share my latest project here with you all. The bike in question is a 1987 Bridgestone 550 (53cm), so it's not too far off from a Rivendell ;)

I purchased this bike off CL last summer as an impulse buy--I needed a new project and the price point was just right for me. It was pretty much entirely stock with only a few paint chips--I'd call this color "Blue Sharpie" since most of the paint chips were inconspicuously filled in with blue sharpie ink. I threw some bones at it to make it into a zippy singlespeed, but it sat in the garage for most of its initial revival since the 700cx25 wheelset was a bit too harsh for my tastes. 

Fast forward to last month, I was able to secure a sturdy 650b wheelset (Thanks, David B!) and I took a stab at converting this beauty into a "Track-lo-neur" of sorts. The photo below is the finished product and boy howdy, what a world of a difference the wheelset makes for this bike. I usually ride an Atlantis-ified Diamondback Apex around town, but this Homebrew Saluki makes me feel like I'm back in my college days riding around campus again.  

Any other Rivendell wannabes out there? I'd love to hear about your inspired builds!

-Clayton

[Philip Barrett]

Thanks! I'm thinking it would be fun to build you up something in a larger size, I'll keep my eye open.

[Fullylugged]

Here's Ferrous Bueller. A Japanese Tange CroMo frameset with a 650B conversion. Couple of RBW items on it and a seat tube decal from this list. Picture is a few years old but the bike is basically the same today. 

[Philip Barrett]

That's super nice, the 650b is the way to go & thank goodness for the Tektro R559s for making these conversions possible. My next one (after I sell the Bridgestone single-speed MTB) will hopefully be based on a more touring oriented frameset where I will have to reach for the measuring calipers a little less, do some vintage cantilevers and have real mounting points for racks & fenders.

[j glenn]

Not the best photo, but here's my  Countrified  CB-1 from last year. 

[JohnS]

Is that a rear rack repurposed as a front rack on your CB-1? I did the same to a Vetta rack that I have on my 1st gen Stumpjumper.

JohnS

[j glenn]

Its a Blackburn front mountain rack. Works well with a basket. 

[Shawn Granton]

On Fri, May 14, 2021 at 7:02 AM 'j glenn' via RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Its a Blackburn front mountain rack. Works well with a basket. 

That was called a Blackburn MTF-1. I had it on a couple bikes in the past. It indeed was a great rack for putting a basket atop it, not that great for panniers unless you like them up high.

Looks like Blackburn has discontinued them. REI still has it up on their site:

https://www.rei.com/product/856307/blackburn-mtf-1-front-bike-rack

Best,

Shawn 

[Philip Barrett]

This one's on Craigslist this weekend, fun to build, fun to ride, time to make room for another little project though.

[Roger Morrison]

I haven't found the super sized Riv yet. However I was able to build an Expedition with a big box on it recently. I still need to sort out a decaleur for it. 

Roger in Snohomish, WA 

[Michael Morrissey]

Here is my pseudo-Rivendell! It's a lugged steel 26" Trek 830. I thought this was the first year, but it's the second year they made them: 1984. I have ridden this bike all over NYC but now it's in storage and I ride my Rivendell most of the time. For me this bike is DIALED IN to just what I want and very patina-ed. I made this video a few years ago but not much has changed in the bike except tires and saddle. 

I made a video about this bike. Somehow the youtube algorithm liked it and it has 25k views:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3dJFTgcJiY

Enjoy!

Michael

[Patrick Moore]

Another very nice alt-Riv or Riv substitute. It may well be my eyes, but are those wooden fenders, or simply painted to match the screen.

Oh, and thank you for not pasting in a photo so big it expands the body beyond typical window limits.

I posted a photo of one of my pseudo-Rivs, the first Matthews (Matthews 1:1). Here is another, Matthews 2:1. No verses to cite yet, tho' I may have someone fix some relatively minor mishaps, after which it will be Matthews 2:2. I have no Mark, Luke, or John.

This is a simple clone of one of my Riv customs, but with all sorts of tweaks and upgrades and modifications and features that Grant would never countenance, such as: 118 mm OL spacing, home-made extra-long, extra-thin rear dropouts to accommodate short Sturmey Archer axles, odd shifter housing stop braze-ons, internal dynamo wiring, custom racks, and picky-picky care to accommodate 42s with fenders with that 118 mm OL (turns out I could have had it built with 114 OL: AM hub 114 mm, new/old Brit fixed hub 110, and hopefully ASC -- we'll C if deal goes thru -- 114 mm OL; otherwise 110 TF).

And apologies for the really bad photo. I do try; this one was the second attempt. I'll take a clearer one some day.

Patrick "weird" Moore

[Patrick Moore]

"...frame?"

Patrick "can't type, neither" Moore

On Sun, May 16, 2021 at 5:44 PM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

... are those wooden fenders, or simply painted to match the screen.

[Roger Morrison]

Thanks Patrick. The fenders are Civia brand, and this is one of the colors that they came in( it's brick or clay looking). I bought them about eight or nine years ago. 

Here's a photo that better captures the color.

Roger in Snohomish(who needs to learn what time of day to take photos)

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Roger; I wish I had even your abilities with photographs. Again, a very nice pseudo-Riv.

The new photo emphasizes the height of the frame; yours with 700C wheels looks much like mine (58 cm c-c, but upsloping tt) with 559 X 41 (25 3/5" tall) wheels.

And is that an old Suntour Cyclone rd? 

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Patrick Moore

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

[Roger Morrison]

Patrick,  yes it is a first generation Cyclone GT(with matching front derailleur). The frame is big, at 68cm. I bought the frameset a few months ago, and built it up mostly with stuff that I had on hand. It is a good riding bike, but a little on the heavy side. 

Other notable parts:

Shimano 7402 shifters(set to friction mode)

Shimano BR70 brakes

Nitto dirt drop bars 

Sugino AT crankset minus the small ring 

B17 saddle 

Deore seatpost 

STX wheelset from a Trek 520

38mm Gravelkings 

Nitto M12 rack

Swift Industries bags

Probably a couple other things that I am forgetting..

Roger Morrison 

Snohomish, WA