Do you leave it alone...or must you monkey?

[Ben Mihovk]

As I wait for my first Rivendell (sort of) patiently, I can't help but prowl their website and this group and stare at components and accessories that I think I'd like to try. But...the only bike I've ever monkeyed with is my current one that came with a fantastic Shimano RD...and that's about it as far as solid components go. So I'm always playing with the idea of getting a different crank, different brakes, different this or that. 

My question (finally) is this - of those of you who have done an a la carte build through Rivendell, who just leaves everything they picked out and who is constantly trying different components? 

I didn't spring for any Paul components or a set of Rich's wheels, but everything that's coming on this bike is nicer than I need it to be...so the plan is to never change anything except bar tape. But...there is a lot of buying and selling of components here and elswhere.

So yeah...do you tinker with a Riv build, or do you let it be? 

-Ben

[Marc Irwin]

It ain't broke....I gotta fix it!

[Surlyprof]

My Hillborne came with Albatross bars, Paul levers (which I love) and Rich wheels.  However, I swapped the handlebars out a set of Albastache with TRP levers and Brooks tape for a little more aggressive position.  I still have the Albatross set up in case I want to ride more upright later in life (since I will NEVER part with my pearlescent orange Hillborne).  Once I added a Brooks Flyer Special, that's the last tinkering I've done.  I had thought to change out my XT derailleur for an Altus I bought for $5 at Riv's garage sale a few years back but didn't want to mess with success.  The bike has been so dialed to me that it is a treat every time I get to ride it.  I'm not convinced that anyone could even build a custom that fits me as comfortably.  Recently, my MTB set up (and Analog's IG) has had me thinking of switching to a 1x9 set up but I just don't know if it's worth the time and money for a simpler drivetrain and, maybe, a few less grams of weight.  Once it's dialed, it's hard to justify change.  Maybe paint?  

John "who occasionally dreams of a purple Hillborne"

Niles, CA

[Lefebeaver]

I started building my Atlantis a bit under two years ago; other than wheels (new, fm Rich) I started with used parts and gradually have been upgrading as I go. I've gone through 3 different front racks, different tire sizes and added fenders; eventually bought dyno lights. I recently decided it was 'done' - but by that I mean I've got it to a good place that makes me happy. I've already squirreled away some cork handgrips, and have been haunting the FS listings, knowing eventually I'll want to put some upright bars on it... I got it so it could evolve, and that's what it will continue to do. Part of the fun of these bikes is how versatile they are! 

On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 8:50:51 AM UTC-4 bjmi...@gmail.com wrote:

[Dorothy C]

“Stare at components and accessories I’d like to try”

That’s pretty much why I have ended up with four Rivendells - Appaloosa, Cheviot, Roadini, Clem L :)

[Steve Cole]

Ben,

I'm an inveterate tinkerer.  That said, I won't bore you are anyone with the details of the changes I've made to my Rivendell bikes, with one exception.  I traded out the brakes for Paul brakes.  I found the Shimano brakes too squishy for me.  I want to know that the bike is stopping when I squeeze the lever and don't want to feel like the lever has not fully engaged the brakes.  I've had each kind of Paul rim brakes -- centerpull, cantilever, and V-brakes.  All have worked flawlessly giving me the confidence I like to have.

Steve Cole

Arlington, VA

[Ben Mihovk]

Steve,

I can only speak for myself...but I would not be bored by reading about changes you (or others) have made to their bikes. 

[Brian Campbell]

I bought both of my Riv's(AHH & Legolas) as frames only. I like swapping things around and trying different configurations. I have the Legolas dialed in pretty much and am now on to finishing a stem/brake lever/fender adjustment on the AHH which will have it set for a while. 

That said the AHH I have had since 2011 and have built it up many different ways. Its part of the joy of owning a Riv. They have a lot more flexibility when it comes to configuration than many other bikes.

On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 8:50:51 AM UTC-4 bjmi...@gmail.com wrote:

[dougP]

I bought my Atlantis in 2003 & had Rivendell set it up in their standard touring spec.  It met my needs for tours but inevitably I just HAD to mess with it.  It's just too tempting.  Since then, I've changed brakes a couple of times, gone from drops to upright bars, smaller chainrings, wider range cassette, wider tires (in those days 35 mm was wide), and probably a few other things I've forgotten. 

Heck yea, tinkering, eh, improving is half the fun.  One of the bearties of Rivendells is that they are so versatile you can change the bike as your needs change.  Don't be shy.

dougP

[Scott G.]

Engineers speak of "creeping elegance", in bike terms, if you are ever foolish

enough to buy a built bike.  A Pukka Bob, will have replaced 87% of parts within

16 months of purchase.

[EricP]

Gotta do something to make it "mine". On the Clem have swapped the seatpost, binder bolt, nut and rear shifter. The first two because of my weight. The latter because I wanted to try the inside bar "reverse" shifter idea that's been mentioned over the last couple years. Had a spare front Shimano bar con and a Paul Thumbie. Easy to do as I have a stand and numerous tools. And if that doesn't work out, have a 9 speed thumb shifter sitting on a shelf in the garage. 

The only bike from Rivendell that didn't get changed was the SimpleOne. Well, now that I typed that, pretty sure the freewheel got changed to a dual gear and two different gears on the other side (no fixed). 

The current Hillborne has had a couple of wheel swaps, different cranks, numerous bars. It's also the bike I've owned the longest. And was purchased as a frame/fork. 

FWIW, do the same with instruments. All my acoustic guitars and mandolins (save one) have had strap buttons installed and or other little changes. 

Eric Platt

St. Paul, MN

[Ben Mihovk]

Hey Eric! Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking about a different seat post before my bike even ships from Rivendell :) My weight is really close to the recommended weight for the S83. We talked about my weight and I'm assuming that Vince would have recommended the S83 instead of whatever the bike comes with (do the frames come with Nitto S65 standard, or something else?). 

I like making little changes that make the bike "mine," too. I opted for no saddle as I just bought a B17 in July that I'm loving and I'll just put that on there. I went with inboard thumbies that you mentioned...my current bike is a 1x7 and I swapped out the trigger shifter for a Sunrace thumbie (bought the right side shifter and use it on my left handlebar). Now that I think about it, I kind of wish I would have asked for the left shifter to control the RD and the right shifter to control the FD...maybe that's something I can do to make it my own!

[Joel]

I buy frames and agonize every part. I scan eBay for NOS components, I buy nitto handlebars, seatpost, stem.  I don’t change much but I so tinker with bar height, angle, seat position.  Once I get it right I leave it.  

Have fun, this will be your first  of many.  

On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 8:50:51 AM UTC-4, Ben Mihovk wrote:

[WilletM]

Having just finished my first Rivendell project earlier this summer (a Protovelo/Bombadil), and after completing it ONLY after 4-5 months of (happily) sweating every nut and bolt and fitting every part to the frame one after another to see how the fit and function was affected by the mixed group and funky geometry-- after ALL THAT, I would heartily recommend that you do precisely the same (even if to a lesser degree) and thoroughly make it your own from bumper to bumper.

I've spec'd out and built a ton of bikes over the last 25 years (thank you, ebay!), and none has been more rewarding than the Protovelo.  It was a lot like sorting thru a jumble of dinosaur bones from an archaeological dig, then piecing them together and never knowing if it was 20 bones from one animal or one bone from 20 different animals.  But oh my, when that last jawbone clicks into place (which for me was cobbling together the right combination of hardware to attach the front porteur rack to the fork crown), it truly makes the end result uniquely and forever yours.

Enjoy your journey!

Willet

Carbondale, CO

[Jason Fuller]

I'm a big-time tinkerer.  I also agonize every component and mess around with different setups and possibilities. I like bikes as machines as much as I like riding them (and they led me to my career as a machine designer) and that's a big part of the hobby for me.  I also love a well-used, practical bike with a lot of miles on it and that does tend to be at odds with my tinkering sometimes. 

[True Golden]

It seems perpetual for me.

I've already changed out most of my new to me Sam Hillbourne I've had a month or so to mostly get it like I like it.

I just changed tires today.

New Dia Compe Ene Ciclo thumb shifters are on the way to be installed next.

If I get bored for a project I tend to look on CL , find a bargain bike with decent tubing, take it apart,  build it back Riv like and on it goes.

I may need a AA like help group.

I guess there are much worse hobbies/pastimes to pursue.

The plus is I get to ride'em and it mostly keeps me out of trouble.

I have a friend at one point that seemed to be changing out handlebars every other week. 

Paul in Dallas

[Patrick Moore]

You're not a real Rivendellista unless you pick and choose your components for maximum incompatibility. I put a Dura Ace 7402 rear derailleur on my 29 X 2.3-tired dirt road bike to be pulled by 1970s-1980s bar cons over 10 (13-25; no damned 21 t) cogs, and it took a bit of doing. I finally tracked down and bought a near-lifetime supply of 13-25 (no damned 21) cogs, that made the shifting as perfect as any friction shifting I've used, from 5 speeds on -- 11 speed chain to make things nicer; only, after everything was working copacetic, to discover that now, for some reason, the derailleur cage rubbed the spokes in the small/big; it didn't before. So now I am fighting with a 7400 and a 7401 to get one of them to shift all the way to the innermost 25 while on the 42 outer. Both shift fine to the 25 on the 28 inner. Yes, the 42.25 is a desirable gear. The 7402 will require filing the inner limit stop, but there is no room to get a file between the cage plates to file the stop. The 7410 shifts to the 42/25 sometimes and seems to work if you don't screw down the B screw. But on the 7401 there is no B screw. So I filed the stop on the Paragon hanger, and tomorrow will consider grinding off a wee bit of the integrated, non-adjustable "B stop" tab.

If anyone has any suggestions for a file to file a mere mm or less from the pictured inner travel stop, I'll be grateful to hear them. There's no room for any file I that I have or can think of. There is less room to work than appears in the photo.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Patrick Moore

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

[Patrick Moore]

"7401" and not "7410."

On Wed, Sep 16, 2020 at 7:34 PM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

...The 7410 shifts to the 42/25 sometimes and seems to work if you don't screw down the B screw. But on the 7401 there is no B screw. So I filed the stop on the Paragon hanger, and tomorrow will consider grinding off a wee bit of the integrated, non-adjustable "B stop" tab.

[Jason Fuller]

Patrick, just the fact you had to correct the typo of which Dura Ace RD you were referring to, lest you suffer the embarrassment of referencing a non-existent variant, illustrates your point very well I think.   :D :D ;) ;) 

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[Patrick Moore]

Either that or it shows that I'm dyslexic. I think I am a bit dyslexic: do very well with words and concepts, but visual images and arrangements confuse me.

Patrick "which left, the right left or the left left?" Moore, who had to transcribe Descarte's Geometry and Newton's Principia into words before he could assimilate algebra and calculus.

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[Ben Mihovk]

Got shipping notification for my Atlantis yesterday! I'm beyond excited. 

I'll post a pic when it gets here...I'd do a full list of components now, but honestly I went with what Vince picked out and my only input was that I didn't need a saddle, I wanted the front of the Choco bar taped up, and that I wanted inboard thumb shifters. 

Should be ready to pick up at UPS Customer Center on Tuesday after work. Cooler weather coming to Omaha should make for a lovely commute next Wednesday morning! 

[dougP]

Ben:

You've probably seen photos on this forum of the epic packing job that Rivendell does.  When I got my Atlantis, I was able to ride it within an hour of delivery, and I think the saddle & the pedals were the only things I had to install.  Like you, I went with their suggestion on parts & some of the originals are still on there.  Ride it out of the box, then start tinkering.  I think it took me a couple of weeks to find something to fuss with. 

dougP

[Ben Mihovk]

Doug,

Yes, I've seen the pack job! I've watched the video of Mark assembling a Homer maybe fifteen times now (love the video and the music).

Good advice on riding for a while before tinkering. I'll definitely go that way.

Ben

[Ben Mihovk]

So. Very. Excited. Opening the box and putting it together was one of the biggest thrills of my life. Using Mark's little tricks in the videos (using grease/wax on bolts, washers, etc...) was also dorkily fun. Moving parts (bell, rack, mirror, reflectors, etc...) Had a little frustration with 5mm bolts being to small for the rack mounts and 6mm bolts being too big...but as I'm sure you all know, the paint in the threads was keeping the 6 from going in easily. 

My biggest anxiety since placing the order was about the size of the bike. I worried a little that there wouldn't be much of a difference in some aspects of the geometry...my current bike is listed as having a 59cm seat tube, so I figured my steatpost would be jacked up just as high and look stupid. I also worried that maybe the 62cm Atlantis (which has been sold out) would be a better fit. My PBH is just a hair over 93...not quite 93.5. According to the sizing chart, I could ride a 59 or 62 with that PBH. Standing over this bike, I am SO glad I got a 59. Vince said the Atlantis rides a little bigger than it's size indicates, and he was right (of course he was!). 

I am glad I did a full build with Rivendell and let them worry about components. I guess I approved them, but don't know Deore from Altus. The bike just plain hums with everything working together. The only components I would have insisted on had Vince not included them in the first email would have been the cork grips, inboard thumb shifters, and Monarch pedals. I was a little down that the derailer he picked was black...I had always envisioned all shiny metal components. Then when I saw the bike in person I was just a little sad that the QR skewers were also black. But looking at the bike, I love how the derailer, skewers, and trim of the fenders are all black and kind of set off the shinier stuff. It makes sense...and I think I'd choose this kind of color scheme if I had the choice. 

I really like the Choco bar. I have a fake Albatross on my old bike...love the look of it and needed the rise on my too-small old bike (with a dirt drop stem). Choco is perfect and has more hand positions. 

There are only two things that weren't perfect. 

The handlebars did not get taped. I emailed Vince a few days after I paid and asked if it could be added and he got back to me a bit later and sent me an invoice to pay for the tape. I'm not sending the bike back to get the handle bar taped...and I'm too happy about the bike to really care about the six bucks. I was mostly looking forward to having a Mark-twined handlebar...but I did my own tape and twine on my old bike and it looks great. No big deal. 

There is no foot on the Pletscher kick stand...but that might be normal. I know when you buy a stand separately, the foot doesn't come along with it. Maybe I should have mentioned the foot when I placed the order. This one is likely on me.

So yeah! Couldn't be happier! Took a nice zippy ride yesterday evening before fussing with the accessories to dial in some preferences and rode it to work for the first time this morning. I've wanted a Riv FOREVER...a college roommate had one...I've read everything I could get my eyes on about the brand, reviews, the website, etc... I knew I'd like it, but I can say without any hesitation now that I totally "get it" now. It's just a bike, but wow....WHAT a bike. 

[Todd G.]

I’m always adjusting or swapping stuff on a new bike until I get everything right where I want it. Sometimes it happens quickly, other times it takes a month, 2 months etc to get everything dialed in. I suppose it also depends on how much I’m riding and the particular use for the build on the bike.

Either way, your Atlantis looks amazing!