Why did you buy your first Riv?

[aeroperf]

I see Laura B’s thread about Susie vs. Platy, and Iconley’s timeline with 15 Riv bikes, and so I thought I’d ask:

What made you buy your first Rivendell bicycle?

Not “What do you like about Rivendell bicycles”, or “Why did you buy a second one?”, but why did you buy your first?


In my case
I wanted steel, because I liked the feel over aluminum (carbon was just starting).
I wanted lugged steel, because I think I think a lugged steel bike is awesomely pretty.
I got to ride a friend’s Sam Hillborne in 2010, and it fit like a glove, and I remembered that.
So when I retired in 2014, I bought a Sam.

Now I could go on about how I love my Sam, but that’s not the point of this.  It’s to find out why you bought your first.

Did you Google “Rivendell” one day and stumble into the bicycle shop instead of the Tolkien book?
Did you want a bicycle that was at home on dirt roads, where the 24mm tires of a good used 80’s road bike just couldn’t cut it?
Do you think Grant Petersen is a bicycle god, and you’d buy anything that he designs, once you could afford it?
Are you into the “waxed canvas and square taper” kind of mindset?  
Did you get a Riv because it was a boutique bike, or in spite of that?

Difficulty- no pictures, unless it is of a Riv in a tree with “A guy told me I could have this for free, if I climbed up and got it”.

[Patrick Moore]

Because I wanted a 26" wheel road bike that handled better than my 1992 XO-1.

Backstory: For some reason I decided about 1990 that 26" wheels were better for road riding than 700C and, after road-ifying several mountain bikes (wonderful 1991 Stumpjumper Team was the summit and apex) I discovered that, while they were certainly fast with 200 gram Specialized 26X1" Turbos, they handled poorly with such skinny tires. Thus, when 2-Wheel Drive here in ABQ was remaindering that 1992 XO-1 circa 1993, I bought it and built it up as a gofast lightweight road bike (Sun M14A rims -- purple anodized! Chi chi Grafton (later Topline superlight) triple! 12-19 7 sp cassette! End-of-drop-bar Grip Shift!!) and that was fast too, and handled better than the SJT, but it didn't quite handle well enough. So after I received the alert that Grant was forming Rivendell, I asked Grant if he could make me a 26" wheel road bike that was better than the XO-1. He said, "Oh, it'll be better." And it was. So I put in an order for a 26-wheel road custom in late 1994, which I received in early 1995. This frame used the then-current All Rounder as model, but with steepened angles and road tubing (tout 753!!! -- tho perhaps 531 fork?). Wonderful bike, but too compact -- 54 c-c (my XO was 55 c-c), requiring a custom upjutter stem, and rather too quick with the 22 mm actual tires. So I ordered a custom gofast fixie in 1998, built by Joe Starck, delivered March 1999, still my favorite bike of all time. Then I wanted a derailleur version of the same, so ordered one that I received in April 2003, built by Curt Goodrich.

Long period .... I finally woke up to the fact that the 2003 just felt too dead (subtily so, not grossly so, but over the years I came to realize that it made me work harder than I wanted to, so in 2020 Chauncey Matthews made me a clone of .8  .4. .8 531 built around the Am hub; revelation and stars and fireworks.

In the interim I owned a first-gen shop floor Sam Hill and a second or third hand second gen (blue, 32s and fenders) Ram, both since sold.

Upshot: the key, essence, point, magic of Rivs in ME is: they are unerringly stable in a straight line, and then they turn into corners without hesitation or over-eagerness. Even the Sam and Ram did this, tho' I found the Sam sluggish (and it didn't take fat enough tires for my use), and the Ram somewhat too staid (perhaps being used to 26" wheels affected my judgment).

Now, 3 decades later, I'd like to get that signature Riv handling on a bike that will take 70 mm tires ...

Corollary: When I see effusions of sentiment about XOs, I sigh: Rivs are just so much better, on road and off.

[Joe Bernard]

I was a Bridgestone guy, bought a leftover XO-3 in 1994 as Bstone USA was folding and Grant was deciding what to do next. That turned out to be Rivendell and I eventually bought this, a Romulus. 

Joe Bernard

[Ray Varella]

I received an early flyer/reader in an order from American Cyclery San Francisco. 

After reading the specs on the frames, the Allrounder sounded like a great compliment to my classic road bike, by the time I ordered one they had gone to customs and the Atlantis was replacing the Allrounder. 

I went with a custom. It was one of the best handling bikes I’ve ever owned. 

I was bombing down Mt. Diablo one day and a couple guys on modern road bikes were trying to reel me in. 

When we got to the bottom of the mountain one of them said “you handle that old truck pretty well”. 

It still cracks me up to think about that. 

Grant and company design very nice riding bikes and really excel at the Allrounder style of bike. 

Ray

[Chris L]

My first adult bike was a 1995 Trek 730 Multitrack and I thought it was the perfect bike for me, but as I learned more about bikes, I discovered I wanted way more tire clearance (730 = 40mm, barely) and a much longer top-tube.  I was a fan of quite a few smaller bike brands and wanted something non-mainstream and something steel.  I already had a very good set of 700c wheels, so the Hunqapillar was the only thing on the market that was what I was looking for.  A few brands have put out models that were close, but all suffered from too short a top tube, either being designed with drops in mind, or trying to split the difference between drops and flat/alt bars.  I see this is the only flaw in the original 56cm Atlantis, with it's 57 cm ETT.  If that bike had a 60 or 61 cm ETT, it would have been my Grail bike.  I would have invested in a second set of good wheels that one.

I also was very curious about the "riv ride" I had heard so much of, over the years, so I the Hunqapillar being the sole candidate to fit my needs was a nice bonus.

[Ben Mihovk]

A good friend of mine from high school and college told me in 2001 that if I ever bought a bike, it’d be a Rivendell. He told me I just seemed like a Riv guy. I did not even ride back then, but I remembered and thought that if I ever started riding, I’d look into Rivendell. 

I thought about getting into riding when I got my first teaching job in 2006. Sent an email to Riv with questions, and Jon was SO helpful and nice. I always remembered that, but ended up not getting into riding.

I got a cheap Linus in November of 2019 to see if I could be a bike person. Fell for it and immediately started dreaming about a Riv. In the summer of 2020, I converted the Linus with albatross-ish bars, cork grips, and a friction thumbie to replace the trigger index shifter. Kept saving up and thinking about a Homer.

Called Rivendell in August 2020 to ask when they’d get more Homers, and talking with Vince he thought I’d dig an Atlantis as much or more…and they had one in stock. Vince (and Rich) were so nice/friendly/helpful. I bought the frame, Vince put together a build, and a mint later I was in Heaven. 

It’s the way the bikes look, the attitude behind the drsign, the people who work there…I have an Atlantis and now Sam. I’m not even tempted to buy a bike from any other company. Maybe I’m missing out, but I don’t care. 

Ben

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 12, 2021, at 4:30 PM, Chris L <clam...@gmail.com> wrote:

My first adult bike was a 1995 Trek 730 Multitrack and I thought it was the perfect bike for me, but as I learned more about bikes, I discovered I wanted way more tire clearance (730 = 40mm, barely) and a much longer top-tube.  I was a fan of quite a few smaller bike brands and wanted something non-mainstream and something steel.  I already had a very good set of 700c wheels, so the Hunqapillar was the only thing on the market that was what I was looking for.  A few brands have put out models that were close, but all suffered from too short a top tube, either being designed with drops in mind, or trying to split the difference between drops and flat/alt bars.  I see this is the only flaw in the original 56cm Atlantis, with it's 57 cm ETT.  If that bike had a 60 or 61 cm ETT, it would have been my Grail bike.  I would have invested in a second set of good wheels that one.

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[Berkeleyan]

Why? Because I had an insurance settlement from getting doored in west Berkeley, and I had a RBW catalogue in hand, having previously bought Moustache Bars for my Novara XR "cross" bike from REI. I wrote to Grant, and we settled on a 65cm LongLow frame. He took in all my specs, and the frame was built by Joe Stark. Painted by Joe Bell. This was 1998... I built it up with M-bars, Shimao 105 shifting components, Phil bottom bracket & rear hub, half-step + granny mated to a Sachs six-speed freewheel, and Sunracer rims. I was delighted beyond belief at the fit of the bike, perfectly matching my legs, arms. The reach to the bars was excellent, and it was fun & fast, no compromises at all.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-vj9MScf/0/L/i-vj9MScf-L.jpg

It still rides strong, only changes have been to mini-vee brakes, drop bars, and thin Gripster pedals.

- Andrew, Berkeley

[rlti...@gmail.com]

I read a review of a Riv Road in Bicycling magazine in the late 90’s and that review led me to research Rivendell bicycles. That research led me to the BOB group which soon lead to a custom order for an All Rounder being placed. 

Grant made a lot of sense to me in his bike designs and philosophy and I am definitely someone who values craftsmanship and buying something meant to be used for a lifetime. 

Since then I have had a Rambouillet and currently also have a Hubbuhubbuh tandem. The newer Riv offerings don’t do much for me. I am considering picking up a “fast” road bike at some point and a Roadeo is one of the candidates. That is one current model that I do like.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

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On Dec 12, 2021, at 12:53 PM, aeroperf <dore...@comcast.net> wrote:



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[Roberta]

Funny, I just responded to Laura's thread and put my story in there.

Steel frame

Rim brakes

Upright riding habit

I was riding a 1990 Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike that I liked but didn't love any longer and wanted something more comfortable.  I knew I wanted upright riding habit to alleviate my neck pain and rim brakes.  I tested every bike in my city that fit my on-paper requirements.  After a dozen rides, I realized I liked the ride of steel framed bikes (including my current Hard Rock) over aluminum.  I couldn't understand the value of complex disk brakes on a simple road bike.

Next came internet searches for steel framed bikes.  I then read a forum Q&A and the group agreed that the Betty Foy was the best bike ever made. Who is this Betty Foy?  Eventually it lead me to this group and Rivendell.  I had never heard of Grant, Rivendell, XO-1 or Bridgestone before.  I read everything I could about Rivendell on the internet, their website and this forum.  I devoured "Just Ride."   Our philosophies jived. I found my "people."  I am so grateful.

I called Rivendell and spoke with Grant, who at the time I had no idea who is was, but he was so nice and informative.

Also, and this is important, I was able to drive to a dealer and test ride many Riv models, not just see frames and geometry charts.  This was BIG for me, as a non bike-knowledgeable person, whose most expensive bike purchase was $300. Yes, I was now willing to spend more on this one bike than all my bike purchases put together for my entire lifetime.   Riding my Rivs have made me so happy.

BTW, I had no idea was a lug was until this group.

Roberta

ex-Joe Appaloosa

current AHHilsen

current Platy

[Joe Bernard]

I remember that Bicycling review. "Will people interested in lugged steel frames and friction shifting pay for it?" 😂

[dougP]

I was looking for a serious touring bike but the offerings from Trek, Specialized, etc., were all going to require some change to meet my desires.  Then I read a road test in Bikecentennial (now Adventure Cycling) by John Schubert.  His bottom line was if you wanted a serious touring bike that you didn't have to fiddle with, the Atlantis was it.  Rivendell proved to be so helpful in specing parts that I wanted that it was a simple choice.  20 years ago, the premium for an Atlantis vs a Trek 520 was was only a few hundred dollars & I was buying the bike to ride forever (my forever; the bike will outlast me).  20 years later & thousands of touring miles show I made the right choice. 

I did know what a lug was but only because I thought that's how all bikes were joined.  But then it had been 20 years since I'd bought my previous bike. 

dougP

[dougP]

PS:  The first time I laid eyes on a Rivendell was when I unboxed my Atlantis.  They seemed like nice people that knew what they were doing.  30 minutes out of the box & I was on the road.  Within a few miles, I was blown away at how nicely the bike rode. 

PPS: About 10 years ago, a 47cm Atlantis popped up on CL.  I insisted we go look at it, although my wife was perfectly happy with her Trek 1420.  She went along just to humor me.  She rode the bike for 5 minutes in a parking lot, came back to the car & said "I have to have this bike". 

dougP

[Will]

I had been reading bike groups and one day back in 2014 a poster noted a 53cm Atlantis was for sale in my town. At the time I was riding an old Trek 610. It was a nice bike, road well, but wouldn't fit tires bigger than 35mm. So I went to check out the Atlantis. Rode it around the parking lot and, of course, bought it. It could fit much larger tires. It's beautiful too, which helps. I parked it in the living room for several weeks just to look at it. It's in the garage these days along with an Appaloosa bought later for my son and a Glorius for my wife. They are all beautiful. 

I mean, really, where can you get lugged steel that is so well designed?

[Garth]

I bought a second hand Bombadil in 2011 as a replacement for my '83 Stumpjumper Sport that was both too short in frame height and length. I sold the Stumpy and still have the Bombadil today.

I bought a Susie at first sale, though as of today I'm asking "what was I thinking ?". ..... oh the irony of the year twenty twenty..... in which hindsight revealed/highlighted the blind ambition of seeking "security" in/as "things"  .... and how the price of that so-called "security" exponentially outweighed and overshadowed any so-called "benefit". Like the futility of grasping at water for a drink...... so shall I grasp a little more skillfully, a little faster, a little bigger grasp ? ...... Nope ....I can't grab beyond the grasping regardless of the type of grasp . Hands at my side .....I simply drink, a drink like never before .... a drink like never again ... a drink of all drinks ....  without any means at all..... for the "Water" is as "Me" and "I" am as the "Water". 

Like notes of the orchestra ... so it is with words, letters, numbers, symbols and ideas ..... all playing in perfect harmony playing this Symphonic Treasure we call "L I F E  ! " 

[lconley]

I bought my 1st Rivendell because I thought it was a good deal vs. the classic lugged steel frames available at the time. People seemed to want a small fortune for old used lugged steel frames and Rivendell was offering a discount on some Sam Hillbornes that had been delivered without the cream headtubes. I like building bikes as much as riding them. Once I got the 1st frame, wow - here was an extremely high quality modern lugged frame with excellent paintwork, and I can buy a bare frame and build what I want. The Rivendell lugwork puts the old French bicycles to shame, and no searching for obsolete headsets and bottom brackets (but VO has cured that), stems, etc. I don't exactly remember whether I discovered Rivendell or VO first, but it was around the same time. I never bought a VO frame back when they were lugged, but I did buy a Neutrino Mini-Velo a couple years ago.

I have a few modern bikes, but I came of age during the bike boom of the seventies. In 1972, I bought a used Gitane Tour de France - double butted Reynold 531, Campagnolo hubs and derailleurs, silk Vittoria sew-ups (it was my 4th ten speed at that point). I like the look of bikes with thin steel tubes. I have gotten used to the sloped top tubes now that I no longer have the drop bars positioned lower than the saddle. I still have the 1973 Schwinn Paramount P-15 that I bough new from the Schwinn Store in 1975 after I got hit by an on-duty cop on the Gitane and the frame got bent. the P-15 Paramount was kind of similar to a Rivendell in that it was looked down upon by the racers because it had the heavier Reynolds DB 531 tubing and "longer" (a relative term) chainstays, and clearance for bigger tires and a triple crankset - something that was known as a sports-tourer back then. It was my only bike for decades (I did have a Masi for a few years during the Paramount years). I think that I discovered Rivendell when I was looking into having Waterford restore the Paramount paint (still haven't had the Paramount repainted by Waterford).

Laing

On Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 3:53:10 PM UTC-5 aeroperf wrote:

[J S]

It was 1996 and we bought our first Apple computer and got an internet connection.  I had finally decided to get back to riding a road bike.  I had tried a Trek hybrid but wanted more.  I went online, a new thing for me and found a bicycle site.  I posted about my bad back and desire for a road bike.  Douglas Brooks replied steering me to Rivendell.  I ordered my first Road and took delivery in 1997 and never looked back.  The relaxed geometry and the ability to have the bars higher made riding a pleasure once again.  

On Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 3:53:10 PM UTC-5 aeroperf wrote:

[Aidan Conti]

Summer 91, summer job money for a mountain bike. Couldn't find anything I liked for money I had. Then went to College Park Cycles in MD and they had a single MB-4 that someone had returned, originally purchased at another location, marked down to my price. Managed to ovalize the head tube after a couple years and a couple of races and bad adjustments. And Bridgestone offered me a replacement frame at cost. They had 94 MB-4s or 94 MB-1s (if they said, I didn't mind living on ramen for a couple of months). Chose Ramen and MB-1. And learned shortly thereafter Bridgestone was leaving U.S.

Some months later, was working in a shop and wanted a road bike. Loved my Bridgestone, wanted a Bridgestone, but they were effectively wound down by that time. Bought a co-worker's, junior racer's, Concorde, was a beautiful bike, stainless stays, TSX tubing, but a bit racerish and wanted more all-roundness, fenders, rack mounts. As soon as Rivendell opened shop and announced orders, I put one in. Co-workers thought I was nuts for not buying something wholesale through the shop. Repainted in 2002 at Mariposa/Bicycle Specialities.

Only two adult bikes I've purchased. Anything else comes from dumpster diving.

-Aidan

[MoVelo]

Looking for a mountain bike in 1989ish, I discovered Bridgestone and Grant's marketing philosophy. Both of which clicked with me. So, I ended up with an MB2 because it was purple and almost as good as the MB1. 

I rediscovered Grant and Rivendell thru IBOB, and fully reveled in the Kool-Aid. After years of hesitation, primarily due to my penny pinching, I found a used Ramboulliet. How can you not like a bike with a name like that. Everything about it makes sense and was obviously thought about by someone who actually rides bikes for utility. The versatility of the Ram continues to amaze me. Reasonably light and able road bike capable of touring, comfortable, predictable and pretty. And then the name which is the cherry on the top. 

The whole Rivendell culture has been a huge boon to me. The idea that a bike can be a tool for practical use while being beautiful, sensible and fun fits me. Rivendell embodies the meaning of attractive utility. Much like laguiole knives, tube amps, Belgium shotguns, Wagner castiron, etc. In my opinion, Grant & Rivendell somehow manage to combine the best of french aesthetics and yankee (Twain) 'down to earthedness', all with a wry smile. 

Besides all of that; the perverse pleasure I get in holding my tongue whilst some black clad weight weennie bikesplains to me how much faster I could go if a would ditch that old heavy steel bike, is worth every penny I have spent at Rivendell. I simply reply, "What's the hurry. I am just where I want to be and am in no hurry to leave."

Thank you to aeroperf for asking the question that started this thread. I think it is always good practice to reflect on why we do what we do.

Rivendell can be summed up by one of my favorite quotes; 

Life is too serious to be taken seriously - Oscar Wilde

Best Regards;

JP in goatheadland NE

[Patrick Moore]

If anyone can find this review and post it or a link to it, I'd be very grateful. 

[Ryan]

I know Bicycling did a short review of the all-rounder in the nineties; might have been Jim Langley and Addison Wilhite who wrote the Rambler blog scanned many early Rivendell reviews. I rather like this review of the Riv Road by Garrett Lai of Bicycle Guide who had a stable of really good writers

https://www.addisonwilhite.com/uploads/4/0/1/2/40122449/rivendell_road_review_-_1996.pdf 

Me - 1993 X0-1 - lover of old B-stone catalogues with their art and writing and rather nice production bikes, but not as fancy as the Rivs

1997 - green all-rounder 

late 2000 Curt Goodrich custom harvest gold road bike

early 2017 ordered Dec 31 2015 Mark Nobilette  maroon custom mixte

Still have all 4 bikes...my one material extravagance 

Love their ethos and earlier classic sensibility and they're lovely people. I like it that their newer stuff is a lot more affordable and it's clearly making people very happy

[Jason Fuller]

I had been idly considering a Hillborne for quite some time because it checked all the boxes for me on capability, and I was Riv-curious for a couple years but enjoyed my Soma too.  I naively thought that when the 2019 batch of Hillbornes were gone, they'd never be back or at least never be back the same, since at that point all the other models had massively long rear ends and I wasn't ready for that. So I impulsively bought the third-to-last Sam from that batch (of the last size and colour available, orange 51) before it was too late. 

[Kushan]

After a year of pandemic riding on an aluminum hybrid bike in 2020, I was ready to buy a more "serious" bike for longer rides. A lot of people and shops I talked to recommended a carbon road bike was the natural choice and that's what all the serious cyclists rode. Before jumping on that bandwagon, I had the bright idea of renting a top of the line carbon road bike for a day. Despite their marketed "endurance geometry" and having the right sized bike, it felt uncomfortable, even in the muslces that one normally doesn't use in cycling. On a local 15 mile route, I was slower than I had been on my "cheap" hybrid bike. Being a Walnut Creek resident, I had known about Rivendell and read some of their articles online. I gladly returned my rental carbon bike the same day. Since then, have acquired a Roadini and an Appaloosa and love them both. 

[Christine Rose]

In 2017, I was getting ready to do my first tour. And I was reading nearly everything my library had related to bicycles in preparation. That's when I found Grant's "Just Ride" book. I had never heard of Rivendell before then. That book really clicked with me. So much so, that I put off my tour until I could get one of his bikes! I'm so glad Grant wrote that book. I've read it about four times now, it's my bike Bible.

Christine in Denver

[Mojo]

In 1994 I bought an MB-1 and loved it. I had a friend, Matt Caruso, that worked at Bridgestone in the early 1990s; perhaps he steered me to the IBOB group. I loved the 1992-1993-1994 Bridgestone catalogs and longed for the quirky XO-1. As Bridgestone folded and Rivendell emerged, I was sad to miss the XO but excited about the Rivendell All-Rounder. I ordered one in 1995 and received it in early 1996. 

Then I replaced my Fuso (Dave Moulton, the anti-Grant Peterson) road bike with a road custom in May 2001. I bought a first generation Quickbeam I believe in 2009, and a Legolas in 2011. The XO-1 and All-Rounder have gone on to other good owners. Of my Rivs, the Legolas gets ridden the most, now with a low-trail fork and handlebar bag. I love the Quickbeam but it may need to go to someone who will use it often.

Joe in Grand Junction

[Eric Norris]

It was 2005, and I was looking for a fixed-gear capable bike to ride long distances. I had signed up to be part of the Big Fix cross-country ride in 2006, and it was clear that my Soma was not going to fit the bill—fast and light, but not great for multiple days in the saddle.

My friend, the organizer of the Big Fix, had a Quickbeam and convinced me to try it. 

I bought mine after being told in no uncertain terms by the well-meaning folk in Walnut Creek that it was too small for me, based on their sizing orthodoxy.

I rode the Quickbeam successfullly on the Big Fix and, a year later, rode Paris-Brest-Paris on it. 

I still have the Quickbeam, now with a three-speed hub, and ride it regularly. 

And it’s still too small.

Eric Norris

campyo...@me.com

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[George Schick]

Eric - I had to listen to the sermon on too-small-a-frame from Walnut Creek, too, before I bought my Rambouillet back in '05.  I had one existing road bike, an early 70's Fuji Finest with a 21" (roughly 53 & 1/3 cm) frame that I had crashed and needed to replace.  So I ordered a 54cm from Peter White back when he was still a Rivendell dealer.  It fit me so perfectly that I would have given just about anything to have had it way back in '73 when I began to do serious cycling.  With the exception of a few MTB's, it would have no doubt been my only road bike in my collection over the decades.

[Jeremy Simon]

My partner mentioned something called a "Cheviot" on one of our first dates and I inelegantly pretended to know what she was talking about. I found this forum not long after and became an avid reader to try and impress her. I took a trip out to Walnut Creek, rode a few models, was blown away by the customer service, and snapped up a large Appaloosa when they were clearing out the largest models a few years ago. Now I dream of a Roadeo while keeping an eye on the used Cheviot market to see if we can finally get my partner a Riv of her own. 

Jeremy in Oakland

[aeroperf]

I’m enjoying these responses immensely, mostly because I knew nothing about Riv or Grant until after I rode my friend’s Sam in 2010.

So I was initially surprised by the number of folks here who have come up from Bridgestone through Grant to Rivendell.
I shouldn’t have been surprised.  My LBS owner has his RB-1 hanging on the wall in his showroom.

There’s a wonderful coffee table book called “Japanese Steel” by William Bevington and Scott Ryder that explains the Japanese response to the 70’s bicycle boom, which includes Bridgestone, and anything that includes Bridgestone mentions Grant Petersen.
If you are into “bicycle porn” and want to see where Bridgestone before Riv fits in, I recommend it. The illustrations are awesome.

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Ryan. Now, that article is really a blast from the past. 20 mm head tube extension! High bar 4" below saddle! Looong 42.5 cm chainstays! 10 mm dropouts! (One thing I disliked about the otherwise top-of-pile 1999 Joe Custom was the "short horizontal" dropouts as Riv used to describe them. I had them replaced by specially sourced extra long ones about 35 mm long.) But Lai's description of the handling certainly repeats what everyone seems to say.

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Patrick Moore

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

[Patrick Moore]

Kushan: Any idea why you were slower on the CF bike, which I assume was lighter than any Rivendell model? 

I realize that the factors making one bike slower or faster than another, let alone those affecting comfort, are hugely varied, but it's certainly a topic that interests me, since several of the fastest* bikes I've ridden were among the heavier ones.

*Repeated ease of pushing a higher gear in the same conditions.

On Mon, Dec 13, 2021 at 11:42 AM Kushan <kth...@gmail.com> wrote:

... I had the bright idea of renting a top of the line carbon road bike for a day. Despite their marketed "endurance geometry" and having the right sized bike, it felt uncomfortable, even in the muslces that one normally doesn't use in cycling. On a local 15 mile route, I was slower than I had been on my "cheap" hybrid bike. 

[David Person]

2014 - back surgery that ended my days riding with the local cycling club, which modeled the typical road riding group with club kits and racing bikes.  Sold my Cannondale CAAD9.  6 months later, when it looked like I would be able to resume bike riding in some form I desired to build up a bike inspired by the 70's and 80's lugged framesets I grew up with.  A Sam Hillborne was my 1st choice, but I had a hard time warming up to the sloping double top tube on the 62cm.  So I looked at other brands, but none had a long enough head tube which would allow me to get the bars up high, or they were not lugged frame sets.  I wound up ordering a Sam Hillborne frame set in the spring of 2015 and built it up with lots of shiny silver components (no black parts initially, thought that has evolved over time).  I initially had plans on putting drop bars on it, but Keven talked me into trying a pair of Albatross bars, which have been on it till just recently, when I switched to Choco bars.  Oh, and that double top tube, it's come to grow on me.

[Jared Wilson]

I got my start in cycling back in early 2006 riding fixed gears, and I burnt through countless frames and configurations, always with extreme drop from saddle to bars.

After some health stuff came up I fell off with cycling for many years before picking up a 1991 MB-2 from the original owner in Saratoga.

It sat around for a couple years before I really started to use it, adding Boscos, a B17, and other Rivendell kit along the way.

Finally, cycling was comfortable(ish)!!!

Soon after getting this MB-2 together we found another 89 MB-2 for my parter that we kitted very similarly but we both knew there was more to be desired.

Fast forward to our first visit to mecca and a quick test ride, myself on a Gus and Ariel on a Cheviot, and we'd finally seen the light.

The path was clear and we knew what we had to do, first myself with a 56cm Susie and Ariel followed with a 55cm Platypus.

I eventually found myself wishing I'd done a 59cm Susie instead so with that thought in my head I began to try other options with the notion of buying a 59cm when the next batch landed, and since then I've tried a 58cm SimpleOne, a 62cm Hunqapillar, and most recently a 60cm Cheviot.

The Cheviot is my favorite ride of those 3, but I still find myself longing for another Susie, so on Wednesday I'll be preordering a 59cm *color TBD*

I love reading how we all took different roads to get to the same place, and it's a damn fine place I'm happy to share it with you all!

Jared in SLO, CA

[Ryan]

Oh yeah...I remember that book! Man, some of those bikes were gorgeous and the photography was first-rate. Great recommendation!

[RichS]

Fun stories! Thank you too Jack for raising the topic.

I took the Lovely Bicycle path to discover Rivendell. The more I read the more I connected with Grant's writing, lugged steel frames (while still riding my lugged steel '85 Trek 400) and all the supporting parts, clothing, etc. This was a revelation! What followed was an Atlantis, Sam Hillborne, ClemH, Roadeo, Homer, countless parts and enough clothing to last the rest of my life. The RBW owners and ibob groups have been the icing on the cake.

While the other Rivs have moved to different list members, Sage Green Sam remains in the stable as my favorite Riv - right from the first ride.

Best,

Rich in ATL

[maxcr]

For me it started when I was looking for a better option for my short commute in Cambridge, MA (used to commute through the winter on a 3-speed vintage Triumph) 

A co-worker had a Surly LHT and directed me to a Crosscheck that came up for sale from a local fellow (I'm pretty sure he had been influenced by Riv based on his build)... I bought that bike which came with 50mm Big Apples but changed the tires to skinnier ones and never got quite comfortable on it with it's low noodles dropbar - I didn't know better. I started researching and found a solution: a stem extension to lift my handlebars, it was ugly but worked ok.

After reading more and more to see how I could enjoy biking more and to improve my posture, I found this group and around the same time I saw the most beautiful blue Sam Hillborne at Harris Cyclery. I fell in love with the Rivendell mindset, their bikes, and the whole kool-aid - the rest is history, since then I've had: Soma San Marcos 59, Sam Hillborne 62, AHH 61 (James at Analog Cycles helped me set these up properly with their enlightened fitting), AHH 63, SimpleOne 62, Hunqapillar 58, Custom Road Standard and a Toyo Atlantis.

Btw, I'm going to have to go check out that local black/cream 58 Sam I posted that's for sale to see how it rides, after downsizing all year, I might come back home with a fourth bike.

Best,
Max Riv obsessed in MA

PS. There's also my wife's Susie ;)

[Fullylugged]

I found Sheldon Brown in reading bike forums after starting cycling on a Fuji Touring bike around 2000. He talked about the Romulus in glowing terms znd I wanted one, but it did not come in my size. The French Blue order of the very similar Rambouillet came out around 2005 and  had 2 smaller frame sizes in 26" wheels and I jumped one one of those. Selling points: Pretty lugs, low BB with neutral steering lets it track like it's on rails, easy to set up with ergonomic positioning. I bought it as a complete and am still happy to have it and ride it. I didn't like the color that much. The earlier orange and later green are both nicer IMO, and mine is now Amber Gold.

Bruce 

[Chris Halasz]

Back in the day of rec.bicycles.tech, mid-90s, I saw a note about Grant starting his own bike business. I'd like everything he'd done at Bridgestone, had a beloved RB-1, and  received one of his first catalogs. 

Loved every bit of it. I'd been racing road and mountain bikes, and had become disillusioned with so much of what I was experiencing: the training and technology treadmill weren't for me any more. Something about seeing John Tomac's drop-bar Yeti affected a response and made we wonder how much of this new stuff really made a difference in the experience. 

I was reading a lot of posts from Jobst on rec.bikes, ended up converting a Ritchey for multi-purpose rides (always loved Tom's bikes too), then sold that and was just riding my RB-1 on and off-road. Kept reading about longer chainstays, kept seeing all of my friends with their full-suspension bikes abandon the sport. 

I spoke with Grant a few times, and did not have the opportunity to get one of the bikes until 2003 or so - a Road Standard. Then a long-low, a Rambouillet, a Bleriot for me and one for my wife, and finally a Bombadil. Took a hiatus as my work took me bi-modal, and was solely on a Brompton for about ten years. 

Just got a Platypus, and what an incredible evolution has occurred in that time. I thought that first Road Standard was amazing. The Platy is the most fun bicycle I've ever ridden, most beautiful bike I've ever seen. 

- Chris 

SB, CA

[Erik]

I rode Bridgestones back in the day, starting with my first new mountain bike, an MB-4.  My local shop was a Bridgestone dealer so I saw all of models come through over the years.  I eventually purchased an RB-2 as well and pined away over the XO-1.   I loved the Bridgestone catalogs and Grant's writing / philosophy on bikes and bike riding.  I broke the frame on the MB-4 eventually and got a warrantied replacement at the tail end of Bridgestone in North America.  This was a while after they were available retail.  They replaced my MB-4 with an MB-2 frame and I rode that bike and my RB for many, many years as my primary around-town and road bikes.  By that time I was into suspension on my mountain bikes and went down that rabbit hole for another decade or so.    

I found this group in 2010 or so when I was getting disillusioned with my big mountain bikes and the suspension arms race and was looking for a new direction with my riding.  During this time my primary riding was commuting to work and exploring the back roads where I live, all things better done on a bike other than full suspension all mountain machines.  I finally made the leap in 2017 when I found myself on good financial footing and bought an Appaloosa.  An Atlantis followed that.  Then a Hillborne.  Then I traded the Hillborne for a Susie.  Now a Gus on the way.  I sold my last modern bike last year and used the funds to buy wheels and fancy bling for the Appaloosa. Getting into Rivendells has totally changed how I think about my bikes, bike riding, and how they fit into my life. I'm so glad to that I just get to go casually exploring and wandering now instead of dressing up and for a RIDE.  Bikes are a bigger part of my life than ever because they are just something that fit into everything I do now, from getting groceries to commuting to wandering the many trails in my local woods.     

-Erik