My Rivendell Platypus - A Forever Bike Build

[Armand Kizirian]

Greetings fellow Rivendell Lovers!

I’m happy to introduce to you my very first Rivendell, an Ana Purple Platypus built up as my forever bike (#3). As someone who worked in bike shops growing up with a current background as a designer and engineer, I went all out with designing the optimal riding experience, crafting a versatile bicycle intended to be ridden every day, and most importantly, to be loved for life.

I’ve never done a full “balleur” build before, and had a few intentions in mind with this. Make it as lightweight as possible with zero compromises. Embrace the Rivendell ethos of simplicity in the mechanical components. See how versatile an upright bicycle can be not just for commuting, but both supreme pleasure rides and also longer, more demanding routes. Make it timeless, gorgeous, and utterly practical.

So far I have been pleasantly surprised. I’ve ridden it every day as my primary vehicle since completion. Most look at the swoopy “cruiser” (as many call it) handlebars and assume it is a pretty pleasure bike for brief, simple rides. I explain to them the vibe is moreso performance Cadillac, where rides from 20-30+ miles are done with ease and comfort. The combination of the upright position, long chainstays, slightly slacker headtube, luxurious touch points, and made in USA/japan mechanical components result in a riding experience that can be playful, relaxed, spirited, or fast all with a shift of a mindset and handlebar position. I LOVE the contrast of performance with comfort, particularly as a stronger rider. It is a delightful combination that is rare and overlooked, as most upright bicycles feature low-end components or compromised geometry.

[Armand Kizirian]

The complete build list is as follows. View all photos here.

Cockpit features a Nitto 135mm Faceplater Stem with Rons Ortho Bars, Brooks leather ergon grips with Simworks purple bar ends, Rivendell S2 friction shifters, with harlequin style newbuams purple/yellow wrap with clear shellac, and a stem-mounted spurcycle bell. S83 seatpost with Brooks B17 titanium. NOS Dura-Ace headset.

Brakes feature Paul Canti Levers with Touring Canti’s, Moon units, and Hunter cycles Nugz for extra cable adjustment. Rene herse and nitto cable hangars. Yokozuna reaction compressionless housing. All capped off with Forager cycles cable cherries. Kool stop brake pads with the grey e-bike pad compound. This was my final hurrah to test the ultimate canti-lever brake setup and deem its worthiness as a brake. It has not passed by test. Riv recommends v-brakes for several valid reasons.

Custom wheelset featuring White Industries MI5 hubs laced to Velocity Quill rims with Sapim spokes and brass nipples, 32h front, 36h rear, all polished. Rene Herse Tires, 48mm Hatcher Pass and Oracle Ridge. I will likely keep an endurance casing Oracle ridge as a final tire choice, setup tubeless with Ultradynamico brass tubeless valves. I like riding fast, especially on dirt.

Drivetrain features an ultra rare 110/73bcd Middleburn lightweight road triple with 42/28t gearing and Rivendell chain guard and brass self-extractors. Aluminum Sugino 28t chainring and aluminum chainring hardware for weight reduction. NOS Dura-Ace 7700 sealed cartridge Bottom bracket. Pedals are MKS Pretzel with shorter 4-5mm length brass set screws to replace the 6mm long aggressive steel pins. Ultegra PD-ES600 SPD pedals for longer rides when I want to be clipped in. Deore XT 9-speed 11-34 cassette, with NOS Dura Ace 7700 mid-cage rear derailleur (wolftooth roadlink to clear the 34t), Dura Ace 7800 double front derailleur. KMC 10-speed X10SL with the gold treatment, because, gold! This all shifts wonderfully.

Accessories include Nitto F32 front rack with Tanaka stainless steel basket held by Voile mini straps, Nitto 32r rear rack with cygolite rear light mount. Front rack features upcycled 28t chainring for my cygolite go-pro mount (blue lug style) and M6 brass set screws to fill the unused braze-ons. Blue Lug yellow X-Strap bungee cords front and rear, with the x2 rainbow Rivendell straps laced through the basket to handle any odd things to carry on the fly. Beautiful Nitto R bottle cage on top, with ultra rare matching Nitto BG-L 1-liter bottle cage on the bottom. Greenfield kickstand wrapped with newbaums purple. Purple Blue Lug Koma lights front and rear at the drop-outs for when I forget to bring my nicer lights. Newbaums wrap on top tube for convenient handle grip when carrying up/down stairs to the train. Blue lug style newbaums chainstay guard. Hemp twine features everywhere. Lastly, any unused braze-ons are populated with M5 brass set screws, including the backside of the utilized hourglass mounts 😉

Security includes hexlox axles, with the same keyed inserts for the seatpost clamp, stem, and saddle. GPS sticker for theft deterrent. Hidden air tag. Serial number registered in two bike indexes. I purchased a Kryptonite mini New York u-lock off ebay ($60 new!). It is absurd and confidence inspiring. Makes my evolution mini u-lock look like a joke.

One bit I forgot to mention. The inner position of the lower rear right rack mount are positioned perfectly for a chain holder, as 80's touring bikes used to have. An Acetal bushing with delrin washers result in not just a chain holder, but the ability to backpedal and lube the chain wit the wheel off.

Thanks for reading!
Armand
Santa Monica, CA

[Armand Kizirian]

This last weekend I took it on a mixed terrain ride, about 35 miles with over 3500ft of climbing. I was shocked with how well it handled the route. The lack of friction in the system as a whole, from the white industries hubs, to dura ace bottom bracket, to rene herse extralight tires, made my drop-bar bike feel neglected and abused, that is to say, this bike feels like butter. This sensation was amplified by swapping in SPD pedals for the first time and feeling “connected.” The forward position of the Ortho bars are fantastic for out of the saddle climbing leverage, or on the saddle technical climbing on singletrack, elbows flared down. With 48mm slicks aired a bit down, the long chainstays allowed me to have enough traction to only have to walk one segment. I can’t wait to try it with the Rene Herse knobby equivalent. The ability to tap into a restorative position (aka the default riding position) made the entire route so utterly comfortable, without a hint of a back or neck ache developing. Not something I would be able to say on my drop-bar bike, which has bars levels with the saddle mind you.

There is so much to write about, I will let you ask any questions you have. Look for a ride report after this weekend, where I will strip the racks off and ride 60+ miles with 10,000ft of climbing with this at the LA Invitational ride.

[Valerie Yates]

I love it! Gorgeous and functional. So amazing to ride in comfort - a criteria seriously underrated where I live. I prefer the freedom of flat pedals. 

Val in Boulder, CO

[Armand Kizirian]

One more little clip of me testing the off-road capabilities. Riding a narrower saddle to be able to get my thighs behind it would improve steep, technical descents quite a lot. All in all I do NOT miss descending rough-ish dirt roads with a rigid bike. I hope it encounter them with little frequency.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rw4lpolns8s6x6cyzg07w/IMG_9041.MOV?rlkey=608dbcfa4tx3nxvu36wthlm8a&dl=0

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Aren’t the Platys the best? I’m so excited for you to have this beauty and have it forever. I loved this model so much I ended up with a trio of them. I regret nothing. My purple Gravel & Travel Platy is being built up with rainbow and oil slick parts right now, and I’m anxious to see it. It won’t be classy like your regal purple Platy, though. 

Are you going to change to v brakes? How do you like the Silver Shifters? I got those, too, and it will be my first bike with them. 

I look forward to hearing more about your adventures on this new bike and especially at the LA Invitational Ride! This bike can do almost anything. 10,000 feet of climbing. Pssshhahhh. No problem. 

Leah

[Mathias Steiner]

I'm a little mystified by the whole step-through thing, so a Platypus isn't high on my personal list.

But THAT is a great build. You can tell a lot of thought and a lot of love went into it. Beautiful.

[John Rinker]

That bike looks delicious! A very fine build indeed.

Cheers, John

[atreya...@gmail.com]

The build and aesthetics are perfect! very well thought out. Enjoyed all the beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing

[Dan]

I thoroughly enjoyed this write-up. I can tell you've put in a lot of thought to this bike, and it's beautiful.

Your approach to this build as a performance upright bicycle and your subsequent revelations as to the comfort mirror my own on my new, purple Appaloosa. I have the same bars too, but slightly wider tyres! All I need is some bar tape and to mount my shifters upside down like yours for those secondary hand positions to really be dialled.

Hope you have many more adventures to come.

PS: I was told the Quills couldn't handle 48s (I have them on my singlespeed). Are you running yours tubeless?

[Ryan]

Wow...that's some build...love that chainring attachment for your basket. Really creative! Did you do that yourself or is that something you bought?  Anyway, nice bike and that color kind of grows on you

[Tom Goodmann]

Ahhh! Beautiful build! I appreciate the details and photos you've shared of your informed and thoughtful build. What a Platypus!

Wishing you thousands of safe and happy miles,

Tom 

(leaving Miami)

[Shoji Takahashi]

beautiful build. I love the video of you riding it on the trails. 

I really need to find the time to build mine up... 

[Steve]

Armand, welcome to the Cult of the Platypus.   You've built a stellar example! 

I'm running the same hubs and rims on my mermaid Platypus, though with 42mm RH slicks under 58mm fenders  I went      I'm of the opinion that there is some kind of magic happening with the design of the Platypus - it never fails to impress me. 

About those cantilevers - I went with Deore V-brakes mostly to pinch a few pennies. Yes, they definitely set up easily and perform well - but to my eyes they lack the elegance of a well executed cantilever. I say don't give up on them. 

Steve 

[Tim Bantham]

This is just a lovely build. I too have a Platypus and love it! I took it on a club gravel ride and had quite a few curious looks but had not difficulty keeping up with the group. I just added an R-14 rear rack on mine and plan to updgrade to Paul Motolites as I get around to it. This is a great bike.

[Patrick Moore]

As Mathias, I too have no particular interest in step-throughs -- I've owned a number of them: mixtes, drop-frame Raleigh Sportses and clones -- and if I ever buy another one it will be a Clem to build up as a ride-around beater and not for the drop frame; but yes, that Platypus is very well coordinated and set up. Kudos.

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

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[Armand Kizirian]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

@Leah - I feel like eveeeentually I'll switch the v-brakes. Right now that will require a rack change, and I love the F32 front as it's all brazed and very lightweight. I also utilize a Nitto NR-21 rear rack for a saddle bar support for the longer day rides/touring mode which is not v-brake compatible. Silver shifters are GREAT. The level of adjustability in the housing direction, as well as the lever stops, allow for some exception fine tuning of ergonomics and placement. The "thumb screw" that adjusts the level of friction WILL back off if nothing is applied to the threads. I dried and built up some layers of threadlocker on the screw threads so it maintains the friction setting without backing out.

@For those questioning the step-through frame. This is my first! I went for it because it's classy, smaller friends can ride the bike successfully, provides a great carry handle, and although I have no shortage of mobility, the step-through design is convenient for sure. It mostly gives a really interesting look, especially for such a large frame. I do question the additional pair of "mid-stays" in the rear triangle potentially stiffening up the rear too much. However, the single bottle cage along with compromised potential frame-bag space IS a huge caveat. I recently discovered the Appaloosa has wider tire clearance than the Platypus. If the right size lime-olive/purple frame popped up I just may switch all the parts over.

@Dan - Congrats on your Appaloosa! The Velocity Quill's has a 21mm internal width. It should handle your max tire size, ~2.25" just fine. Anyone who told you otherwise is being silly. I plan on switching to some Oracle ridge tires tomorrow, tubeless. Will let you know if I encounter any issues, I don't anticipate any. Velocity's product page even says up to 48mm for the "optimal" tire size.

@Ryan - Chainring attachment was homemade. It was the original chainring on the pictured cranks that was worn to hell. Be sure to use an aluminum one, not steel. Exceptionally easy to shape with nothing but a vice, hacksaw, and some basic files.

@Steve - The next step with the canti-levers is to make some old school brake boosters. Right now there is a TON of flex at the brake posts. Since the Paul brakes have the tension spring forward, rather than rear, there is a good ~8-10mm of brake post exposed between the brake caliper and the fork blade. This can be a great opportunity to place a brake booster there. It is about as simple of a part as it gets for me to model on the computer, and send to some friends with fancy CNC machines and a block of aluminum. A good time can be had styling it for a Rivendell.

[Tony Lockhart]

Congrats on dialing in that build, Armand. Wishing you many happy miles.

[Hetchins52]

The chain holder is a brilliant idea! (I will have to try it on mine.)

A meticulous build -- I like all the set screws protecting threads.
David Lipsky in Berkeley, CA

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 4:56:44 PM UTC-7 Armand Kizirian wrote:

[Glenn Mackin]

Having just gotten my first Rivendell--a Platypus no less--this is very inspiring. You've put together a truly beautiful bike. 

[Neale S.]

See you this weekend Armand! Will be on my Atlantis and at least attempting the triple scoop.

[Jimmy Melnarik]

It was nice to meet you on Saturday at Topanga Creek Outpost, Armand! Your Platy is even more gorgeous in person.

[Eric Marth]

Hi Armand, this is a great build. 

How are you liking those MKS Pretzels? I'm considering getting a pair. 

[Pam Bikes]

Gorgeous build!  Thanks for posting this.  I can't wait to hear where your bike will take you.  Love all the pictures!

[Chester]

kiziria...@gmail.com wrote:

The complete build list is as follows. View all photos here.

Beautiful, Armand. I love seeing bikes like yours, with so many little aesthetic touches totally thought out and dialed in. AND all sorts of functional details dialed in. Totally balleur. Congratulations.

Chester 
SF Bay Area

[Armand Kizirian]

@Eric - I'm mixed on the pretzel pedals. I chose them over the Monarchs/Gamma because of the additional, wider support, and the sculptural design matched the them I was going for. I'm afraid the aesthetics do not match the function very well. The function of the pedal is heavily reliant upon the pins. Remove the pins and you have a pretty terrible pedal, in terms of have a flat, consistent surface on which to evenly distribute weight, with some form of traction. The pins they come with are quite tall and aggressive, the type that will mark and damage your shoe sole overtime. They are quite effective, but, at least in my eyes, these are meant to be beautiful pedals for pleasure riding, not downhill mtb'ing. I modified them by putting in a mix of 1-2mm shorter brass m4 set screws. I like how they are now, but wouldn't purchase them again. I'll probably end up with some generic Shimano one-side platform/other side SPD pedal, as some of the dirt trails I like to go on tangent to my city are incredibly steep.

Right now I'm experimenting with some Rene Herse knobbies. They roll exceptionally well, are indeed quiet, but however, they have introduced a consistent buzz that is transmitted to the pedals--feedback which I'm not crazy about. Audibly they are indeed quiet. I'm VERY impressed by the durability of the endurance casing, I trashed these tires descending over 6000ft on some of the chunkiest rocks/terrain in southern california and not a hiccup. I did identify one of the knobs being slashed in half and flapping about, no risk of a puncture though. I'll probably switch back to RH slicks, or try a slick in the rear and knobby up front.

As much as I do love the Platy so far, I think I would desire the additional tire clearance that an Appaloosa offers. If anyone has a 54-57cm lime-olive Appaloosa frame/fork, I would consider a purchase or trade. Plus the additional convenience of a diamond frame, from extra water bottle, to more traditional frame bags/top tube bags, can't be denied for longer rides/future tours.

Picture from recent lunch on some grass.

[Armand Kizirian]

Oh and @Dan, tubeless was without unordinary issue on the Velocity Quills. I will say though...

I setup the same tires on my wheelset, and my partners bike, which has some WTB KOM i25 rims. The tires setup MUCH more easily on the WTB rims. The Quill's didn't present any real issue, but it was the difference of having tires immediately seat onto the bead with zero leakage, vs fussing for 2-minutes for the bead to catch on and stop splattering sealant everywhere. I used an air compressor with valve cores removed to initially seat the bead.

This is consistent with my experiences as a former bike mechanic. WTB's rims and tires have incredibly tight tolerances, for the better. I've personally never had a Velocity wheel setup as easily as a WTB rim. The tolerances of the bead shelf diameter can be tighter.

Just yesterday I was on a long bike commute, put the bike on one of those public work stands to add some air to my tires, and my stupid Lezyne thread-on bike pump unthreaded my valve core upon removal (yes I purged the air before unthreading, and the valve core was tightened appropriately). I was surprised to see the bead of the tire unseat due to the pressure loss. My little hand pump did inflate the tire again fine, but there was some sealant weeping in the process. With the wheel being completely off the ground, I think a well-designed tubeless rim should NOT unseat the bead of a tire simply due to losing air. Especially with a high quality tubeless tire with a durable casing. My 3 (THREE ;) cents.

First train ride:

[Patrick Moore]

Armand: I said it before but I'll say it again: that's a pretty bike -- and I say that even though it's not a bike I'd want for myself. The colors and the build seem perfectly balanced.

Velocity rims and tubeless tires: FWIW, Schwalbe Big Ones (lightest model), Schwalbe Furious Freds, and Soma Supple Vitesse SLs all set up tubeless on my Blunt SS's with no rim-wall/tire bead problems, and all held air even before I added sealant. FWIW.

And lastly, +1 for a tubeless-ready tire and tubeless-ready rim: yes indeed, the bead ought to remain in place without above-atmospheric air pressure and without sealant glueing bead to rim.

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[Dan]

Thanks for the followup, Armand. Your experience is likely what made my LBS recommend me staying with the 43s on my Quills. But good to know it's possible if I ever insist! I don't mind anyway on that bike - the 43s suit it perfectly and are plenty comfortable. They leave room for fenders too.

With regards to switching to an Appaloosa, firstly, it's a great bike! I love mine.

Secondly, be aware that the geometry is slightly different at the front. The Appaloosa has a 72 degree head tube angle vs. the 69.5 on the Platypus.

Not sure what that means for real-world handling but I thought I'd point it out.

Which brings me to my next point: have you considered an Atlantis? I think they have a similar HTU (70) and slightly more tyre clearance than an Appaloosa too. The trouble is finding one...

[Armand Kizirian]

To be clear Dan I don't think the additional width of the tires is what caused the discrepancy in seating the bead. This is an issue with the rim, not the tire size.

I've noticed the difference in head tube angle. Been meaning to contact Riv and at least get the fork offset from both to determine potential differences in trail. I'm afraid I do enjoy a lot of the Platypus's handling characteristics because of the slacker head angle.

[Armand Kizirian]

Thanks for the kind words Patrick. Thankfully others appreciate the bike quite frequently in person. Half the fun for sure.

One last thing I'll say with the Velocity rims, it seems most of them are quite old. I'd wager designs and subsequent tooling on most of their lineup hasn't changed for over 10+ years. I recall a good difference between setting tubeless up 10+ years ago with the tires/rims of that era and now, with a vast improvement in ease, consistency, and reliability since then.

[Pam Bikes]

I've unscrewed the valve core w/the Lezyne pump head.  So, if you do tighten the valve core first, then only screw on the pump head 3 turns.  Tight but not too tight.  It won't unscrejar the valve core.  Most valve cores are not enough to begin with.  And since I check my tires which rarely get flats, the valve cores do get loosened over time.  (I know b/c once I thought I had a leak but after putting the tube in water and no leaks, I put a jelly jar full of water on the valve as it was in the 12 o clock position and I could see air bubbles from the valve.)  So try the screw on valve when you know everything is tight.  Maybe even do the jelly jar test and see how to screw on the pump head for next time.