Appreciation for my 1998 LongLow

[BSWP]

I'm just back from a 215 mile loop out of Berkeley on my first Rivendell, a 65cm LongLow. We went to Point Reyes (over the RSR bridge!) then on to Tomales, where it's freezing cold at night but the saloon is hopping. Then a grunt out to Bodega Bay and second breakfast in Jenner, before meandering up the Russian River to Rio Nido for beer, and family hospitality in Heraldsburg. The rain came early, but relented enough to give us dry road into Calistoga, before hammering us the entire length of Silverado Trail, to an overpriced motel in Napa. Final day was like autopilot back through Vallejo and on down into Berkeley.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclemoss/albums/72157712451755936

and

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31483686

The LongLow has its original Phil hubs, and six-speed freewheel, half-step + granny triple, simple Shimano 105 shifters, and nitto stem. It started with M'bars, but I've been riding on Noodles for five years now, and prefer them for long tours. The brakes are now "mini" Vees, and I very much like the Tektro interruptor levers. My luggage system is a basic Wald basket up front, with Sackville ShopSack, and a new-ish Banana bag under the saddle. For true camping, I have a stout Nitto rack and Ortliebs, this ride, I left the lightweight Nitto on, to carry beer or wine in case we needed extra capacity. Tires are now 35mm Compass something-something pass... very soft and forgiving, but still quite fast.

I love the ride, so smooth and stable, and I can just pedal all day in comfort (except or my neck, it gets tired looking up, so I often go a few hundred feet looking down at the white shoulder line). There's a QuickBeam in my stable, and a new Riv-ish frame still to be painted and assembled (Rohloff meets MAFAC Racer), but I always enjoy this ride. Many thanks to Grant & crew for getting the frame sized right, and keeping me going.

- Andrew, Berkeley

[Patrick Moore]

Kudos on the trip and the photos. Curious: how many miles on the Phil hubs, and have you had to replace the bearings? I have Phils on my '99 Riv Road (replaced the bearings proactively at about 14K miles because the Phil bb was getting new bearings.

How does the LongLow ride compare to that of the Quickbeam? Also, does anyone know how the LL's ride compares to that of the Rambouillet?

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Patrick Moore

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

[JohnS]

Thank you for sharing your ride report Andrew. That looks like an amazing ride! Maybe someday, once I retire I'll have a chance to ride there. 

JohnS in eastern PA

On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 10:09:04 AM UTC-5, Patrick Moore wrote:

Kudos on the trip and the photos. Curious: how many miles on the Phil hubs, and have you had to replace the bearings? I have Phils on my '99 Riv Road (replaced the bearings proactively at about 14K miles because the Phil bb was getting new bearings.

How does the LongLow ride compare to that of the Quickbeam? Also, does anyone know how the LL's ride compares to that of the Rambouillet?

On Tue, Dec 31, 2019 at 7:25 PM BSWP <asht...@gmail.com> wrote:

I'm just back from a 215 mile loop out of Berkeley on my first Rivendell, a 65cm LongLow. We went to Point Reyes (over the RSR bridge!) then on to Tomales, where it's freezing cold at night but the saloon is hopping. Then a grunt out to Bodega Bay and second breakfast in Jenner, before meandering up the Russian River to Rio Nido for beer, and family hospitality in Heraldsburg. The rain came early, but relented enough to give us dry road into Calistoga, before hammering us the entire length of Silverado Trail, to an overpriced motel in Napa. Final day was like autopilot back through Vallejo and on down into Berkeley.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclemoss/albums/72157712451755936

and

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31483686

The LongLow has its original Phil hubs, and six-speed freewheel, half-step + granny triple, simple Shimano 105 shifters, and nitto stem. It started with M'bars, but I've been riding on Noodles for five years now, and prefer them for long tours. The brakes are now "mini" Vees, and I very much like the Tektro interruptor levers. My luggage system is a basic Wald basket up front, with Sackville ShopSack, and a new-ish Banana bag under the saddle. For true camping, I have a stout Nitto rack and Ortliebs, this ride, I left the lightweight Nitto on, to carry beer or wine in case we needed extra capacity. Tires are now 35mm Compass something-something pass... very soft and forgiving, but still quite fast.

I love the ride, so smooth and stable, and I can just pedal all day in comfort (except or my neck, it gets tired looking up, so I often go a few hundred feet looking down at the white shoulder line). There's a QuickBeam in my stable, and a new Riv-ish frame still to be painted and assembled (Rohloff meets MAFAC Racer), but I always enjoy this ride. Many thanks to Grant & crew for getting the frame sized right, and keeping me going.

- Andrew, Berkeley

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[BSWP]

Patrick,

I am guessing less than 10,000 miles on the oldest parts. I do lots of short rides, and a few long rides. The hubs feel smooth and solid, as does the Phil bottom bracket. Headset with rollers on the bottom is smooth,, no notchiness. The rides are very different, QuickBeam is... quick to turn, and less forgiving on bumps. The LongLow has round forks, not ovalized, and they flex more. It's a very forgiving ride, made all the more so with the 35mm Compass tires.

- Andrew

[Mike Packard]

Awesome ride report and pix. PLEASE tell us more about those cheeseburgers.

mike

[Joe Bernard]

That's a big ride!

[BSWP]

LOL They were a wet rainy walk across the parking lot from our Motel 6 in Napa. A place called "Squeeze Inn" burgers, at 3383 Solano Avenue. Yes, I would go back... they have excellent beer on tap, and cooked my fries crispy, just like I asked (I eat & drink lots of carbs on these rides).

- Andrew

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Andrew. Perhaps there's more difference between a Riv Road standard and a LongLow than I had thought. Again, thanks for the ride post.

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