A Susie and Homer owner tempted by the Atlantis

[Taylor Kurosaki]

Hi gang!

I've recently acquired a 58cm Homer and I'm in love. The big feels comfortable and spirited and all of the performance-ish/road-ish ways. Quite happy.

I also own a 56cm fillet Susie W. Longbolts. It's super comfy, confidence-inspiring, and way more capable off-road than I ever would have imagined. Big fan.

Here lies the conundrum- I've always wanted an Atlantis. I think they are beautiful. I understand it to be comfy and also quite capable and totally classic. I only want to be a two-Riv guy, though, if at all possible. If I switch from the Susie to the Atlantis, what will I miss, if anything? (Lowered top tube being one) If I'm not going gonzo off-road, do you think I could move to the Atlantis, forgoing the Susie, or should I stand pat?

Ideas and advice more than welcome.

-Taylor

[Richard Rose]

I am no doubt biased but I’d keep the Susie. It’s a rare bird.

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 24, 2025, at 7:57 PM, Taylor Kurosaki <taylork...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi gang!

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[EGNolan]

The Atlantis is the middle ground between your two bikes, but I think it is probably more similar to the Hilsen than the Susie. Shod with the same parts as your Homer, it could cover most of the same ground with a little extra all-roundedness. If you're not maxing out tire clearance on the Susie, don't need the extra float or top tube space, the Atlantis can definitely handle plenty of trail riding. 

I'm consistently torn with my Appaloosa, it plays 3 different parts for me: 1) commuter & grocery bike, it handles loads easily and is sure footed with plenty of braze ons 2) long road ride bike, it's comfy, quick enough and takes care of me over longer rides 3) trail bike, without all the fenders, racks and bags, it does what I need it to to enjoy our trails here in the flatlands. It isn't fast on singletrack, but it's not really why I'm out there. 

I suppose that is all to say, the Atlantis could be pushed in either direction that you need it to feel. If you're going to have two and you want them to be different, you're probably in a great spot. If you want an Atlantis and you want to get rid of one of your existing Rivs, it's a tough call. I have no dog in the Susie hunt, so I'd likely get rid of it (though it is likely harder to replace long term).

[Armand Kizirian]

If you're not going "gonzo off-road", it sounds like your desire for the beauty of an Atlantis outweighs any difference in off-road capabilities between the two. However, this is very much a fantasy, as even finding an Atlantis in your size will be a challenging feat. Plus I'm your size, and may beat you to finding one ;).

[Bill Lindsay]

" I only want to be a two-Riv guy, though, if at all possible"

This is the problem.  Ditch this thought and move on with your life.  

Those are three very different and very awesome bicycles.  The only way to decide which two you prefer to have is to really understand what it means to have all three and then get rid of the one you most want to get rid of.  That has almost nothing to do with the bikes.  It has almost everything to do with you and how you use bikes and how you experience the bikes you are using.

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Jason Fuller]

If financially viable, I would get the Atlantis and then see what, if any, Riv you want to sell.  It really comes down to your riding preferences - for some, a Homer + Atlantis would be a perfect contrast.  Others would want the extra capability of the Susie, and would find the Homer and Atlantis to be somewhat similar.  

I would expect you could replace the Susie with the Atlantis and be happy - especially if you set it up to be a little more trail bike-y.  While the Susie is a wonderful ride, I don't think there's anything I could ride the Susie on that I wouldn't be able to ride the Atlantis on. If riding rooty or rocky stuff, the lower BB on the Atlantis might be more annoying, but not a big issue. You should be able to fit about a 2.2" tire on the Atlantis which will make it a fully capable trail bike.  I grew up racing downhill mountain bikes with less tire than that! 

But if you can keep all three, they are all certainly unique enough to warrant a place in one's stable. The Atlantis could be a racked up touring (or just hauling) bike while the Susie stays a more minimally accessorized trail bike, for example. Or maybe it gets fenders, while the Homer and Susie don't.  So many possibilities! 

[Brian Turner]

I’d side with Bill and Jason in proposing you rethink the “two Rivs only” limitation, and find a way to exist with all three - at least for a time while you figure out if one truly doesn’t fit in your stable. You may find you can’t live without any of them!

I also think it does the Susie (and Gus by extension) a disservice by only focusing on the rugged terrain / mtb bike qualities. Sure, depending on your style of riding, and terrain, you may want one as your dedicated “trail bike”… but they also make supremely comfortable around-town, commuter, grocery-getter, light load overnighter, all-round bikes. The low, swoopy top tube might be handy if you have physical limitations, or just want an easy bike to mount. Pigeon-holing those frames into a narrow category kinda goes against a main tenant of the Rivendell philosophy.

Brian
Lexington KY

[Taylor Kurosaki]

Love these conversations! At the end of the day we are really splitting hairs between these beautiful and functional bikes. I'm now mounting 48mm Rene Herse knobbies on my Homer, with its Albastache bars (which I ADORE). So even the most roadie of my Rivs is turning out to be quite capable off-road. I've just swapped to Kool Stop salmon pads and want to see how confident I feel descending. If I want more braking power, I may swap the Tektro R559s for Paul Racers, we'll see. Armand- too late! I've already ordered a 59cm Atlantis in Sergio Green from Blue Lug and it's already on its way to me in Los Angeles. Will I keep all three? Potentially. I have a Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross Disc in 56cm which may end up being the sacrificial lamb here. We will see. The Susie is incredibly cool, but I also think the Atlantis will feel plenty off-road capable. What a wonderful world of Riv goodness we live in. Here's my 56cm Susie in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.

[Ryan]

if it were me I'd keep all 3 :) But that's just me talking. Like others say, if it's not a financial burden, live with all 3 for a bit and decide later which one goes , if you have to pare down...scanning prices as they pop up...it appears to be a seller's market right now...

[Brian Choy]

Taylor, I'd love to see a pic of your Homer with 48 knobbies on it!

[Taylor Kurosaki]

Hey everyone,

Definitely leaning toward keeping all three. I'm scraping some sealant off my Rene Herse Oracle Ridge 700x48s and will post some pics of my Homer with thick rubber.

[Taylor Kurosaki]

Hey everyone, to follow-up:

I just this week finished up building the Atlantis. I’m sharing a set of Velocity Cliffhangers between it and the Susie for now. The Atlantis has been coveted by me for a long time, and I was really worried about it doing almost the same thing as my Susie. Well, now that I’ve been able to very briefly compare them, even with the same wheels and tires, the two bikes do feel very distinct. BTW the Atlantis clears a 29x2.4” no problem, dang! I have Billie Bars on the Atlantis and barely swept back MTB style bars on the Susie, Doom Bars Lucky Risers, so that may account for a lot of the difference, but the Susie feels like a super capable MTB. The Atlantis does feel way more like a touring bike- like it wants to go straight vs heading for singletrack. My Susie is a 56 and my Atlantis is a 59. I’m within the PBH ranges for both frames (91), but I’m near the top of the Susie range and right in the middle of the Atlantis range. Keep this with a giant grain of salt as the Atlantis is so new, but I feel incredibly comfortable and confident on the Susie even in technical terrain. I would feel far less confident on the Atlantis and would worry with steep descents tipping over- certainly the step-through is a real feature. So, in short, my plan is to keep both bikes, share wheels, at least for now, and use the Atlantis as more of a general cruiser/tourer, while the Susie will remain my MTB of choice. Additionally, my 58cm Homer, set up with Albastache bars, feels more road than either of the other two. In summary, even though I’m currently rocking quite wide rubber across the line of Rivs, the Homer feels way more roady, the Atlantis, tour-ey and the Susie MTB-ey. That I also have three very distinct handlebars further distinguishes the three. My DeSalvo custom Ti gravel bike with drops rounds out my stable, I’ve got all flavors covered! As a quick aside, my Homer, with 48mm RH Oracle Ridge tires and Kool Stop salmon pads, feels an awfully lot like a true gravel bike and I love that thought. If anything, the Albastache bars feel at least as capable or more so than drops, on the dirt. Feeling pretty good about my stable!

[Jason Fuller]

I can certainly understand feeling much less comfortable on the Atlantis when the trail gets a bit technical or steep. The Susie's super long front end puts the wheel well out in front, and you very much "in" the bike compared to the Atlantis. I didn't tend to notice the extra length when on the Susie, but I noticed its absence when I ride a different bike afterwards! 

Going over-the-bars from hitting a root or rock with your weight in the wrong place is very possible on the Atlantis, not unlike I used to do all the time in the 90s riding MTB, but you'd be hard-pressed to put yourself in that situation on the Susie! 

[Taylor Kurosaki]

Thanks, Jason! I was going to mention that I felt more IN the Susie, but thought that must've been my imagination due to how high I really am sitting, but I agree with you. The Susie sensation is more IN the bike while the Atlantis sensation is more ON the bike. Don't get me wrong, I like both, but I'm glad I didn't sell my Susie thinking the two were too redundant!

[Jay]

I sometimes spot a bike and decide I want it for a certain type of riding.  I thought the Atlantis would be good on my local trails; well, not that I studied its geometry and thought it would be good...rather I knew it had the clearance for the tires I wanted to run and the bike looks so sweet, I just wanted it.  My Fargo has a really slack HT and I love it on the trails.

Jay (who averts yet another impulse purchase)

[Armand Kizirian]

Really helpful to hear the difference between the two. We just moved into a new place and no longer have a garage. With x2 bikes barely ridden in the last 1-2 years, the allure of just having the freedom of one single bike that does everything well enough is growing by the day. Riding on trails is important to me, perhaps a Susie would be a better fit than an Atlantis! 

[Jason Fuller]

To add a little more nuance to my earlier comments on the trail manners of the two, I would add that both Atlantis and Susie are fully capable of trail riding, but the Atlantis would require more body english and technical skill in general to navigate the same trails versus the Susie. So it can depend on your preferences. I would actually take the Atlantis between the two based on my riding style - I like to jump off roots and rocks and generally ride more playfully, which my Bombadil is perfect for, and the Atlantis is closer matched to. The Susie would be better for someone who prefers to truck along seated when possible.  Also the Susie's higher BB will be good for preventing pedal strike. Note that I've never ridden an Atlantis and am basing this on riding similar models 

Fully appreciate and agree they are quite different riding bikes, despite sharing a lot in common