It's getting to be that time of year again: Time to order stuff from Rivendell

[Bill Lindsay]

This quote sums it up better than most:

"This is our specialty: Complicating life unnecessarily, going to a Trouble Factor of 10 to achieve an Improvement Factor of 3."

That's from Grant's latest BLAGH, talking about the sweater that is super expensive, super difficult, that they won't make any money on.  It's a general fact about Rivendell.  They have ideals and they spend every penny to realize their ideals, and they price things so that they barely make any money at all.  Those who can afford the prices and appreciate the ideals are thankful for Rivendell.  Those who appreciate the ideals and can't afford the prices try to find all the products second-hand, and sometimes lament that the products are too expensive new, and too rare second-hand.  Those who don't appreciate the ideals dislike Rivendell as overpriced, overbuilt, opinionmakers and other rude things. 

It's true that Rivendell has always done things the "right way" in their minds which usually is the hard way even when they go smoothly.  The projects they take on that don't go smoothly are excruciating.  They put themselves frequently, annually in tight financial spots every winter.  It's easy to say "that's their fault", but it's similarly easy to say that it's our fault.  We know this is the reality, so if we want them to stay in business, then we can help them stay in business by buying the things they have in stock over the winter.

So, this is my reminder to us all.  Look around for things they have in stock, especially the Garage Sale and Last Chance stuff.  If you need any of those things, buy something.  For things you 'might need' someday, Try to put 100 of them in your CART.  If they have only 1, you'll see it, and maybe you should buy it before they run out.  If they have a TON of that item, that's a ton of cash that they have locked on the shelf.  Buying some of that will free up that cash for them.  

Here's a few things that got my attention:

There's a couple nice merino shirts in Garage Sale, that they still have in Medium.  They are warm, not stinky and last forever if cared for properly.  I might grab one of each

I'm going to buy a wide-low Silver 173mm crankset.  It's heavier than a Rene Herse crankset, and wider Q-Factor, but I'm certain it's just as strong and will last as long, and is less than half the price.  

I'm going to add a few bumper stickers, patches, a couple rolls of Newbaums, and some Sheldons Nuts

Things I won't be buying but there are a lot of:

Tandem cranksets.  They have 25 of them in stock.  At $500 that's an amazing deal on the nicest tandem crankset you can get for $500.  If you are ever going to set up a tandem, maybe you can see buying one?  

Saddlesack bags.  They have 18 of the Baggabond, 14 ClembaSacks and some other things.  They are really good sacks.  I use a Shopsack Large as weekend luggage all the time.  I use a mediums as race day tool kits, and another medium for a helmet and shoes race day bag.  The things are bomb proof.  Bag-matchers may be mad that they don't have 4 different models all in your color all in stock right now.  Buy what they have, and be OK with a little wabi-sabi.  

There's lots of other stuff but I don't want to bore folks. 

Happy shopping!

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Jim M.]

I just bought one of these: https://www.rivbike.com/products/a7s5klhjwe-oith-lk5465a?variant=20741323161711&utm_source=esc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nowbackinstock

jim m

wc, ca

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Jim, I was thinking of doing the same!

I emailed Will to ask if he knows what the weight limit set by Nitto is by now. Did you happen to ask the same question and hear back?

[Bill Lindsay]

Jim said he bought the Rivendell exclusive Nitto front rack, the RBW52F.

Woohoo!  I've been waiting for that to be back in stock and they have 41 of them!  That's beyond awesome. 

[Sky Coulter]

I was also waiting but no longer.  

38 left now.

Sky in new west

On Nov 7, 2019, at 3:31 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Jim M.]

On Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 3:26:51 PM UTC-8, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

Jim, I was thinking of doing the same!

I emailed Will to ask if he knows what the weight limit set by Nitto is by now. Did you happen to ask the same question and hear back?

I did not. I didn't want to miss out this time so I just bought it. And I'm fairly confident I won't exceed whatever the limit is.

jim m

wc, ca

[Joe Bernard]

From the copy at Rivbike.com:

"We're still waiting on Nitto's always safe weight limits, but I wouldn't hesitate to put 20 pounds on mine."

Hey Nitto, any day now.

[Austin B.]

Bill L. gets the "virtual" commission on my sale as I wasn't even thinking about ordering anything until his post pointed me to Grant's Blahg and their need for cash flow. Just placed an order with RBW for a mish-mash of stuff I needed to restock my bike supplies cabinet. Tubes, cables, several rolls of Newbaums, etc. Oh and I've been meaning to buy a bell forever but always forget to--so I picked up a copper Crane bell.

I want some 1" headset spacers but they don't seem to sell them online. I'll give RBW a ring in a bit and see if they can add them in.

Austin B.

[David Bivins]

I did the same. Thanks for the heads-up, Bill. I got the new front rack and another basket. 

[Jim M.]

FYI -- RBW got 60 of the new front racks and they're down to 30, so don't lose out.

jim m

wc, ca

[Paul Richardson]

+1 for a virtual commission for bill.  i don't need anything imminently, so i bought myself a gift certificate.  hail mary!

paul

takoma park, md.

[Pancake]

Happened to be in Walnut Creek yesterday with my baby sleeping in the carseat so I stopped by and bought sundries (soap, chapstick, and such) ... saw so many fantastic hillybikes out for sale! I guess every little bit counts and seeing all those big tires made me think about selling my Salsa El Mariachi and switching to a Riv for rocky rides. One day ...

[Kevin Mulcahy]

Good reminder. Thanks Bill. It's also that time of the year to order merino baselayers. Might as well order them from Riv!

[Kevin Mulcahy]

Oh well, nevermind. They're out of everything in sizes other than small...

[Drew Henson]

this thread inspired me to get the new nitto front rack too. especially after watching the basket on my AHH wiggle, zip tied to a mark's rack, on my ride this morning. 

[Ash]

In last years since I started 'Riv'ing, I think I have accumulated enough parts and accessories for biking plans I have for next 10 years  :)  

So today I ordered a few books, stickers and a few hundred dollars worth of gift card, which I will use toward a Susie or Boots (or maybe a Charlie)

[Justin Kennedy]

just bought a large shop sack and basket rack this week. anyone know if the basket racks are actually on hand at Riv or en route? haven't seen a shipping email yet. Per Grant's Oct 8 blog: "NITTO BASKET RACKS will be here again by mid Nov, and they'll be sold out before they get here, I think."

[David Bivins]

Mine shipped the day after I ordered it.

[Jim M.]

On Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:55:32 AM UTC-8, Justin Kennedy wrote:

 anyone know if the basket racks are actually on hand at Riv or en route?

I picked mine up in person, so I know they're here. 26 left, so it's not yet too late.

jim m

wc, ca 

[LeRoy]

Just a small side note on ordering miscellany from Rivendell. I added a couple of bars of Lord Oliver's Licorice Soap to a recent order. My, my, my, that certainly perfumed the package nicely! It added a wonderful olfactory note to the unboxing experience. I think I'll make this a regular addition.

Bob [LeRoy]

[Adam in Indiana]

I agree, that stuff is fantastic..!

[Justin Kennedy]

yep, actually got an email notification soon after posting this (lag time going up) and the rack arrived last night. looks amazing, can't wait to put it on the Cheviot tonight. 

[Jason Fuller]

I did my part by purchasing a "last chance" Hillborne back at the start of the month, since the last remaining size was my own!  Plus a stem and a couple other bits.  Maybe in another year or two I will be able to afford an AHH, and I won't have to swap my tires / remove my fenders each time I want to change up Sam's personality. 

[Brian Campbell]

Me too. I bought the final Legolas frame, bandanas, map case, bucket hat and a few other thing.

[Matt D]

I could have sworn the for-real Final Legolas has been sold something like three times but maybe my memory fails me... but if that is the case, boy, if I were selling the last of something several times over I'd sure reconsider having canned it!

Oh, and I suppose that in my roundabout way I've done my part too. I do a bit of DJ work and for some reason or another a lot of clients are eager to pay me in gift cards. I'm sure it's a tax shelter or grift of some sort but as long as I get paid I'm alright. Last job I directed to route payment by way of our boys in Walnut Creek, will probably put it towards those v-brakes whenever they come out. Don't have any v-broken bikes at the moment but the lack of really attractive ones is an issue that I'm positive I will encounter in the future.

[Christopher Cote]

I was sorely tempted by the Clem deal emailed out today. I resisted, and instead ordered some Albatross bars and Sun Race brake levers for my Heron Touring. Hopefully that will put it back into the riding rotation, as I'm losing my interest in drop bars.

Chris

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

It must have been a really good 2 weeks for Rivendell. I remember the recent Blahg post that said how few packages were being shipped in a day - was it 20? We certainly upped that number; it really helped that the Nitto Basket Rack came back in stock (I got one for my Clem L, too) and then today several Clems were advertised and most of those were immediately snapped up, as well. I really hope after all this that Rivendell can breathe a sigh of relief.

So, who got those new Clems? Pretty darn exciting, I say.

[Dave Grossman]

Grabbed a restock of their flat brim hat from them today.  It seemed like the right thing to do, even if it wasn't much.

[Joe Bernard]

3 tubes, 2 shifter cables and 2 Rivendell Flyer stickers. In my defense I just bought a whole frame a month ago 😬

[Ash]

After reading about the soaps in this thread, I ordered all kinds they have.. 2 each!  After receiving them it feels like I'm all stocked up for next couple of years.  Because they are HUGE!

[John G.]

Thinking about picking up a set of Dia Compe 980s. Anyone use them for a 27 inch to 700C conversion?