ROADINI in South Pasadena

[Tony Lockhart]

Hey folks,

I just ordered a 57cm Roadini in Dark Gold and my intention is to share updates in this thread. 

I called Riv sometime last week and spoke to Grant about sizing. I've got an 86/87ish PBH so, both, a 54 or 57 cm frame would work--he advised the larger frame. I called in again today to ask about the ETA on delivery and it looks like late next week. Stay tuned for build photos, and maybe a vid or two.

[Tony Lockhart]

Sam vs. Leo

I bought a 56cm Sam Hillborne back in 2009 and it has been a joy to ride the entire time, having gone through a hundred variations. It's handled loaded racks, my explorations in bag-making, baskets, rando setups, city bike duty,  beach cruising, knobby tired gravel stuff....you name it...it's been flawless. 

Having spent so much time on this bike, I wanted to make sure that I'd get something with similar ride characteristics. I had to do some digging to find the geometry numbers here and I ran a comparison here. 

Please note that the screenshot from the Bike Insights website has geometry data from 2009 Sam that is incorrect, but if you move the decimal one place over things kinda work out. 

[Tony Lockhart]

At any rate, the numbers between both frames look pretty similar. Seems like the chainstay on the Leo is 1.7cm shorter than the Sam and the HT/ST angles have a 0.5 degree variation. My guess is that both will feel pretty neutral in handling and I fully expect any Riv to ride amazingly, so I'm not that worried about it. Given the difference in tire size, and lack of luggage on the Roadini, I expect it to feel zippier than my trusty Sam.

Parts Bin

So, I've been building an admirable collection of parts over the years and I finally accumulated enough to build a second bike. Here's a screenshot of the spreadsheet I made to help determine which parts to buy, indicated in yellow highlighting.

[Tony Lockhart]

Last post for the intro...promise! 

SAM BUILD

After purchasing parts last week, I set this bike up as a 2x8 flat bar build with Swift Industries bags and a Wald basket. This is will be for biking with family, getting in fitness rides, doing grocery shopping, coffee outside vibes, and running errands around town. Heck....maybe even some fenders and a kickstand.

LEO BUILD

This will be a 3x8 drop bar build set up for 40-60ish mile road rides on the weekend. It'll use an old set of OpenPro/Ultegra with some Panaracers Pasellas. In terms of luggage, it'll get a Swift Industries Kestral mounted to a Velo Orange decalleur and a tool roll under the saddle. Might be cool as a Rando bike but free time in the saddle is limited at this point in my life.

Please stay tuned if you have any interest in seeing a comfy road build take shape. I'll definitely share insights during and after the build, especially as I get acclimated to the new bike. Cheers and Happy New Year!

Tony

[Tony Lockhart]

Alright—now the fun starts! The Leo arrived last night, so it got a healthy dose of Frame Saver. I’m going to build most of it this morning. Still waiting for a Silver triple crank and some chain wax to arrive. Should be ready to roll tomorrow. 

Including color comparison images to show dark gold versus the orange on my Sam. Took forever to choose between the Sergio green and dark gold but I couldn’t be happier with my choice. 

[Joe Bernard]

That would have been a tough call for me, too, both colors are awesome. Dark Gold it is! Congrats on your new Riv, looking forward to the build. 

[Brian Cunningham]

Congrats, Tony! 

I'm just a few miles away in Glendale and have an orange Roadini from a previous batch. Know a fellow named Dean in Eagle Rock who has one from the new gold run, and it does look great. I'd have a hard time choosing between that and the green as well. Both are really nice shades.

Feel free to email me if you'd like to do a little Riv meetup for folks in the NELA area...

Cheers,

Brian

[RichS]

Tony, that is a nice pairing of Rivs. Like yours my 2013 Sam Hillborne has been a flawless rider since day one. I suspect your Roadini will be a touch lighter and give you as much pleasure as your orange Sam. Happy trails!

Best,

Rich in ATL

[Tony Lockhart]

Bike handles like a dream. Kinda of feel like I’ve been riding it my entire life. It’s comfy, predictable, climbs efficiently, and sprightly. Couldn’t be happier. 

[Neale S.]

👋 from Glassell Park, hope to see you out there. Sounds like we need another L.A. Riv Ride soon.

[Ted Durant]

On Sunday, December 31, 2023 at 5:21:42 PM UTC-6 Neale S. wrote:

👋 from Glassell Park, hope to see you out there. Sounds like we need another L.A. Riv Ride soon.

I will be in San Gabriel 2/11-2/17 and my West Coast Sam would enjoy meeting some relatives.

Ted Durant

Milwaukee WI USA 

[Tony Lockhart]

@Joe - Totally agree regarding the tough choice, however I knew I was happy the moment I opened the box. Riv doesn't disappoint with colors.

@Brain - Let's get that LA group ride going again, especially since Ted Durant will be in town soon.

@Neale - Indeed, hope to see you around town. You in for the next group ride?

@Ted - Glad you'll be in town soon. Hoping you can carve out some time for a group ride. You mentioned that your daughter has a Riv, right?

All, just going to close the loop on this post because I have had a great experience building up this bike. And quite the coincidence, but I stopped by a restaurant in San Marino for a post-ride coffee and had a chance to meet Brian Cunningham. Talk about a serendipity, because this wasn't even planned. One really cool thing is that he's riding a 54cm Roadini, and I had a tough time deciding if I should get the 54 or 57. It was great to see both frames, side by side.

[Tony Lockhart]

Apologies if flashing GIF is annoying; you can tell that both bikes are VERY similar in size. The Leo rides just as predictably as the Sam, with minimal differences. Out of the saddle climbs are more efficient on the Leo, and it's not as squirrely with steering as the Sam on slow rolls. The Leo tracks a lot better. I will say that the Leo was immediately familiar with all of the best riding characteristics just like the Sam. Very curious to see how the Leo handles on 40mm tires.

[Ted Durant]

On Monday, January 1, 2024 at 11:38:19 PM UTC-6 Tony Lockhart wrote:

@Ted - Glad you'll be in town soon. Hoping you can carve out some time for a group ride. You mentioned that your daughter has a Riv, right?

I have a Sam Hillborne in her garage. And a Space Horse (which could be for sale if anyone is interested). She has a Trek 310 (Reynolds 531 main tubes!).

Looking forward to hopefully seeing a few people there.