New Appaloosa

[Andrew Huston]

Thanks to John at Rivelo, I was able to snag the elusive 51 Joe. Today I have the finished product and could not be happier with how it turned out. More cruiser-ish than I may have anticipated but smooth, so smooth. With some historical difficulty with the sizing scheme, this seems to be perfect. Pretty stinkin' excited.

https://flic.kr/p/UUoL4q

[Pondero]

Looks great, Andrew!  I'd be very interested in your ride/handling impressions, and more about your intended objective for this one.

Chris Johnson

Sanger, Texas

[Jonathan D.]

Great bike. I am loving the 55 I got from John. It's faster then it feels. I am always surprised that it is also more nimble then I expect.

[Bob Lovejoy]

Excellent bike and great build... Congratulations!

I agree with all you said, more cruiser like than I thought it would be but perfect, and very smooth.  And like Jonathan said, the bike seems much more nimble and responsive than I would have predicted.  The Appaloosa is now my official "best bike I could imagine for this moment" bike!  And I am sincerely glad to be able to say that...  Who knew!?  Half grown up mountain bike, half cruiser, half road bike, half tourer, able to carry the groceries as well as find the hidden paths around the lake and countryside.  It would seem a lot more than one bike should be capable of, but it's all in there.

Enjoy the new bike, go exploring and on adventures, be a kid again.  That's what I am doing and enjoying every bit of it.

Bob L

Galesburg, IL

[Ash A]

Very nice bike Andrew! Congratulations!!

What handlebar is this?

[William R.]

Very nice Andrew! You will enjoy it. I've been riding mine for well over a year now. So happy am I with it, it has become my only bike. I've really gotten in tune to it and it's ride characteristics. It cruises and flows. I love the way I can "pump and bump" it around obstacles real and imagined. It really flies!

-Bill in Westchester, NY

[REC]

I hope you enjoy may happy hours on the bike.  I got mine a month ago and feel the same.

William R. (Bill in Westchester NY) said "So happy am I with it, it has become my only bike."  There's another thread on RBW that discussed how many is the optimum number of bikes.  I agree with Bill--perhaps just one and it's the Appaloosa.

Happy biking!

Roberta

On Friday, May 19, 2017 at 8:10:03 PM UTC-4, Andrew Huston wrote:

[Andrew Huston]

Ash the bars are the Map Ahearne. Nice amount of sweep and a comfortable wrist angle for me. I'm finding with every ride that it will likely do all of the things I need it to do, occasional commute, tour, light trail duty, etc. my Quickbeam isn't long for my garage at this rate. I love the freedom to do a little of everything on one bike. It begs that I don't wear anything too spandexy, slow down, forget my worries and just ride. I've been through a lot of bikes and this one is staying. Now to accessorize!

[RichS]

Congratulations Andrew! That's a nice companion bike to your Quickbeam (love the silver ones).

Happy riding,
Richard

[Dave Small]

So it's 2 bikes in one!

On Friday, May 19, 2017 at 9:11:06 PM UTC-4, Bob Lovejoy wrote:

Half grown up mountain bike, half cruiser, half road bike, half tourer . . .

[Carla Waugh]

Nice 52cm Appaloosa you snagged! Happy trails!

[mlpessar]

Very nice Andrew! I've been riding mine for going on five months and really enjoying it. Smooth, comfortable and I agree with what has already been mentioned, suprisingly nimble with a turn of speed (engine dependent of course.) When contemplating the purchase I spoke to an individual at Riv who would most certainly know. He mentioned that the Appaloosa was the most versatile bike that Rivendell offers. This versatility is in line with my experience and apparently with that of others who responded to this thread. IMHO, it's a great bike! Congratulations.

-Marc

On Friday, May 19, 2017 at 8:10:03 PM UTC-4, Andrew Huston wrote:

[Carla Waugh]

Wow what a great bike! Enjoy!