Bought this 54cm Silver QB off a fellow RBW member last month and finally got it built up and took on my first test ride.
Build:
Stock wheelset
22t fixed
16/19 white industries freewheel
32/40 Sugino crank
Jitensha bars
Panracer 37 tires (though have my eye on some cyclocross tires).
I can't praise this bike enough. My actual road bike is definitely going to take a back seat for a while. This is a ride I do all the time, and I beat all of my times going up on my road bike, wife's carbon bike, and mtn bike (not that I was necessarily trying to, but was very surprised to see on the strava feed after). I think this can be attributed to 1. I just worked out and was warmed up and ready to ride and 2. New Bike syndrome - wanted to prove myself, did the same thing on my first hunqapillar ride. Road 32x19 on the way up, switched to 40 x 16 for the way down and flats. Couldn't be happier with either of the gearing choices.
Easily my new favorite bike alongside the Hunqapillar. Man I love Rivendell bikes.
Also, in case anyones needs a cheap bar plug for 22.2 bars, the cork and plastic caps for Bulleit Bourbon bottles work great, not super snug but snug enough, and if they fall out it just means you get to buy more bourbon!