Local Rivendell Dealer suggestions for DELMARVA area?

[Alan Pickett]

What to DC-centric folks think about helping develop a local dealer for Riv Bikes, as requested a bug-post or two ago?

I love the gang at Proteus Bikes in College Park, and I know that College Park Bicycles has an affinity with Grant/Riv, but somehow I wonder if a place like Bicycle Space - which just recently opened a new shop right smack in downtown DC, might have real potential, by tapping into a well moneyed, bike-commutin' crowd with consumer tastes just precious enough to make the gorgeous lugs and paint on Riv Bikes a beacon of irresistible attraction. Does anyone know the Bicycle Space people? Could we talk to them?

Either that, or a few of us could quit our day jobs and attempt to open a bike store... I would assume that we would all become filthy stinking rich in short order, right?

Alan in Silver Spring

[Kevin Lindsey]

Alan -

Given the growing popularity of bike-share programs in the D.C. area (which feature about the most un-racer bikes imaginable) and what I believe is a very real upsurge in the number of people who bike commute or who otherwise might appreciate a comfortable ride, the idea of growing a "Riv East" business is appealing.  However, I've discussed the idea with several of the area bike shops, and none of 'em were very keen on the idea.  In a nutshell:
A) The majority of LBS owners still believe that the big bucks are in selling upscale carbon fiber road bikes and associated components.  Brand names seem to count for a lot in the D.C. area, and it's hard to compete with the likes of Trek, Specialized, and other mega-brands;
B) There is a perception - maybe correct - that Rivendell is not enthusiastic about selling its bikes via retail establishments.  This makes some local bike shops nervous and leads them to wonder whether they could trust Riv as a long-term partner;
C) The D.C. market for Rivendell - a pricey and, let's admit it, quirky firm and product - may not be strong enough to justify the initial expenditure;
D) The shops would not keep a large selection of Riv bikes in stock, but would have to order them once they are purchased by individual customers.  In this case, the customer would be better off simply buying them directly from Riv (in which case they would also not pay local sales tax);
E) Etc.
I don't do retail and so have no idea whether I've correctly articulated the LBS points and, if so, whether they're valid.  However, the lack of interest in stocking Rivs and Riv-like bikes was pretty obvious from the few shop owners I've spoken to over the years.  This being said, I can't help but think there's enough money and cycling enthusiasm in the D.C. area to justify an attempt to try establishing a Riv East somewhere in the area.  I'd gladly shop there, at least until my wife puts out a restraining order to keep me and my wallet away from it.
All the best,
Kevin in Alexandria

[bo richardson]

i talked to jack kimmes who helped start Kulshan Cycles in Bellingham, Wa.
a few years ago about carrying Riv bikes and rivvish parts and accessories.
Kulshan carried Bridgestone and worked with Grant, and is about as canny as
anyone gets about bicycle retail and business in general.

Jack said "anything in my shop that isnt major brand like Trek
takes up floor space and costs me money."

Granted, (pun noted) Bellingham is a small, family type city. Free Range Cycles
in Seattle and Elliot Bay, plus that shop on Commercial Drive in Vancouver
do carry Rivvish stuff. But Elliot Bay discontinued Riv bikes well before they
retired, even though I sold two Roms for them.

OTOH REI started out of someone's garage in Seattle. And Riv has
educated it's audience and prepared the market in wonderful ways.

[Philip Kim]

I would also like this.

I commute from NE DC to VA about 3-4 times a week, and I usually see a majority of aluminum bikes (Trek, Giant, etc), although I have seen an Atlantis pretty recently.

With Riv coming out with the Clems at a lower price point, it may be doable. I think Bicycle Space sells Pashley, Bromptons, and Handsome Cycle bikes, so they aren't entirely about mainstream branding.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 10:12:30 AM UTC-4, Alan Pickett wrote:

[dailyrandonneur]

Someone at a shop in the greater DC area who stocked Riv models in the past said Riv effectively wound down their dealer program yeas ago and decided to sell direct. The dealer could buy Rivs at no lower price than anyone else, this person said, so there was no financial reason to stock them.

Even when there was wholesale pricing, it was not that great of an incentive and Riv wanted them to buy a full size run of a model rather than just selected sizing -- this is what I was told, not sure that's completely accurate.

Unless Grant wants to go into business with shops, it's kind of a moot discussion. He seems to have made it clear that his current direct sales model works for him, his family, the Riv staff and the customers.

I would like to see him do a popup for a few weeks in DC, just to go see the current lineup and test ride.

Ed F.
Washington, DC

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 10:12:30 AM UTC-4, Alan Pickett wrote:

[blakcloud]

As Beth already posted a short while back.

http://bikelovejones1.blogspot.ca/2015/05/theres-new-kid-in-town-rivelo.html

So if it can be done in Oregon, then it can be done anywhere.

[Keith Muller]

I inquired with Riv about the possibilities of selling their products at my shop.  Still waiting to hear back.  I personally am curious what types of commitments and terms they are looking for in partnering shops.  My shop has been going through a lot of changes over that last few years and it would be exciting to see a different brand of bike grace the floor of our shop.  I'm not inclined to take on the brand if they want me to commit to 40 units from the start, but if I can bring in a few units and get a soft start to warm people up then it might be a possibility.  I am a Rivendell owner, and it's funny when people walk into the shop and see my Hunqapillar in the corner.  I think people are really surprised to see a Rivendell in my shop, given some of the uber fancy carbon bikes that grace the racks.  But I'm the kind of person that would like to see a brand like Rivendell grace the floor of a local DC shop.  I have sold Rivs at a small shop in South Dakota some years back, and we did pretty well with them, but Grant decided to go direct and the lack of margins kind killed the incentive.  What ever shops they decide to go with, I hope all works out for the best.  They are great bikes that make for fun adventures and memorable stories.

Keith Muller

Store Manager

The Bicycle Pro Shop

Washington, DC

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 10:12:30 AM UTC-4, Alan Pickett wrote:

[Tony DeFilippo]

I hope the recent blug post does result in a retail partner here in DC... like Alan I immediately thought of BicycleSpace based on personal experience.  Seems like they have the clout to pull it off if they wanted to.  They've got a built in clientel that might be waiting to be told that their next 'upgrade' is to a Rivendell.

I keep running into Riv-riders on local trails who bought their Riv's at College Park Cycles. I've never been there but have always heard good things.  It's a bit out of the way from downtown though.

Keith I'll have to try and stop in to see your shop, looks like you are right there at the C&O trailhead in Georgetown right?

Ed I also like your idea about a pop-up w/ a full line of Riv's, maybe end the week w/a S24O up the C&O as a bonus.

[Elisabeth Sherwood]

While I love the idea (and I'm speaking as a Riv customer, not as a (very part-time) employee of a DC bike shop), I'm just trying to figure out what the incentive would be for either the bike shop or the customer.

On the customer side, they already apparently get great service from Riv. The upside would be they would (theoretically) get to try out a bike beforehand.

For the shop -- even if the customer did order through the shop instead of directly through Riv -- it doesn't seem that there would be enough of an upside to cover all the costs involved. And I'm thinking mostly in terms of the time involved in talking through the various models and set-up options. Given experience with Bromptons, customers either come in (i) knowing exactly what they want -- maybe the whole process takes 30 minutes, or (ii) wanting to go through every single option -- multiple times! There have been customers that have spent what feels like 2 days with a staffmember before pulling the trigger! or not!)

The MUCH larger question to me is where would one of the DC-area shops possibly find the space to even highlight a couple models? At most you'd be able to have one or two built-up bikes. Not enough to really provide any kind of benefit to people who want to try one out, unfortunately. Maybe you could have a mid-size Clem and a mid-size Clementine on the floor, at best. (Clem and Clementine because (i) they're at least close to a price-point that people who think they're willing to spend "a lot" (their words, not mine) of money on a comfortable, city-oriented bike would be comfortable with and (ii) they would be available pre-configured, so to speak, and therefore appeal to precisely that market.)

(Really -- space is the biggest cost in a booming downtown where landlords are able to charge truly outrageous, eye-popping rents.)

Given space constraints, perhaps the best option to sell any of the _other_ Riv models would be to include Riv model geometry in the fit systems that shops have or are starting to have. (BicycleSpace will be getting the Guru fit system (?) at its upcoming shop in Adams Morgan (DC).)  With that, a customer interested in a Riv would be able to come in with an idea of the model and set-up and "test" it using that.  That might make them more willing to pull the trigger directly with Riv or order through the shop. The shop could charge an up-front fee that reflects the cost of that service, but if the person purchases the bike through the shop, it's deducted from the price of the bike. (That of course assumes that Riv would have some sort of dealer program.) Otherwise, hey, at least the cost of the fitting is less than flying out to the Bay Area!

(Caveat: I have no idea if the fit systems actually work or if they're just a nice gimmick.)

-- Liz S.

Washington, DC 

p.s. Alan -- I don't think BicycleSpace's new shop(s) have opened yet! As of a week ago they were still in the temporary space in the old Burger King on 5th and G NW... It's not exactly a showroom!

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 10:12:30 AM UTC-4, Alan Pickett wrote:

[Alan Pickett]

Hi Folks - I cannot be trusted to handle my own checking account responsibly, much less make any claim to business acumen in the cut-throat, bottom-line world of bike sales, but I just looked at Grant's Blug post, dated May 26th:

" ...we’d also like your help in nominating dealers to maybe sell some Sams, and possibly Chevs and CLEMs later on. We’re too uppity to grovel ourselves, so if you know of a good local shop that’s already familiar with our work (maybe they’ve seen and admired your bike, if you have one of ours)—then contact them, refer them to this BLUG post, and we’ll take it from there. We want five good dealers in the country. Ideally they’d be in big cities with decent populations of riders, but if there’s a good, kindred shop in Turkeyscratch, Arkansas, we’re open to that, too.

Have the dealer contact Will if they are interested : 800 345-3918 or will at rivbike.com

OK. Much thanks for your help with this. There’s no “finders” fee, but the shop should still let us know who sent ‘em. "

Given the sense from some of you that Rivendell has historically made a conscious choice for direct sales, and that at least some shops may have found previous prospects of doing business with RBW unattractive, I wonder what it would be like to just take the above at face value, roll up with a coupla bikes or three to Bicycle Space like merchant emissaries of Venice, have a friendly chat, then let Riv take it from there as Grant proposes.

Bicycle Space sells Pashley, Linus, Handsome, Surly (also Felt, Bianci, Cannonale), but also euro-baskets and crane bells. 

There is also the well-known blogger Mary Gersemalina of Chasing Mailboxes, herself a Rivendell Owner, and promoter of all things two-wheeled - please note that her profile pic for her blog features her seated atop a Quickbeam in front of the Capitol. Perhaps she would be enthusiastic.

The idea of a DC Pop-up sounds sort of cool, urban, and trendy, and perhaps relatively low risk on both sides.

I have to admit that Grant's post ("We are too uppity to grovel ourselves...") doesn't make me exactly want to stick my neck out and pump the brand, but I would be happy to go with a couple of folks on what we might call an S2O (sub 2 hour outing) and show off a couple of bikes, maybe see if Mary is interested in joining?

Any interest from the Bunch

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 10:12:30 AM UTC-4, Alan Pickett wrote:

[Thomas Lynn Skean]

It isn't clear to me how the notion of an RBW bike shop presence would work for anyone except a very few customers. Riding (or even just seeing) a bike before purchasing one can make a difference in customer choice. I believe that a customer with that opportunity would be more likely to buy an RBW bike and, thus, be somewhat more likely to benefit. But surely RBW's dealer network won't be all that big even after an initial foray, so that's not a lot of customers. But can RBW offer the profit margin to the dealer that justifies the dealer's up-front expense, let alone ongoing ones? Will RBW's business-the-way-it's-done-now suffer as a result of having to manage dealer needs?

I believe RBW is remarkably efficient at accessing its potential customers. Will bike shops be *more* efficient? Or significantly expand the market?

Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean

[Keith Muller]

Tony,

We are indeed right off the C&O Canal.  The Bicycle Pro Shop is on 34th & M St NW in Georgetown.  Stop in sometime when you get a chance.  I'll be out for the next couple weeks cause my wife and I are expecting a little one here in the next couple days. 

[Deacon Patrick]

Awesome, Keith! Congratulations! How many kids do you have and is a cargo bike in your future? Grin.

With abandon,

Patrick

[Alan Pickett]

I have no way to answer or even effectively ponder and of the smart and thoughtful commentary here. I am also far too lazy to find out, and too engaged in my own life to care, but happily, none of these concerns are mine. I'm not think in' too hard here - as is my modus operandi in most things. I just reacted to grant's brief appeal , and thought of bicycle space. It's interesting - and maybe telling - that Keith at Bicycle Pro has already made an overture and has yet to hear back, so maybe that's all we need to know!

I can't however shake the image of how frigging sexy a black and cream double top tubed Hillborne would look in a display window, even if only for a weekend pop-up. Hell, I'd walk in the door! But maybe I'm just sexually confused... :)

Anyway, Keith: have a blessed new beginning with the little one, and I'll stop by the shop next time my superhero wife has us ride the the rock creek park-Georgetown-Capitol Crescent circuit from Silver Spring! I'm nothing to brag about bike wise. Just trying to quit smoking and keep up with the Lady Who Makes Me Pedal. Have a lovely paternity leave, and congratulations!

Alan

[dailyrandonneur]

Alan,

Mary Gersemalina is my wife, and we are well acquainted with the BicycleSpace folks, as they are with us and our Riv bikes. They were nice enough to do a little video of us, I grabbed my SimpleOne for the shoot. http://www.bicyclespacedc.com/our-blog/2014/11/15/ed-and-mary

They are great folks, and we're looking forward to their three new locations. I'll mention all this to co-owner Erik Kugler.

Keith is also doing a great job at Bicycle Pro Shop in appealing to a wide range of cyclists. We've enjoyed going in there.

If either of the shops were up for some Riv bikes, that would be terrific to see.

Ed F.
Washington, DC

[Keith Muller]

Thanks All.

I will patiently wait a response and see.  Didn't really want to push it to hard with Riv.  But it would be fun to have their product in the shop.  If any one is on the tall side and wants to throw a leg over a Hunqapillar, stop by the Pro Shop and you can take my rig for a spin.

Keith

[Kevin Lindsey]

Keith -

Congrats on the new one.  If this is your first, then brace yourself and get plenty of sleep while you can.

I've had no problems with my Hunqapillar since you fixed the seat post a couple of weeks back - it continues to be a work of art.  It was great meeting you and I remain grateful for the time you took to set it up.

I've never been to BicycleSpace but, if folks want to do a Riv flashmob there and show off our bikes, let me know.

Kevin

[Lungimsam]

RE: the Ed Felker post.

Wow 1200k!

I am just getting my toes wet into Randonneuring and struggled on a recent 120k with 4800ft of climbing. I cannot imaging how to get enough fitness to do a 1200k! I am puzzled.

Back on topic:

It would be nice to have a Riv dealer close by, so I would be confident they were handling Rivish repairs competently, instead of bringing a 650b wheel to a 700c dealer and wondering are they overtightening the spokes when truing, etc. Not that a 700c dealer couldn't do it right. But I don't know if it takes any particular experience or not since most stuff these days is carbo700c.

JRABS in Maryland is Rivish and sells/sold San Marcii:

http://www.jrabs.com/

[Steve Palincsar]

On 06/03/2015 03:44 PM, Lungimsam wrote:
> It would be nice to have a Riv dealer close by, so I would be
> confident they were handling Rivish repairs competently, instead of
> bringing a 650b wheel to a 700c dealer and wondering are they
> overtightening the spokes when truing, etc. Not that a 700c dealer
> couldn't do it right. But I don't know if it takes any particular
> experience or not since most stuff these days is carbo700c.

We used to -- no idea why they stopped -- but they were totally not into
650B. As for 650B wheel experience: tightening a spoke is tightening a
spoke. It's no different for any of the various 26" sizes than it is
for 24" or 27". However, if your entire body of experience is with low
spoke count aero wheels, you might not have a clue how to deal with a
hand-built wheel: after all, who is the manufacturer you're supposed to
ship it back to for repair?

[Lungimsam]

I read that some 650b rims take lighter spoke tension than 700c, and that over tensioning leads to bad stuff happening to the rim on whatever those models are.

[Elisabeth Sherwood]

Really -- a flashmob isn't necessary! BIcycleSpace folks are more than familiar with Rivendells (and all things BoBish).  Ed mentioning the topic to Erik will be enough to put the possibility on his radar.

(Feel free to join the shop on any of their weekend group rides on your Riv, if you're so inclined.)

Congratulations, Keith, on the upcoming new addition! (And, looking forward to seeing what the Hunq looks like in person sometime in the future.) Will be interesting to see how Riv responds to your query.

Cheers,

-- Liz S.

[Steve Palincsar]

On 06/04/2015 02:27 AM, Lungimsam wrote:
> I read that some 650b rims take lighter spoke tension than 700c, and that over tensioning leads to bad stuff happening to the rim on whatever those models are.
>

You might have read that some rims take lighter spoke tension than other
rims, based on the shape and thickness of the material used to make the
rims.

[Alan Pickett]

Ok, first, Ed, I just watched the video of you and Mary (http://www.bicyclespacedc.com/our-blog/2014/11/15/ed-and-mary) and, OMG!! THAT IS THE CUTEST, MOST ADORABLE damn thing I have ever seen!!! And there you are, on a Rivendell! In a Bicycle Space video!!! That is super sweet on all counts.

When I read local blogs here and peek at local shops, and now see the responses to this post from people who are clearly plugged-in to the scene here, I see DC as an already enlightened cycling community. There is a very wide continuum of riders here, from super-athletes to Frankenbike welders, and I think there is a more than concentrated number of Riv-minded riders, people who may not or may only remotely know of Rivendell bikes, but have independently embraced many of the philosophical values shared by ROB members. It's parallel evolution. 

People like Ed and Mary (Ed please correct me if i mis-state) seem to actively promote a bike-positive lifestyle in the DC area that appeals to a lot of different kinds of riders, but ultimately, when I read Mary's blog, she is sharing STORIES about her love of cycling as a "vehicle" for personal discovery, the experience of beauty, and social pleasure and enrichment. That, in my opinion, is RIVISH TO THE CORE. 

Riv's "request" for help is so feeble and unenthusiastic sounding, that I wonder if they mean it, and if Grant is just burned out or demoralized at the thought of having to "whore himself out" to sell bikes, and I worry that he may be mistaken. Look at the video above, and just try and tell me that a "Just Ride" revolution has yet to come to DC. Riv did a pop-up before they opened the retail shop, right? Keith's Bicycle Pro shop is on M St. in Georgetown, Washington DC, and he's interested? That's the frigging 5th Avenue of this town. Uppity people with serious bank promenade up and down that street all day and night. If you want to sell a few pretty looking bikes, I don't think you could ask for a better shot. Bicycle Space is a thriving business, opening up three shops in DC and using all of the groovy tools of modern technology to create a true community of local customers that feels a bit like a family, and they sell Grip Kings and bikes with Kickstands. No revolution needed, the eagle has already landed.

The more I think about it, I like the idea of Riv doing a 5 - city pop-up tour. They already did a cool one in walnut creek. Local supporters and lover's of Riv could help out on the ground (I would think that some would even let a couple of Riv staff members crash on a floor, or shine up our own bikes for display or test rides to lower costs of trucking a ton of equipment) and local bike shops sound like they would gladly involve themselves, because they already "get it". They don't need conversion or a sales pitch, and they already have developed their own successful ways of communicating with their customers in a meaningful way. Maybe the details of something resembling a dealership relationship are just not workable, (and hell, maybe that's actually ok - Riv's individual success is more akin to "slow food" than a KFC franchise...). I am convinced that a 2 week pop-up in Union Market, Bicycle Pro, or Bicycle Space, done in Rivish fashion as a social experience would be first and foremost FUN. It would only add to the already thriving community of like minded riders, and could result in furthering the "Just Ride" revolution that is already well in play here.

That's it. I think I'm done with this. If people like Keith and Ed are already  in our community and our friends, and Riv is serious about this idea, then I don't what more can be done. If anything begins to "Pop-up", I would commit to being part of the pop-up-planning process!

ps, Liz: I see you are right, I didn't know the Bicycle Space near Judiciary square was interim, and am also really glad to see them developing so wonderfully into the cycling community in dc. Ivy City? That's cool!

Alan

[John Hawrylak]

Velo Orange, in Annapolis, is some what close to Rivendell ideas, & is the Delmarva area.  They seem to do a decent business and have some type of arrangements with dealers.

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[Kevin Lindsey]

The problem with Velo Orange is that it's chiefly, I believe, a mail order business and not really set up to showcase actual physical bikes.  Admittedly, things may have changed over there in the several years since I visited them, but I seem to recall that VO was located in a very remote and hard to find business park outside of Baltimore, and that the folks there seemed genuinely surprised when a human being (me) showed up to look around.  VO is a great business, but it may not be the kind of place that Riv is looking for, i.e. a store with lots of foot traffic, where people will see their bikes, be tempted to take 'em for a ride, and buy.

Kevin

[islaysteve]

Kevin, I agree with most of what you've said about VO. I don't know if you've been to their new place yet. It's larger and nicer, and it has a showroom. Still not on a Main Street (but not too hard to find). I've fantasized about convincing VO and Riv to open a storefront in the DC area to showcase both of their products. Might not be attractive to Riv since VOs bikes are priced much lower, but who knows?
Steve

[John Hawrylak]

I mentioned VO not as possible partner with Riv, but as a possible source of bikes & components for the Delmarva area.  More a competitor who the DC area may support.

I have their front rack with integrated decaluers, and it is ok except the pins on the decaluer should be 25 mm longer.

I did not think about the retail space.  They are in the Annapolis area, not Baltimore

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

I don't know anything about the shops in your area. But I can tell you that selling Riv presents some extra challenges that only the most passionate of shops will be able to tolerate.

[Grant @ Rivendell]

I don't detect MUCH confusion about why we want to open a few dealers, but maybe there's some, so here's the whole thing: Our sales have been about $2.85 million a year for several years straight (a 5-year low of $2.8, and two years of $2.9) I don't know whether that sounds high or low, but what I can say for sure (but at some risk of coming off like a whiner) is that for a company of 12 F/T employees and 6-7 P/Timers, dealing expensive and generally low-margin gear with high development costs and payment terms that tend to crush cash flow--and also, I am happy to say, paying our staff as much as possible and way more than our cpa would like---that $2.9 million is not quite sustainable.

I'm 61, not planning any retirement, still totally loving this stuff, and looking forward to doing some more hopefully helpful but definitely fun and satisfying things.   I believe that our bikes are good enough to reach more people. I look at the Sam or Chev and now the Clem and then I look at what people are spending in the real world and what they're getting, and I think hey, that too small/unsuitable/dangerous/4-year bike that cost way more than a Sam is not the perfect bike for you---and yet we can't reach these riders all by ourselves, so we need some dealers.
To "do dealers right" means bending and stretching to work with them on their inviolable terms, and hoping they'll bend a little to us (like, paying with a credit card before we ship). That is the tuffy. Selling to even a small number of dealers requires more cash-available than we ever have. We've had an LC of $50,000, and have paid it down to $45,000. I recently talked to our bank about getting more, and we're getting another $100,000 out of it, but even that's not enough to let us proceed with our tempered, realistic plans for 2016. We need another $50K, and we've borrowed already too many times from friends, the occasional employee (always paid back on schedule), my own home equity (may never be paid back), and now we need and are getting some bank help, but not enough.
The Big Plan (by our measure) is to have four models in stock most of 2016: Sam, CLEM, Chev, and a new Tourishy bike with that wild new crown. Plus finally, I want to have 20 tandems, complete in the box. Like Clemdems,
To me, for us, it seems outrageous and risky, but it is definitely not as risky as staying the way we are. The bikes won't suffer, they'll continue to improve. There's no "change in philosophy" or anything like that. We're sticking to our guns (although allowing more TIGGING than before).  But yes, those four bikes are going to help us, and we're getting a few dealers slowly and carefully. We've got one refusal from a dealer I really wanted and thought would for sure go for it (longtime friend); but it's not happening, so o well. We're opening up at most 10 by the end of the year. It may be seven. Will's doing it, with some guidance from me, retrieved from that decade at Bstone... We're nearly full of dealers. I want one in Marin, maybe Oak/SF, for sure the TC, since I have a daughter in college there (she rides a Trek steel converted mtn bike with fenders, rack, and Bosco bars, which she loves. She should be on a CLEM. Her Glorius is here at home--am not going to sacrifice another one of those to the Twin Cities bike thieves).
Anyway...things are fine, changes are in the air, and let me say sincerely--and not as a trick to help it continue---that it is extremely gratifying to know that we have a community of yay-sayers out there, right here. Thanks, and adios para ahora...
G

[Lynne Fitz]

Until very recently, we didn't have a Riv dealer either (guess where *I* live? :-) I am in the parking lot pic, talking to Grant). Although Rivelo doesn't service bikes, they just sell them :-)

It is bogus to think that any competent bike shop can't service your Riv. 99% of my 650b wheels are built by my LBS (a Trek dealer). They also do any wrench work I can't. My mechanics also did a super job helping me out with my 1971 Gitane TdF.

Cheers,
Lynne F

[GRANT @ RIV]

Jim was entirely right about that. We had too many dealers, no infrastructure for them, and not enough bikes to deliver. Plus, a dealer ordinarily gets 30 days or more to pay, and we couldn't afford to offer that. So I agree with all he says here. I'm really sorry he's closed, though. We've got our cool Hiawatha poster up here and It's strategically placed right across the room from me, so I get to look at it every time I look up. JIm, we were proud to be in Hiawatha, it is still the coolest bike shop name ever, I had a frightfully delicious buffet there once, and good luck to you in whatever's next.
Our new dealer search is going slowly, carefully, and in a smaller way. We've learned. I am just sorry we made it hard for you, Jim. Didn't deserve it!

B,

Grant

[WETH]

At the risk of thread drift, I didn't realize Jim was closing his shop. Two years ago he was extremely helpful as I built up a Surly LHT for my wife. Only in this group, would I contact someone I didn't know for advice and purchase parts from a store I had never visited.
Jim, my wife loves her bike, and your recommendation for BB length and deraillers was spot on! I have the Haiwatha poster containing the orange tent framed and hanging in my family room, where I see it every day. Best of luck to you in your next adventure and thanks!
Erl

[Tony DeFilippo]

I didn't realize Jim's shop was closing either but I've seen that poster in Erl's place and loved it.  Great art!

[John G]

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 10:12:30 AM UTC-4, Alan Pickett wrote:

What to DC-centric folks think about helping develop a local dealer for Riv Bikes, as requested a bug-post or two ago?

Gravel and Grind. Frederick, MD.  Just three blocks from where I work.  Very Cool.

https://instagram.com/p/6QyANSw1NT/?taken-by=gravelandgrind

 

[Philip Kim]

This is awesome news!

[Lungimsam]

Wow! A place to test ride Rivs that's not too far from home!
And avoid shipping costs for the smaller stuff!

[Alan Pickett]

Cool man, cool! I may go on a little 30 mile ride near Frederick on my newly minted Bosco-Sam this Sunday, and will stop by the shop to say hi. Great news!

[Eric]

I apologize since I read only a portion of the posts in this thread but what about pop up shops in certain targeted locations for a limited duration?

[Jeff Lesperance]

On Fri, Aug 14, 2015 at 3:48 PM, Alan Pickett <youbety...@gmail.com> wrote:

Cool man, cool! I may go on a little 30 mile ride near Frederick on my newly minted Bosco-Sam this Sunday, and will stop by the shop to say hi. Great news!

I'll definitely find my way to Frederick for a visit at some point, as I make a trip between home of Silver Spring, MD and Hagerstown, MD to visit family at least once a month, and Frederick is conveniently about half-way between the two. Either way, my Sam wants to be friends with your Sam, Alan, so maybe we can arrange a play date for the two...

-Jeff

Silver Spring, MD 

[Alan Pickett]

Hi Jeff - they do indeed look well suited to each other, and would likely become fast friends!

Yesterday, my partner Heidi and I stopped by Gravel and Grind to check it out, and it is a LOVELY place, owned and staffed by super-sweet people, and already stocked with Nitto Racks, Green Grips bar tape, and complete S24O "camping" kits for rent to encourage people to get out and enjoy the area. It's very thoughtfully curated, and really looks like a relaxing and welcoming coffee shop with bike books on display, coffee a-brewing, and rivish conversation bubbling about from all corners. I noticed a Bridgestone RB-1 outside, kitted out with a waxed canvas bag dangling from the seat post. Looks like a great place, and I will be returning to see how they do and cheer them on. 

The two owners are themselves excited about Riv Frames (Atlantis and a Hunq') they have recently ordered, and are expecting to have some demo/floor model frames in the shop relatively soon to show off.

Good things are happening in Frederick!

[Mark Wilkins]

I'll second everything Alan just said.  We stopped in yesterday too, for the first time.  We started our day driving down to College Park (from Harrisburg), so that my wife could test-ride the Betty Foy at College Park Bicycles.  It ended up being a little too small, but still a beautiful bike.  After a few hours at the DC Pen Show in Tyson's Corner (fountain pens, anyone?), we made our way to Frederick, so that we could visit Gravel and Grind.

We had some fantastic iced coffee, good conversation with the owners, and I picked up a pair of Compass Stampede Pass tires, coffee beans and some socks for my wife.

James (one of the owners) said they were planning a "Classic Bike Show and Swap" on 27-Sep (http://gravelandgrind.com/basketful-rad-stuff/). I think we'll try to make it down for that.

Mark

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[islaysteve]

The latest Blug has a funky map of the new dealers' locations, and a link to the updated dealers page. Very interesting. Gravel & Grind is there of course. I hope to visit there soon; it's near our favorite breakfast (and lunch place), Family Meal. The swap meet in Sept sounds like fun.

[Gravel & Grind Espresso + Bikes]

Hey gang,

James, Co-owner of Gravel & Grind in Frederick MD here.  We’re the new kids on the Riv Dealer block. Just a quick heads up to the list about our shop and some of things we sell.  Quick once over on the shop: we only sell steel bikes, and we generally only try to sell bikes with friction shifting.  We’re not big fans of disc brakes, and you won’t find any bikes we’ve spec’d with them.  Our main deal is taking good older steel frames and reimagining them as something new and good.  IE an old Specialized Rockhopper into a mountain touring bike or town bike.  Or an old Fuji road bike as a 650b conversion dirt road friendly bike.  We can build a new bike for ya as well, Riv, VO, Soma, Surly, All City, New Albion...  There are lots of great dirt roads and fire roads near our shop, so make a day of coming up, grabbing some coffee and poking around, then heading outta town to explore some fantastic and hard riding.  We’ll getcha a good cue sheet, mileage ranging from 24 to 100...  

We just built up a 58cm Sam with Albatross bars for test rides.  We also have a 56 Atlantis with the same bars, and a Hunq in a 51 and an Atlantis in a 51 on order, ETA roughly Xmas time.  They’ll be set up with dirt drops.  Currently we’re trying to stock a good amount of Riv bags, as well as most of Frost River’s bag line (most of which are originally Riv designs), bags from Oveja Negra (we can help with custom frame bags from them), Brooks saddle bags and some Ostrich stuff as well.  We also keep Albatross, various dirt drops, mustache and albastash, Noodles and Bosco bars in stock.  Lots of good S24O kit in stock, we tend to go simple and light on that stuff.  Ti mugs, alcohol stoves, hammocks, small good headlamps.  

Other stuff we stock that might be of interest to this list:

-Some older Riv readers

-Grant’s two books

-Green Grips organic cotton bar tape in most colors

-Lots of Brooks saddles including a brooks lending library with a Flyer, B67, B17 and 2 cambiums

-Full S240 rental kits as well as steel touring bikes for rent by the day or week

-Every size of Panaracer Pasela PT imaginable, including 650b

-A small but good used travel book section

-good coffee accessories from Kalita, Chemex, Snow Peak, Hario

-Lezyne lights

-Brooks Multi Tools

More stuff of course, but that gives an idea.  We have a huge list of cool events coming up, check them out on our website, which has some but not all of our products up.  

www.gravelandgrind.com     calendar at http://gravelandgrind.com/basketful-rad-stuff/

[Philip Williamson]

Your shop looks and sounds fantastic!

Philip

www.biketinker.com

[Gravel & Grind]

Thanks Philip!  Digging the drawings!

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[Philip Kim]

Just bought a Soma San Marcos and other stuff from Gravel & Grind.

I mostly corresponded with James, who was super helpful (I kept changing my mind, and he was always patient and worked with me), always emailing me updates on my order, so there were no surprises when I went to pick up the bike.

Awesome space, awesome shop. Laid back vibe and carries useful bike stuff. I picked up an extra wide 11-40t 9 speed cassette for my 1x9 setup.

Wish it was closer to my house, I would bike there and get coffee and hang out all the time.

Recommend anyone to check out the shop if they are in Frederick, MD area.