Tolkien themed MIT Atlantis

[James / Analog Cycles]

We built this MIT Atlantis up for a gal who lives outside of Boston.  She's 13, super into Tolkien, and wanted to do a theme'd build.  She set us up with a few long quotes, and Candice typed them out on a type writer onto the bar tape and cloth chainstay wrap.  Lots shellac and twine finished that up.  

Bar quotes:  Then he took out his morning letters, and began to read, pretending to take no more notice of the old man. He had decided that he was not quite of his sort and wanted him to go away. But the old man did not move. He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.  “Good morning!” he said at last. “ We don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over the hill or across the water.” By this he meant the conversation was at an end.

“What a lot of things you use good morning for!” Said Gandalf. “Now you mean to be rid of me, and that it won’t be good till I move off.”

“Not at all, not at all my dear sir! Let me see, I don’t think I know your name?”

“Yes, yes my dear sir—and I do know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, although you don’t remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf and Gandalf is me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took’s son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!”

Chainstay—

As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by a jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside of him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking stick.

Build is what we consider a really nice basic build here at Analog.  Bitex touring rear hub, SP front hub, B+M headlight, Analog (soon to be renamed Tanglefoot) (w)Right stem, VO bars, wide but not super wide range gearing.  She's gunna use the bike for school commuting, adventuring (just rode to Walden Pond!), and eventually car replacement.  Pretty rad 13 year old (or anyone, really!)

[Toshi Takeuchi]

Stunning bike--very lucky 13 yr old!

Toshi

[Collin A]

Dang, I wish I got this when I was 13! Hopefully she will be nicknaming the bike as Shadofax since most of the quotes are from Gandalf!

[David Hays]

What a beautiful bike! What bar is this? And how did she type onto the bar tape?

I’m very impressed.

David

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[Patrick Moore]

That is impressive! Much nicer than the bikes I had at 13, though mine were decent.

On Mon, Apr 8, 2019 at 10:19 AM Toshi Takeuchi <tto...@gmail.com> wrote:

Stunning bike--very lucky 13 yr old!

Toshi

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Still 'round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though we pass them by today,
Tomorrow we may come this way
And take the hidden paths that run
Towards the Moon or to the Sun.

                                --- J.R.R. Tolkien

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Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

1. Analog (James, et al.): You are amazing. I am in awe that you dreamed up and then carried out the idea to include whole passages of Tolkien on this Rivendell bike. This is just fantastic. Hits all the pleasure centers in my brain - bikes, books, endearing quotes, darling teenagers who are showing such promise... You folks are truly talented and artistic - thanks for sharing this here - what a treat!

2. I’d LOVE to see/read an interview with this girl. To be this directed and precise and artsy at age 13 is nothing short of astounding. (I have a 13 yo boy who rides a 45 cm Clem, and he is nothing like this other child!) Is she on Instagram? Oh, how I would love to follow her adventures.

3. And who says kids can’t have Rivendells, huh?!? Best thing I’ve seen in a long time!

[Leah Peterson]

PS I always thought if I got a custom (or could finagle Grant putting it on the Anniversary Mixte) I wanted “One Bike To Rule Them All” as the decal on the frame.

Sent from my iPad

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[Joe Bernard]

Candice's creativity with bar (and now chainstay) tape is joy-bringing. The tape that came on my Atlantis-from-Analog has sparkles in it. Sparkles! 🙂

[Mark in Beacon]

Now that's texting. While taping? Black and White and read all over.

[Rachel P]

Hi folks!-new to posting the list but have been following for a few years. 

That's our (er, my daughter's) Tolkien-mobile so a shout out to Candice and James for the build :). We are now a Riv squared family: my completely orange Cheviot and her Atlantis. Seven bikes in the garage now--car's been kicked to the curb for the last 3 years. Or maybe 8 bikes now since my son just got a new bigger Raleigh. My husband will converted soon so we'll be Riv Cubed in a year I reckon.

James and Candice spiffed my All-City Space Horse up for a triathalon (don't ask: partially done for a dare and I didn't drown so it was a good race esp when you have glitter on your handlebars!!) so we went back to them for her bike after trawling many a bike store big and small--Goldilocks knows what she wants and it was in a cabin in VT! 

The most awesome thing was watching my daughter and Candice go out to check out the fit and having her come back with a Cheshire cat grin--we have already been out to Walden Pond this weekend and had a blast since it was a rare 60 degrees and sunny in New England. 

I had confidence I wasn't the only parent who purchased a Riv for a teen (thank you Bicycle Belle--I love reading about your adventures!!) and I thought, well, she's 1) not getting a car from us since driving in the greater Boston area is a fool's errand with the traffic 2) she has not ever asked for a new computer or smartphone and 3) likes to ramble outside--so why not? It's costs as much  but more valuable than a smartphone and a Mac Airbook.  And she and her father adore the Hobbit--the troll bit about mutton always comes out if I ever serve the same dish for dinner twice: one day I might just have to serve mutton!

It seemed fate that she and this bike would meet and go off exploring together for many years -- planning for lots of rambles this summer and fall and winter (and at least one bike repair class for her: just finished outfitting 2/3 of the bikes in the fleet with their own flat and tool kit, whew!). 

Three cheers for an excellent set of wheels!

Rachel

[James / Analog Cycles]

I'll ask Anna if she'll do an interview.  We've been meaning to start an text based interview series.  I have a Pro yo-yo'er turned Atlantis rider lined up, and a bunch of industry folks. 

The bike was super fun to conceive.  It was originally going to be a Sherlock Holmes / Tolkien mix, with some herringbone bar tape and tweed bags, but we liked the way it turned out.  

My policy with bikes for kids/significant others who are not super into riding yet: get them a BETTER bike than you have, so they have a fighting chance of getting into riding.  I am so bummed when people are like my ____________ isn't into riding.  But the person who isn't into riding is riding a bike that's 10X less comfortable and 100% harder to use and ride than the person who is doing the complaining.  Gotta turn that on it's head.  

-james

On Monday, April 8, 2019 at 5:00:08 PM UTC-4, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[Abcyclehank]

Rachel thanks for your perspective about your daughter’s bike. I know you are preaching to the choir on this list; but the logic and rational to gift your 13yo daughter this personalized high quality beautiful source of adventure bring joy to my heart!
I am a retired English teacher and taught a semester long course based on Tolkien and Middle Earth. I understand the passion many young folks have for his writing and amazingly imagined world and history.

James thanks for giving your customers personalized one on one attention to achieve a dream build. I love it when adults take young folks seriously and treat them with respect.

Maybe this summer I will pull up outside your shop in Vermont on my R1100GS BMW motorcycle with my Bombadil affixed to a bike rack as I explore the NE on both bike and cycle this summer!

Sincerely,
Ryan Hankinson
West Michigan

[Leah Peterson]

Rachel, I knew that child had to have amazing parents. I think we can confidently say Goldilocks is a dream child and I am envious! I have 2 wonderful boys, but had I had a daughter, this is the daughter I’d wish for! 

I am a total believer in buying quality and spending money on things that last. You’re so right to invest in adventures that you can do as a family. I loathe the idea of dropping money on tech that will be no good in a few years, but a Rivendell bike you can ride for decades and plan family trips with? - take my money. We are Rivendell cubed (I have a Betty Foy and stole my husband’s unused Clem, and my son was gifted a Clem from a kindly member of this List. That story can be found if you search for A Boy, A Bike, and a Benefactor). My son is also 13, but he is different from your daughter in that he is completely practical about the bike. It is how he gets to school and to friends’ houses, but he doesn’t dote over it and think of his favorite passages of Tolkien to bestow upon it. He treats it nicely but he is not precious about it. He’s like the Dutch!

I am so glad you responded; I just knew there was a good story here. I still have so many questions and can’t wait for James to do his interview with Goldilocks. Great idea, James! We need more bookish, outdoorsy teens on bikes like Goldilocks!

If I got to ask Goldilocks some questions, they would be:

1. Why the Atlantis? Something about that bike called to you. What was it?

2. Why those particular passages from The Hobbit? What makes them your favorite? 

3. Do your friends understand how cool is your bike or do you have to keep it a secret so it doesn’t get stolen at school?

4. Do you have friends who also like to cycle?

5. How do you feel about bling? If you private message me your address, I will send you a little something pretty having to do with your new bike. 

All the very best!

Leah (Bicycle Belle)

Sent from my iPad

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[Toshi Takeuchi]

Definitely heartwarming to hear about your daughter and your family.  May you have many wonderful adventures together.

Toshi in Oakland, CA

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[David Bivins]

I agree with this so much. My partner had a bike that was rescued and built up by a friend - totally free and assembled with love, but still an inexpensive Jamis something- or-other. She took it on long rides around the city, to Coney Island, etc. The seat post kind of sucked and the saddle would move slightly and make her uncomfortable. I replaced it and the saddle with other cheap components, but it was always cheap. Then when she started commuting to work, she got a Citibike (bike share) membership which was very convenient based on her origin and destination. Neither bike made her happy. They were means to an end.

I happened to find an almost new Clem H for a ridiculously good price in early February of this year, and I tailored it to her needs as a Valentine's Day gift (basket, fenders, MKS Lamda pedals). She has been blown away by it. She gets it. She says "it's like floating along, it's so much fun and feels so good to ride." I'm so happy to have given her the opportunity to truly enjoy riding, even if the ride is a means to an end. 

In truth, I can't say I got her a better bike than I have, because we both have Clem H's. I end up riding a Tern/Xtracycle Cargo Node more often because I have kid-hauling duties. And I've modified my Clem more than hers so that at least they look a little different. My basket's on the rear, and she has fatter tires. I have orange bar tape and she has a cool black Crane bell.

Anyway, thanks for posting that, James. Wise words.

David B in Brooklyn

[Ian Wilder]

Amazing! I feel that if I ever had a Bombadil it would have to be decked out like this.