Rivendell-ish Romanceur (general reviews on my favorite parts - baggabond /losco))

[Mackenzy Albright]

Hi everyone! just wanted to share my rivendell inspired romanceur build. I originally purchased it as my "lifer bike". The Romanceur essentially seemed to be a slightly tweaked toyo era clone with a little more low trail and a higher top tube proportianally to the top tube as well as disc brakes. Which all seemed perfect for me upgrading from my 80's Mikado De Gaspe Canadian touring bike (Canadian resident) The lower pricepoint drew me in over the new style Atlantis. However, after owning this frame for 4+ years now - I realize that the short chainstays and top tube make for issues of loose or steep climbing and traction and weight distribution. I'm now convinced of the contemporary Rivendell design and one day would love a Clem L or a Gus. I am in no rush so happy to wait for the production needs to get caught up again in the future. 

First thing, is the Baggabond Saddlesack I've had a few years now. Honestly this thing is huge. Volume wise probably about as large as the large not expanded fabs chest. I dont  like rolltop bags. They are bottomless pits and I cant find anything. i like being able to find items on the go. Having the 26" wheels allows the saddle room to fit the large style bag and have never been more happy on a bag purchase. I can reach behind me while riding and grab my handkerchief or whatnot in the side pockets. I can fit a weeks worth of groceries. Strap a random doo dad to the flap. etc.  Not to mention it's been 100% waterproof in downpours. I do have a small rack fitted, so it really does help with the accordion aspect, but it's really been an invaluable bag for commuting and camping. 

Second thing is the more recently acquired (bluelug) Losco bars. I was inspired by instagrammer probably_riding's purple polyvalent. But originally purchased them for my touring bike. I loved how they felt so much I swapped them onto my romanceur for fun and absolutely love them. In the past with most "riv" setups ive gone as high as possible. But with these I went long and low with a 130mm ritchey force stem.  I find my hand/shoulder/neck position to be relaxed directly in front of me, lightly poised. With the romanceurs fairly short top tube I find this to be a nice for myself. I was surprised at how low they could be and still be comfortable. Granted my longest ride has been about 15k so far, I find ample hand positions in front of the levers for heavier pedaling or aerodynamics. In the attached photo, I took it on my favorite local single track trails. I found it easy to ride fairly technical rooted and swoopy single track with some steep climbs almost easier than with my drop setup. I found in a pinch I needed to stand up and pedal with no knee hitting issues. The light spring in the bar is very comfortable on the wrists, and generally pleasant. I wouldn't use these for extended rough off road touring, but it is good to know I can comfortably go off the beaten path a bit while bike camping. I instantly loved them more than my former albatross setup.(and boscomoose)

Now that the weather is dropping below freezing, I appreciate the relaxed position to resist upper body tensing. I have a long term should/neck injury so am always juggling the best way to keep riding and this setup is incredible. This bike and setup is just fun. Thanks for reading.

[Patrick Moore]

Mackenzy: That is a very nice setup indeed, and your description and explanations were pleasantly clear and articulate. Also, the photo is a good one, this from someone who can't take a good photo to save his life, despite sincere effort. But I am a professional writer, so kudos on your language skills. And as someone who built his first bike from scratch in 1970 (full summer December, Xmas vacation, 90 miles south of the equator), I can appreciate both the build and your reasons for the build and equipage. 

+1 on the Pro 5 Vis crankset. I use these on 2 of my 4 bikes and have used them for decades, and I have 2 spares.

The bar is very nicely placed. Me, I just can't tolerate very high bars; they make it hard to pedal. But your setup makes me think of an eventual alternative to my cut-down, flipped MAP/Ahearne bar on the 1 of 4 bikes that does not have drop bars -- it's a much modified Monocog 29er Your setup really makes me think that sweepback bars might work for the single speed sandy trail fat tired replacement that I hope (God willing) one day to obtain -- this for the sandy bosque trails and acequia roads near my house.

Saddlesacks: I've owned dozens, literally, of transverse saddlebags, and the Sackvilles, now Baggabonds, are the best of all. I owned a Large but strangely found it didn't carry, practically, a great deal more than my current Medium (this M is, I think, a gen or 2 behind the current Baggabond models). But in any event, M or L, they carry far more for their volume and, especially, saddle-to-tire requirements than anything else out there I've used. Me, after using all sorts of baskets, saddlebags transverse and longitudinal, I've gone back to a light, custom rack and Ortlieb Backrollers or Sports Packers, depending on loads.

Please describe your gearing, and tell us what tires you are using (make, model, size category -- 700C? 650B? 26"? -- and width).

One negative note: That huge basket. I've myself installed and used at least 2 very large front baskets, including the giant Wald Newsboy, as well as various rear baskets, but for everyday riding, even longer distances offroad in the boondocks, I can't see needing a L Baggabond as well as a L basket. What is your reason, pray? 

Finally, my brother nearby has a very nice Romanceur that he built up like a road bike with ~38 mm tires, that he delights in riding through our the sandy bosque roads and trails along the ancient acequia system paralleling the Rio Grande. I've ridden my Riv custom gofast fixie with 28 mm tires on some of the firmer canal roads, but I have to say that my drop bar Matthews with 62 mm Big Ones and, even better, the upright style Monocog with ~72mm WTB Rangers, is really nice for floating over thick riverine sand. The Matthews has a 42X28 12-25 10 sp setup, friction of course, and the modified Monocog has a single 65" gear.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/03b81f7b-ace0-4a7d-9755-e03f1d550554n%40googlegroups.com.

--

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Patrick Moore]

Oh, and what does "shred patriarchy" mean?

Patrick "shredding patriarch" Moore

On Tue, Nov 2, 2021 at 12:23 PM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

Mackenzy: That is a very nice setup indeed ...

On Tue, Nov 2, 2021 at 11:14 AM Mackenzy Albright <mackenzy...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everyone! just wanted to share my rivendell inspired romanceur build. ...

[Mackenzy Albright]

very nice setup indeed, and your description and explanations were pleasantly clear and articulate : thanks for the compliments! bike and personal. both have had a long time of learning. :) most of my career work is in art / museums / and libraries so often trying to write descriptive, (keep it from being too boring) and to the point. haha 

sweepback bars might work for the single speed sandy trail fat tired - I am mid build of a custom (marino bikes) single speed MTB that is a combination of the crust evasion and the original surly 1x1. I am currently getting some custom bars made by a canadian builder that is a bit wider (710mm) version of a the choco bar. I honestly love swept back bars on about everything! 

Please describe your gearing, and tell us what tires you are using - as your eye caught! I found a cheap set of pro vis off pinkbike in vancouver with a 40/28t combination with an 11-32 gearing. Campy front DR, XTR rear der. Suntour rear dt shifter and a gippiemme front shifter. That was the base of my drive train build. In general I've tried to use as many second hand parts as possible. I love collecting, and the "objectness" and history of parts vs off the shelf new parts. I started running 650b Velocity Blunt LS with switchback hills (now in my marino ss mtb build). But found them to glass eaters and super slippy on wet clay. Also, I didn't like the clearance with fenders. I crashed my bike and ruined my first set up honjos. I ended up switching to 26" 2.1 mavic 717 disc wheels with xtr hubs and racing ralph tires. Which I love. I would like to get the knobby rene herse tires in the future once the ralphs are dead. I find the 26" wheels to be considerable more nimble than 650b. 

huge basket!  - I tried to jump on the front bag train - but found late in the game the saddlesack has been more than adequate. I also have a demi porteur bag i do enjoy and used a lot. However, I have found that packing my heavier gear in the saddle sack (cook wear, food, tools etc) and bulky but light items in the front (tent, sleeping bag, mattress) the large basket makes it easier to haul light bulk. (heaviest water in the middle) I spent all my money on my bike than super compact gear :P 

[Mackenzy Albright]

what does "shred patriarchy" mean? - Keeping it as non-political as possible - "shred the patriarchy" is a slogan of the RAR (radical adventure riders) as a movement of creating awareness and space for diversity and less toxic-masculinity in outdoor recreation. 

[Matthew P]

Hi Mackenzy!
This is my favorite post and bike on here/anywhere in my short term memory.
I love your take on things, especially this: "  In general I've tried to use as many second hand parts as possible. I love collecting, and the "objectness" and history of parts vs off the shelf new parts.  "
I think what I feel is the same but I have never fleshed it out in words. There is a materialism about it but I'm not about the wealth side of things, moreso the diversity of parts, and therefore the potential diversity within and between bikes/builds.
More pics please!
I'll try to find you on Instagram.
Words fail.
-Matthew P
San Diego, Kumeyaay land

P.S. Today I learned Gipiemme

[Patrick Moore]

Well, this old patriarch likes your Romanceur (he said, snarling bitterly into his flowing, white beard).

[Mackenzy Albright]

I think what I feel is the same but I have never fleshed it out in words.  - i find it interesting as there's elements of design/manufacturing, historical ownership, and current ownership. From a conservators point of view all objects lifespan exceed the life of a particular owner and will always be multigenerational and inherits a story (documented or not) / beausage. I'll use my old touring bike as an example (not photod) but it's a mid eighties touring bike. From a design perspective it's a standard tall touring bike. (63c-t st and 59 c-c TT) It has some interesting elements such inverted seat stay brakes (ala jo routens) externally butted downtube (primitive welded and ground down) and a slightly sloping top tube (early popular in canada ie KONA) based around Suntour dropouts. For me this makes me think the designer had a rough knowledge of historical adventure bikes such as jo routens etc. Maybe it was just a fluke. But it adds to the interest. 

It was originally a mikado degaspe (olive) touring bike. The bike had been purchased when mikado went defunct to poliquin which was a sporting goods brand in Ottawa painted purple and rebranded and stickered and sold as a somewhat racier bike from old stock. Again, little snippets that add to an interesting story.  

From an ownership perspective. I acquired this from my landscaping supervisor right after moving to Victoria. He told me the one tour he did on the bike, he was on the ferry and this older gent stopped him and complimented him on the bike and swore up and down this bike is what he used to ride across canada in the late eighties / early nineties. 

The bike itself has a lot of paint wear. Fork was out of alignment. The purple scrapes down to a former olive and or metal which has become a beautiful tarnish brown. To me the frame speaks of all of the adventures that were had. (even tho not proven through lineage) but truth or not, the bike elicites stories through the context of its markings, scrapes, and scratches. It doesnt matter to me if any of this. but this is how it makes me feel. 

I have ridden the bike thousands of kilometers as well. Explored islands. Took me on tinder dates. Bought me groceries. Got tackled by a road rager causing neck injuries. We've been through a lot together. Ownership is an odd concept. One day somebody else will inherit the bike and ad their own story to it and hopefully keep adding to their own stories. 

This is an elongated and much researched part of my collection. But even a simple seatpost or shifter i find interesting has its own story that i think about. It feels different than just "buying a long haul trucker". And with my crust. i hope to make these stories as well and one day, it too will be inherited to some tall adventurous type. 

I generally feel this way about all objects. Books. tools. Clothing. etc. This is sort of why i got into art/museums/library work. I just think theyre neat. hahaha maybe some of this will resonate with you, anecdontally. 

[Mackenzy Albright]

(he said, snarling bitterly into his flowing, white beard)  - We are who we are and it keeps things fun and interesting. Being nice is fun. I generally appear grumpy and scowly myself. often in my brain overthinking things for the heck of it.  but with my relaxed riv style demeanor on my bike can give a hell of a hearty wave. 

[Patrick Moore]

Actually, I'm half Filipino, so while hirsute for a Malay, I can't really achieve that thick, flowing, patriarchal white beard. I've have to snarl into emptiness.

Pic #1 is what I'd like to be, #2 the grim reality.

Patrick Moore, who believes excessive earnestness is a sin.