How are you building up your Platypus?

[aeroperf]

For those of us who have ordered a Platypus, and got a “raw” frame in a box, I’m interested in how people are building them up.  I’m also interested in how previous Platy people from the last batch (raw plus Riv builds) have built up theirs.

I’m coming at this from:  This build is for my wife, so it has to be absolutely functional but also “attractive” in the Riv way.  I’ve built up a Sam and a Homer, and enjoyed both builds, but the Platy is slightly different.  I also am doing the build along with someone who owns a bike store, and also just got his Platy frame, so maybe I can pass along another (LBS) point of view as we go.

I’ve seen some Platypus builds in the posts, Including “Peppermint Platy’s” build (I bow to Leah for being a class Platypus act).  Everybody does something a little different.  That’s the joy of this.

For example, my wife wants a headlight/taillight and a wicker front basket.  No decision on fenders.  What works?

[Alan Barnard]

Here’s my build list:

Frame & Fork: Rivendell Platypus, 60cm

Headset: FSA Duron X1

Bottom Bracket: Phil Wood 113/68

Crank: Silver Low/Low w/guard 34x24

Cassette: Shimano XT 11-34

Pedals: MKS Bear Trap, Silver+Black

Handlebars: Nitto Bosco Bullmoose

Brake Levers: Paul Canti Levers, Polished

Brake Calipers: Paul Neo Retro, Polished

Brake Hangers: Front - DiaCompe, Rear - Nitto AS-2, Silver

Shift Levers: Rivendell Silver2 Thumbies

Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT Rapid Rise NOS

Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Mirage 9-speed Triple NOS

Seat Post: Nitto S83, 26.8

Saddle: Brooks B67, Black

Hubs: White Industries MI5, 36 hole, Polished

Rims: Velocity Atlas, 36 hole, Polished

Tires: Soma Shikoro 700x42

Fenders: SimWorks by Honjo Turtle 58, Silver

Rack: Rivendell Nitto Basket Rack/Wald 137 Basket

Kickstand: Velo Orange Copenhagen 

Chain(s): KMC

Grips: Brooks Leather Wrap Slender, Black

Bottle Cages: King Iris

Bell: Crane Brass, Rotary Action

Front Bag: Acorn Bags Basket Bag, Black

Seat Bag: Carradice Bingley, Black

[DavidP]

Besides looking at photos of built Platys here (this thread ended up collecting quite a few from the last round), I've been looking at instagram photos tagged #rivendellplatypus. Lots of inspiration there (including Alan's photos).

The 60cm I'm building is for myself and will be an all-rounder / gravelish build - so I'm also taking cues from Atlantis and Appaloosa builds. I'll be (almost) maxxing out the tires and thus will not be running fenders.

Assuming your question "What works?" is in regards to fenders - I'm come to appreciate metal fenders (and have had good experience with Velo Orange fenders). If you are concerned about the safety of metal fenders PDW makes safety tabs for metal fenders.

-Dave

[Shoji Takahashi]

I really like the MKS Bear Trap pedals. They are very comfortable for my size 10-11 foot. 

I have VP Thin gripsters and VP Vice pedals on other bikes, and MKS Sneaker Pedals on the HHH tandem. Those are all fine pedals-- I was surprised at the comfort of the Bear traps. (I wear thin-soled "barefoot style" shoes or sandals.)

looking forward to seeing the final builds!

shoji

[DavidP]

An update on my Platy build - I'm still waiting on some things but I've ridden it bit around the neighborhood without any shifting (30/11 gearing) to get a feel for it. It's already a little bit dirty.



65cm Tosco bars with 120mm Nitto UI-12 stem - I wanted the bars to be on the wider side but was unsure about the look of a 31.8 bar/stem on a bike like the Platypus. The smooth taper on the Tosco helps. I knew I'd have about a fistfull of seat post showing and wanted the bars above the saddle but not too high. The UI-12 gets there but it is maxed out on height so the 31.8 flaceplaters that Riv sells are probably a better option for most (though with the 10 degree rise you'd need a longer faceplater to get the same extension as the horizontal UI-12). The Toscos allow for a big range in back angle depending on where you grip the bar - something I came to appreciate on my bikes with Jones bars. AME Tri grips with khaki Newbaum's on the bends.

Tektro CL330 levers - these are inexpensive V-brake levers that work and feel good. I considered something fancier (VO, IRD, Paul) but liked the shape of these. The clamp is low profile enough that you can place your hands anywhere on/over it without really feeling it; no rubber plumbing washers needed. On bars as swept back as the Toscos I like to be able to pull against the front of the lever body near the clamp (kind of like hoods on drop bar levers) and these are wider and the edges radiused here to make that more comfortable. Sticking a bit of cloth tape there feels downright luxurious.

Dia-Compe ENE shift levers on Velo Orange mounts - not cabled yet but I've test fit some cables and they seem good to go. A first gen Silver shift lever seemed fine on these mounts too, which makes sense as Dia-Compe makes them.

Dia-Compe MX2 VC733 V-brakes - a BMX brake not unlike the Shimano DXR BR-MX70. Decent silvery finish. Good power and modulation. 116mm arms provide plenty of tire and/or fender clearance. Swap the pads (L<->R) to turn one into a front brake (they are marked for rotation direction). I also moved the spacers around on all the pad posts to get better arm alignment on the wide Cliffhanger rims.



Once the derailleurs are cabled the bike will be mostly finished but racks, bags, and lighting are still to come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

- Dave

[Scott Luly]

Congratulations, Dave! That's a really clean build! Enjoy it while it's in stop-and-shift mode🤣.

And Happy Thanksgiving to you and all the Rivsters across the globe!

Scott in Big Sky Country

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[DavidP]

A few more pieces have come together, and now my Platy has rear shifting:

The rear derailleur is an Altus with a "Jim" 7 speed 13-34 cassette (I mistakenly typed 11t in my post above). The crank is a Velo Orange 46/30. Still waffling on a front derailleur so am manually changing rings but the full cassette is usable with both front rings.

The front Mark's Rack will likely get a 137 half-basket and bag. The stem bag is from Outer Shell and the bottom is tethered to the rack tombstone to stabilize and keep it off the headtube (too precious?) as well as provide the suggested rack support. There's a Nitto lamp holder on the strut for the coming dynamo light, once I rebuild the wheel with the SON wide body hub. The tail light is a Blue Lug Koma rechargeable - I'm unsure if I'll run a wired tail in the future.

-Dave

[Chris Cameron]

That is so sweet looking, Dave.  It really makes me want to jump on it before all of the Platypus frames are gone.

[DavidP]

One last update on my Platypus as it's done for now.

Final build list:

Frameset: Rivendell Platypus, 60cm (10lbs frame/fork/headset), mermaid
Headset: FSA Duron 1"
Bottom Bracket: Shimano BBUN300 68x118
Crank: Velo Orange 50.4 BCD 46/30
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Altus RD-M310, silver
Front Derailleur: Shimano Claris FD-2400, 28.6 clamp
Shifters: Dia-Compe ENE levers on Velo Orange Thumb mounts
Cassette: Sride "Jim" 7sp 13-34t (4mm + 2x 1mm spacers)
Chain: KMC X8 (116+12 links)
Brakes: Dia-Compe MX2 VC733
Brake Levers: Tektro CL330
Rims: Velocity Cliffhanger 700c, 36h
Hubs: (F) SON Delux Wide Body 36h / (R) Shimano FH-T3000 8/9/10sp
Tires: (F) Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 700x55 Endurance / (R) Panaracer Gravel King SK 700x50
Handlebar: Rivendell Tosco 65cm, 31.8
Stem: Nitto UI-12, 120mm
Grips: AME Tri, gray; Newbaum's cotton tape, khaki
Saddle: Selle Anatomica X2
Seatpost: Kalloy 26.8
Pedals: Ansjs-005, gray
Kickstand: Greenfield
Lights: (F) SON Edelux II / (R) Blue Lug Koma
Rack: Nitto Mark's (M1)
Basket: Wald 137 half-height
Bags: Tunitas Caryall basket bag, Outer Shell stem and saddle bags
Bell: Blug Lug retro, gold
Bottle Cage: Tanaka stainless

Any other Platy builds in process?

-Dave

[aeroperf]

I’d probably better get my two cents in.

I’m working off a pile of parts that I’ve collected over the years.  That’s not necessarily the best way to approach a new build, but it will get something on the road.  And everybody has a pile of parts…somewhere…

I took the frame down to the LBS for the prep I couldn’t do myself.  They installed the stock headset, chased the bottom bracket shell, and aligned the rear derailleur hanger.  One thing that might help others is their comment that the bottom bracket shell wasn’t threaded far enough in (for a UN300x107), and so they had to run their thread taps in a little farther.

The wheels - I went with 650b (our Platy is a 50cm) Velocity Dyad 36s
Rear hub is a Deore LX FH-T660, front is a SON28 generator hub
For tires we’re using Schwalbe G-One Allrounds

The drive is a Deore XT FD-M781 front and Deore XT RD-m772 SGS for the rear
A Suguino XD2 46/36/26 crankset and Haimim “oil sheen” pedals complete the set
Brakes are Tektro 837 AL Silver, and the levers are Tektro RS360A

The cockpit is proving to be a slight problem.  We’re going with Albatross bars and Dura-Ace bar ends, but…
To get a good fit I’m going to assemble the whole set up with a Nitto NTC110 DX stem.  The 11cm reach is probably going to be a bit long, and I expect to have to get something shorter, but until I do we can’t put on cork grips.  So I’m using a handlebar tape wrap until she finds her reach.

Currently it is built up just enough to be rideable, while she finds a saddle that she REALLY likes (one of the big complaints of her old bike).  And there’s still a lot I need to do - light, basket, fenders - so no pictures yet.

[stoker]

Hi All!

Over the past week, got around to assembling my wife's 50cm Platypus. Chased the threads, installed the HS, aligned the derailleur hanger and Frame Savered the innards. Built it up with the following:
Velocity Cliffhangers, 32h with Deore T610 hubset and Sapim spokes. 584x48 Rene Herse Switchback Hill.

Brooks Cambium C17 carved all-weather saddle on Nitto S65 post.

XT BLR780 levers with Deore T610 linear pull brakes. Nitto Choco bars, Nitto Dynamic stem and ESI grips.

1x10 setup using 11-40 Praxis 10 speed cassette. M780 series XT derailleur and trigger shifters. 

Wolftooth 38t chainring on Suntour XCPro 170mm crankset. UN72 107mm BB. Spank Oozy 2.0 trail pedals.

Blue Lug HS spacers and Forager cable cherry (rear der).

Pics - 

https://www.flickr.com/gp/107142884@N05/5J49k5UPwz

Rack and basket eventually. Can't wait for the snow to melt so she can get out and ride it!

Bob Stoltz

[Ryan]

Bob, that is a really smashing bike. Much as I admire Leah's green and gold anodized Platypus, I also like the black and silver parts you've chosen. I think they really complement the mermaid beautifully. Your wife is dying to ride that bike, I bet. Nice!