For sale: Complete Rivendell Readers and catalogs, &tc.

[Eric Marth]

Hi all — I have a complete run of Readers and catalogs available. If you're interested, please send me an email. 

In addition to the Readers are old Bridgestone items, Rivendell frame catalogs, holiday flyers, info sheets and other odds and ends. 

Some of you might have seen my listing on eBay for $600. If you're wondering about the price there, let me explain. It comes down to eBay fees and my reluctance to sell. I'd be happy to sell it for considerably less to a forum member, where we can avoid fees and I can get it to someone I know. 

I'm feeling burdened with stuff but remain a little reluctant to sell this batch of goods. I felt a lot of excitement around collecting and reading all of this material as it was first acquired. And I did read it all. But it's been languishing in a milk crate and it's time to move it along. 

Spiritually speaking, I think I should just give the collection away. But I put a lot of time, effort and money into piecing at all together. Part of the cost is in labor, part is for the comprehensive nature of the collection. I spent years collecting this stuff in small batches here and there, through dozens of listings and shipments, from individual items to bundles of ephemera. I don't know of any other listings that are nearly as complete, here, on ebay, facebook groups or from bicycle shops online. If you know of any completed lots, let me know! I'm curious.   

There are some rare and early bits. Like a very special mailer that Grant sent to Bridgestone Owners Bunch members announcing the formation of Rivendell and their first frames. This folder is post dated January 1995 using Bridgestone stationary. If I recall correctly (and I could be wrong), Grant started Rivendell in December of 1994, so this is very early. Includes a letter hand-signed by Grant, with written descriptions of the earliest frames offerings (Road, Mountain, All-Rounder), notes on tubing spec, frame building and paint. No photos, super analog.

Color frame brochures detailing individual frames: Atlantis, Hillborne, Cheviot, Rambouillet.

There are several bits of Bridgestone ephemera from the Grant era. All three of the Bridgestone catalogs that Grant produced along are here along with a run of BOB Gazettes. These are beautiful catalogs printed on matte paper, no expense spared, lovely illustrations and drawings of frames, articles on how lugs are made and how tubing is butted. Also, an article on baseball gloves. The Bridgestone element is less complete than the Rivendell element: of the BOB Gazettes we're missing issues #1, #3 and #6. There were only 8 issues produced, they are hard to come by.

This collection was painstakingly acquired over the course of several years, combining many, many lots and collections from other Rivendell owners and members of the Bridgestone Owners Bunch. Many of the original owners' address labels are included, affixed to the Readers and the Catalogs.

• All Rivendell Readers, issues #0 through #44
• A very special mailer that Grant sent to Bridgestone Owner Bunch members announcing Rivendell and their first frames. Includes a letter hand-signed by Grant Petersen.
• Rivendell frame brochures: Atlantis, Atlantis 2, Sam Hillborne, Romulus, Rambouillet, Cheviot
• Holiday flyers and seasonal flyers with product announcements
• Bar-end shifter installation instructions
• Two editions of the "The Rivendell Frame" describing in detail how the frames and manufactured and painted
• All three Bridgestone catalogs produced under the direction of Grant Peterson between 1992 and 1994
• BOB Gazette issues 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8
• Announcement flier for the Heron Randonneur, a frame designed and specified by Grant in collaboration with Waterford
• Copies of Grant's books Roads to Ride about riding routes in the SF Bay Area.
• A laminated article about Grant, use it as a placemat for your sardines and soft boiled eggs

Shipping is on me, will ship slow and steady. Faster or Priority service available at your expense. 

Cheers,

Eric 

Fredericksburg, Virginia

[Keith Paugh]

I wonder if Rivendell HQ even has such a complete archive of such things (all in one place and box)

k.

On Jan 17, 2026, at 9:14 AM, Eric Marth <eric...@gmail.com> wrote:



<rr1.jpg>

Hi all — I have a complete run of Readers and catalogs available. If you're interested, please send me an email. 

In addition to the Readers are old Bridgestone items, Rivendell frame catalogs, holiday flyers, info sheets and other odds and ends. 

<RR2.jpg>

Some of you might have seen my listing on eBay for $600. If you're wondering about the price there, let me explain. It comes down to eBay fees and my reluctance to sell. I'd be happy to sell it for considerably less to a forum member, where we can avoid fees and I can get it to someone I know. 

I'm feeling burdened with stuff but remain a little reluctant to sell this batch of goods. I felt a lot of excitement around collecting and reading all of this material as it was first acquired. And I did read it all. But it's been languishing in a milk crate and it's time to move it along. 

Spiritually speaking, I think I should just give the collection away. But I put a lot of time, effort and money into piecing at all together. Part of the cost is in labor, part is for the comprehensive nature of the collection. I spent years collecting this stuff in small batches here and there, through dozens of listings and shipments, from individual items to bundles of ephemera. I don't know of any other listings that are nearly as complete, here, on ebay, facebook groups or from bicycle shops online. If you know of any completed lots, let me know! I'm curious.   

<RR3.jpg>

<rr4.jpg>

There are some rare and early bits. Like a very special mailer that Grant sent to Bridgestone Owners Bunch members announcing the formation of Rivendell and their first frames. This folder is post dated January 1995 using Bridgestone stationary. If I recall correctly (and I could be wrong), Grant started Rivendell in December of 1994, so this is very early. Includes a letter hand-signed by Grant, with written descriptions of the earliest frames offerings (Road, Mountain, All-Rounder), notes on tubing spec, frame building and paint. No photos, super analog.

Color frame brochures detailing individual frames: Atlantis, Hillborne, Cheviot, Rambouillet.

There are several bits of Bridgestone ephemera from the Grant era. All three of the Bridgestone catalogs that Grant produced along are here along with a run of BOB Gazettes. These are beautiful catalogs printed on matte paper, no expense spared, lovely illustrations and drawings of frames, articles on how lugs are made and how tubing is butted. Also, an article on baseball gloves. The Bridgestone element is less complete than the Rivendell element: of the BOB Gazettes we're missing issues #1, #3 and #6. There were only 8 issues produced, they are hard to come by.

This collection was painstakingly acquired over the course of several years, combining many, many lots and collections from other Rivendell owners and members of the Bridgestone Owners Bunch. Many of the original owners' address labels are included, affixed to the Readers and the Catalogs.

• All Rivendell Readers, issues #0 through #44
• A very special mailer that Grant sent to Bridgestone Owner Bunch members announcing Rivendell and their first frames. Includes a letter hand-signed by Grant Petersen.
• Rivendell frame brochures: Atlantis, Atlantis 2, Sam Hillborne, Romulus, Rambouillet, Cheviot
• Holiday flyers and seasonal flyers with product announcements
• Bar-end shifter installation instructions
• Two editions of the "The Rivendell Frame" describing in detail how the frames and manufactured and painted
• All three Bridgestone catalogs produced under the direction of Grant Peterson between 1992 and 1994
• BOB Gazette issues 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8
• Announcement flier for the Heron Randonneur, a frame designed and specified by Grant in collaboration with Waterford
• Copies of Grant's books Roads to Ride about riding routes in the SF Bay Area.
• A laminated article about Grant, use it as a placemat for your sardines and soft boiled eggs

Shipping is on me, will ship slow and steady. Faster or Priority service available at your expense. 

Cheers,

Eric 

Fredericksburg, Virginia

--
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 visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/340c751f-0897-49fe-9403-ba79ffd565f3n%40googlegroups.com.

<rr1.jpg>

<RR2.jpg>

<rr4.jpg>

<RR3.jpg>

[Kim H.]

This is very impressive Eric.

Kim Hetzel.

[James McGregor]

Really cool! I think totally fine to sell this - and you're approaching with the right spirit. You obviously put a ton of work into it!

[dylan green]

Really nice, Eric. While different, I previously sold a complete set of NEST (Apartamento before Apartamento) and felt odd about selling above face value, but the time

to find all with the inserts, etc was extensive. That said, i wish I had the collection still because they did catch on after the sale and commands a higher price. But hey, 

I'm no longer lugging a heavy ass box around and that's priceless in my opinion!

Dylan

@dggggggggg

[Tim Tetrault]

I too just want to note that I was touched by the range of sentiments you brought up in your post, Eric. Seeing how your work through the YouTube videos you've shared helps augment that feeling for me. The sense of "this is so valuable, and the hunt for all these shaped me, but it is turning into "stuff..."

The digital repository here https://notfine.com/rivreader/ has long been something I've been meaning to read my way all the way through- Grant was such a unique voice during that era- where else are you going to hear about someone successfully managing Type 1 diabetes with a low carb diet in 1996, while also being educated on the tensile strength of a Ritchey Force stem? 

I will be considering a purchase, but note my own mixed feelings too- I'm very happy to see physical media being well taken care of during this time. 

Regards,

Tim Tetrault

Seattle, WA

[Eric Marth]

Hi all — Thanks for the notes here on the board and the personal emails I've received! 

I've found it's a lot more pleasant and enjoyable to read the physical material than to browse it on the screen. I can only speak for myself. Much in the same way I prefer physical catalogs from places to McMaster-Carr (all 4,000 pages) and Lee Valley (like their woodworking and gardening catalogs). Much easier to survey information and stumble across things you didn't know about. 

I have a query open with Rivendell to see if they're interested in the lot for their archives. I haven't heard back yet, there's a chance they have it all. Or don't want it. So for the time being they have the right of first refusal. 

As far as price here on the board, I'm starting at $450. There are 86 staple-bound items, at $5/each that's $430. The other $20 covers the single-sheet flyers, brochures, oddities and the brown folder with the very first Rivendell announcement stamped 1995. Shipping, too.

In lieu of cash transfer, I would also be willing to trade for 10 pair of the Merino Skins boxer briefs. Not kidding!
https://merinoskins.com/product/unisex-merino-thermal-boxers/

Food for thought. I'll update the thread when I've heard back from Rivendell. 

Cheers!

Eric 

[Eric Marth]

    ⚠️ CAUTION: SERIOUS THREAD DRIFT AHEAD ⚠️   

Dylan: I feel your pain regarding the Nest archive. I had a similar thing with Cabinet magazine. Purged a bunch of issues and now they're impossible to find in print. But they do have an archive of pdfs available for free online. Bless them. 

Apartamento back issues are no joke! There are a few I'd like to track down. Fortunately I have pdfs of the features I'm most interested in.