10 years of Rivendell on my Homer Hilsen

[brendonoid]

I received the package with my frame with sundry parts on the 8th of May 2012. I quickly built it up that evening and went for my first ride in rain after dark.

I wrote a whole this is your life post with lots of pictures and anecdotes all very droll, etc. But the post wouldn't post because 'of all the photos I guess, so here is a picture of my Homer from Yesterday on its 100km loop birthday ride (to visit my mum for mothers day).

I love this bike but since I ride it everyday it has sort of become a mundane object that I entirely take for granted.

I think the current longstay bikes are much nicer to ride but this will always be my first love and my gateway bike into a world of adventure cycling and Just Ride.

[brendonoid]

This is how it looked 3 weeks after I got it and had the build sort of 'finished'

It's on it's third set of rims and basically everything has been changed at least once over the years except for the Shimano 7700 derailleurs, shifters and the seat post.

[RichS]

Brendan,

Congratulations on your "classic" Homer's 10th anniversary. ". . .my gateway bike into a world of adventure cycling and Just Ride." True words for many of us. My first Riv was an Atlantis followed shortly after by a sage green Sam. A few other Rivs followed but the Sam is the one that remains. Hope you and Homer get many more years of enjoyable riding together.

Best,

Rich in ATL

[J S]

I finally found a Saluki in my size after selling a 56cm many years ago.  Same bike as your early AHH. Very sweet bike.  Enjoy yours for many more years.  

[John Hawrylak]

Brendon

Great story, from the heart, & photos and bike.  Glad you got the enjoyment out of the AHH.

What did your mother say when you showed up on it this Mother's Day??

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[brendonoid]

What did your mother say when you showed up on it this Mother's Day??

 "Your sister can drive you home."

She never really got it.

[Takashi]

Brendon, congratulations on your Homer's 10th anniversary.

Too bad that you couldn't post it as you intended, I'm curious about what was written in it.

I had completely forgotten that my Hunqapillar is also 10 years old (I bought it in April 2012), until I read your post.

Here is a picture of my Hunqa one week after I had it built.

Takashi

[brendonoid]

Takashi, your Hunq is beautiful! When I bought the Homer I was so close to choosing a Hunq instead, but I had a long distance commute at the time and I had no idea how much off road cycling I would end up doing in the following decade. In hindsight a Hunq would have been the better choice, probably. The grey/bean is still the best paint job Riv has ever done.

My long-winded post was simply about the various things that have happened on my Homer in the last ten years, highlights such as crashing into a lump of concrete across a footpath in the dark, getting run over by a truck and managing to hold onto both the bull-bar and the bike so that I and it didn't get dragged under, camping trips and at least 30 thousand kilometres of commuting.

The truck ran me over while I was in a bike lane, of course. Most parts of the bike were damaged in some way or another, the rear wheel was crushed, pedals and crank destroyed, but the frame was still perfect other than a small scratch on the seat stay.

I was fine, but it changed how I treated riding on the road and pretty much stopped going anywhere near bike lanes and busy roads after that. I learned a lot about safe suburban cycling since, and if i have to take a 3km detour for a safer route, I'll happily take it.

[Takashi]

Ouch!

Glad to know that you and your bike frame were OK.

I don't regret buying Hunqapillar at all, but am curious as to how it was if I bought a Homer. Maybe climbing a long ascent is a bit easier?

Wishing you many more happy kilometers for the next 10 years!

Takashi

[Ryan]

So Brendan...is this a picture of your Homer post-crash? Bars look sort of warped.I am glad you were OK

I hear you about avoiding traffic ...and bike lanes...that's where I had my accident 6 years ago and compressed an L1 vertebra. My X0-1? Perfectly fine; just a scrape on my saddle and the firemen on the scene stashed my bike at their firehall while I went to the hospital