Inspiring Clem Smith Jr L builds!!

[Ron Frazelle]

Hi all, 

I just bought my first Rivendell (Clem Smith Jr. L) and I am beyond stoked to drive up and pick it up! I was originally looking for an Atlantis frame and fork...but kept looking at Grant's Clem Smith Jr L (maxed out) in the Staff Bikes section of the site...it really seemed to be calling to me. And then, with the Riv site redesign (which I like much better BTW), there is the picture representing "Trailish" bikes of Grant's Clem battling a pretty gnarly root section...just muddying up my decision making process...which isn't hard to do, BTW. 

 After discussing my "dilemma" over a few wonderfully lengthy, phone calls with Hugh covering so much bike geekery, I decided to pull the trigger on buying one of the leftover 59 complete bikes that were left.

 

Since I was originally looking for a frame and fork, I have a lot of my own parts (both bought and pulled from the bin o' parts) for this bike and I will be replacing some of the parts on the complete. 

If you guys don't mind playing along...I would love it if you fellow Clem Smith Jr L owners could send over some pics of your builds.

That would be awesome. 

Thanks! :)

 

[Doug H.]

Congrats! I bought one of the web special Clem L bikes that was built up 1x10 with a Shimano indexed shifter. It has Tosco bars, Cliffhanger wheels, Teravail Ehline tires, and a Clipper crankset. I'll attach a photo from the website as it hasn't been shipped yet (hopefully today!). I'll use a Brooks C17 saddle.

Doug

[Ron Frazelle]

That's awesome! 

Thanks! 

Ron

"Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world." - Grant Petersen

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[Hugh Smitham]

Doug, Very excited for you that's a handsome build and nice bits and pieces.

Ron, Always happy to geek out on bikes with you brother! This is gonna be a fun project and a great thread to follow along.

Cheers,

Hugh n LA

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Congratulations on your new Clem L! I really believe you are going to love that step-thru goodness. I’ve seen some devout diamond frame lovers be swept off their feet by their newly-acquired Clems. They’re that good. A Clem is so easy to grab and take off on. You’ll never worry about ripping the crotch of your suits swinging a leg over a top tube and fully loaded rack. Wear whatever you like on your Clem. You can load it up at the grocery store. Run your errands with it. Climb hills on trails. Cruise along and let the sun bake into your bones and the breeze tousle your hair. Clems are so good.

My Clem is a 2019 in RBW Blue. I overhauled it to make it lighter and to upgrade some of the stock parts. Analog built me a new, light wheelset with dynamo lighting. I changed the chain ring to get a harder gear. I swapped out steel Boscos for aluminum, and I upgraded the pedals to a pretty red, wide platform pedal. I added VO fenders and the Clem rear rack. I didn’t like the extra weight and feel of the Nitto Basket Rack on front, so I pulled it. I have a Brooks B68 on it, but I think about swapping it out for a Rivet. 

I love that bike. 

Leah

 

[Ron Frazelle]

Man what a beaut Leah!! Thank you for the awesome email...sounds like you got it all dialed in with some well-thought-out upgrades!

I can't wait to pick mine up! 

P.S. I love the Rivet Cycle Works saddles, I had an Imogene for a long time...very good saddles. 

Ron

"Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world." - Grant Petersen

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[J Imler]

59 Clem L in naked sunbather land

[Ron Frazelle]

Sweet build, thanks for sharing!! :)

Ron

"Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world." - Grant Petersen

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[scott minor]

My new to me 64 Clem L.  Just getting acquainted, wow what an enjoyable ride.  It floats and rolls really well regardless of what I'm carrying. 

[Ron Frazelle]

That's good to hear...looking forward to riding mine when I get it! 

Love the bag choices!

Thanks for sharing! 

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[Hugh Smitham]

Scott,

I dig the gold Motolites, understated but still an element of bling. Are those the Losco bullmoose or Bosco bullmoose bars. Also I'm warming to that color green, very handsome looking.

Hugh n LA

On Wed, Nov 3, 2021, 4:34 PM scott minor <psc...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[scott minor]

Hugh, 

Thanks, the gold Motolites are a tricky color but I think they go well with the metallic chameleon green.  I had a 60cm Cheviot in that color about 5 years ago and loved it then but always felt the bike was a tad small so was thrilled to find this 64cm Clem L in the same color from a fellow tall list member.  The bars came with the bike, they are the 'wrong angle' Bosco bullmoose which I like a lot w this Clem.   

[gleason szitta]

Had some fun getting this ride assembled. 59cm from the August 2021 frame sale. Tosco bars. Sorta light Nitto rear rack. Cliffhangers with Rene Herse fleecer ridge 55s. Son hub to B&M light.

I wanted this to be able to handle loose gravel, country roads, medium loads, night rides, rail trail, etc. and I'd say it's succeeding nicely. Gotta fine tune the shifter and brake lever locations for better hand position options. 

[Doug H.]

I'm liking that frame color, lime-olive and the tan sidewalls looks great. Nice build. I bought my garage sale Clem L over two weeks ago and it hasn't shipped! I'm getting impatient.

Keep the photos coming Clem L owners.

Doug

Athens, GA

[Ryan]

Normally, I prefer silver parts ...or maybe some black if I must... black does look good with orange...but those gold motolites look sweet  with that colour. Good-looking bike!

[BRETT ROBINSON]

Well, it's not exactly a Clem Smith Jr L, but it is a Riv step thru! And I bought it right here on the group! Shown sans kid seat which now that I think about it makes it less inspiring. Will report back with another photo with the kid seat installed. It's in need of some more cargo capacity though, so some kind of rack is in its future.

[Patrick Moore]

Brett: please divulge for us the hermeneutics* of that unique chainstay protector, "Local Milk Person."

*A gasbag way of saying, "Please tell us what it means."

And speaking of cryptic or gnomic vehicle stickers, I fondly recall the 1990 Plymouth Voyager I owned years ago with exactly 142 stickers on it, of which my favorites were:

1. "Play an accordion, go to jail. It's the law." I have no idea what this means; someone gave it to me.

And:

2. "Igor and the Red Elvises: Kickass Rock 'n' Roll from Siberia." (They were actually a half-serious half-stage act Rockabilly group with a very eclectic menu and one or 2 good songs based in SoCal.)

(I had stripped all the interior cladding from the vehicle, including headliner and, in the back, 3rd row seats and rugs and all the plastic cladding -- carried 400 lb of gravel in it, once. My daughter liked to use Magic Markers to draw and write slogans on the bare interior steel.)

Patrick Moore, who just might one day buy a Clem, and who is entirely serious in thinking that the ~1989-1990 Chrysler minivans are a classic design.

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Patrick Moore

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

[adh]

Here's mine! Mine's a blend of Riv and BQ ideologies: a Deore build: Brakes, levers, & rear hub; Pacenti rims, SON dynamo, B&M lights, Nitto front rack, Tanaka fenders, Billie bars, Riv friction thumbies, Soma 700x48 tires, 2x10 drivetrain, Velo Orange water bottle cage. It's not finished or dialed yet but it's great as is

[Doug H.]

Here is mine with a Brooks B-17 saddle that I changed out from a C-17. I think this saddle looks natural on a Rivendell. I also swapped the Shimano click shifter to a Microshift bar-end and it works so much better for me.

Doug