Mistakes Were Made: 2012

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Oh goodness.

I was looking back at old photos tonight, and I came across my old Betty Foy. My foray into Rivendell and my first “nice” bicycle, I knew less than nothing when I bought it. Before this bike, I didn’t even know you could repair a bike - I thought you put it in the dump and bought a new one from Target. Target bikes were all I’d ever had. And then that last bike died (Walmart, actually!), and after a short and disappointing experience with a used Trek that made me PINE for my upright Target bike bars, I found Rivendell online.

I didn’t deserve this bike, but I’d plunked down my dollars and it was the most expensive thing I’d ever gotten myself, so I figured it had to be perfect. I knew only enough about bikes to be dangerous. Somewhere, I discovered you could raise the bars, and raise the bars I must have, because no mechanic would ever do what these photos show. 

Am I looking at this correctly? The bike was stock Rivendell. I would never have known you could swap a stem, so this had to be the Tallux 225mm tall stem, and it be lookin’ TALL. I put the TALL in TALLux. This can’t be right, can it? Just wait until I show you the next pic, the one where I’m pretty sure we can see the MAX HEIGHT imprint that is practically at eye level…

Please see photos in the next post…

[Leah Peterson]

There’s no way this is correct, am I right? I don’t have Tallux stems anymore, as I have become a Nitto Faceplater convert, but this is absurd for a 225, yes?

My little son is holding the bike as I proudly take a photo of the whole watermelon I’m hauling home. I’m pretty sure I can see the “Max Height” imprint. Did I think it was a mere suggestion? I was riding around with a dog in the front basket and pulling a child behind me. I shudder to think of it!

Also, note the cheap cable lock that I would have trusted with my LIFE. 

You have been very good to me with all that you have shared/taught me over the years. I am still a hopelessly inept mechanic, but I’m less of a danger to myself now.

Leah

On Nov 5, 2026, at 10:33 PM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Oh goodness.

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[Johnny Alien]

Is it a smaller size than what your Platy is? That looks like a setup where you know whats comfortable and the size won't get you there. 

All that aside I love the Betty Foy. That color is just classic Riv era for me.

[Brian Turner]

The abrupt transition from cheap, landfill-fodder Wal-Mart bikes straight to Rivendell is a wild one. I'm curious as to how that happened, and how Rivendell got on your radar?

Brian

Lexington, KY

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[Garth]

Well, you didn't crash and burn with that stem way above the max line, so good enough ! (( laughing ))

My neighbor once brought his bike over to me and asked me if his stem was too high, it was a couple of inches above the max line too. I just pointed to the MAX written on it told him what it meant. He really didn't know it was there or what it meant. It's not like bikes come with manuals about such things, they ought to, so I don't blame anyone for not knowing. 

[Leah Peterson]

Brian, the short version: I bought a used Trek and it broke my heart.

The long version:

My Walmart Schwinn was making an atrocious sound. Time to throw it into the landfill! My husband told me to get a new bike. I decided I would get a “nice” bike, one of those Treks. So, I got on Craigslist and bought a Trek FX 7.6 with a carbon fork and flat bars and skiiiiinnnnnyyy tires. It was $400 and I felt shameful to have spent that much money on a bike. It had better be good. I hooked up the bike trailer to it and…wow. I couldn’t look up at the duck pond. My arms were locked, my weight was on my hands, my head forward. The bike felt squirrelly with that trailer behind it. The saddle was abusive. I started going into bike shops to see what I could buy to make the bike comfortable. I had 2 small boys, my constant companions, and we were either offered things that would never help me or (more often) ignored completely. We did not look “serious.” I began to browse online. People said I needed a carbon drop bar bike, that was the only way to be comfortable. I went back to the shops, tried a Specialized Dolce that they nearly sold me, telling me it was The Only Way. They believed it would pull my trailer no problem. I took it to the parking lot and shuddered at the drops and experienced what I would later learn was “toe overlap.” You get used to that, the salesman told me. 

That bike was $1200, and I just couldn’t. I secretly wondered, “Why do I wish I had my old handlebars from that Schwinn?” Serious cyclists do not want their Schwinn handlebars, I silently scolded myself. 

I went online to bike forums, where I read everything I could, which further led me to believe I just needed the right drop bar carbon machine. Then I stumbled on a thread on the Team Estrogen Forum about Rivendell. I was intrigued by the name, being a Tolkien fan. I read the website and felt like I’d discovered a magic kingdom. These people understood. After having 5 heart attacks and 2 strokes when I learned what one would cost, I decided I had to have one anyway. I called Rivendell to ask about the Sam Hillborne. 

“What you want is a Betty Foy,” said Keven, via phone. That bike didn’t look “serious.” I doubted, but he assured me: Betty Foy.

“Ok,” I said. 

“We don’t have any of those,” Keven said. “But probably next spring.” 

WHAT?!? Totally unfamiliar with Riv’s supply chain, I could not believe it. Luckily, he found two  55 cms in the storeroom. 

“Ok, I’m ready for your credit card,” Keven said, when he called with the good news. I could scarcely believe I was giving it to him; I still had not wrapped my mind around spending that amount of money on a bicycle.

Picked up my Betty in early December. Instant comfort. Fixed all my problems. I could carry things (mostly, the dog, who refused to be left and had been inelegantly stuffed in a backpack). I could pull kids in a trailer. It was the answer, and launched a whole new part of my life that continues to enrich me to this very day.

And that’s how I got started. 

Leah

On Nov 6, 2026, at 8:49 AM, Brian Turner <brok...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Jason Fuller]

While "rules were made to be broken" certainly doesn't apply to the max height on stems and seat posts, undoubtedly there's a fair bit of safety margin for someone who is not putting a lot of weight on the bars nor riding anything too rough! I won't report you to the authorities on this one. Pretty sure I've pushed the limit on that marking too, though by no more than 1cm, but that's because most quill stems are painfully short and when I was younger I thought I could have both a level top tube and standover clearance - now I realize, to have the bike fit correctly, you have to choose one or the other! 

[Dan]

I loved reading this origin story and that is a fantastic photo! What a happy family.

If only the past you knew how much you'd spend on bicycles in the future ;)

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Jason, who knows what I was doing - I did have the dog in the basket and I was definitely going up and down that mountain we lived on top of…I am probably very fortunate with all the dumb things I did. I remember taking the bike in for a tune-up and casually mentioning, “There’s this clunk in the handlebars when I turn them.” I’d been bombing down Killer Hill with a loose headset. Good job. Strong work.

Garth - I’m sure I never noticed that “max height” line. Jerked that stem right on up to a satisfactory height and took off on my merry way! I looked at later photos and noticed that I had swapped to Bosco bars. I was all excited after reading Riv’s description and thought they must be the best bar ever, so I bought them. I think when I switched to Bosco bars the mechanic put the stem height right, and I probably got enough height from that bar that I was happy and left well enough alone.

Dan, had I known how deep I would find myself, I might have run the other way! I’m sure I could calculate how much money I’ve spent at Rivendell since ‘12, but I don’t want to know! And this doesn’t count what I’ve gotten from other vendors nor does it tally the anodizing costs. Yikes. I suppose there are worse things to spend the money on…

And there is one more Rivendell heading my way in December…this, for my son to ride in college and adult life.

L

[st nick]

I enjoyed seeing this.

It's hard to believe it's been that long.

I member your early postings on this list.

I once commented about your white cat in the basket not realizing it was your dog.

It's been fun reading about your journey and the entertaining and colorful way you have related it.

It reminds me in some aspects to following the lady on the 'Lovely Bicycle ' blog from novice to one savvy bicycle lady. I missed her blog when it ended.

I often thought Riv should give you a discount for all the good press you have steered their way.

Safe riding to all.

Paul in Dallas

box_liam

on Instagram 

[Dorothy C]

Lovely Bicycle was how I found out about Rivendell when she had her first edition black Clem, then called the Clementine. I bought my first Riv, a 46cm sky blue Appaloosa about six months after those blog entries. I owned a Scott hybrid and an Electra Townie at the time, and like Leah I was looking for a practical bike to fit my 5' 6" height, and as I was to find out later, 81cm pbh, for shopping and bike commuting. I could hardly believe the improvement in handling, comfortable bars, and ease of attaching racks and fenders over my previous bikes.

https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2016/09/clementine-belated-befuddled-bedazzled.html

[Jay]

I also love the transition from Target/Walmart (brief stint with a Trek) to Rivendell. Talk about 180 degrees!  I actually laughed out loud when I looked at the stem, not at you, but just thinking that if we don't know and no one tells us, it's pretty crazy what we can get 'up' to ;-)  You found your way though!  Quite a journey, and glad it's still going strong (bike packing, etc.).

[Leah Peterson]

Paul, I’m glad you gave me your IG handle because I wasn’t aware that was you! And, that dog was mistaken for a cat more than once. A toddler leaned out of her stroller and called out, “KEY!” (Kitty.) We thought it was a riot. He was too pretty for his own good. 

Dorothy - we have the EXACT same measurements. Being able to haul things was one of the best improvements for me when it came to biking. To be able to take my things let me be away from home and actually have some adventure on my rides. I loved Velouria’s entry on the Clementine, too. 

Jay, I am not sure if I laughed or gasped when I saw that stem in the photo, but it got a physical reaction out of me, for sure. Looking at 2012 Leah, smiling for the camera, completely oblivious, oh it is so humbling. Spent a fortune, messed up the stem and put myself at risk for spectacular injury. Fantastic. 🤣 You can laugh AT me, it’s deserved! And, I’m laughing, too.

I did find my way eventually. My bikes today look nothing like my original Betty. And now I have an opinion on nearly every part on my bikes. I do still like tall stems, though…

On Nov 7, 2026, at 4:45 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

I also love the transition from Target/Walmart (brief stint with a Trek) to Rivendell. Talk about 180 degrees!  I actually laughed out loud when I looked at the stem, not at you, but just thinking that if we don't know and no one tells us, it's pretty crazy what we can get 'up' to ;-)  You found your way though!  Quite a journey, and glad it's still going strong (bike packing, etc.).

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[Kim H.]

Hi Leah,

Do you have one of these tall stems on one of your bikes ?

https://www.benscycle.com/products/nitto-technomic-280-xl-quill-stem?id=12a0b62a-20cb-4314-9e10-7f647223c09a&variant=870-572

I have one on my Clem with Bosco bars. I originally bought mine from Alex Cycles long before the tariffs charges.

Kim Hetzel. 

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[Leah Peterson]

Kim, I own one (not presently on any bike) but yes, my 225 looked like it was running that 280, as I had it yanked so far up!

On Nov 7, 2026, at 8:27 PM, Kim H. <krhe...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Kim H.]

I wish the Nitto Technomic NTC-280 quill stem was an inch and a half taller or the head tube taller like those Dutch bicycles. 

Kim

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[John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ]

Leah

I believe Rivendell sold the 280mm Nitto Technomic back then and I believe they called it the Tallux.   My Nitto Catalog pdf stopped showing the  names and measurements, so I can not check.   Really good story with a happy ending.  What became of the Betty?

John Hawrylak

Valencia PA

[Leah Peterson]

John, I didn’t know Riv ever sold that Technomic - I just found that at Soma online, or something. But I knew nothing of those extra tall stems at the time I got the Betty, I am pretty sure mine was a Tallux but let me see if I can go all the way back and see if it says on my order. I just let Rivendell choose and assemble. I picked up the bike on a Saturday at HQ. I did grab the huge Nitto front rack while there, and had that installed when I got home, as Riv couldn’t do it that day. 

I sold the Betty online when I was getting my raspberry Platy. It’s in CA somewhere…

On Nov 7, 2026, at 8:47 PM, 'John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ' via RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Leah

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[Leah Peterson]

Yep - Tallux in 10 cm

On Nov 7, 2026, at 8:56 PM, Leah Peterson <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Patrick Moore]

Lovely Bicycle! That was one of the more interesting bike blogs of the aughts and teens. 

Riv content: Chris rode his stately (galleon-like!) 64 cm Clem on today's ABQ steel bike ride. How has the Clem changed from its original form to now? The Clem is still on my short list.

;

[Patrick Moore]

BTW, "Velouria" of Lovely Bicycles documented her introduction to the paceline 'femme" -- more accurately, faster women's riding groups. Her LB post archives are still accessible.

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Patrick Moore

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

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[Kim H.]

The Clem has changed from originally a Clementine to a Clem Smith Jr L bicycle with a longer wheel base making it feel like an elongated land surfboard.  The Clementine rides more like a standard bicycle than the Clem. 

I am sure that there are other differences. The ones I have mentioned immediately to my mind.

Kim.

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