We don’t have spring so we’re redoing our bikes…

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Can we just talk bikes? It’s May in Michigan and I have never been so disappointed. 

After enduring the toughest, iciest winter we have moved on to the chilliest, windiest spring. I have ridden through some of it anyway, but after maxing out my heart rate enough times on wide open roads in high winds, I cannot be prevailed upon to ride in this mess anymore. I will wait for Michigan to be reasonable. 

I decided this was the time to overhaul my #1 Riv, my raspberry Platypus. It was the One Good Thing of 2020, and now it is 2026 and times have changed. Since the bike was built, Rivendell produced their Silver shifters and their OM-1 and their Silver 3 cranks. As much stuff as can be Riv on the bike, I want it on there. And while this bike is them it also has to be me. So, I decided to add some color.

This turned into a big project that I feel zero shame over. Let’s begin.

1. 38t/24t with whatever cassette is not high enough. I loved the 42/28 on Charlie, so I ordered those chain rings and a 11-36t cassette. I don’t know anything about cassettes, but Will said this one. The celebrated Ashley out of Colorado did a fancy ano job on the chain guard, the likes of which the world has never seen.

2. Wheels. My 2nd son has asked for a Platypus for his college bike. (He doesn’t even speak “bike.” He has a 52 Clem H and told me, “This bike isn’t good. Everything about it as not as good as that one [points to Platypus].” He is absolutely right - all the stuff and things on my Platy are superior to his stock, hand-me-down Clem H and knowing nothing, he knows.) We will sell that bike and get him that Platy. 

So, he needs wheels, and I’ll give him mine, dyno hub and all. I took this opportunity to write my friends at Velocity and they said, “For your touring/camping bike? Cliffhangers.” So they are currently working on custom ano Cliffs with a Son hub that I expect to have soon. 

3. Bags. Backabikes are simply not big enough. I got Dave at Waxwing to make me some Barbie Dreamhouse panniers. He’ll make me a matching handlebar bag when it’s my turn in the queue.

4. Silver2s! No more Microshift. 

5. OM-1: I have RR on Charlie and I like it, so I can only imagine the OM-1 is going to be wonderful.

6. Stole the pedals from another bike because I needed pink.

7. Choco bars. The angle of the Billie is doing something to my right hand and wrist. I don’t know. Added bonus: Chocos give you more room when you like to junk up your bars.

8. Mount on the rack for a Varia radar

9. Silver3 cranks - Ashley got her hands on these, too.

That’s the list, as I remember it. I have one final big expense and that is the Schmidt Ladelux. I will give my Edelux II to my son. I love the Edelux but the reviews are excellent for the Ladelux and it really will charge your phone. Also, not having it flicker at slow speed will be fantastic. I still remember the Petosky campground when my son and I were rolling in late after dinner in pitch blackness through the woods. It was a cut-in through the woods on singletrack, and it saved us a lot of time on the road. There was a sand pit and a mud hole I knew were there from daylight, but I could not see them with my flickering Edelux. It was then that I understood why people bought Sinewave and Ladelux. 

All the parts I removed will go on the College Platypus. I know he’s getting nice things, but I no longer fret about that. My older son has ridden the paint off his College Clem and has needed all that nice stuff. I had set him up with battery lights that he 1. Lost and 2. Never charged. I will not lay awake thinking about the boys coming home late at night in the dark without lights. Also, he drove that College Clem to the PNW for his summer internship and even though he’s got a vehicle, he’s riding the bike. Let the kids have nice bikes!

Did you make it this far? Too many words, I am sorry. Take pity; I’m dying to ride and this is all I have. 

I’ll send pics of some of the pieces in a second post. 

Leah

[Leah Peterson]

Ashley said, “I have an idea. How do you feel about flowers?” I don’t want to know how many hours this took her. These roses are all anodized. And then she had to do color.

After everything is set and sealed the color is toned down, but still bright and lovely in real life.

Every which way you turn the cranks, there are different patterns and color to see.

I sent her a photo of my bike and it took her in a totally different direction than the “cosmic rainbow” we had planned. She is a creative genius, and she had been doing a lot of “fish skin, so this was a welcome break.

You wanted to see the fish skin, didn’t you:

These dreamy bags will have so much carrying capacity, easy on/off, and HANDLES. Kept all the great things Riv had but added the ones lacking.

I’ll show you the bike when the wheels arrive and are in place. 

Leah

On May 13, 2026, at 10:09 PM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Can we just talk bikes? It’s May in Michigan and I have never been so disappointed. 

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[Ryan Fleming]

cant wait to see this!Those cranks!

[Dan]

I’ve never seen anything quite like that anodising! The refreshed bike is going to be incredible. 

[JAS]

As we’ve come to learn, you are all about class and style!  It must be so hard to await the parts, though I guess the snotty weather is helping. Thanks for sharing the story and details.  You are taking the OG Platy to a new level and I can hardly wait to see the photos when complete.  Beautiful job, Leah! 

[Steve]

Leah, as I looked at your pics the first word that came to mind was "wow!"   The second word was WOW!!!

I hope you realize your Raspberry Platy makeover is likely to lead to a wardrobe refresh because a bike like that should not be ridden in just any sort of togs.

Steve in AVL

[Valerie Yates]

Beautiful! I am eager to see it all put together. 

Would you share the rack mount for varia radar? I was interested in one but could only find seat mounts, which don't work with my xsmall saddlesack. 

[Leah Peterson]

Here you go, Valerie! 

Sent from my iPhone

On May 14, 2026, at 12:42 PM, Valerie Yates <vya...@gmail.com> wrote:

Beautiful! I am eager to see it all put together. 

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[Valerie Yates]

Perfect! Thanks!

[Andrew Letton]

What also works well for rack mounting a Varia is a threadless stem cap Garmin computer mount, like these below. Sorry for the hideously long URLs!

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006777875321.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.5.4eb51116wpQfQQ&algo_pvid=859a138e-3709-45a0-8be6-7ba660f89329&algo_exp_id=859a138e-3709-45a0-8be6-7ba660f89329-4&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%22271%22%2C%22spu_best_type%22%3A%22price%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21AUD%2111.69%215.73%21%21%2156.62%2127.74%21%402101e2b017788044126708326e9d9d%2112000038266972281%21sea%21AU%21928484858%21X%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3Abf8fe7a9%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895&curPageLogUid=KRtGEIVApOhR&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005006777875321%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&tblci=GiB7BZvQT7VbKQ1OGkFeN4e2_3NhVNUc6HxC_UHlJN2H7SDA9m4o8cfT5_PMzNV2MKnTYw

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010044437342.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.9.4eb51116wpQfQQ&algo_pvid=859a138e-3709-45a0-8be6-7ba660f89329&algo_exp_id=859a138e-3709-45a0-8be6-7ba660f89329-8&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221549%22%2C%22spu_best_type%22%3A%22price%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21AUD%214.96%211.92%21%21%213.54%211.37%21%402101e2b017788044126708326e9d9d%2112000050931292931%21sea%21AU%21928484858%21X%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3Abf8fe7a9%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000206620968&curPageLogUid=IqPakicCwW9P&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005010044437342%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&tblci=GiB7BZvQT7VbKQ1OGkFeN4e2_3NhVNUc6HxC_UHlJN2H7SDA9m4o8cfT5_PMzNV2MKnTYw

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007850511497.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.7.4eb51116wpQfQQ&algo_pvid=859a138e-3709-45a0-8be6-7ba660f89329&algo_exp_id=859a138e-3709-45a0-8be6-7ba660f89329-6&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%22178%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21AUD%2110.80%215.29%21%21%2152.33%2125.64%21%402101e2b017788044126708326e9d9d%2112000042534677685%21sea%21AU%21928484858%21X%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3Abf8fe7a9%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895&curPageLogUid=n7NDN3iCb0pn&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005007850511497%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&tblci=GiB7BZvQT7VbKQ1OGkFeN4e2_3NhVNUc6HxC_UHlJN2H7SDA9m4o8cfT5_PMzNV2MKnTYw

cheers,

Andrew in Sydney

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[Valerie Yates]

Thanks! Very good to know. 

[Leah Peterson]

Thank you, everyone for indulging this silliness. I took my bike out today and got acquainted with all the new parts. So far I’m delighted. I like RR and the higher gears and I love my Choco bars. 

The look is just not complete without the wheels, so no pics for you yet. The Velocity anodizer really wants to try something new to complement Ashley’s work. It’s always a gamble involving 2 anodizers, but they worked together (though they don’t know each other and did not discuss the project) on my Northern Lights Charlie and they both turned out the same product. It was wild. Since Ashley took our project in a whole new direction I just told David to do what he thought and I’d promise to like it, whatever it is, zero pressure. He’s seen the new parts; let’s see what he does with our wheels.

Here’s what these two did last time. 

Pretty amazing for working independently of each other, right?

Anyway, I got everybody’s Varia mounts figured out except Charlie’s. I think I may move his saddlebag to the bars and put a seatpost mount on him. I don’t know. 

The weather is starting to warm and I will be happy to ride the bikes instead of dressing them up!

Leah

On May 14, 2026, at 10:00 PM, Valerie Yates <vya...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks! Very good to know. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/da9be875-f32e-46fc-a5fc-bf487d61adean%40googlegroups.com.

[ascpgh]

We'll be able to tell Leah's weather by the modifications to her bike. I've always insisted that one's bike is a document of experiences and preferences refined by their riding (or, in this case, not riding). 

Is the Ladelux available in silver? It could be the start of another anodization project...

I cope with the cold, precipitous, dark winter months on my commutes, but I also have great difficulty mustering that diligence for my recreational riding if spring can't get itself sprung.

Reaching home, where the 15" accumulation became too deep and unplowed to get out of the road on a very cold Sunday night in January after work.

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Leah Peterson]

Oh, that snow looks miserable. I am not made of the same stuff you are, Andy. When I feel I am owed good weather - like in high May - and it’s Diet Winter instead, I really cannot be motivated to get out there. It hits different when it’s SUPPOSED to be nice.

Ladelux is only in ugly black. I had hoped they’d broaden the selection, but my happiness has not been factored in at Schmidt Product Development. Peter White - are you out there? Put in a good word for us? XOXO

Leah

On May 15, 2026, at 8:05 AM, ascpgh <asc...@gmail.com> wrote:

We'll be able to tell Leah's weather by the modifications to her bike. I've always insisted that one's bike is a document of experiences and preferences refined by their riding (or, in this case, not riding). 

Is the Ladelux available in silver? It could be the start of another anodization project...

I cope with the cold, precipitous, dark winter months on my commutes, but I also have great difficulty mustering that diligence for my recreational riding if spring can't get itself sprung.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/cf2d3ef6-86db-4abf-8346-5471f2829556n%40googlegroups.com.

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[Joe Putnam]

WOW! for the umpteenth time. Those roses are INCREDIBLE...along with everything else you posted. Can't wait to see the completed build! Do the folks you work with for the bags n' other custom stuff work with any old poor slob, or these personal friends? Cause this poor slob is interested!

[Leah Peterson]

Joe, good news - anyone can order from these folks! I just happen to make friends with them in the process; It’s not hard - they’re all fantastic people. Let me know who/what and I’ll hook you up with their contact info. Tell them Leah sent you.

I promise the bikes ride better and more enjoyment seeps into your marrow when you’re riding a Rivendell with custom bags and colorful parts. It’s science.

Leah

On May 15, 2026, at 8:27 PM, Joe Putnam <sirputn...@gmail.com> wrote:

WOW! for the umpteenth time. Those roses are INCREDIBLE...along with everything else you posted. Can't wait to see the completed build! Do the folks you work with for the bags n' other custom stuff work with any old poor slob, or these personal friends? Cause this poor slob is interested!

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c48dda87-e4e5-4160-9312-50f84422a8e6n%40googlegroups.com.