Who's getting a Platypus from this run?

[Drew Fitchette]

I'll start by saying I am not!

But that dark gold looks really nice! Periwinkle as always looks killer too... but I'm a sucker for Gold/Mustard etc.

Hope everyone who wants one gets one! 

- Drew in ATL

[Bry]

Just ordered the gold! Can’t wait!

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[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

I am pretty sure the website crashed! I was checking stock and within 7 minutes or so, the site was down. I did get the 55 periwinkle my son wanted for college before that happened.

[Drew Fitchette]

Nice one Bryan! 

Oh gosh, I figured these would be popular Leah! Glad your son is getting a Plat! 

[Jonathan Carmack]

Computers were a bad idea.

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[Drew Fitchette]

Definitely, Jon. 

Hope they sold out, rather than having a bunch in inventory and a system failure!

[Drew Fitchette]

They're back, but 50cm and 60cm frames only are left. 

All sizes of completes still available!

[Leah Peterson]

Page is back up! A few 50s and 60s left!

On Oct 14, 2026, at 3:16 PM, Drew Fitchette <drewfi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nice one Bryan! 

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[rusty_jefferson]

Yikes, this was my fear. It's like Covid never ended. Been waiting for a couple of years for a darn frame. Out of the country on vacation but got a 55cm Periwinkle. 💆

Now to sell the 56cm Susie Longbolts I got in a late Covid lottery because I won a lottery for a model I didn't want? 🤔  Bicycles! 🤦‍♂️

Jim in Annapolis....a happy camper. No, literally I'm camping.

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[Drew Fitchette]

Congrats Jim! 

I reckon someone will want to snag your Susie, but excited to see your Platy when you get it. 

- Drew

[derek zeitel]

Are website crashes typical when the Riv sales go live? I was hoping to order a frameset from an upcoming drop and I'm wondering if I should start preparing myself for disappointment? 😂

Having observed the Rivendell ordering process over the last few years... there must be a better way? Why not take a large-ish nonrefundable deposit (I would personally be fine with 50%) up until an order deadline or until a production run cap is met - whichever comes first? Seems easier, Riv would know exactly how many units to order, they would have some cash up front and the process would seemingly be much less difficult and frustrating for their customers. Unless I'm missing something obvious...

Derek Z

[Joe Putnam]

Wow! seems like the Platypus is a favorite for many. I don't remember any of the other '26 resales selling out as quickly? Maybe I am misremembering...But wow! Hopefully no one here was left in the dust this run...

[Dan]

I'll be getting a 45cm in Periwinkle for my wife from a shop I've bought a Riv frame from before.

I was thrilled when they announced the 45cm - the 50cm would have juuuuuuust worked for her with the seat post slammed, but the 45cm will be perfect.

She's looking forwards to it and is already referring to it as 'my Platy' even though it's not yet here!

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

When the ‘21 Platy was released all sizes are colors were gone in about 7 minutes. The Platypus has long been cherished in the Riv lineup; it’s a perfect combination of brains, brawn, and beauty. This shipment was delayed by several months, so there was prob a backlog of customers wanting one. Also, releasing a new size had to drive sales. I don’t know how many 45 frames and completes there were, but as of now, only 1 dark gold complete remains. I really did not expect that size to evaporate. But I’m glad! Rivendell went to the trouble to design that little bike and customers ate it up. Great!

[Drew Fitchette]

I vaguely remember the last Atlantis run having a pretty quick sell out too. 

I like the complete builds on this run, I reckon I’d only swap out the brake levers and throw a rack and basket on one if I were in the market. Seems the only way to snag a 45cm or 55cm now is the full build!

[Lynn Haas]

I'm getting a periwinkle. The color choice was difficult.

This summer was stressful and I spent an inordinate amount of time daydreaming about how I want to build and set up this bike. It got me through some tough moments. 

Lynn in Iowa

[rusty_jefferson]

Thanks Drew, I feel fortunate to have gotten one, but to be honest, I do hate the FOMO factor. I missed out on the two previous runs because I wasn't able to be online the moment they were available. Decided I'd like to own one when I was about 60, and now I'm coming up on 70!  I'll be too old to ride their bikes by the time models are available! I do think there's a way to create a waiting list with a deposit that would allow people to be assured of a frame/bike on the NEXT delivery if they committed to purchase. 

It would be wonderful if Riv could order enough to cover the pent-up demand for a model that's only going to be available once a year to 18 months and also enough to be available for a few months following a shipment. I fully understand the limitations of their supply chain and the care they're using to not have TOO much inventory. 

Lynn, so glad you were able to get a 45cm to build-up.

I would LOVE to see a Retro-run of the 26" wheeled Atlantis before I'm too old. I adore that bike! And it's been forever since they made them. Grant, if you're viewing this.....

Jim in Annapolis 

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[Kim H.]

Hi Jim, 

Upon further discussion regarding your idea of a way to create a waiting list with a deposit that would allow people to be assured of a frame/bike on the NEXT delivery if they committed to purchase, The Rivendell Bicycle Works dealer Ottawa Bike and Trail LLC in Ottawa, Kansas has a program in which you are required to place a $500.00 deposit on upcomong complete Rivendell bicycle builds only. The next one is the Atlantis.

https://ottawabikeandtrail.com/pages/rivendell-bicycles

Kim Hetzel who didn't order a Platypus and is content with his Clem. 

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[rusty_jefferson]

Hey Kim, 

Thanks for the heads-up about that dealer. Grant must have agreed to guarantee a certain number of frames for them. I see they're listed as 'limited' availability and looks like they've reached their limit for several sizes already. 

That is the type of thing I'm talking about that Riv could directly offer. The farther away from the pre-sale event the better would allow folks who KNOW they'd like a particular model when eventually available to get in early (for a cost up front) and not be penalized because they can't get on the internet at noon Pacific. This would have been I think, the third (maybe 4th?) batch I would have missed out on if I hadn't been on vacation. My cell connection wasn't great either, only 2 bars standing outside in a campground! There was a lot of spinning on the screen while checking out. 💆

Jim in Annapolis 

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[Kim H.]

You are more than welcome, Jim.

'Twould be nice if this was implemented at RBW headquarters.

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[Leah Peterson]

Ok, I know I asked this same question once before, and I’m hoping I’m remembering correctly what the reason was…. Here goes, and if somehow I’m wrong this is a failing of MY memory and not what Riv said.

The reason we can’t do deposits is because the makers of the Rivendell frames slot Rivendell in for a certain time/amount of frames. These are labor-intensive and they take a lot of time, so it’s not like it is easy to churn out 500 Platypuses. Bigger companies with higher orders also have more clout than smaller businesses like RBW. So, it’s not a constraint from Riv but rather the manufacturer. 

Is my understanding.

Leah

On Oct 15, 2026, at 12:41 PM, rusty_jefferson <rustyjeffe...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Bill Lindsay]

I believe Leah is correct about the manufacturing constraints on Rivendell, but I think that answer is better directed at DZ's hypothetical earlier in the thread.  DZ proposed that it would be better for everyone if Rivendell could take as many pre-payments as people were willing to pay, and THEN order that many frames (plus some for inventory).  If Rivendell guessed that they needed 60 55cm Platypus frames, 30 in each color, and it turned out they got 100 deposits, they just change their order quantity and life is good.  Leah's answer explains why that is unfortunately impossible.  The thing Rivendell needs is a crystal ball so they can predict how many bikes people will want to buy ~16 months in advance.  

In my opinion, those who are fans of Rivendell Bicycle Works and want RBW to succeed, the only universal advice I can give is that you buy what Rivendell has to sell you, when they have it to sell you.  For those things that you've "missed out on", just keep alert on the second hand market and be happy that Rivendell sold through that inventory.  If Leah had missed out on kid-college-Plat, she would have figured something out.  This I'm sure of.  

There are lots of excellent bikes out there and most of them are not Rivendells.  Make sure you own at least one nice bike and ride it.  If a Rivendell purchase-opportunity presents itself and you want to act on it, go for it!  Until then keep riding!  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Leah Peterson]

I could get used to having this amount of confidence in my tenacity, Bill! I’d definitely have figured something out had the presale gone south on me. 

And Bill is  double right about buying what you want from Riv now and not later. The only constant at Rivendell is change. They are always keeping it interesting with new or improved products, and if you like it, you best buy it, because it may not come around again. I’ve tried and liked so many things over the years. There are a few constants I would stand by, come hell or high water.

The Best of Rivendell would be a fun thread…

L

On Oct 15, 2026, at 5:17 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:

I believe Leah is correct about the manufacturing constraints on Rivendell, but I think that answer is better directed at DZ's hypothetical earlier in the thread.  DZ proposed that it would be better for everyone if Rivendell could take as many pre-payments as people were willing to pay, and THEN order that many frames (plus some for inventory).  If Rivendell guessed that they needed 60 55cm Platypus frames, 30 in each color, and it turned out they got 100 deposits, they just change their order quantity and life is good.  Leah's answer explains why that is unfortunately impossible.  The thing Rivendell needs is a crystal ball so they can predict how many bikes people will want to buy ~16 months in advance.  

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[rusty_jefferson]

As I mentioned in my previous post, I wholeheartedly understand Riv's general business decisions to maintaining limited production along with many of their manufacturing partners doing the same. We all saw the disaster that happened in the bicycling marketplace post Covid to companies that over-produced. 

My only issue is the sort of Black Friday FOMO that happens around the pre-sale available at noon launches. Those alienate people who can't be online at that moment (as happened to me for 2 or 3 shipments) in their timezone and I think feeds the FOMO even more. 

If Riv announced today they were taking prepaid deposit orders for the next run of Platypus to come in 16 months from now and they think there will be 100 size 55cm frames in color 'A' and color 'B', there's no way those frames would be sold out in 7 minutes. But, maybe 10-20 would be spoken for in the first weekend by folks who know today they'd really like to have one, and have missed out on several runs because they're at work at noon Pacific on a Wednesday and can't stop to buy a bicycle. 

I also believe this approach would provide Riv useful information leading up to placing their order that would allow them to massage their quantities/colors and not immediately run out of 45s and 55s and have too many 50s and 60s because they were guessing at the quantities. 

As to buying what Riv has available as opposed to the model you wanted, I believe I'm a good example of that not being a good idea but won't go into detail here. Their models are different enough that simply replacing a Platy with a Susie for example, because it's available and sort of a step thru, may not work out well. Also, it takes a Susie away from someone who wanted one and also means your Susie isn't being ridden and had to be resold. It just puts more pressure on the limited supply chain. If demand for Platypus is such that people are signing up for the next Platypus run with a deposit and not buying a Susie also gives Riv valuable information so they can adjust build quantities to make more Platys and fewer Susies if the latter sales are lagging. And yes, I know Susies are currently out of production, I was just using it as an example. 

If anyone agrees with me, please speak up and maybe someone will talk to Grant about it. It seems workable to me.

Jim in Annapolis, who, unlike many Americans, can't always have access to the interwebs at a particular moment in time, but might still want to buy a bicycle.🙂

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[Johnny Alien]

First and foremost I think its fantastic that Rivendell has continued to grow and in a market that I would have thought would be shrinking at this point they are selling out left and right. With that in mind I think it should be obvious to them that they have more customers for their bikes then they get stock for. Every single popular model sells out almost immediately. I understand not wanting to sit on stock but I think its been proven that this is not a rare fluke and they should be ordering up more than they currently are. If its a bottleneck at the factory then it may be time to look around at other factories. Please note that I have no knowledge of the bike industry. I actually have no knowledge of any industry. I have some knowledge but most of it is useless.

[Drew Fitchette]

I reckon that they’re doing the best they can given the constraints of running a small boutique business. 

Glad you got a bike, Jim!

Looks like 4 gold 50cm and 1 gold 60cm frame left, and a decent amount of completes in 50, 55, and 60cm. Looking forward to seeing folks’ bikes!

[Robert Calton]

I was really considering it, as I've been toying with the idea of frame-swapping my 54cm Homer setup but alas, I was too late.