Newer Sam Hillborne/Toyo Atlantis crossover

[exliontamer]

Just curious if anyone has any real world experience with both of these bikes, and if so, how similar they feel & ride (aside from obvious differences like tire clearance). I have a 61 Atlantis and am looking at a 60 Hillborne. Thanks!

[Bryce Lackey]

If you compare the two bikes on bike insights, they're almost identical except the new Sams have more stack.

[Joe Bernard]

The difference would be tubing. Hillborne is a "country bike" not intended to carry touring loads or bomb around on gnarly trails. Atlantis (that's one the I owned) is a beefy frame which will take just about anything you can throw at it. 

[J S]

Cannot speak for the Atlantis but I have a Hillborne and think it can be used on streets, gravel, dirt paths. It can fit 48mm tires without fenders, a really nice bike with shorter chainstays  than Riv is favoring on 90% of their current bikes. For me that was the decision point. 

On Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 12:36:39 PM UTC-5 exliontamer wrote:

[exliontamer]

Thanks for the insights. I have a potential trade for another frame I have but I have a feeling they'd be too similar outside of the slightly lighter tubing. 

[Randy Spencer]

I have both a toyo atlantis and i think a 2011 (double top tube, centermount) hillborne. They are markedly different beasts, atlantis with clearance for days, 2.2s could fit comfortably, the sam has narrower chainstays that limit it to 48s with some rubbing on high effort pushes. Tubing seems to be about the same stoutness, though the extra top tube might have something to do with that. The setups are different too, one intended for townie cruising, comfort, and gravel road touring in all weather, the other geared for more spirited road riding with capacity to jump into gravel roads and hairy descents. I will say, i do wish occasionally for a more road forward bike having the atlantis, but i make do with what i have. 

-Randy in Portland, OR

[Frank Burkybile]

I have both a Toyo Atlantis and an early Sam Hillborne. I agree that the Atlantis is pretty stout and I don't notice much flexing, even if pushed hard. My Sam feels lighter and easier to get up to cruising speed when riding. I ride them both in the city, light touring, and limited MTB trails, they will both do the job. The largest difference is the tire clearances. If you haven't noticed that this is an issue for you, I would say it probably wouldn't be as big of a difference as you might think. Having said that, if I were to get rid of one, it would be the Sam. Hope that this helps!

-Frank  

[Bikie#4646]

Dear exliontamer, I would agree with both Randy and with Frank about the two bikes. For a couple of years, I owned a very nice Toyo (2014?) Atlantis, hardly used when I purchased it. When that proved to be more bike than I thought I needed, I purchased a new 2015 Sam Hillborne, single top tube. The main difference is in the ride. I felt the fatter tires afforded by the Atlantis did not make up for the stiffer ride. (I am 160 lbs.) 

The Hillborne immediately was crowned my dedicated tourer and has done numerous tours up to 7 days, on and off-pavement (rail trails) shod with 38 mm tires and fenders. It has proved to be reliable and comfortable for that purpose and I would not hesitate to make it a daily ride. (My Hilsen is somewhat more lively but not sure about touring on it.)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bikecrazy-paul/48959491076/in/album-72157711498338087/

Of course, tire width preferences have changed a bit since 2015 and I might look at the Atlantis a little differently now - if I had not had a constant problem with chain suck which I never got a handle on. The Atlantis took wider tires back then with the help of chain stays which flared outward like the old mountain bike chain stays instead of straight back from the BB shell.

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va.