Any DC-area Betty Foys? Need help securing spousal permission to order one!

[Hugh Rope]

Dear Rivendell Owners' Bunch,

I'm writing to ask for your help. We've *almost* decided to get a 52
cm Betty Foy for my wife.

She's 5'4" and rides with a a saddle height just a smidge below 25".
She's currently commuting on a full-suspension Canndondale w/ road
slicks, and she's *almost* convinced that a lovely steel mixte with
fenders & upright bars would be a better commuter (and a source of
joy, what with the pretty hearts in the lugs...).

But here's the thing: She's concerned about ordering a bike that she's
never seen or ridden. Emphasis on the ridden, I think.

We live in Kensington, Maryland, which is just outside the Capital
Beltway, next to Bethesda.

My question is, might there by a proud Betty Foy owner or "Rivendell
ambassador" somewhere in the greater DC/Baltimore area, who might let
my wife check out (take just the quickest of spins on) such a bike?

Please forgive my presumption. And thank you sincerely, in advance,
for any help.

Thanks!

-HR

[islaysteve]

Wow, wish I could help.  I live in Kensington,  too,  but I've never seen a Betty Foy.  Need an excuse to drive to Ohio 

(Country Bike Shop) or Boston (Harris Cyclery)?  But check with them first if you do.  I think the Washingon/mid-Atlantic deserves to have a Rivendell dealer.  I know there aren't many in the country.  And alas, Velo Orange no longer sells a mixte.  Best of luck, Steve 

[Minh]

With the number of DC folks in the area, it'd be great if we could
maintain a sublist for DC based RBW owners, i think it'd be helpful
for these types of requests, and also for posting local events.

As for the original request, i only know about the mysterious Betty
Foy that surfaced recently, so good luck finding one to test ride. In
a pinch consider test riding another rivendell, not ideal but will
give her an idea of what it would feel like.

And Hugh, admit it, you want the Betty Foy more then your wife :)

[Allingham II, Thomas J]

And to clarify, you think Hugh wants the Betty Foy more than his wife [wants the Betty Foy]! Rather than the rather harsher alternative, Hugh wants the Betty Foy more than [he wants] his wife!

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[Seth Vidal]

On Tue, Aug 16, 2011 at 12:27 PM, Minh <mgian...@gmail.com> wrote:
> With the number of DC folks in the area, it'd be great if we could
> maintain a sublist for DC based RBW owners, i think it'd be helpful
> for these types of requests, and also for posting local events.
>

I don't think there needs to be a sublist. The various regions of the
country talk on this list to coordinate pretty commonly - especially
the cali contingent. I don't see why the DC-area folks can't use this
list too.

-sv

[islaysteve]

She's welcome to ride my 51cm Bleriot for the "Rivendell feel", but it's got drop bars. 

Steve

[Minh]

Seth,

You're probably right, maybe the DC crowd are not as social as the
Cali crowd. In addition i'd be ok being on an informal email tree
(not sure about everyone else), just so i'd know who's in the area,
maybe get together for group rides, parts swapping. Maybe i'm just
too sensitive about polluting the list ;)

On Aug 16, 1:50 pm, Seth Vidal <skvi...@gmail.com> wrote:

[islaysteve]

Minh, why don't you start a new post, inviting DC-area Riv'rs to post email addresses, and those of us who were interested could make our own lists?

Steve

[cyclot...@gmail.com]

Has your wife read this review?
http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2010/11/popular-girl-test-riding-rivendell.html

An email grouping works pretty well for smaller regional stuff. We
also have the somewhat effective flickr group as well. Not everybody
is on flickr or checks it regularly though.

[Lisa]

What sort of handlebars does your wife want on her Betty Foy?

I'm a little shorter than your wife, but pretty close (5'3", saddle height of 625 mm) and I ride a 47 cm Atlantis with drop bars (60 mm stem and short-reach bars).  My Atlantis has a top tube length of 520 mm.  The 52 cm Betty Foy, with a similar seat tube angle, has an (effective) top tube of 575 mm.  It may fit with Albatross bars, but with drop bars, it would almost certainly be much too long for a 5' 4" woman.

It might be nice to test a 47 cm Foy as well as a 52 cm, if you can arrange to do it. 

Lisa

[Joan Oppel]

Hugh - I was also going to offer a test ride on my Bleriot....but my saddle height is 70 cm, though I'm just 5'3" (maybe, I've been shrinking in height in my 60's).  The Bleriot is a 53 cm model.  However, I can say this:  I never had a test ride on the Bleriot before I ordered it.  And it's a wonderful bike.  We can always lower the seat for a test ride.  I live in Arlington.

I am sensitive to 'reach' on a bike, I've got long legs and short arms (typical of women).  I have the Bleriot set up as close as possible to my ideal position.  It does have drop bars, but she could get a feel for the 650B ride. 

Joan
(The Betty Foy would be a better commuter, the Bleriot and I happily commuted for several years until I retired.)

On 08/16/11, Hugh Rope<hugh...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Rivendell Owners' Bunch,

I'm writing to ask for your help. We've *almost* decided to get a 52
cm Betty Foy for my wife.

She's 5'4" and rides with a a saddle height just a smidge below 25".
She's currently commuting on a full-suspension Canndondale w/ road
slicks, and she's *almost* convinced that a lovely steel mixte with
fenders & upright bars would be a better commuter (and a source of
joy, what with the pretty hearts in the lugs...).

But here's the thing: She's concerned about ordering a bike that she's
never seen or ridden. Emphasis on the ridden, I think.

We live in Kensington, Maryland, which is just outside the Capital
Beltway, next to Bethesda.

My question is, might there by a proud Betty Foy owner or "Rivendell
ambassador" somewhere in the greater DC/Baltimore area, who might let
my wife check out (take just the quickest of spins on) such a bike?

Please forgive my presumption. And thank you sincerely, in advance,
for any help.

Thanks!

-HR

[ed k]

Hey - I live in the DC area and I'm (relatively) friendly.

Hugh - Your 5'4" wife can come up to Rockville and take a long ride on
my 5'2" wife's 52cm Betty. She has Noodle bars. email me off-list
for contact info.

Ed & Ann (aka Bomba & Betty)

[hugh rope]

Dear all,

Thanks everyone for the helpful (& the humorous) comments, the questions & suggestions, & the Rivendell test ride offers!

 

And thanks especially to Ed-in-Rockville for offering a 52cm Betty Foy test ride for my wife, which I hope will take place within a few days. 

And please don't tell my wife, but as for me, well, I'm pretty sure that her test ride will be followed by our placing an order for a Betty Foy (with albatross bars, bar-end shifters, a rear rack, & fenders...).

-HR

[hugh rope]

Bike ordered!

Thanks again!

[Crazy4Suki]

Great news! I'm still enjoying my Betty today as much as when I first
got her :)

Karen

[Amit Singh]

Congratulations! Glad to hear she liked it. Now ... Time to wait ...

Please share photos when it arrives.

[islaysteve]

Great news.  Hope to see you both on the local roads and trails.

Steve

[rb]

We're not in the neighborhood, but here is a photo of my wife's Glorious...for whatever reason, it's one of the nicest riding bikes I've been on (had to drop in a seat post with another foot of length for me to really get a sense of how fine this bike rides).  She loves it, as does every person of the right size who takes it around for a ride. Some changes since that photo are removing the basket, and adding a rear rack + panniers, + lighting.  The tires are the 32 mm cypress which are really fast, yet still smooth out dirt roads.

 

[cyclotourist]

I love this group!

On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 3:55 PM, islaysteve <alki...@verizon.net> wrote:

Great news.  Hope to see you both on the local roads and trails.

Steve

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Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

...in terms of recreational cycling there are many riders who would probably benefit more from
improving their taste than from improving their performance. - RTMS