A Homer Hilsen spotted in downtown Olympia, Washington today.

[Kim H.]

After driving away from filling up my water containers from the artesian well downtown Olympia, I spied a beautiful blue Rivendell Homer Hilsen locked up outside of restaurant on my way out of town in heading home. It was truly a rare sight to see this bike in the wild. I had to back up my car to take pictures.

Is the back wheel bigger than front wheel ? ... or am I seeing things differently ?

Kim Hetzel, who loves to make his monthly pilgrimage to get his artesian water for drinking. The City of Olympia tests the water regularly with the results on their website.

[Ryan]

650 front and 700 rear?

[Kim H.]

@Ryan,

That is what I see now.

Kim Hetzel.

[Chris Law]

If this isn't an optical illusion, maybe they're trying to reduce the trail slightly? Not sure if that'd even be a noticeable difference though. 

[Cyclofiend Jim]

Hmmmm... well that is a curious choice. 
While my aught-nine AHH has a level top tube design, the long wheelbase model here should have an upslope as shown on the site. 
https://www.rivbike.com/products/homer?srsltid=AfmBOorWfU2SQjoXG9YWOmXnamBfX0noxODRA_uimI9yMuPh8V6wX-Go

(Not that mine could be described as "short wheelbase" of course...)

It looks a bit like a proto-cargo approach to loading the front wheel. Makes me wonder a little about pedal clearance with that dropped BB.

Jim

[Franco Rinaldi]

A bike with mismatched wheel sizes is less likely to be stolen. An nyc trick.

Franco Rinaldi 

c:  646.403.0661 

-Pardon any typos, Siri typed this message-

On Dec 24, 2024, at 1:41 PM, Cyclofiend Jim <cyclo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hmmmm... well that is a curious choice. 

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[John Dewey]

Clever trick. Does it really work?

 

To think I thought I knew it all. And for sure Happy ‘25 🚴

Jock

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[Brian McDermott]

Looks like an optical illusion. If you look at where the brake pads are in the calipers they look about the same 

[Johnny Alien]

Thats true but it sure doesn't look like an optical illusion. Maybe a replaced fork from a 650b model? Would that even work? I don't understand that stuff.

[Josh C]

I can't imagine this is a security measure. 

[Ryan]

Especially not with an expensive saddle bag and its contents still on the bike and not with its owner. But definitely looks like a smaller diameter front wheel. and different front and rear brake. Or maybe that is just my old eyes

[Kim H.]

Merry Christmas to one and all !

I will provide more information in hopes that this will solve the optical illusion to the picture of the Homer Hilsen I took.

First off, when I initially saw the Homer, I saw it at the last second as I drove past it. I did not want to drive around the block nor turn around in the middle of the street. Therefore, I decided to back up at angle with the rear of my car pointing into a driveway entrance to a parking lot to take pictures from the inside of my car. With this being sad, I think that has a lot to do with my picture creating an optical illusion of the bike have two different wheel sizes.

Kim Hetzel.

[Ryan]

ok that makes sense...merry christmas Kim

[Kim H.]

@Ryan,

Yes, I would agree with you. It was the camera angle that threw most people off.

Merry Christmas to you. 

Kim Hetzel. 

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[larson....@gmail.com]

Optical illusion/lens distortion. Rear wheel looks oval to my eyes because of this.

Randy in WI

[Franco Rinaldi]

Oval wheels are another really good security measure in nyc.

Franco Rinaldi 

c:  646.403.0661 

-Pardon any typos, Siri typed this message-

On Dec 26, 2024, at 9:06 AM, larson....@gmail.com <larson....@gmail.com> wrote:

Optical illusion/lens distortion. Rear wheel looks oval to my eyes because of this.

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[Keith Weaver]

Kim,

I went to college in Olympia (go Geoducks!) and fondly remember the flowing artesian well downtown. Thanks for the memories! Nice to see that at least one more Rivendell is in circulation in the area, along with yours. It certainly seems that they should fit into the bike ethos that I recall in the area.

Cheers,

Keith in Reno

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[Kim H.]

@Keith,

It is nice to know that you went to Evergreen College in Olympia. Go Speedy the Geoduck !  I have been visiting the artesian well for over 30 years. I cannot seem to stop this pilgrimage and habit. At least I know what is in the water compared to bottle water. Right ?

Did you ever drink from the artesian well downtown ?

Yes, it is truly nice to see more Rivendell bicycles in the culture of Olympia. It still remain a total surprise to me. 

Tally-ho,

Kim Hetzel