Philadelphia Bike Expo Nov 2 and 3. Rivendell to exibit

[REC (Roberta)]

https://phillybikeexpo.com/

Rivendell will be there this year.  I only went once, and it was so much fun.

I'll also be there both days with my CL-find vintage Rivendell cap.  (I'll post pic later).  If anyone needs anything in Philadelphia, just PM me (I live within walking distance to the convention center.)  Perhaps we can get a group together to go to Chinatown (a few blocks away) for dinner.  For lunch, a great option is the Reading Terminal Market (a couple blocks away).

For those coming in via train, you can get off either at Suburban station or at Jefferson station.  The convention center spans many city blocks and when I went last, the entrance was off of Broad Street, the most western entrance.

Roberta

[Jim M.]

Will & Vince are great guys, so if you haven't met them be sure to do so. And at least take them for a beer or dinner. They work hard for y'all.

jim m

wc, ca

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

I wish I was going with you, Roberta! If anyone gets a chance to have dinner with Roberta and the Riv folks you’re lucky ducks, I say! Have the best time. We await your photos, Friend.
Love,
Leah

[ascpgh]

I'll be there. I'll certainly take pictures. It's a gathering of bikes and bike folks which is different than the bike-shaped things and product people of other trade shows. Advertising and selling are certainly the attraction for the trade participants, the character of it has a stronger pull (My old friend, Ryan of Galaxy Gearworks now in Albuquerque is driving over with his display bikes).

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[ascpgh]

Roberta, hope to see you there. 

My friend and I are staying up the line at Conshohocken since the center city hotel prices were crazy, even ten weeks ago. The train was a a brief idea but the complexity of our acceptabel hotel rate radius, the car and the commuter line won. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 7:36:33 PM UTC-4, REC (Roberta) wrote:

[Melanie]

Hi Roberta,
I’ll be at the Expo both days and would love to meet you.

Melanie

[Kainalu V. -Brooklyn NY]

And while filling their bellies, don't forget to empty their hands of merchandise/buy those bikes! And bags maybe?
-Kai

[REC (Roberta)]

Jim,  I'm sure they'll enjoy a beer.  Perhaps we should go to Yards Brewery.  You are right--the Riv guys are great!

Andy,  Will you be biking in?  It's a short and easy 15 mile flat ride into the city via the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT).   All but 1.5 miles through Manyunk on Main Street is off-road and bikes can take the lane.   They have indoor bike valet this year, although, I'll probably be walking.   If you want to take the train one way and bike the other, bikes are allowed all times on the weekend.  The Suburban Station stop is closer than Jefferson, but we're only talking about 5 blocks apart.

Melanie, I love meeting people.  I'll most likely be dangling my hat from my backpack, because I don't think it will stay on my head without a helmet. 

Leah, We'll send pics and videos so you feel like you're here (as much as possible).

Kai, Will you be coming?  It would be great to see you again.  Bring your wife and the kiddies--there's a place for them to ride too.  You can also visit the Liberty Bell and the Rocky statue (not-art).  The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a "pay as you wish" this coming Sunday.

Roberta

The cap is A. Homer Hilsen blue, not actually the color in the pic.  The other pics are from the SRT a few weeks ago leaving the city towards Conshohocken.

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

Hi Roberta,

My wife and I will be at the PBE on Saturday (traveling on Amtrak). I'll keep an eye out for that Riv cap; I'd love to hear how the rest of the Minnewaska weekend went.

Bob E

Cranford, NJ 

[REC (Roberta)]

Fantastic.  Please excuse this if you already know...

Amtrak arrives at 30th Street Station.  To get to the convention center, exit out of the east exit towards downtown (The exit might be called 29th Street) and walk (or ride your bikes) down JFK or Market Street (use Market Street for bikes, as it won't turn into a one way, in the wrong direction) until you get to Broad Street (if Broad had a number, it would be 14th Street).  It's about a mile.  The convention center entrance might be a block or to to the north, on Broad.

Or take a local commuter train (not the subway) one stop east to Suburban Station and walk two more blocks east to Convention Center.  These inter city stops are usually free.  Or Uber/Taxi.

See you then!

Roberta

[JohnS]

Hello Roberta,

I'm planning to come on Saturday, driving to the Wissahickon trail head, having breakfast at Bruno's and then riding my QB down the trail, along Kelly Drive and then taking the left turn onto Race St. to the convention center. Not sure which of my teenage sons will be joining me or if my friend and his son will make it, but I'll be there with my Sackville sack slung over my shoulder. I may also be wearing a black Walz bike cap. I'll be looking for you there!

JohnS

[ascpgh]

I finally met Roberta at the lunch tables Sunday. How wonderful it was to meet another Riv rider and have a nice visit. I also met another from Reno who was unaware of this forum but is now. Will and Vince were great and reported a wonderful experience themselves.

I visited with many interesting exhibitors and reinforced some existing friendships too. Found myself with my friend, Cliff, bring left in charge of the Chapman and Coast booth while Brian and Johnny had to step away.

I’ll post my scant photos (overhead lighting was beyond bad, made every picture look foggy) when I’m at my laptop. Dinner with folks from Cane Creek, Mel Pinto Imports and Rivet Cycleworks were as much a cycling homecoming as seeing Ryan from Galaxy Gearworks for the first time since we worked together at the outdoor outfitter in the Ozarks.

Andy Cheatham
Pittsburgh

[ScaD]

Would love to hear any takeaways from the Riv booth at the Bike Expo!  I'm particularly interested in the latest version of the Hillybikes on display there, if any.  And of course pics would be great.  I am in New York, but didn't have the chance to come out to Philly this weekend. 

[REC (Roberta)]

There was an A Homer Hilsen, Cheviot, and a double top tube Atlantis in the booth, with awesome Will and Vince, and the booth seemed to have good traffic. I took a few pics and will get them posted in a day or two. Got to meet Andy from Pittsburgh, and Melanie. I was looking for John (the Riv guys said they saw him) but didn't catch up. Perhaps next year we should all just meet at the food truck at noon.

Perhaps you'll be able to come down next year. The show gets bigger every year.

[REC (Roberta)]

I didn't get to see everyone I hoped for, but perhaps next year we all can meet at the taco truck at noon!

Pics of Riv’s booth with Will and Vince.  They had three bikes, a small selection of items to purchase, and one computer ready to take orders!  The Homer was purchased by my most awesome mechanic who had a booth at the show, and said he liked riding mine.  I guess he did!  The booth always seemed busy.

[REC (Roberta)]

Selection of bike pics.  One of the LBS owners rode the Penny farthing to the show.  Like Grant, he believes bikes should be ridden.  These were just a few bikes that caught my eye. 

[REC (Roberta)]

Some most awesome people I met.  I also got to meet a few RBW posters.  My day was complete!

Simon Firth of Firth and Wilson, Philadelphia, and one of his custom saddles.  He told me it is a custom titanium Brooks Swift top with Swallow hardware and custom heart shaped rivet.  Nice guy.  You could tell he was proud to do real quality work.

Ely from Ruth Bags that I know many people here love.  Ron from King Cages.  Russ from The Path Less Pedaled.  Deb from Rivet.  Two brothers who started Tigr Locks.  The new not yet released one was very light and extremely flexible.

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

These are great! Thanks for “taking us along” with you. ❤️

[Abcyclehank]

REC (Roberta)
What were you thinking of posting a customized saddle with a heart rivet? Leah is already obsessing how to get her silly little hands on the heart shaped jewel 💜😂.
I so wanted to head there at the 11th hour. Putting it on my bucket list and checking it off next year. See you at the Taco truck. If anyone has trees I can hang a hammock from I will find a way to stay warm. Love fall camping.

Ryan Hankinson
West Michigan

[Joe Bernard]

That Velo-Orange mini velo is sweet!

[Hetchins52]

How cool that you know the person who bought the display A.H. Hilsen!

Excited to see the TiGr CroMo "Blue" lock prototype. I plan to order a Mini+ when the KickStarter goes public.

Nice collection of photos!

Thanks for sharing them, 

David Lipsky

On Monday, November 11, 2019 at 6:29:50 PM UTC-8, REC (Roberta) wrote:

....

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

Roberta, sorry I missed you at PBE -- but thanks for the info about free rides to Center City with an Amtrak ticket (I've always taken the subway for previous visits). Hope to meet up again!

Here are a few of my pics -- I'll have the rest up on my Flickr sometime soon.

 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4vaeSYnvpH/

Bob E

Cranford, NJ

[S. Greco]

It was a great show this year. I thought it was really cool to see how often the Rivs were out cruising around the test track. 

I second (third?) the plan for a RBWOB meetup at the taco truck next year! My wife and I were there with the matching Chapmans.

Some pics:

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 7:36:33 PM UTC-4, REC (Roberta) wrote:

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

Since Roberta mentioned the penny farthing being ridden to the show, I happened to spot it (and its owner) leaving the convention center as we were also leaving: