PSA 58cm Rivendell Custom 26"

[Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RIVENDELL-custom-26-Touring-bike-58x58-cm/133354552620?hash=item1f0c8cfd2c:g:~wYAAOSwxDFeZBUD

Pretty bike dripping with upgraded parts. Price is a steal. Not my size, and no affiliation. Check the seller's other auctions. Some nice stuff priced really well. (The 64cm Columbine is tempting..) 

Marty

[Kevin Lindsey]

Poor guy's been trying to sell this bike for the past year or two - it's been popping up fairly regularly.

I've been in touch with him in the past; the frame essentially is a custom-made All Rounder that looks to be in good shape.

Kevin Lindsey

Alexandria, VA

[maxcr]

Why hasn't it sold (other than it's too expensive for the state it's in)? I thought the 26 all-rounder is everyone's dream bike.

I asked and it fits 2" tires which sounds perfect.

I'm so tempted to make an offer.

Max

[Joe Bernard]

It's too expensive, period. I understand why he wants that kinda cash, but that's a $1500 bike.

[Mark Roland]

It's true you lose a lot as soon as you ride it home, but strange that this would be worth less than a Clem Smith Jr. Not that the Jr. isn't a great bike, but it is TIG welded, MIT, with inexpensive parts (except crankset). Sure, the Riv 26" has some beausage, but still looks fantastic, and I doubt the ride quality has changed much since it was made;^) Skinny tires though!

[Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA]

What are you paying for your $1500 custom Joe? 

I think the asking price is very fair. Seems like a good way to save $1500 on a classic Rivendell to me. The BG cantis alone ran $300+, not to mention the rest of the build. Lower the saddle and bars (looks a little goofy that high) and take some nicer photos and I think it would sell. 

Marty

On Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 4:31:03 PM UTC-4, Joe Bernard wrote:

[Karl]

I think Joe is pretty spot on from the All Rounder and All Rounder frame I just sold. Getting ready to put a custom road frame up and will be happy if I get 1k for her!

Karl
Nashville,TN

[Joe Bernard]

Actually I misunderstood it as an All Rounder..this is a more recent full custom, not a production Waterford. I could see it going for $2k.

[Joe Bernard]

So now with my recalibrated market sense: I think it struggles with being a tall 26-inch-wheel bike in a 650B/27.5 era, and the convoluted parts mix. It'll sell eventually if he really wants it gone, but his price will need to budge a bit.

[maxcr]

I agree, better photos and it’ll go for $1,500-$2,000 depending on urgency.
Max

[Christopher Cote]

As a point of reference, the ""Doc" Steve Custom Special" from Riv is $2200. I'd expect to pay more for a bike from Riv, than for one from a private citizen. eBay means potentially a slightly higher price than here, which should be slightly more than Craigslist or FB marketplace, IMHO. BTW, interesting to see Riv selling a used bike. I like it.

Chris, who would definitely be interested in the 58cm 26" custom if he didn't already own a 26" wheel Atlantis.

[Mike Godwin]

I've seen that bike and the sellers others on LA craigslist. He has some really nice bikes. The craigslist ads had better quality photos. Some prices were good, some not so good.

Mike SLO CA

On Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 7:12:15 PM UTC-7, Christopher Cote wrote:

[S. Greco]

I think lots of people just don't like the thought of paying top dollar for a bunch of parts they may not want / the seller clearly doesn't want.

I had offered the seller 2K for the F/F/HS last year, he seemed offended by the offer.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 3:51:47 PM UTC-4, Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA wrote:

[Wyatt]

Yeah, the frame is great, but I wouldn’t want that build.

[Bill Lindsay]

Back in the late 90s and early 00s, when I was a bike mechanic and graduate student, parting out bike from eBay and craigslist was one of my income streams.  When I got a 'real job', I'd still buy complete bikes and part out the build to get a frame for free.  Don't people do that anymore?  People just can't be bothered with the hassle?  I see an expensive build wrapped around a desireable frame.  I could envision parting that thing out and getting it down to a frameset that I'd have $1000 invested in.  Others are referring to this frameset like it's inextricably locked to its parts, or that you'd have to throw the parts into the garbage.  Part it out!

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Joe Bernard]

The problem isn't so much that you can't part it out as that it's a lot of hassle. Fine if that's your thing, but there's so many other pefectly good complete Rivs out there for that kinda money. I can see why he's not getting much interest.

[Drw]

Yeah I have owned 2 used rivendells that came with better or similar parts that were about 1000$ less. Of course those were deals I pounced on, but feeling like you’re getting a deal is part of making a sale. Also I’m not sure that these customs, though they cost much more to make/buy (than say a hillborne), are worth more upon resale. They include many more unknowns about what the frame is and what the fit is like.

[Joe Bernard]

Correct Drw, which brings us back to it's a talk frame with out-of-vogue wheels. The reality about production Rivs you usually know if you fit or not, and it's pretty hard to stipulate one made to Grant's specs at Waterford, Toyo or Taiwan is inferior in any noticeable way to a custom.

I'm getting a custom made to my specific desires and dimensions, but will it be "better" than other Rivs I've owned? I doubt it. It'll be special just for me in my color choice from the great Joe Bell and this is all worth what I'm paying. But my almost comically cheaper Clem L is probably 99% as good as far as how a bike works.

[Joe Bernard]

*it's a tall frame

[Abcyclehank]

It’s a tiny frame.

Ryan Hankinson
West Michigan

[Joe Bernard]

It's a tall frame for 26" wheels in a 650B/27.5 world. Which was supposed to reference an earlier post I made, but I forgot to make the connection.

[Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA]

On Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 12:39:51 AM UTC-4, Joe Bernard wrote:

It's a tall frame for 26" wheels in a 650B/27.5 world. Which was supposed to reference an earlier post I made, but I forgot to make the connection.

For you Joe.  Maybe not for someone else. This is close to something I would ride. Personally, I don't live in a 650b world. If someone was looking for a cool custom 26"-wheeled Rivendell-badged bike like this, where are they going to find one? Like the recent custom Riv sold that was not just right for Vaughn, seems to me there is a lot of seller-bashing going on here lately. If something pops up FS here that you are not interested in, why comment at all? If you are interested, reach out to the seller and make an offer for what you think it's worth. Still too much? Walk away. 

I thought posting that ad here would help someone find their perfect ride as a fair price. Didn't intend to start a thing. For the sake of sellers out there, I won't do that again. Let the cricket's chirping send a message that the price may be out of line. Other non-bike groups I frequent discourage if not ban the whole topic of what things are "worth" for good reason. I'm all for that. 

Marty

[Bill Lindsay]

Marty

Please don’t stop posting links to Rivendell for sale. People just like to express their disapproval sometimes. I don’t think the disapprovers even think they are disapproving.

Bill Lindsay
El Cerrito Ca

[Steven Sweedler]

Marty, don’t be offended by the  criticism. Its not directed at you. This bike has been for sale for quite awhile, I seriously considered it months ago, but much prefer to buy framesets rather than completes. Parting out is certainly an option that I considered, but never thought I could recoup $1500 off the parts as Bill mentioned. Despite the expensive parts, I think it is priced high, I don’t think the seller is what I would call motivated. Steve

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Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

[Joe Bernard]

Marty, someone asked in the third comment on the thread "Why hasn't this sold?" after the second comment was that it had been around for years. To me that's a conversation starter so I joined the conversation because Riv values interest me. You're not the seller and this isn't a FS thread, I perceive it as a conversation thread.

[Joe Bernard]

Also, I think Steven Sweedler is right, he doesn't seem a motivated seller. I've done this: posted a frame or bike at an "if I can't get this much for it I'd rather keep it" price. That custom is really nice and I suspect the seller is happy to keep it around if he can't make a killing on it, and good for him.

[Joe Bernard]

"I don’t think the disapprovers even think they are disapproving."

It's just a bike pricing discussion. I don't disapprove of his price, I'm just discussing why it may be too high to generate a sale. Heck, a while back I posted one here so high I was SURE it wouldn't sell, and when I almost immediately got a buyer without haggling I almost backed out! I think this fellow is in that "not sure I want to let it go" position.