Bleriot from QBP v. Rivendell

[Timothy Zimmerman]

This may be a stupid question, but is there any difference in purchasing a Bleriot through QBP via a LBS over buying it directly from Rivendell? The only difference I seem to see is that a headset is included and the frame has been prepped prior to shipping through Rivendell. I’m mainly wondering if there is any difference in the quality of the frame or the paint (attention to detail, stuff like that).

 

Thanks, Tim

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[Gino Zahnd]

The frames will be the same, but if Mark builds your bike, the
attention to detail will be second to none. I'm not sure if Rich
builds the Bleriot wheels at Riv, but if so, that's another super
bonus.

Gino

[Timothy Zimmerman]

Thanks. My LBS is going to build the bike (independent custom shop), so it
sounds like the frame will be the same and I can just buy it through him.

Gino

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[Lynne Fitz]

My Bleriot frame was purchased at a local shop found via eBay.

However, the wheels (and a bunch of other stuff) were ordered from
Rivendell. Built by Rich.

I don't see wheels on the Riv site these days, just rims. Are they
still selling 650b wheels, or does one need to source built-up wheels
elsewhere?

I just ask, because I'm building a wheel with a generator hub now (it
should take almost as long as building the bike). The hub is in the
mail. The light is in the mail. The rim will be ordered from Riv
after the first of the year, so I get my discount from my 2007
purchases. But where would I find spokes? Or should I trust my LBS
to find the right spokes? It wouldn't be the first 650b/generator hub
wheel they've built.

[Michael Gordon]

Hi Tim,

> This may be a stupid question, but is there any difference in purchasing a
> Bleriot through QBP via a LBS over buying it directly from Rivendell?

This may be a stupid answer, but sure there's a difference. Guessing
here, but let's say the wholesale cost of the Bleriot is around $400
+/-. If you buy from Riv, they get the $350 profit (less of course
their time and cost to prep and ship to you), if you buy from your
local bike shop, the local shop gets the profit.

The topic of "who to buy from" is addressed nicely on their site, see:
http://www.rivbike.com/rivendell_dealers. Quoting, "The question may
come up: Should you buy from us or them? The answer is simple: Buy
from the source who helps you the most in person or on the phone. It's
all about "live time", with a "long i" sound in "live." In other
words, if you find out about the bikes at one of our few dealer shops,
and you take up their time and test ride their bike, then it 's bad
form to buy it from us.

On the other hand, if you call up here and we spend a lot of time on
the phone and by email with you, or even come by and get fitted here
and test ride bikes here and THEN say good-bye and say you like to
"support your local dealer," something is missing there, too. At the
end of the day, time is worth something."

Cheers,

Michael

[Randall Rupp]

They build the wheels but you have to ask about them.  Probably because there are so many different combinations of hubs and rims they couldn't detail all that.  I just bought some.

On Dec 5, 2007 3:43 PM, Lynne Fitz <fitz...@comcast.net> wrote:

My Bleriot frame was purchased at a local shop found via eBay.

However, the wheels (and a bunch of other stuff) were ordered from
Rivendell.  Built by Rich.

I don't see wheels on the Riv site these days, just rims.  Are they
still selling 650b wheels, or does one need to source built-up wheels
elsewhere?

I just ask, because I'm building a wheel with a generator hub now (it
should take almost as long as building the bike).  The hub is in the
mail.  The light is in the mail.  The rim will be ordered from Riv
after the first of the year, so I get my discount from my 2007
purchases.  But where would I find spokes?  Or should I trust my LBS
to find the right spokes?  It wouldn't be the first 650b/generator hub
wheel they've built.

--
Randall Rupp
rr...@acm.org

[Timothy Zimmerman]

Thanks Michael for the link.

I plan to buy all of the parts and now the frame from my LBS (and he's going to do the build). I just wanted to make sure that (for example) the two frames aren't produced in any different way or painted by different companies or something like that. Since the answer to that is no, then I'm planning to patronize my LBS all of the way like I always do.

Tim

[Steve]

For what its worth, "neither" may be an answer to your question. I've
seen these frames as low as $550 from internet dealers. Money may not
be an issue, but if it, you can save a little by shopping around.

On Dec 5, 6:01 pm, "Timothy Zimmerman" <tzimmer...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks Michael for the link.
>
> I plan to buy all of the parts and now the frame from my LBS (and he's going
> to do the build). I just wanted to make sure that (for example) the two
> frames aren't produced in any different way or painted by different
> companies or something like that. Since the answer to that is no, then I'm
> planning to patronize my LBS all of the way like I always do.
>
> Tim
>
> On Dec 5, 2007 3:49 PM, Randall Rupp <rr...@acm.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> > They build the wheels but you have to ask about them. Probably because
> > there are so many different combinations of hubs and rims they couldn't
> > detail all that. I just bought some.
>

[Ken Mattina]

Another reason to buy from Rivendell is that, for an extra couple hundred dollars, you could get a custom color.

--
Where did the spring go?
Where did my hormones go?
Where did my energy go?
Where did my go go?
Where did the pleasure go?
Where did my hair go?

-- Ray Davies