What Joe said, and Loose Screws now has nice 27" tires: http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi?d=single&c=Tire/Tube&sc=Tire&tc=Touring%20Tire&item_id=SWT-27138TW&id=388484816578
I would try a set of those first, before setting your sights on a whole new bike. Jay Hartman On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, Joe Broach <joebro...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Wayne, > > I'd hate to talk you out of a new Riv, but you're selling that Raleigh > short. IIRC, the Gran Sport had nice, butted tubing and a lovely fork, all > Reynolds 531. That's as good or better than anything you'd get in a new > production bike (most similar to something like a Hilsen or Rambouillet or > Roadeo in the Riv line-up, in terms of liveliness). The workmanship and > details like braze-ons will be better on a new Riv-spec'd bike, but the > Raleigh shouldn't be holding you back at this point. > > How does your current bike fit? If fit is good (or could be with a > bar/stem change), I'd spring for a 700c wheelset, maybe with a dynamo hub > if you think you might want to try some night riding). Those bikes usually > have centerpull brakes and lots of room for fatter tires (700x35 at least, > and get good tires). Have a blast on it for a year or more, and then decide > what you'd want different in a second bike or replacement. > > You say you want something more versatile and new. I say that Gran Sport > is a super-versatile bike and nothing like obsolete. > > Best, > joe broach > pdx or > > On Mon, Mar 9, 2015 at 2:43 PM, Wayne Naha <w.r.n...@gmail.com > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','w.r.n...@gmail.com');>> wrote: > >> Thanks, everyone for all your thoughts. The reason I was vacillating >> between the Clem and the Sam is primarily economic, being that they are >> Riv's lowest cost models. I could be very happy on either bicycle. Right >> now, I am riding a 1976 vintage Raleigh Gran Sport. Its a fine bike. It >> is old school lugged steel, but I tend to baby it because of its age, and a >> perceived need to keep it on smooth pavement. It has 27" wheels, and those >> don't come in a lot of widths anymore. I am wanting something more >> versatile, and new. The thought of a discount Atlantis or Hunq sounds >> great. I love the look of the Appaloosa, with the diagatube, the curvy >> stays, and the long rear triangle. I would ride it mostly about town, >> doing errands, and the occasional foray into the trails around here. I >> really don't have any real plans for s24o's, but when the opportunity comes >> up, it will be great to have the bike that will handle it. I think I've >> talked myself into a Clem, but I'm open to suggestion. I have been curious >> about the 650B wheel size, just to try it and see. The medium Clem (my >> size) has those, a bonus. But what about that 29.8 mm seatpost? Who makes >> that size? >> >> >> On Monday, March 9, 2015 at 4:14:01 PM UTC-4, Surlyprof wrote: >>> >>> >>> I bought my Hillborne after seeing the first Clems but I did so because >>> it was the right compliment to an MTB I already had. It was a replacement >>> for a Bianchi that maxed out at 25c tires. The Hillborne is a pretty >>> different bike than the Clem. From initial reports, it sounds like the >>> Clem is closer to a discount Atlantis or Hunq based on stoutness and a >>> discount Appaloosa based on stability from longer stays. The Hillborne is >>> a bit tighter and less stout. Closer to a Hilson than the Atlantis or >>> Hunq. That said, I just carried 4 bottles of wine in the front basket and >>> two bottles in the saddlebag yesterday and, aside from a little shimmy, it >>> was definitely up for the task. I'd feel comfortable camping or touring >>> with it (seems like many people do). I've also found that everything I >>> ride now that is not my Hillborne feels twitchy and overly aggressive. The >>> Sam H is incredibly smooth and handles beautifully but I've come to expect >>> that from every Rivendell I ride. If you want to ride fatter tires than a >>> 45 (40 with fenders), get the Clem... and enjoy whatever level of >>> components you want to put on it. Take a look at the Clem Drew Beckmeyer >>> gave to his girlfriend in the other post. He described it as stout like a >>> Hunq and it looks fantastic with the Brooks b67 and the Schwalbe Big Ben >>> 50's (50+?) he has on it. A machine to be proud of for sure (as is the >>> Hillborne if you decide to go that way). >>> >>> If you are close enough to Riv to try both, that would be the thing to >>> do. If not, buy the one that supports what you want to do with a bike. >>> They said the Clem rides like a Riv on the Blug and I believe them. As for >>> pedals, I love both my thin gripsters and my grip kings. If I had a Clem, >>> it would have one of those pedals on it (maybe even one of each!... That >>> sounds very "Clem") >>> >>> John >>> >>> On Monday, March 9, 2015 at 10:30:22 AM UTC-7, Wayne Naha wrote: >>> >>>> The Clem sounds like a great bike for me, just the right level of >>>> stoutness to the frame and those nice longer chainstays. I had been >>>> considering a Sam, but Clem has turned my head. Yet I can't contemplate >>>> hanging plastic pedals off it, and I would really like to have a generator >>>> hub, too. But it seems like the idea that the Clem is some kind of >>>> 'beater' bike because it is unlovely is being promoted. But this would the >>>> most money I have ever spent on a bike! My 'beater' says 'Huffy' on it. I >>>> want to be proud of this bike, even if it is not the prettiest. Is it >>>> silly to put Velocity Atlas rims, a Schmidt SON hub, and aBrooks saddle on >>>> the Clem? Or should I save a little longer for the Sam? >>>> Also, does anyone know headtube and seat tube angles for the Clem? >>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com');> >> . >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com');>. >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com');> > . > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com');>. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
