Chauncey builds great bikes, but he doesn't build bikes that handle like Rivendells, and I'm not sure another builder to do so would be that easy to find, and certainly not at Chauncey's prices.
I must say though that my hankering for a Hunq is a very light or modest hankering; I'm very happy with the Matthews. Moving back to disc brakes: the point I was trying to make is that discs are not some sort of evil modernity foisted on the hapless bicycle buying public, they are a brake option that has real merits that any reasonable builder will at least consider on these merits. I think that much of the sales pitch is hype, but disc brakes as such are not *in se* mere hype. Now, perhaps Grant will never, ever build a disc-braked bike, and that's fine; it's his company. But I don't think discs would dilute his product; after all, isn't what most makes Rivendells to be Rivendells the ride and the feel? If not, if it's just rim brakes and retro styling, then they're just pretty consumer objects. And Hugh, I'm not picking on you at all, just used your post as the occasion to make my points. Aside: read an old NYT review of Just Ride, and saw that Grant said that, after all, bikes should *above all* be fun, and that the highest accolade for a good bike is *that it's a toy!* Approve heartily! (A very useful toy, but it's the fun that is the most important thing, otherwise we'd just go out and buy cars, or mopeds, or utility bikes.) But with this book, he’s trying to bring biking back to a state of moderation and rationality. If you like the gear, he’s fine with that, and if you don’t agree with all his advice, no problem. But he makes the case that at its core, biking should be a simple, democratic, sometimes ludicrously enjoyable means of getting around. “No matter how much your bike costs,” he says, “unless you use it to make a living, it is a toy, and it should be fun.” Amen. On Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 4:55 PM, Hugh Smitham <[email protected]> wrote: > Lol. The defect. Hahaha. I think your point of view is a little fiddly. > You have a Matthews, which is a custom builder of frames. So presumably you > could have built whatever type of bike you wanted which would have the ride > characteristic you seek. You could have told Matthews I want a single top > tube disc Hunq and he may have told you to go find another builder. But > some builder will build you what you want. > > My point in your selection of my post is pointing out one reason Rivendell > is likely to resist modern change like adopting discs or discarding quill > stems. They did succumb to tig welding to achieve a price point and open up > the pool of enthusiasts that value the Rivendell ethos and aesthetic. That > was a smart business maneuver. If they go modern they risk watering down > their brand. For better or worse Grant made their niche. > > I'll take my Bantam 1.125 threadless headset, disc brakes and high stack > height/ Jones bars over a hunq or Atlantis, which is exactly what I did. It > does what I wished my Atlantis had been capable of. > > To be clear I love many aspects of what Riv does. Beautiful frames and > forks, 7, 8 & 9 speed drives a get out there and ride ethos. But especially > the people, the Rivendell people are the absolute best. This means you. > > ~hugh > > > > On Jun 26, 2017 1:03 PM, "Patrick Moore" <[email protected]> wrote: > > The defect of this point of view is that one would not be able to get a > bike that handles and fits and feels like a Rivendell, but that has disc > brakes, short of taking your Hunq or Atlantis to a local builder. > > I'd swap my Matthews, as much as I like it, for a disc-brake Hunq! (But > single top tube only!) > > > On Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 1:48 PM, Hugh Smitham <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> All very interesting comments. >> >> I see a Rivendell like I see a vintage volvo or vintage muscle car in >> regards to the enthusiast values the aesthetic of a different era of >> manufacture. This is why I would not expect Rivendell to change. They exist >> as a niche within the greater whole. If you want a modern bicycle for a >> specific reason then as others mention there are ton's of off the shelf or >> custom way's to go. >> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/to > pic/rbw-owners-bunch/ROaS5akcDCk/unsubscribe. > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://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 [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- *30% Supply and Demand discount, listmembers only, on all resume, LinkedIn, and writing services, until Demand equals Supply! And there's more! 10% kickback for any referral resulting in fully paid, list-price contract. And still more! I am offering services in trade for a road bike, or frame and parts, that are period compatible with my AM hub, circa 1937 to 1961. See my website for what I do and what I charge; email for details.* Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. Other professional writing services. http://www.resumespecialties.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Vereinigte Staaten ************************************************************************** ************** -- 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 [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. 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