I've been a Bridgestone/Grant/Riv/ admirer since back in the day, but I am most enamored of the late eras, and the Clementine. This is mainly because I always felt I could get to 90-95 percent of the ride quality of a Rivendell by refurbishing older vintage bicycles.
But the Clementine, with its super long wheelbase, step through design and sporty yet sturdy construction and upright riding position put it in a category of its own. What I like best about it is that it can be ridden and appreciated by just about anyone from bicycle aficionados to complete novices. Designing something to be an heirloom that is useful and comfortable is nowadays a revolutionary act. Another aspect of the Clems is the price point; these are the first Rivendells that could also potentially compete with older vintage rebuilds on price, as well as lower priced knock-offs. So the Clems combine a culmination of the designer's evolving approach to bicycles to create a machine that many more would enjoy riding with a cost that allows many more to afford one--about as egalitarian as one could hope to get in today's bicycle industry. I see the Clementine as Riv's proto bike of our times and everything from here on out will be (wonderful) variations on a theme. -- 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 https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
