Most of the prototypes that I saw were clearcoat, but Grant's proto was blue. You can see it on Cyclofiend's Bombadil page: http://www.cyclofiend.com/rbw/bombadil/index.html
My proto was clearcoat but metal will corrode under clearcoat, and so I eventually got it repainted as posted above. There is also a Flickr Bombadil group which offers a rainbow of possible colors: https://www.flickr.com/groups/bombadil/ The bike was introduced in Riv Reader 41, but I don't have a copy of that. The prototype was shown in RR39. I don't remember the color of the first production Bombadils, but at some point they were offered with the buyer's choice of powdercoat color, or wet paint for a $200 upcharge (circa 2010). jim m walnut creek, ca On Friday, March 19, 2021 at 8:57:32 PM UTC-7 Jim M. wrote: > I'm kinda partial to mine, painted by Rick at D&D. I just need some blue > suede cycling sneakers. > jim m > walnut creek, ca > [image: blue bomba.jpg] > > On Friday, March 19, 2021 at 8:05:33 PM UTC-7 WilletM wrote: > >> >> Good luck making a tough decision on covering up that eye-catching raw >> finish. I struggled with a similar decision in the opposite direction with >> my Proto-Bombadil. It was (and still is) creamsicle orange, though it was >> reportedly raw when new. It came to me with a well-worn and nicked up but >> still very professionally done orange/cream paint job. As I have a strong >> bias towards leaving frames looking "vintage" when the paint still >> adequately protects the metal, I decided to stay with the orange cream and >> just touch it up extensively with a fairly close Tangerine Orange Pearl >> color from Subaru that I probably read about here somewhere. But I did get >> a replacement decal set from Riv just in case plans change and I decide to >> take it back to raw. >> >> [image: Protovelo1.jpg] >> >> On a different frame, a "real" Bombadil that I got here from Jamison B >> last year, it has the original orange/cream paint job, but the orange is >> not of the creamsicle variety. Instead, it is (according to Jamison, who >> was the original owner) an Imron color called persimmon. I'm currently >> building that frame up and will be touching up the nicks eventually, though >> with a slightly different shade of orange than the other one. I was able >> to order replacement top-mount decals for the Bombadil last October from >> Spencer at Rivendell. >> >> I will look forward to seeing "action" pics of your (eventual) new paint >> job, which I suspect will involve streams, bridges, and trees dripping with >> moss if your previous postings are any guide. >> >> [image: mail.jpg] >> >> >> Willet M. >> Carbondale, CO >> >> On Friday, March 19, 2021 at 6:27:47 PM UTC-6 Jason Fuller wrote: >> >>> So, many of you are probably aware of the Bombadil that lives within my >>> realm of belongings thanks to Joe having taken it in and then releasing it >>> back into the wild. I, as many of you, love the clearcoat-over-raw finish >>> that it has. I'm 50% sure I want to keep it this way, even though it >>> provides sub-optimal corrosion protection, and just touch up problem areas >>> as they arise. >>> >>> But I'm also 50% sure I want to strip it back down to a frame, have it >>> restored and frame-saver'd, and professionally painted. Timeline on this >>> wouldn't be immediate - probably next year, or the year after that, but I >>> like to plan ahead. To my chagrin in this group I would not be sending it >>> to Joe Bell because I'm in Canada and it would be like $400 in shipping >>> alone, plus I'm local to Chris Dekerf who has a very capable paint studio >>> that does lots of impressive custom work (all of Chromag's locally made >>> frames, for instance). >>> >>> I absolutely would be doing a proper two-color paintjob with all the lug >>> detailing that a MUSA Rivendell has, and I want the color selection to look >>> like a natural choice for the Bombadil - it doesn't have to be a Rivendell >>> colour, but I want it to look like it could easily have been in 2009. I >>> also wouldn't do this unless I can get the proper decals to apply after, >>> though Riv never responds to my emails so I'll probably need to give them a >>> call on this. >>> >>> I am gravitating towards greens and greys at the moment. Ideas include: >>> - Classic Hunq green >>> - Vaughn's custom green (bit more of a sage quality) >>> - Bomba / Hunq dark grey, but without the red paneling - maybe the cream >>> white?? >>> - I don't know this is hard! >>> >>> Leah made me aware that Taiwan does not use consistent paint coding as >>> North America, so while I love the idea of the new Platypus blue-silver >>> (actually green-blue), it's probably not possible. >>> >>> My knowledge of what colors the Bombadil came in is limited by what >>> google tells me because I did not know of this bike when it was new. There >>> are surely period-correct Rivendell colors I haven't considered, but many >>> of you were there and lived through it - and I'd love your ideas! >>> >>> [image: Bomby.JPG] >>> >>> Many thanks, >>> Jason in Vancouver BC >>> >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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