My 2004 53 cm (54?) Atlantis with 26” wheels features toe overlap and not much room out back with a “fist full of seatpost”, for big baggage. It’s pretty nimble off road snd very stable on. Set up with Albatross, love it. I am down to 2 bikes: a 2010 Hillborne and an Atlantis MIT. Both are set up for upright riding with albatross bars. I love them both. Hillborne has the "toe clap overlip" (clever huh?) that the MIT doesn't. Both have their merits with the hill borne seeming to be a zippier ride. MIT is a tad more comfortable with 650b 47 tires as opposed to 700c 35 tires on the Sammy. If I had to choose one bike it would be the Atlantis. Just more comfortable and versatile. Rivendell bikes really have improved my life. On Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 10:25:24 PM UTC-5 Stephen wrote:
I've never ridden an atlantis, older or newer, But I do ride a '21 joe appaloosa(60) (the joe is very similar to MIT atlantis) and a rambouillet(62/63), so I feel I can comment a little on long vs. short chainstays.
In addition to taking the joe out on road and gravel, i treat it as my mountain bike. I've ridden a fair bit of twisty singletrack in NC and have never really felt inhibited by the long chainstays. Anytime theres a turn I can't make, I honestly wouldn't be able to do it on a shorter bike either.
Also, I recently did a little test ride with a new packing setup and I felt it really demonstrated the magic of the long stays... rear rack and panniers. Just honestly blown away by how roomy the bike is and how out of the way the luggage is with the long rear end, and how little it affected the good handling of the bike. I'm typically a front basket guy, but these bikes do ride really nicely with the weight in the back. On other bikes I've had issue with my heels hitting the bags.
Now the Ram with the more traditional geometry is also a fantastic riding bike. I'm not sure how the geometry compares to older atlantis', but the rear end is considerably shorter than the joe and MIT atlantis'. I currently run 700x38 panaracers on it and use it for paved and dirt roads. Obviously not as stable as the Joe on gravel, but its really a road bike and it kicks butt on pavement. I'd say I like the shorter rear end for pure road riding. If it were sturdier I could imagine putting bags on it for a tour, but it wouldn't be as spacious as the setup on the Joe.
As others have stated, the older and newer atlantis' are really quite different bikes, and in choosing between options you just need to analyze what features you want. The newer models can fit bigger tires, are roomier, more stable, but come at the cost of being humungo bikes. For me personally, I like the extra tire clearance and I like having at least one long chainstay bike. These days its a bit of a key rivendell feature. I feel lucky to have both options in the stable.
Also if its possible, the best thing to help in deciding is getting to try each style out to see what suits you. Maybe there is someone living close enough to you with a long chainstay bike you can try, or an older atlantis. worth checking the riv map John created or asking the group.
![joe.jpg]() ![ram.jpg]() ![image.jpg]() My Toyo does not have “fork mounts” for a rack. Would that be a factor for consideration in your decision?… I will say that I LOVE this bike, but the combination of Paul “Moto-lites” & no fork mounts makes finding support for a front bag kind of tough.Just a thought HH On Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 8:37:18 PM UTC-8 Ed Fausto wrote:
Hi, I share the thoughts of Tom.
I also have both a 51 Toyo Atlantis and a 50 MIT Atlantis. Although, I have used by Toyo Atlantis during my 2016 TransAm and it performed well with a fully loaded gears. My only cons on my Toyo is the toe clip overlap which is annoying for me specially when grinding up slowly uphills.
I am by default a slow rider so toe clip often happens more frequently than other riders.
When I got my MIT, I feel the difference is it is more stable than my Toyo. And of course, no more toe clip overlap :-)
I have not yet ridden my MIT on long tours.
As mentioned by others, since my MIT Atlantis is very much longer than my Toyo, it could be a challenge finding boxes after a long tour. Regards, Ed Fausto Manila, Philippines
PS Even with the toe clip overlap on my Toyo Atlantis, I will still keep it due to sentimental reasons after my 2016 TransAm
On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 10:57:12 AM UTC+8 Tom Horton wrote:
Re my toyo atlantis and my mit expect there s a bit of sentimentality/long familiarity involved with the toyo
Before i built the mit atlantis up for trail riding i had a drop bar on it and did a few five or six day tours not heavily loaded (carrying maybe 25-30 pounds if stuff) it rode great Never felt i wouldn t have gone further on it
But there s something about that massive toyo 68 a frame nowhere near maxed by my own 6-5 frame
I do not however think i d like it as much as the mit on anything resembling technical trail
So a do everything atlantis? The mit perhaps
Also just starting to explore road and off road possibilities of a clem L 64 but that ll be another story😊 Sent from my iPhone My experience is limited to an early Waterford All Rounder, plus MIT Atlantis and Appaloosa. My verdict as a guy who didn't trail ride any of them: the shorter bike felt a little more maneuverable in urban riding but not enough to offset the comfort of long chainstays and "get them bars higher" headtube on the MIT bikes. When I had my custom built I asked for the new stuff.
![Screenshot_20230304_121454.jpg]() Edit: Anyone with experience riding the Toyo Atlantis, and the Joe Appaloosa, feel free to chime in. We are very limited on information throughout the internet
Thanks, Tom, that's quite the garage you have there, and you are quite the resource! So, are you saying that, for roads and long touring, you would chose the Toyo, and trails, you would choose the Atlantis 3? Is this because you have more experience/sentiment on the Toyo? I have read many people mentioning the lack of whippy-control on single tracks, and I wonder if this is really an issue/gripe, or just a hot topic about the geometry. Because to me, the side profile of the bike looks super cool and unique with that long chainstay, it reminds me of those drag-racing motorcycles you see on the salt flats. The new chain stay makes me feel like Rivendell is either sitting on some new futuristic frame design or if it compensating for carrying heavy loads, and adding control. The Atlantis 3 makes me want to buy a set of knobby tires and go climb a mountain, which makes me wonder how people are liking it for the long haul, Youtube only has "Bike Checks," I want to know what the bike is that people are stuck on, like, "gun to the head- which one are you choosing". The Allrounder toyo/#2 Atlantis are clearly legends, and much cheaper with the addition of the new Atlantis 3.
On Monday, February 27, 2023 at 7:03:03 AM UTC-7 Tom Horton wrote:
I have a toyo atlantis 68 and a few years ago added an mit atlantis 64....what I can tell you is that whenever I'm doing an extended road tour the old toyo remains my go to....and I have a 64? appaloosa too. I have refitted the mit atlantis with bullmoose bars and knobbies and love it for riding forest roads and general trail use (nothing real technical). would not part with any of my rivs right now, but if I were taking off for cross the country tomorrow, it'd be on the toyo (set up pretty standard with drop bars and racks).
I'm guessing either way you'll end up pretty happy.
On Monday, February 27, 2023 at 2:40:56 AM UTC-5 Luke Hendrickson wrote:
![013DB9DE-6439-4B56-BC81-37D17806CEAA.jpeg]() I, too, am interested in hearing more from someone who’s had the good fortune to have ridden both. I first fell in love with the 2, but bought in with the latest iteration and have no regrets. Then again, I’ve never ridden the last one so perhaps I don’t know what I’m missing.
What I can tell you is that I love my MIT. It’s comfortable and does feel like the long Cadillac you mentioned, Tyler. I’ve heard from more than one person that tight, technical singletrack isn’t great for the long chainstay Atlantis. I ride a fair share of singletrack here in San Francisco & in Marin, but it’s not all that technical or tight quarters. I mostly find myself in more wide open spaces, both paved and unpaved. The Atlantis is perfect for that.
I am searching for a used Atlantis as my introductory first, Rivendell, during my fall into the rabbit hole of the internet and bike opinions. I have been steered toward the newer model Atlantis, but the Atlantis 2's are cheaper and more readily available. I want to know whether anyone has ever ridden the Atlantis 2 & 3? I am looking for honest opinions on the frame geometry and ride feel. I like the idea of riding a long, old, vintage Cadillac of a frame unless it is very limiting. The newest Atlantis has a very long chain stay, and I am curious as to how this compares with the older models. I have a large interest in loaded touring and riding fire roads here in Montana, but I mostly ride roads and lazy gravel rides. I am looking at an Atlantis 2 (not local at all) with 26" wheels. I have ridden all wheel sizes and am not biased toward any particular size.
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