Thanks Abe! You've helped me put another check in my Charlie column. I ride a Ritchey Outback for the rough stuff, so it's definitely a roadish bike I'm looking for. Enjoyed the pics.
On Fri, Jun 16, 2023 at 12:50 AM Pancake <abe.gard...@gmail.com> wrote: > Photos of Cheviot, Charlie, Sam Hillborne, Rosco Baby Bike, Gus, a Homer > <https://imgur.com/a/6MIcrGd>. > > I've ridden a 60cm Cheviot (my first Riv) for over 5 years and the 57cm > Charlie prototype for just over a year and around 1,750 miles of commuting, > hills around Napa, and occasional dirt bits of single and double track. > I'll be taking my Rosco Baby bike out to Nevada City for some mountain > biking this weekend though that's normally has the tamer child carting work > it's built for. My PBH is 84.5cm and I'm 6'0", around 230lbs. > > My Cheviot and Charlie are setup with the same drive train almost: 46/30 > double in front and 11-40 9 or 10 speed cassette in back with friction > shifting and clutch derailers (GRX rx810 on the Charlie, SRAM GX long on > the Cheviot). *I should write a whole post about the wonderful discovery > of the GRX RX810, it's what every bike I've ever had was missing for a rock > solid drivetrain. * > > I've ridden a Sam Hillborne for maybe 3 years too - but the Charlie is > replacing it (watch for a double top tube 56cm Hillborne to be for sale > soon). Though they're not the same (the Charlie is longer, swoopier, and > flexier) the Cheviot is setup to for mostly commuting while the Sam was my > bike for longer, sometimes faster rides. I mostly had it with drop bars but > received it with Boscos and ultimately switched to Mustache bars. > > *The Cheviot and Charlie don't cross over in some important way, but to > start with the similarities:* > 1. Mine are both orange. Just the luck of the draw. > 2. They're both long ... nearly the same length surprisingly. This makes > for a smoothed out ride I really enjoy. > 3. They both feel best with upright bars - drop bars on the Charlie were > good and comfy like on the Sam, but the Charlie is just more comfortable > with more upright bars and I wouldn't say that about the Sam. > 4. They'll both have sidepull brakes - this is a downside for me as I want > for the stopping power of v-brakes and only the mighty Proto-Charlie has > them ... and the Platypus! > > > *But Charlie and the Chev are different in important ways for me:*a. Need > Charlie's v-brakes, just a personal thing. The Cheviot's sidepull r559 with > salmon or gray (e-bike) Koolstop or Yokozuna pads are great, but not enough > for the steep downhills of dirt I want the Cheviot to be able to take on a > whim. They fall just short, same for my Sam (though since then others have > come with canti-posts). > b. Charlie flexes a bit as you take off with all your might! It's a pretty > quick road bike and it feels great over long stretches. The Cheviot (and a > friend's platypus I rode) are both a bit more sturdy - in fact they'd bee > more trustworthy on more mountain bike single track than the Charlie just > based on feel. The Cheviot or Platypus (or best of all as it's more > affordable but less swoopy, the Rosco-Plat) are more better for bigger > tires (the Cheviot and Charlie top out of 50mm fenderless, but the Platypus > can take more, about 56cm / 2.2" according to Riv). That said, since my > Cheviot is setup with 42mm Basketball tires and fenders, while the Charlie > is set with 44mm Snoqualmie pass (and until recently, 50mm Schwalbe g-one > All-round) tires and it more likely to see a long stretch of gravel than > the Cheviot. If one would become more dedicated to mountain bike rides I'd > pick the Cheviot though. of Cherlie > c. Cheviot is a huge Cadillac sedan, a yacht of a bike with creature > comforts and fun for s240 with a basket and rear rack. Charlie is my ideal > "country bike" that looks for gravel and dirt stretches or eats up comfy > miles and fun speed, while the long chain stays still give a super smooth > ride. > > Platypus has the rearward swoop like Charlie's top tube, and v-brakes like > our Proto-Charlies ... makes a very tempting bike, great colors too. > Rosco-Plat saves some couple hundred dollarydoos but loses the swoop. > Charlie has side pull brakes which are great for many but not me, > otherwise it's nearly my ideal country bike. I'd only like to have the > option for up to 55mm tires, otherwise it's perfect. That said, I just > switched from max'd out 50mm knobbie tires to 44mm smooth tread tires so > maybe I just want what I can't have. > > "I do find Charlie's lines more fetching." > I'd call plat vs. charlie styling a wash (because they're both great), but > if you like top tube swoop it's gotta be Charlie. The Cheviot has a more > straight link look, but's it's classy in a similar way but different style. > I understand the production Charlie may have slightly less swoop though, > perhaps someone knows better though. As is, the swoop in the top tube is > great for dismounting while still rolling by kicking a leg over the top > tube. > > "I'll be building the bike up for riding predominantly on smooth surfaces > - paved roads and hard packed rail trails. Also thinking full fenders over > 38 or 40 mm tires - 700c or 650b. Bars maybe a cm above the seat (with > flexibility to raise them more if needed in the future). It will be mostly > a day rider but could see some light "credit card" touring. I'll probably > want to mount a rando style front rack and run a wide range 2x9. Me; > 165lbs, PBH 81cm, seat height ~ 68.5 cm" > This makes me think you're better off with Charlie - more smooth stuff and > rail trails, perfect. The sidepull brakes will work beautifully for your > side and riding (with arguably better modulation) and open up more drop bar > options if you want to try that later. I bet you can fit up to 42mm tires > and fenders on Charlie easily. I'm not sure how Charlie would take a rear > rack and panniers though, it has enough flex that it might change the ride > up a bit. Though probably not at your weight and less so on a smaller frame > (guessing you're a 54cm or 51cm?) where there's less tube to leverage and > flex. The Cheviot handled a loaded rear rack very nicely, the Rosco Baby > bike does not (super low swoop in top tube plus baby seat in front and kid > on rear rack seat is pretty flexy). I'm sure you'd be happy with the > Platypus, but more road and more flat dirt sounds like the perfect riding > for Charlie. > > That was more than I planned to write - anyone who reads this far should > drink a glass of water and go back to the link at the top for lots of Riv > bike pics! > Abe > > > > On Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 8:03:43 PM UTC-7 steve...@gmail.com wrote: > >> Thanks Piaw - I appreciate the input. I may have to add the Cheviot to my >> watch list. When I began seriously looking at Rivendells I was thinking a >> Roadini - but then gravitated toward the sloping TT models - especially the >> curvier ones - out of a desire for something a bit different from my >> current (& previous) bikes. >> >> BTW, after checking your "mountain biking" pic, I have to say, you're >> crazy (in the best way). >> >> On Thu, Jun 15, 2023 at 9:07 PM Piaw Na(藍俊彪) <pi...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> I test rode a Charlie with sidepull brakes last year when my Ti touring >>> frame broke and Grant loaned it to me for a week. It rides very similarly >>> to the Cheviot (which is the sidepull version of the Platypus), so in terms >>> of riding I think it can do anything the Platypus can do. The bike Grant >>> lent me had swept back bars, and I rode it on and off road and with the >>> 42mm tires it felt very plush. >>> >>> It is probably overkill for day riding on smooth roads and light credit >>> card touring, but I probably like underbiking more than most. For instance, >>> I would consider the Roadini with 32mm tires a bit overkill for a 3 week >>> tour of the alps -- the bigger tires slow steering enough to reduce my >>> enjoyment of the descents. My bike in this picture ( >>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/QQeP7phjn8wkscLG6) had 25mm tires, and I was >>> happy to ride it on that trail. (and yes, maybe that's why my touring bikes >>> break) >>> >>> On the other hand, it's the kind of bike I wouldn't hesitate to ride >>> down what others would call mountain biking trails that require suspension, >>> so it could very well invite you to do more than you think you can. Before >>> my wife acquired her mountain bike, I put 1.75mm tires on her Cheviot and >>> she treated it like a mountain bike. I will note that after she acquired a >>> dual suspension MTB she said she didn't know how she got by riding the >>> Cheviot down those trails I was taking her and the kids on. >>> >>> On Thu, Jun 15, 2023 at 5:53 PM Steve <steve...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> A question for any Proto Charlie riders who may also have some >>>> experience with the Platy. >>>> >>>> I'm honing in on my FIRST Riv and have.narrowed the field to the >>>> Platypus vs the upcoming Charlie H. >>>> I recognize that the Platy frameset (either brazed or lugged) is a step >>>> above the TIG'd Charlie, and that the latter is destined for side pull >>>> brakes. Having said that, I do find Charlie's lines more fetching. >>>> >>>> I'll be building the bike up for riding predominantly on smooth >>>> surfaces - paved roads and hard packed rail trails. Also thinking full >>>> fenders over 38 or 40 mm tires - 700c or 650b. Bars maybe a cm above the >>>> seat (with flexibility to raise them more if needed in the future). It will >>>> be mostly a day rider but could see some light "credit card" touring. I'll >>>> probably want to mount a rando style front rack and run a wide range >>>> 2x9. >>>> >>>> Me; 165lbs, PBH 81cm, seat height ~ 68.5 cm >>>> >>>> Opinions? I'd love to hear from anyone who knows these two models. >>>> Thanks! >>>> On Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 10:14:37 AM UTC-4 John Bokman wrote: >>>> >>>>> @ Brendonoid: Wondering if you could not try Centerpulls on your Sam? >>>>> They can be mighty effective. You could always braze on posts (I have done >>>>> this on my Sam for the record) if the Centerpulls don't do it for you. >>>>> >>>>> John >>>>> On Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 6:31:28 AM UTC-7 brendonoid wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> I was 100% buying a Charlie until the brake change now I am 95% not >>>>>> going to buy one. I have never had a problem with R559s and have used >>>>>> them >>>>>> on quite a few bikes but their clearance limitations are the real >>>>>> problem. >>>>>> Wet weather downhill performance can be weak but it isn't a deal >>>>>> breaker. I >>>>>> want big slicks on a road bike and the Charlie was going to be that bike >>>>>> for me. Oh well. >>>>>> >>>>>> Thinking more and more about welding canti posts onto my old sidepull >>>>>> Sam instead though... >>>>>> >>>>> -- >>>> 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/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/j5vUNKjgsUE/unsubscribe >>>> . >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dbfb9cd7-2e5c-46cd-96e7-356382e25cd4n%40googlegroups.com >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/dbfb9cd7-2e5c-46cd-96e7-356382e25cd4n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>> -- >>> 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/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/j5vUNKjgsUE/unsubscribe >>> . >>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>> rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CAPh0EZ5PcNGG7uDXRQ7Mp2Viqz2sReAKu7cs%2B6eXq-DmCPmK-w%40mail.gmail.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CAPh0EZ5PcNGG7uDXRQ7Mp2Viqz2sReAKu7cs%2B6eXq-DmCPmK-w%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- > 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/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/j5vUNKjgsUE/unsubscribe > . > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/5794c337-dfb2-4c46-afdf-ee7cbffe74acn%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/5794c337-dfb2-4c46-afdf-ee7cbffe74acn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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