I have a Crust Canti-Lightning Bolt, and it's one of the best bikes I've ever ridden. The most similar bike I have had to the Ram is two Quickbeams, first in a 60, then in a 58--I've sold them both, but I would be unlikely to part ways with the Lightning Bolt unless I upgraded somehow (e.g., Jeff Lyon). I think the thing about the Lightning Bolt is that is so different than my 650b Hunqapillar that I split my time with--its like going from supportive hiking boots to a pair Vans. They are both comfortable, just very different from one another. Because of my experience with the Lightning Bolt, I have been getting more into go fast solo rides, and I will probably try to buy the next 59 Canti-Romulus that comes up for sale. On Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 10:04:18 AM UTC-5 RBW Owners Bunch wrote:
> I have been daydreaming about going the opposite direction from the OP. I > currently have a v1 lightning bolt that i use for my rambl-y weekend rides > and a more recent canti romanceur i use for commuting. I also have a recent > sam i use for commuting and errands. i'm thinking about selling the > romanceur and, in turn, keeping an eye out for a ram. but i would probably > keep it 700c. who knows. > > On Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 3:45:48 PM UTC-7 RBW Owners Bunch wrote: > >> <Meaningless outlier data point warning> >> >> I recently picked up a 59 Romulus on the list. I always thought of the >> Romulus as the "cheaper Panasonic version of the Rambouillet". I bought >> it, stripped it to the bones, and built it back up in my own idiosyncratic >> way. I built it with 700x38 Gravel King Slicks. For oddball reasons I >> won't get into, I'm not riding it on any "rides" of any distance, but I did >> ride it around the block and it felt weird, and unlike any Rivendell I had >> ridden before. It radically understeered. It was a bad weird, and I >> normally am not sensitive to this kind of thing. I swapped the tires out >> for 700x32 Rene Herse Stampede Pass, and shazam, it felt like a normal >> bike, like a Rivendell. >> >> This was two around the block test rides. I have not reverted to the 38s >> to see if the bad-weird repeated. I have not tried 38mm knobbies to see if >> it has to do with pneumatic trail and a huge slick contact patch. Once my >> weirdo reasons for not riding it are lifted, then I'll get out on it more >> and form a relationship. I love my build and will give it a VERY thorough >> shake down before forming any real lasting opinions. >> >> </Meaningless outlier data point warning> >> >> Bill Lindsay >> El Cerrito, CA >> >> On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 7:38:09 AM UTC-7 RBW Owners Bunch wrote: >> >>> I'll chime in here that my 650b'd Ram is one of my favorite riding bikes >>> in the stable. I always want to max out tire width as much as possible and >>> was disappointed that 700x35 tires with fenders didn't fit. I had a 650b >>> wheelset and tried 650bx42 and that fit great with room to spare. I've been >>> riding that configuration for a few months now. >>> >>> It looked like room enough to go one tire size higher (sans fenders). >>> Thanks to a fellow lister I had some 650bx48 Rene Herse Switchback Hill >>> Tires waiting for me at home yesterday after a long weekend away. This >>> morning I swapped em out and they seem to fit just fine. Super excited to >>> try this out later this week! >>> >>> >>> On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 5:49:36 AM UTC-5 iamkeith wrote: >>> >>>> Alex, your modified Ram is outstanding. Probably the most nicest, >>>> modified Rivendell I've ever seen. >>>> >>>> This whole thread inspired me to wrap up a few things on my own 650b >>>> conversion project, an RB-1, and to ride my Ram one last time this >>>> weekend. (It's supposed to start snowing this weekend, so season's over >>>> I'm affraid). >>>> >>>> Interesting thing about the Ram, that strikes me every time, is how >>>> comfortable or "plush" it feels, despite only having 33.33 tires. I don't >>>> understand why. When it was new, it made "normal" road bikes, with 23 to >>>> 28mm tires look positively silly. As the rest of the industry has caught >>>> up and embraced fatter tires, the Ram now "looks' outdated next to a lot >>>> of >>>> other, newer bikes I saw. My own tendency is almost always to choose >>>> something with fatter tires, too. But as I said, I'm struck every time by >>>> how well it rides and how relevant it still is. I don’t think I'll ever >>>> sell it, even if I have to be "prompted" to ride it once in a while. I >>>> think if I ever felt differently, I'd now consider Alex's example. >>>> >>>> On Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 11:38:16 AM UTC-6 Applegate wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hey Max, >>>>> >>>>> I sort of love this dilemma. As much as my platonic ideal of a bike >>>>> has been shaped by Jan Heine, featuring skinny, thin-wall tubing and a >>>>> flat >>>>> top tube, I will definitely back a 650b Ram. I would wholeheartedly >>>>> recommend MAFAC Raids (or go all-in with the Compass/Rene Herse updates). >>>>> I >>>>> have a couple pairs of Raids I'm reconditioning with brass >>>>> bushings/washers >>>>> and could probably ship one your way for a reasonable fare. Not the point >>>>> of me posting though. >>>>> >>>>> I had a V1 XL Canti Bolt for 14 months, using it for randonneuring as >>>>> well as some gravel rides and mixed terrains touring (with smallish front >>>>> panniers on a lowrider rack). It was nice to look at and often felt >>>>> great, >>>>> but it never really fit me (too long of top tube, seemingly resolved in >>>>> current geometry). I think I put just over 4k miles on it in that >>>>> timespan, >>>>> which is probably the fastest mileage rate of any of my bikes to date. >>>>> >>>>> However, I also got a 62 (so 60 C–C, as it would happen) Rambouillet >>>>> about the same time, and the connection felt deeper, sooner. It was >>>>> stripped to the bare steel and was sporting an eccentric genius 650b >>>>> build, >>>>> courtesy of @shredportals Lyle. I rode it as a be-basketed commuter and >>>>> overnighter, and knew the fit and ride quality was something I wanted to >>>>> hold onto. I asked Erik Billings for a small litany of BQ-rando-style >>>>> frame >>>>> modifications (fork re-rake and all), and got new paint and decals from >>>>> Rick Stefani. It's now replaced my Crust Canti Lightning Bolt as my >>>>> midcentury French cosplay randonneuring bike, and I was very happy with >>>>> the >>>>> more upright fit when I rode it for Paris–Brest–Paris. >>>>> >>>>> This is all subjective and fit-oriented, etc, but I support trying a >>>>> 650b conversion on your Ram first. It might just be the ticket for great >>>>> joy; if nothing else, then you have a 650b wheelset for your next bike? >>>>> The >>>>> most ideal is if you could *somehow* have both built up and in your >>>>> possession at the same time, for some fun back-to-back testing. >>>>> >>>>> Anyway, here are some pics. Yes, I re-sold the Waterford Homer you >>>>> sold me (great bike though—don't try to 650b that one) Good luck with >>>>> your >>>>> process here! >>>>> >>>>> Alex >>>>> Berkeley, CA >>>>> >>>> -- 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 view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/eb997f48-211f-48dc-af47-07272f23e6a7n%40googlegroups.com.
