I've got dibs on a 55cm in submarine green at noon! I'm about 5' 10.5"
with about an 85cm pbh, barefoot. I have a good idea of fit because of
my 55cm Platypus, just slightly less reach and more stack with the
55cm Atlantis, which should work out perfectly in dialing my fit.
Going 55 vs 53 also means taller stack, and a larger main triangle for
a custom half frame bag. Not overly concerned with an abundance of
stand over height, as I will be mostly riding this on pavement and
smoother fire roads, have a proper mountain bike for singletrack.
I appreciate the pump peg being out of the main triangle, though I
wish they would just put it behind the seat tube and take advantage of
that massive real estate with the long chainstays. Plus a nod to old
school mtb's pump placement. I will end up color matching a frame
pump, just 'cause. Excited to run some 55cm rene herse slicks and
squeeze in some Honjo flat fenders.
As for the business model of minimal inventory, I think it's great.
From a behavioral design perspective, it easily tips those who are on
the fence of purchasing into buying, such as myself! I definitely
don't /need/ an Atlantis right now, my Platypus checks enough boxes.
But because I know I want a traditional diamond frame at some point,
and that "some point" is in these limited windows of time, I will buy
one today. Limited availability and scarcity wreaks havoc with our
evolutionary psychology when it comes to objects of need or desire.
More businesses need to be content with their size, and evolve just
enough to account for inflation and rising wages, like Rivendell do.
On Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 9:24:45 AM UTC-7 Doug H. wrote:
I am just under 5'10" or a tad over 5'9" ;-), with an 83 PBH. I
would likely go with a size 53 but according to the recommended
sizing could ride a 50 too. I prefer to have just a fist full of
seat post showing. I like both colors.
Doug
On Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 12:07:09 PM UTC-4
der_amerikanische_freund wrote:
It’s been a very informative off-topic though, Doug.
As I said, I plan on getting a size 55 in Blue. As much as I
liked the last batch of Appas in Sergio Green, the Atlantis
version isn’t quite of my liking.
It’d also be interesting to see what sizes people order based
in their height and PBH. I’m 6’1 and 88 PBH and am going for
size 55 as I plan on riding mainly off-road, maxing out tire
size and therefore I’d welcome the standover provided in size 55.
Good luck in the presale
El El jue, 20 mar 2025 a las 15:50, Doug H.
<[email protected]> escribió:
I regrettably derailed the original intent of this thread.
Who it planning to order an Atlantis today? If you do plan
to order one, which color?
Doug
On Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 11:46:36 AM UTC-4 iamkeith
wrote:
They've been pretty transparent about their goals and
stratgy, through blogs and blahgs and emails.
In fact, I can't think of another company that wears
it's business on it's sleeve so openly. If someone
wanted to read enough archives, the thought process
would become pretty clear.
My recollection, to add to what's already been said,
is that they would prefer to order EXACTLY enough for
everybody who wants one immediately, and also have
EXACTLY enough extra stock for a year or two of future
sales of each model. But it' obviously difficult to
predict what that number will be. It's not to
intentionally create a rush or to keep them exclusive
by shutting some people out. On the other hand, they
do need for customers to act with some urgency once
the shipment lands, because it locks up a lot of cash
that they can't afford to be without.
The required minimum quantities of sizes that don't
sell well adds to the difficulty. As does their
limited storage space.
I understand why someone would be frustrated, and
have been there myself. Ever since the Great
Recession, I've sort of lived hand-to-mouth, and am
not always able to make big or spontaneous or
discretionary purchases at times that coincide with
Rivendell's schedule. Probably a good thing, in some
ways. If I could, I'd buy an Atlantis today, just to
test-fit - knowing there isn't a just-right size - and
then probably release it later.
On Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 9:14:18 AM UTC-6
EGNolan wrote:
It seems they're more popular, but the Riv mindset
isn't to grow, it's to remain sustainable. So
rather than maximize sales potential, but possibly
sit on product for months or years, it's better to
order just enough to mostly sell out.
I get that it's frustrating not to be able to
order one of any size of any frame at any time,
but the companies that keep that kind of stock
also have to charge enough initially so they still
make money when they close out last year's model
for 50% off before they pay taxes on anything they
don't sell by year's end.
I think it's easier to manage cash flow,
expectations and all of the plates they're
spinning if they can be intentional about
quantities rather than having them sit around and
having to figure out how to sell them. They used
to have a lot more frames available when they had
a lot more sizes of each frame and had a bit less
of an audience. I don't think quantities have been
reduced, I think variables (like number of sizes
per bike, custom paint, etc.) have, which make
them easier to sell.
Sustainable business practices don't always feel
"good for the consumer" but I'd rather have
Rivendell Bicycle Works around than have the
option to buy a frame in my size at any time if it
meant they went buh-bye.
$.02
Best,
Eric
Indpls
On Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 10:45:04 AM UTC-4
Andy Beichler wrote:
Doug, I don't have any insight but perhaps
someone here, does. Has Rivendell started
making smaller orders or are they just more
popular? Either of those could cause low
inventory situations. As someone who has
bought parts but never a frame from Rivendell,
the main issue for me with low inventory is
that I can't endlessly do the pro/con rundown
in my head on buying an available frame or
complete. :)
Back on topic-I won't be buying an Atlantis
today but I will log in later to see if there
is one still available in my size.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 3:57:25 PM
UTC-4 Doug H. wrote:
Your points make sense, Collin. Ordering
to meet unreasonable, unsustainable demand
would be a mistake for sure. Ordering
enough to have inventory available would
be nice, as a consumer. But, I am in no
way knowledgeable about how to run a
business successfully. I was just offering
my observation.
Doug
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 3:52:18 PM
UTC-4 Collin A wrote:
Doug, what you describe as being
frustrating to the consumer is kinda
what happened during COVID - a HUGE
demand for bikes early in the pandemic
encouraged a lot of companies to
over-order parts and bikes (in
hindsight) and now those same
companies are stuck with all the
overstock and are just losing money
hand-over-fist...so I'm very happy Riv
isn't going down the path of ordering
to meet demand and focusing on
designing good stuff that folks want
and making sure the company holds on
for the long haul.
Collin, Overstocked in Oakland
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at
12:46:33 PM UTC-7 Doug H. wrote:
This business model of having
presales and keeping framesets
somewhat scarce is interesting.
People know if they don't act
quickly their chance may be gone
for a year or more. Or, they can
try to get a frame/bicycle of
choice in the used market. I must
say it is aggravating as a
consumer but as a business
practice it seems to work!
Doug
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at
3:45:42 PM UTC-4
der_amerikanische_freund wrote:
I am planning on getting one
in Atlantis classic color. I
was kind of disappointed it is
being offered in a color other
than the classic Atlantis
blue. I think that was part of
its appeal, the original
(albeit very different to the
original model) bike in the
Riv line-up that was only
offered in one color, true to
its principles blah blah blah.
Also with Sergio green also
being the color of the
Appaloosa, and those two bikes
being so similar, I would even
be tempted to merge them,
effectively discontinuing one
of the two, and offer more
intermediate sizes of the
resulting "Appa-lantis".
Another thing I am not too
enthused about this year's
model is the pump peg in the
seat stays. I do prefer the
less conspicuous pin in the
head tube underneath the top
tube. I think that if you are
not planning on carrying a
large pump in the seat stay
(either because you have a
mini pump or because you large
pump lives in a frame bag),
the peg itself is a bit of an
eyesore that ruins the
straight line simplicity of
the seat stays and rear triangle.
El lunes, 17 de marzo de 2025
a las 12:39:24 UTC, Doug H.
escribió:
Hi Kat,
I agree that the original
Atlantis color is classic
and to my eyes just suits
the bike. But, I really
like the Sergio Green
which would make it a
tough choice for me! I
have always been a fan of
shades of green anyway
including the Lime Olive
green that Riv has used. I
wonder if the Atlantis
bikes will sell out and/or
sell quickly during the
presale? It is always fun
to watch but even more fun
to participate.
Doug
On Monday, March 17, 2025
at 5:42:37 AM UTC-4 Kat wrote:
Just days now until
the 2025 Atlantis
sale! Who's planning
on getting one? What
colour? I'm interested
in hearing people's
thoughts on the Sergio
green - I do feel much
of the appeal of the
Atlantis is that
gorgeous blue.
Interested to hear
people's plans.
Thanks,
Kathryn
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