To digest and summarize your criteria, sounds to me like you want a bike that climbs better than any in your current lineup and still fun to go fast on. My riding background is long time riding racer type bikes, mostly 80’s and 90’s steel with a smattering of plastic and aluminum frames. Past few years I’ve drifted into touring and multi-purpose bikes with a Heron Randonneur and Velo Orange Randonneur. Most recently I got a Rambouillet, which I’ve really enjoyed. Of these 3, the VO is probably my favorite to go out and bang around on multi surface rides. It’s a really fun bike to ride - their first version without the wishbone chainstays.
In the Rivendell family, I think the models you’ve listed would be the best choices for your purposes. I would also add the Legolas, which might be the only Riv bike that was actually designed to go fast (cross racing). I’ve felt that my longer chainstay bikes (these 3 models mentioned) don’t climb as well as the racer bikes, but maybe that’s just a weight thing. I will say, a couple of years ago, riding Cino Heroica in Montana on my ‘81 Merckx Pro, I watched a buddy ride up and away from me on 9 mile Hill on his 26” wheel canti brake Riv. I bought my Ram for basically the reasons mentioned in the Riv ad copy and haven’t been disappointed. I expected a sluggish climber but it’s not that bad and recently navigated some challenging climbs in Vermont while credit card touring without any heartbreak.It’s a blast to ride downhill and I feel like if the road isn’t too hilly and the weather isn’t too hot or cold, I can ride it all day long. On Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 1:37:08 AM UTC-4 Ben Miller wrote: > Patrick, > > Very curious you didn't enjoy the Ram as a road bike. I currently own a > Roadeo, Rambouillet, and a Crust Lightning Bolt: all very great road bikes. > But I'd probably put the Ram as my top road bike. I run 38 mm Rene Herse > Barlow Pass's on both the Roadeo and Ram and it's absolutely perfect for > me. They're functionally the same bike, but I prefer the extra mounts and > DT bosses of the Ram over the Roadeo. But... I've also put way more miles > on the Roadeo than any other bike ever, (shrug?) > > The Crust Lightning Bolt has 45x650b UltraDynamico tyres (from the ever > Romantic "Ron" :) It's a great road bike, and after getting it immediately > inspired me to do a century as my 2nd ride. Rides great and is stunningly > beautiful in person, but has I have the disc brake version and well, mixed > feelings about that... > > Regarding Josiah's comment on the tubing thickness: It's exactly the same > on the Roadeo and Crust LB as measured by Reed Kennedy > <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XeS2nJhBPSDRbqgG1-F2VOI_vK1QZnZmysARDJWyGps/edit?gid=500288468#gid=500288468>. > > The Ram has an ever so slightly thicker tube set (8-5-8 vs the 7-5-7 of > Roadeo/LB). I didn't have my Crust LB at the time Reed took his > measurements, but my Crust LB is OS DT, not the standard tubing Reed has > recorded for the LB he measured. I'm pretty sure this is consistent with > older copy from Crust. And I'm pretty sure the Malocchio has similar > tubing. All in all, I believe the Ram/Roadeo/Ligthning Bolt/Malocchio have > very similar tubesets (but definitely differing geo's, at least the the 2 > Crust offerings). > > Anyways, I absolutely love all 3 road bikes, but would give an ever so > slight edge to the Ram. > > On Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 10:03:57 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote: > >> Very nice! >> >> Topline cranks! https://ronsbikesblog.com/2023/11/01/2052/comment-page-1/ >> >> Who is “Ron”? The flowing hair and beard look familiar. I’m trying to >> remember a Romantic-era poem describing flowing locks and gleaming eyes ... >> >> >> [image: image.png] >> >> On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM Patrick Moore <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Thanks, Josiah. I just looked at the site including the geometry and it >>> looks promising, tho’ the 430 mm chainstay is at least 20 mm shorter than >>> that of any road bike I’ve ridden in 30 years (my customs have ~45 cm cs). >>> I note the 563 mm tt on the 570 mm st — good, and the 80 mm bb drop; also >>> good, as are the 72.5 hta and the 73 sta, tho’ I’d prefer to reverse these. >>> >>> I didn’t pay much attention to the mullet brake recommendations as I >>> wouldn’t install tire wider than 32 mm; I’ve got other bikes for fat >>> allrounder or dirt surface tires. >>> >>> Can others speak about their handling compared to Riv road models? — >>> Roadini, Roadeo, Ram, Rom, etc? Might the Malocchio be a bit more spritely >>> than the Ram? I mean, still unerringly stable in a straight line, but turn >>> in with a bit more alacrity? — With 32 mm tires on light wheels. >>> >>> Alas, all sold out except the XL, but I will watch for these and seek >>> out reviews. >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM Josiah Anderson <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I know this is the Riv list, but have you thought about a Crust >>>> Malocchio? I don't have any personal experience with the Malocchio but >>>> I've >>>> heard good things, including from a former coworker who had one and >>>> compared it favorably to classic race bikes. It would have lighter-gauge >>>> tubing than almost any Rivendell other than maybe your 1999 custom, I >>>> would >>>> imagine. Plus it's standard diameter tubing, which no recent Riv is. I >>>> have >>>> a different Crust, a Lightning Bolt, which I believe is supposed to have >>>> similar tubing (though with 650b wheels and low trail) and I would >>>> certainly say it pedals well. >>>> >>>> Josiah >>>> >>>> Le mer. 10 sept. 2025 à 7:07 PM, Patrick Moore <[email protected]> a >>>> écrit : >>>> >>>>> I asked this on the boblist, but this bears more directly on Rivendell >>>>> models. >>>>> >>>>> I’m not ready to buy one yet, but longer (for me, >30 miles) or >>>>> hillier (steep or long hills on distances over 20 miles) rides the bikes >>>>> I >>>>> now own are non-ideal, at least for a rider who is basically fit but 70 >>>>> years old. I need, or would like, a wider range, more ratios, and a >>>>> *freewheel.* >>>>> >>>>> The wonderful 1999 Rivendell Benchmark Bike is handicapped by its >>>>> fixed drivetrain and, even with the wonderful TF hub, I get only 1 >>>>> alternate gear, 25% below direct/cruising; thus with the usual 76” direct >>>>> the climbing gear is 57”. >>>>> >>>>> The Matthews #1 — dirt road road bike — has the widest gear range, not >>>>> surprising because it’s the only one that has a derailleur drivetrain; >>>>> with >>>>> the Soma slicks, from 96” down to 32”. But while it rolls very nicely on >>>>> the flatlands I generally ride it on, on steep hills either the weight or >>>>> the admittedly non-sparkling Somas (despite their 360 gram weight for 51 >>>>> mm), it felt rather like a pig on the steepest climbs last Sunday: too >>>>> much >>>>> effort expended for forward and upward movement gained. [I think to >>>>> myself >>>>> that the 1999 fixed gofast at 18 lb versus 30 lb might well climb as >>>>> easily: much better on shallow inclines, not too much worse, although >>>>> requiring standing, on the steep ones; but it’s the steep *and long* ones >>>>> that worry me. >>>>> >>>>> The Matthews #2 might be better: fixed gear, but 3 of them: 72” 65” >>>>> and a stump-pulling 54”. But it weighs 26 lb and with the extra light RH >>>>> Naches Pass 42s it just doesn’t feel as fast-running as the gofast. >>>>> >>>>> Both Matthewses were predicated on a more or less Rivendell-like >>>>> handling; that was one of Chauncey’s principal remits; and the #2 is a >>>>> geometrical clone of a custom Riv road so that’s all right. The Matthews >>>>> #1 >>>>> handles rather like a Riv road with the 622 X 51 mm Somas but obviously >>>>> even quite light 29” wheels are not going to handle like very light 26” >>>>> wheels with narrower tires. >>>>> >>>>> Long, long windup. Question begins here: >>>>> >>>>> Should I look at a Roadeo? I see that there’s a 14 month or more >>>>> waiting period after a $1400 non-refundable deposit, but one might score >>>>> a >>>>> used 57. >>>>> >>>>> Used Riv Road? >>>>> >>>>> Roadini? >>>>> >>>>> Used Ram? >>>>> >>>>> I’d probably use 32 mm tires, RH extralights. This will be a *road* bike >>>>> for longer distances and hills; I have all rounders and dirt road bikes. >>>>> >>>>> But I owned a Ram and while it was “not bad at all,” it just felt a >>>>> bit staid even with Paris Roubaix open tubulars. I hear the Roadini is >>>>> quite stout, and was even told once that I ought to bypass the Roadeo >>>>> because with its OS tubing, probably not thinnest-wall, it would >>>>> probably >>>>> not match my proclivity for light tubing. As I’ve said, I sold on m 2003 >>>>> Curt custom because the stout tubing (so I assume) seemed always to >>>>> slightly hold me back, this over 17 years of riding it. >>>>> >>>>> Other suggestions? Several suggested LeMonds from a certain period. >>>>> >>>>> I think of getting a builder to custom-clone that 26” wheel 1999 road >>>>> fixed gofast for a derailleur drivetrain; probably not much more >>>>> expensive >>>>> than a Roadeo or a high-end off-the-shelf model as I’ve got most of the >>>>> parts for a build. >>>>> >>>>> Thoughts, general as well as particular? >>>>> >>>>> Again, just thinking out loud at this point. >>>>> >>>>> I might just get narrower, 44 mm, RH extralight Snoqualmie Pass tires >>>>> with TPU tubes on the Matthews dirt road bike. I have a 50mm+ knobby >>>>> wheelset and don’t need 50s; the Somas don’t do well in sand, as it >>>>> turned >>>>> out. Worth the expense? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> Patrick Moore >>>>> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>> >>>>> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other >>>>> writing services >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>> >>>>> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >>>>> >>>>> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >>>>> >>>>> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> 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 [email protected]. >>>>> To view this discussion visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgshDD6E0H7gL%2BikhJD_grwSD-aV3jnwPor%3DCvRo6Qt8LA%40mail.gmail.com >>>>> >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgshDD6E0H7gL%2BikhJD_grwSD-aV3jnwPor%3DCvRo6Qt8LA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>> . >>>>> >>>> -- >>>> 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 [email protected]. >>>> To view this discussion visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CADqZWjPf0zAbYnTgrXafNKCF2wLbJuvYut81TkzcAtFY5hPe_Q%40mail.gmail.com >>>> >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CADqZWjPf0zAbYnTgrXafNKCF2wLbJuvYut81TkzcAtFY5hPe_Q%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Patrick Moore >>> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing >>> services >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >>> >>> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >>> >>> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> Patrick Moore >> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing >> services >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >> >> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >> >> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >> > -- 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 [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/40396d3c-42a4-49d6-944c-9b26e5260fb8n%40googlegroups.com.
