Mike, First of all you will love whatever Rivendell you get — they are all good. If you can make it up to Analog, it’s a fabulous trip and you’ll get to try one out. They are also not that far from you.
I got my Appaloosa in 2017 from Analog when they were Gravel & Grind in Maryland. Being my first expensive bike, I did not want to buy without trying it out. So down to Maryland I went and tested Cheviot, Sam Hillborne , a supped-up Atlantis (I LOVED this one, but it was way out of my budget), and the Clem L. My decision was to get the Sam Hillborne, so I drove back a few months later, tested the Appaloosa that he had just built up, and after just one circle around the parking lot came home with that bike, which I loved so much better than the Sam Hillborne, especially for badly paved city streets. Such a Cadillac ride! I’ve since sold the Appaloosa and kept my A Homer Hilsen (and bought a platypus) since I tend to ride exclusively on roads, but every once in a while, I really miss that bombproof and Cadillac ride of the Appaloosa. Roberta Philadelphia On Friday, October 31, 2025 at 10:24:37 AM UTC-4 Mike in BK wrote: > Hi gang. I'm itching for my first Riv and decision time is upon me. In > Brooklyn I'm rather relegated to paved rides, usually laps in the park. I > was never fast, but now I'm rather slow. I don't have a computer on my bike > and can't remember the last time I did. I'm tired of clipless pedals and > lycra shorts. I want to indulge in "the art of taking it slow" and have a > bike that expands on that magic sensation I feel when I ride my 1981 Trek > 710 with 531 tubing and longer chainstays. Bigger tires for starters and > Grant's progressive designs. I built a '93 Rockhopper with Toscos, a B17, > and 2.2 tires for riding upstate and it's fun! That frame's position > doesn't really work for longer rides and getting distance covered at a > reasonable rate. I had the idea that I would go down to just one bike and > pick my perfect do-it-all Riv. I don't think that's very realistic, so > maybe the Trek will always have a use for strictly road rides. That leaves > commuting, leisurely rides, and some gravel and trail riding when I can get > to it. Hillborne you say? Not a bad idea, but I don't hear the same glowing > reviews of "Cadillac" type ride, and supreme comfort like I do when folks > write about Appaloosas, Platypi, and Charlie Gallops. Slack headtube; long > chainstays; I'm buying in. The geo for the 61cm Charlie resembles the 57cm > Appaloosa more than anything else. (I noticed the headtube of the Joe went > from 72 degrees to 70 degrees not too long ago, maybe that started with the > Sergio green run). I don't think the Charlie would be ideal for trails > under my 200 lbs, so I'm getting interested in the Joe. Antonio at RBW > advised me that the Joe might be too long and heavy for my needs and > recommended the Sam. I'm not sure if I'm jazzed about the Sam the same way, > and no less important for such an investment, the lime olive Joe coming up > is a way preferable color to the offerings of the Hillbornes pre-selling > next week. I'd buy a used olive Hillborne (57cm) but no one ever sells > their Riv! Any feedback from folks riding recent issue Appaloosas and > Hillbornes would be very welcome. Thanks! -- 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/329b35ce-cf94-47d9-80de-34fb4515ce55n%40googlegroups.com.
