Grant's new post intrigued some thoughts within my weary brain. Found on the Rivendell site.
"Now almost every bike abovet $300 has a shock fork and almost no bike below a Surly is steel. Fuji has one. Raleigh has eleven. Raleigh's slogan in the ancient days, way before mom and dad met, was "The All- Steel Bicycle", and I think Raleigh now is trying to recapture the spirit, maybe. It would be so easy to tig-weld a cheap bike that was Affordable Yet Fully Wholeheartedly Endorseable, but we're locked in to lugs, and it's staying that way. Over the years we've talked a little about making a Super Cheap with lugs, but the lower limit isn't all that low, because the labor is so much more intensive. It makes some sense, though. Everybody needs a beater and too many people are afraid to make their Rivbike into the bike they can lock outside the movie theater or bookstore for a few hours. I'm thinking of a way to do it, and it's not looking likely, but it's not been ruled out yet, either, and it's not a front-burner project. I will get to it if at all in many moons." I for one love my bleriot. The ride and the functionally has far surpassed my expectations. I make it my bike to do anything with, short of fast road rides( more because I'm not strong enough and I'm too stubborn to leave the carradice bag at home). Over the course of a half of year after owning my bleriot this bike has turned into some what a "beater" in a sense that I don't mind leaving it outside out at a farmers market locked with an irish strap. My nicks and scratches have far pass the point of beasuage and the low model campy components aren't holding up well because of the abused/misuse. But I don't feel bad for that I'm using the bike for it's purposes despite being a covet "Rivendell Bike. Just curious of how others treat their rivendells? Are they really used to their full potential? Or locked away shameless in the garage because of their face value? -Manny -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
