Not be banal but Rivendell bikes are lugged steel bikes. I dont think a CF bike with 25c tires is really "Rivish" at all, I mean how far are we going to strech a made up term anyway? Not hating on that kind of bike at all, rode one I have up at the parents house over the weekend and while it was really fun it would not be my choice for longer rides and comfort. I an world where I had all the money I wanted to spend on bikes I would have a calfee and a riv custom, oh and a trike, and a Tandem, and a folder, and a fixie, and a full suspension mtb. But alas I only have a few bikes and cant personally limit myself to CF that isnt comfy/practical for all day riding over city streets.
On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 4:51 PM, Brewster Fong <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Monday, August 27, 2012 10:44:02 AM UTC-7, Andy Smitty Schmidt wrote: >> >> Or maybe they'll just think you're crazy, jinxed. :-) >> >> I've been dropping Riv-ish tid bits on my bike-commuting bro-in-law for a >> couple years. He's even ridden my AHH and a friend's loaner Riv-ish Schwinn >> High Sierra. He seems responsive in conversation and had nothing but high >> praise for Homer and the Schwinn, but in the end his first criteria remains >> that a bike has to be sub-18lbs. He talks about getting a more comfortable >> bike with all the Riv-ish tid bits and fit but he can't bring himself to >> buy a "heavy" bike. >> > > I don't get it, do you have to ride a "heavy" lugged steel bike that is > built with fenders, racks and panniers to make a bike "Riv-ish?" > > My bikes are carbon and ti and I make them "Riv-ish" by doing alot of what > Grant prescribes: > > 1. higher bars - my bars are at or a bit above the saddle height > 2. saddle height - both of my bikes have a little bit more than a "fist > full of seatpost" showing > 3. tires - I run "fatter" tires than most of my friends. Instead of > 700x20/22/23 pumped up to 115-120psi; I ride a 700x25 tire pumped up to 80 > psi. I get plenty of comfort with, at least for me, no perceptible loss of > "performance." > 4. wider saddle - I love Avocet O2 saddles because they are wider than the > average "ass-hatchet," opps, I mean bike saddle that mean for a guy > weighing in at 140lb. This means more comfort for my fat butt! > 5. lower gearing - I have compact cranks iwth low gearing (48/33 and > 48/34) for years because its not only good on my knees, but allow me to > climb up the steep stuff. Grant's been advocating this for years. Now, > almost all my buddies have gone to "compact" cranks and some have even gone > to, gasp, triples.... > 6. fenders - when I can fit it, depends on the carbon fork, I use Crud MK2 > fenders. They're pretty minimal, especially when compared to others, and a > bit flimsy, but guess what, they work! The key is figuring out whether you > have clearance under the fork - especially a carbon fork. > > Anyways, my carbon bike weighs in at about 17lb; the ti bike weighs a bit > more at about 18lb. Yes, there are plenty of things on my bikes that G > would looked down upon - ergo levers, carbon frame/fork. Still, I've taken > what I think works for me and apply them to my bikes to make them work. You > may want to aim your bro-in-law into that direction, who know he may end up > with a Riv custom one of these days....Good Luck! > >> >> --Andy >> >> >> >> On Monday, August 27, 2012 7:34:49 AM UTC-7, jinxed wrote: >>> >>> On Monday, August 27, 2012 7:56:35 AM UTC-6, Fullylugged wrote: >>>> >>>> Buying the book is also a nice way to support a guy who has done and >>>> continues to do some things that we benefit from. >>>> >>>> >>> Yep...thats why I mentioned purchasing two copies. I want it/Grant/RBW >>> to do well and keep the good stuff coming. Maybe if I give a copy to >>> someone not-in-the-know...they might enjoy the refreshing point of view to >>> cycling. >>> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/y-S2YD7jA7cJ. > > 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. > -- 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.
