[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
this looks like an innovative solution to Fendering difficult bikes See page 5 of this link to the latest Rivendell Reader. Todd Olsen AHH http://www.rivbike.com/assets/payloads/75/original_RR41_web.pdf On Feb 21, 4:53 pm, Jim Bronson jim.bron...@gmail.com wrote: I went out and did a 200K brevet on Presidents' day. It rained the first 25 miles, which I was not expecting. So me and the bike ended up looking like crap again. I need a bike that can accomodate fenders. My Riv is a custom built with short reach brakes. I bought it secondhand. Although I love it and I've probably put 20 or 25 thousand miles on it in the last 4 years, it would really be nice if I could mount fenders. At least I've found that I can mount the wonderful Grand Bois 700x30 tires and still fit under the brakes. The thing is, I would really rather buy an off the shelf bike. But I am 6'7 so my options are limited. So I got to thinking about the AHH again. Last year I thought about the AHH and I called Riv and whoever I talked to discouraged me because of my weight, probably 255-260 at that time. But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. And that is one of the recommended uses of it. Anyways, here is an email I sent to the friend that I rode with on Monday. -- I am thinking of a new bike. need fenders. I wanted custom Ti for a while but then decided the steel rust thing really doesn't bother me that much. It's not like my current Rivendell is falling apart from rust or anything and I've put it through the wars. I called Rivendell. The A Homer looks like the best fit for a light touring kind of bike, but they say the weight limit is 220 on fire roads on their web site. I talked to someone a while back and they tried to guide me more towards an Atlantis. Well I weigh around 240, but I will probably never take it on a fire road. The infamous Kulow Road will probably be the worst thing it ever sees. I know you haven't done a Houston Randonneurs ride but if you ever do, Kulow is a road not to be missed ;-) ;-) So anyways this time Riv said if I rode in on-road only that it should probably be no problem at all. My current Riv Custom was built for a guy that was 6'5, 190, after all. On the 67cm AHH, the seat tube is a cm shorter but the top tube is actually a bit longer (64.5). So I would get stretched out just a little more if I were using the same stem. Of course I could always shorten up the stem a cm and that would leave things about equal. OTOH, my go-fast Paul Taylor custom has a 66cm top tube and it's not at all uncomfortable, although it does have a real short stubby threadless stem on it. One sticking point is, the price on the AHH frame has gone up by $500, to $2000. That's kind of hard to take, knowing it was $500 cheaper not that long ago. But I know they raised the price because they were getting squeezed by the exchange rates and they need to make their business work. Still, the American consumerist in me just doesn't like it I guess. I suppose I could maximize my economy by doing the bog stock complete build. That is $3400. They descibed it to me on the phone about how it was described on the site: Headset: Shimano Ultegra or just as good equivalent. Seat post: Nitto Crystal Fellow 27.2. Stem: Nitto Technomic Deluxe. Handlebar: Nitto Noodle. Saddle: Brooks B.17 or Selle An-Atomica. Brake lever: Shimano Tiagra (BL-400). We use it on all the bikes. Brakes: Silver sidepulls. Shifters: Shimano bar-ends or Silver (about same price). Front Der: Campagnolo Mirage or Champ, or IRD or Shimano. Rear Der: Shimano LX Rapid-Rise. Others available, too Chain: Shimano or IRD or SRAM. All about the same. Cassette: IRD 8- or 9-speed, or Shimano/SRAM equiv. We recommend a 11 OR 12-32 if you want the most versatility, for steep roads and trails. Shimano makes the XTR ina 12-32, but that's like $150. IRD makes a 9sp or 8sp for about $55. Basically, no diff between an 11 or 12. They're both such big gears that you'll hardly ever use them, so they just become space-takers, anyway. Wheels: Shimano LX hubs, Synergy or Mavic rims, DT butted spokes, built here by Rich, and they're poifect in every way. Tires: Any you like, but we recommend the newly arrived Jack Browns. Bottom Bracket: IRD or Shimano or Tange 113mm Crank: Sugino XD-2 46-36-24. Pedals: If you have your own favorite modern clipless, go with them. I think I might run my TA carmina in lieu of the Sugino, and I would definitely want Tektro brake levers instead of the Shimanos, I have them now and love them, they set up real nice with the Noodles. Maybe I should try a 48cm Noodle. Haha. Well, we'll see how my taxes
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
Thank you, you've just said what I've been thinking for quite sometime. Bill In a message dated 2/21/2009 10:01:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, charles_v...@hotmail.com writes: It seems Rivendell is stuck on their buyers using their bikes on fire trails which in my area don't even exist, unless you want rocks, stumps, roots and generally gnarly surfaces. Not something I think the Riv folks would even consider riding on. I am not sure what those fire trails are like down in sunny Cali but ..I think Riv might have lost some sales because of the emphasis on fire road weight limits. It gets confusing when you read the info, at least for me it was. **A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62) --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
I think Riv might have lost some sales because of the emphasis on fire road weight limits. It gets confusing when you read the info, at least for me it was. I simply focused on the weight limit number and got discouraged. Maybe a clarification on the site would be helpful to other potential customers. In one of my frame building books it mentions that modern O.D. heat treated 8x5x8 tubing is fine for riders (over) 200 pounds. I assume they meant for smooth roads when making this statement. Given the wait times for even off the shelf Rivs, I doubt they are losing sales. Riv's financial problem is keeping prices fair at a time when that is increasingly difficult if you insist on paying the bike builders a living wage. On Feb 21, 9:01 pm, charlie charles_v...@hotmail.com wrote: Seems like I talked to someone a while back that mentioned (if) the AHH was an American made (Waterford) one a heavier down tube could more easily be substituted for a little extra beefiness. Maybe this isn't the case as it might be considered custom. To me a simple substitution of tubing thickness for the down tube (if that were the only change from stock) would be easy, especially for $2000. O.k. maybe pay an extra $50 then. On a tall frame it would seem that they would do that anyway rather than the .8x.5x.8 mm. I had this question about weight limits rolling around in my mind also as I am 255 and didn't really want an Atlantis and I am 99.858% a paved road rider and a careful one at that. It seems Rivendell is stuck on their buyers using their bikes on fire trails which in my area don't even exist, unless you want rocks, stumps, roots and generally gnarly surfaces. Not something I think the Riv folks would even consider riding on. I am not sure what those fire trails are like down in sunny Cali but I think Riv should make it a glaring point in their weight limit stats to point out that paved road riding is hugely different and less hard on a bike frame..generally! I think Riv might have lost some sales because of the emphasis on fire road weight limits. It gets confusing when you read the info, at least for me it was. I simply focused on the weight limit number and got discouraged. Maybe a clarification on the site would be helpful to other potential customers. In one of my frame building books it mentions that modern O.D. heat treated 8x5x8 tubing is fine for riders (over) 200 pounds. I assume they meant for smooth roads when making this statement. I only wish I had not purchased the other brand frame that I did and waited and purchased what I really wanted as it would have been fine on the smooth roads I ride on. Wa! On Feb 21, 4:53 pm, Jim Bronson jim.bron...@gmail.com wrote: I went out and did a 200K brevet on Presidents' day. It rained the first 25 miles, which I was not expecting. So me and the bike ended up looking like crap again. I need a bike that can accomodate fenders. My Riv is a custom built with short reach brakes. I bought it secondhand. Although I love it and I've probably put 20 or 25 thousand miles on it in the last 4 years, it would really be nice if I could mount fenders. At least I've found that I can mount the wonderful Grand Bois 700x30 tires and still fit under the brakes. The thing is, I would really rather buy an off the shelf bike. But I am 6'7 so my options are limited. So I got to thinking about the AHH again. Last year I thought about the AHH and I called Riv and whoever I talked to discouraged me because of my weight, probably 255-260 at that time. But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. And that is one of the recommended uses of it. Anyways, here is an email I sent to the friend that I rode with on Monday. -- I am thinking of a new bike. need fenders. I wanted custom Ti for a while but then decided the steel rust thing really doesn't bother me that much. It's not like my current Rivendell is falling apart from rust or anything and I've put it through the wars. I called Rivendell. The A Homer looks like the best fit for a light touring kind of bike, but they say the weight limit is 220 on fire roads on their web site. I talked to someone a while back and they tried to guide me more towards an Atlantis. Well I weigh around 240, but I will probably never take it on a fire road. The infamous Kulow Road will probably be the worst thing it ever sees. I know you haven't done a Houston Randonneurs ride but if you ever do, Kulow is a road not to be missed ;-) ;-) So anyways this time Riv said if I rode in on-road only that it should probably be no problem at all. My current Riv Custom was built for a
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
I ride a Bleriot and I am well above 240. At one point I asked Sheldon about weight and one of the bikes I was buying. He said it was not a problem and I have not found it to be a problem. I never ride my road bikes off road and I guess I must ride light. It is also true that I do not do mega miles or ride fast. I would do the AHH. Jim D. Massachusetts --- On Sat, 2/21/09, Shaun Meehan meehan.sh...@gmail.com wrote: From: Shaun Meehan meehan.sh...@gmail.com Subject: [RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009, 10:09 PM It's probably a requirement of their job to do it but I think Grant and the rest of the folks at Rivendell are pretty conservative when assigning weight limits to their bikes. I know form reading Scott Cutshall (aka: Large Fella on a Bike)'s blog that he was riding an Atlantis when he weighed in the neighborhood of 500 pounds. He did end-up replacing it with a custom because it was too noodley for him but he was 500 pounds! I bet the risks associated with riding an AHH at 240 pounds would be extremely minimal. Shaun Meehan --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
The fire trails around here (I live kind of near Walnut Creek) are roughly equivalent to dirt or gravel roads I've ridden in Minnesota, British Columbia, Wisconsin, Oregon and other places that don't immediately come to mind. They're just dirt roads, nothing extremely technical, and I suspect that most Riv owners who have similar roads in their area ride them. In a message dated 2/21/2009 10:01:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, charles_v...@hotmail.com writes: It seems Rivendell is stuck on their buyers using their bikes on fire trails which in my area don't even exist, unless you want rocks, stumps, roots and generally gnarly surfaces. -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
The fire trails around here (I live kind of near Walnut Creek) are roughly equivalent to dirt or gravel roads I've ridden in Minnesota, British Columbia, Wisconsin, Oregon and other places that don't immediately come to mind. They're just dirt roads, nothing extremely technical, and I suspect that most Riv owners who have similar roads in their area ride them. Anne: Excellent observation. I do not think Illinois is the only state where most of its bicycle trails are crushed limestone. Obviously Illinois trails are not as up and down as California fire trails, but they are every bit as rough. As I have said oft times before, a Rivendell with a slick tire like a Schwalbe Kojak is a very quick bike. Maybe not Tour of California fast. But then people are not buying Rivendells to race the Tour of California. [dougpnirv] Agreed. Fire roads are designed for large, clumsy, not-off-road fire trucks, so they're really not too hard on a bicycle. At 10 mph, a decent dirt road is little different from a paved one, and usually less traffic. Take a look at this link for typical fire roads in Southern California. David Estes probably has the exact stats but I'm guessing we probably did 20 miles like this and only had to push our bikes for a couple of hundred yards up a loose, sandy hill. FWIW, we had 2 tandems on the ride with sub-teenage stokers. http://flickr.com/photos/cyclotourist/3298375779/in/set-72157614275209826/ dougP --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
On Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 12:15 PM, Doug Peterson dougpn...@cox.net wrote: At 10 mph, a decent dirt road is little different from a paved one, and usually less traffic. Take a look at this link for typical fire roads in Southern California. David Estes probably has the exact stats but I'm guessing we probably did 20 miles like this and only had to push our bikes for a couple of hundred yards up a loose, sandy hill. FWIW, we had 2 tandems on the ride with sub-teenage stokers. http://flickr.com/photos/cyclotourist/3298375779/in/set-72157614275209826/ I'd be running 32s at least on at least one of my bikes if we had dirt roads like that around here. Unfortunately, the dirt roads that I ride are very sandy -- except for brief periods just after a rare rain -- and 35s are practically no better than 23s; you need 50+ (I use 60s). --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
Here's another vote for JB Greens and A Homer Hilsen. I've found JB's to be more durable and get twice as many miles on them as I have with the Grand Bois. I weigh ~ 190 lbs I run the JB's at ~60 psi. They are reminiscent of tubulars for me. I like the JB's so much that I asked Grant to design my custom Riv http://flickr.com/photos/rasterdogs/ with Jack Browns in mind as the 'main' tire. I consider the custom as a cross between a Romulus and an AHH. I find it to be a great road bike. Based on my experience with my Romulus, test rides I've had on Hilsen's, and how my custom rides I think too much is made of the differences between the Rom/Ram and the AHH. -JimD On Feb 21, 2009, at 6:43 PM, Jim Bronson wrote: I am interested in either the Jack Brown greens or continuing to use the Grand Bois on my proposed AHH. On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 8:18 PM, bpus...@aol.com wrote: I have Jack Brown's on the Quickbeam and they are very nice. Bill In a message dated 2/21/2009 8:30:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jimcwar...@earthlink.net writes: I use Jack Brown blues on mine, and I'm sure these are contributing to the bike's greatness. A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! -- having a blood clot is a sticky situation --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
on 2/21/09 7:01 PM, charlie at charles_v...@hotmail.com wrote: I think Riv might have lost some sales because of the emphasis on fire road weight limits. It gets confusing when you read the info, at least for me it was. I simply focused on the weight limit number and got discouraged. Maybe a clarification on the site would be helpful to other potential customers. In one of my frame building books it mentions that modern O.D. heat treated 8x5x8 tubing is fine for riders (over) 200 pounds. I assume they meant for smooth roads when making this statement. In Bay Arean parlance, fire roads are not typically rocky, rooty or gnarly. They can be so, particularly early in the spring after the rains or late in the season when everything is dried out and crusty. You would tend to assume washboardy-ness later in the season (or in a dry year). Most in these sets are fire roads - http://tinyurl.com/5mfzqu to wit - http://tinyurl.com/ddblao rain rutted and steep - http://tinyurl.com/ahj3lm And, there's generally a smooth line through the worst conditions. I think that's what I like most of all about using cross/country bikes off road. As I've said before, it's kind of like light-tackle fishing. Forces you to be sharp. Back to the topic, if you were to describe Repack, which is the mother of all fire road off-roading in these parts (and more), as just a fire road, it would generally be inaccurate. I would tend to clarify it as a steep and rocky fire road with a lot of off-camber turns. I think that you have to take any manufacturer's weight limits into account against the _way_ you ride. I've ridden with some stantial Clydsedales (as in the mtb race definition) and most tend to strip freehubs/freewheels, bust up wheels, blow out front suspension and snap saddle rails well before any damage to the frame. These were big, powerful riders. Larger volume tires of course go a long way toward absorbing a lot of the impacts, too. And, unlike a lot of companies which figure you'll be buying another frame in four or five years, I think Riv figures you want to pass on your bike to the next generation. - Jim -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes Send In Your Photos! - Here's how: http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines That which is overdesigned, too highly specific, anticipates outcome; the anticipation of outcome guarantees, if not failure, the absence of grace. William Gibson - All Tomorrow's Parties --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
On Sun, Feb 22, 2009 at 4:02 PM, CycloFiend cyclofi...@earthlink.net wrote: I think that you have to take any manufacturer's weight limits into account against the _way_ you ride. I've ridden with some stantial Clydsedales (as in the mtb race definition) and most tend to strip freehubs/freewheels, bust up wheels, blow out front suspension and snap saddle rails well before any damage to the frame. These were big, powerful riders. True that. I have folded three back wheels at slow speed due to getting out of the saddle and standing on it either from a stop or from a slow speed. Ergo, I don't do that anymore! I also stripped out a freehub on Paris Brest Paris 2007 about 10 miles from the first controle in Villaines, that was a real bummer. But in retrospect, I was running DT Swiss hubs at that point in time and I probably could have easily fixed it if I just carried another set of ratchets. I managed to eventually get another wheel but after that I was always right at the edge of the time limits and finally I quit around Loudeac, I was cold, hungry and dog arse tired with no prospects of sleep for the next 2-3 days if I wanted to finish the ride within the 90 hour time limit. I was having a great time before I tried to ride my infernal bike in the powerful rain storms coming off the English Channel so I thought I'd just go back to having a great time. Kinda regret that now but oh well. Maybe I will sport an AHH in 2011. jim --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
If your riding style is more like an extension of hiking (mellow, stop and smell the sagebrush) as opposed to some version of motocross (blasting across the landscape), your unlikely to break a Riv even if you're on the high side on weight. Get enough tire and ride sensibly and no worries. dougP In Bay Arean parlance, fire roads are not typically rocky, rooty or gnarly. They can be so, particularly early in the spring after the rains or late in the season when everything is dried out and crusty. You would tend to assume washboardy-ness later in the season (or in a dry year). Most in these sets are fire roads - http://tinyurl.com/5mfzqu to wit - http://tinyurl.com/ddblao rain rutted and steep - http://tinyurl.com/ahj3lm And, there's generally a smooth line through the worst conditions. I think that's what I like most of all about using cross/country bikes off road. As I've said before, it's kind of like light-tackle fishing. Forces you to be sharp. Back to the topic, if you were to describe Repack, which is the mother of all fire road off-roading in these parts (and more), as just a fire road, it would generally be inaccurate. I would tend to clarify it as a steep and rocky fire road with a lot of off-camber turns. I think that you have to take any manufacturer's weight limits into account against the _way_ you ride. I've ridden with some stantial Clydsedales (as in the mtb race definition) and most tend to strip freehubs/freewheels, bust up wheels, blow out front suspension and snap saddle rails well before any damage to the frame. These were big, powerful riders. Larger volume tires of course go a long way toward absorbing a lot of the impacts, too. And, unlike a lot of companies which figure you'll be buying another frame in four or five years, I think Riv figures you want to pass on your bike to the next generation. - Jim -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes Send In Your Photos! - Here's how: http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines That which is overdesigned, too highly specific, anticipates outcome; the anticipation of outcome guarantees, if not failure, the absence of grace. William Gibson - All Tomorrow's Parties --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 4:53 PM, Jim Bronson jim.bron...@gmail.com wrote: The thing is, I would really rather buy an off the shelf bike. But I am 6'7 so my options are limited. So I got to thinking about the AHH again. Last year I thought about the AHH and I called Riv and whoever I talked to discouraged me because of my weight, probably 255-260 at that time. But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. And that is one of the recommended uses of it. So what is the reason you'd prefer a Hilsen to an Atlantis? I hope it's frame size, not weight. A person who weighs 235 is not going to notice a pound difference in the weight of a bike frame! And people who have weighed X + 20 but now weigh X ought, in general, to consider that they might well weigh X + 20 again. -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
I say get the AHH. It's the best production bike ever. I just got off of mine after a vigorous ride, and the smile is still on my face. For your purposes, I wouldn't worry about the weight thing. I think Rivendell's recommendations are a bit conservative. The bike comes in a good size for you, easily fits the fenders you want and feels great like a good road bike with no compromises. I use Jack Brown blues on mine, and I'm sure these are contributing to the bike's greatness. -Jim On Feb 21, 2009, at 4:53 PM, Jim Bronson wrote: I went out and did a 200K brevet on Presidents' day. It rained the first 25 miles, which I was not expecting. So me and the bike ended up looking like crap again. I need a bike that can accomodate fenders. My Riv is a custom built with short reach brakes. I bought it secondhand. Although I love it and I've probably put 20 or 25 thousand miles on it in the last 4 years, it would really be nice if I could mount fenders. At least I've found that I can mount the wonderful Grand Bois 700x30 tires and still fit under the brakes. The thing is, I would really rather buy an off the shelf bike. But I am 6'7 so my options are limited. So I got to thinking about the AHH again. Last year I thought about the AHH and I called Riv and whoever I talked to discouraged me because of my weight, probably 255-260 at that time. But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. And that is one of the recommended uses of it. Anyways, here is an email I sent to the friend that I rode with on Monday. -- I am thinking of a new bike. need fenders. I wanted custom Ti for a while but then decided the steel rust thing really doesn't bother me that much. It's not like my current Rivendell is falling apart from rust or anything and I've put it through the wars. I called Rivendell. The A Homer looks like the best fit for a light touring kind of bike, but they say the weight limit is 220 on fire roads on their web site. I talked to someone a while back and they tried to guide me more towards an Atlantis. Well I weigh around 240, but I will probably never take it on a fire road. The infamous Kulow Road will probably be the worst thing it ever sees. I know you haven't done a Houston Randonneurs ride but if you ever do, Kulow is a road not to be missed ;-) ;-) So anyways this time Riv said if I rode in on-road only that it should probably be no problem at all. My current Riv Custom was built for a guy that was 6'5, 190, after all. On the 67cm AHH, the seat tube is a cm shorter but the top tube is actually a bit longer (64.5). So I would get stretched out just a little more if I were using the same stem. Of course I could always shorten up the stem a cm and that would leave things about equal. OTOH, my go-fast Paul Taylor custom has a 66cm top tube and it's not at all uncomfortable, although it does have a real short stubby threadless stem on it. One sticking point is, the price on the AHH frame has gone up by $500, to $2000. That's kind of hard to take, knowing it was $500 cheaper not that long ago. But I know they raised the price because they were getting squeezed by the exchange rates and they need to make their business work. Still, the American consumerist in me just doesn't like it I guess. I suppose I could maximize my economy by doing the bog stock complete build. That is $3400. They descibed it to me on the phone about how it was described on the site: Headset: Shimano Ultegra or just as good equivalent. Seat post: Nitto Crystal Fellow 27.2. Stem: Nitto Technomic Deluxe. Handlebar: Nitto Noodle. Saddle: Brooks B.17 or Selle An-Atomica. Brake lever: Shimano Tiagra (BL-400). We use it on all the bikes. Brakes: Silver sidepulls. Shifters: Shimano bar-ends or Silver (about same price). Front Der: Campagnolo Mirage or Champ, or IRD or Shimano. Rear Der: Shimano LX Rapid-Rise. Others available, too Chain: Shimano or IRD or SRAM. All about the same. Cassette: IRD 8- or 9-speed, or Shimano/SRAM equiv. We recommend a 11 OR 12-32 if you want the most versatility, for steep roads and trails. Shimano makes the XTR ina 12-32, but that's like $150. IRD makes a 9sp or 8sp for about $55. Basically, no diff between an 11 or 12. They're both such big gears that you'll hardly ever use them, so they just become space-takers, anyway. Wheels: Shimano LX hubs, Synergy or Mavic rims, DT butted spokes, built here by Rich, and they're poifect in every way. Tires: Any you like, but we recommend the newly arrived Jack Browns. Bottom Bracket: IRD or Shimano or Tange 113mm Crank: Sugino XD-2 46-36-24. Pedals: If you have your own favorite modern clipless, go with them. I
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
In my opinion, you're fine. Homer is a heavy, sturdy bike - I have one. Your weight might be a problem on fire roads but should not be a concern on paved roads. Rivendell, as most companies, is concerned about liability issues - not any different than Conti recommending only a max of 90 psi in their tires and everyone I know runs them between 100 to 120 psi - but that's a whole other issue. You'll love the Hilsen. Bill Louisville, Ky In a message dated 2/21/2009 7:53:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jim.bron...@gmail.com writes: But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. **A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62) --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 7:02 PM, Anne Paulson anne.paul...@gmail.com wrote: So what is the reason you'd prefer a Hilsen to an Atlantis? I hope it's frame size, not weight. A person who weighs 235 is not going to notice a pound difference in the weight of a bike frame! And people who have weighed X + 20 but now weigh X ought, in general, to consider that they might well weigh X + 20 again. The geometry on the AHH is more suited to my height and what I want to do with the bike. With the shorter top tube on the Atlantis, the flight deck would be a bit cramped for me. On the AHH 67, the TT is 64.5, whereas on the Atlantis 68, the TT is 62. I know Rivendell sells a more relaxed cycling positition, but, I know from past bikes that a 62 TT is not long enough to suit my tastes for the bike's intended purpose, brevet riding. I already ride in the drops quite a bit on my current Riv Custom with Noodles and it has a 63.5 TT, and if I shortened the TT even more, I'd probably be there three-quarters of the time. If I was riding across the country with 100lbs of gear, then it would probably be ok to be more upright. I have a Paul Taylor custom as well that is a quite a bit more 'racy' and it has a 66 TT. Works good with anatomic drops for faster club riding. -jim --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
I have Jack Brown's on the Quickbeam and they are very nice. Bill In a message dated 2/21/2009 8:30:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jimcwar...@earthlink.net writes: I use Jack Brown blues on mine, and I'm sure these are contributing to the bike's greatness. **A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62) --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
I am interested in either the Jack Brown greens or continuing to use the Grand Bois on my proposed AHH. On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 8:18 PM, bpus...@aol.com wrote: I have Jack Brown's on the Quickbeam and they are very nice. Bill In a message dated 2/21/2009 8:30:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jimcwar...@earthlink.net writes: I use Jack Brown blues on mine, and I'm sure these are contributing to the bike's greatness. A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! -- having a blood clot is a sticky situation --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
Seems like I talked to someone a while back that mentioned (if) the AHH was an American made (Waterford) one a heavier down tube could more easily be substituted for a little extra beefiness. Maybe this isn't the case as it might be considered custom. To me a simple substitution of tubing thickness for the down tube (if that were the only change from stock) would be easy, especially for $2000. O.k. maybe pay an extra $50 then. On a tall frame it would seem that they would do that anyway rather than the .8x.5x.8 mm. I had this question about weight limits rolling around in my mind also as I am 255 and didn't really want an Atlantis and I am 99.858% a paved road rider and a careful one at that. It seems Rivendell is stuck on their buyers using their bikes on fire trails which in my area don't even exist, unless you want rocks, stumps, roots and generally gnarly surfaces. Not something I think the Riv folks would even consider riding on. I am not sure what those fire trails are like down in sunny Cali but I think Riv should make it a glaring point in their weight limit stats to point out that paved road riding is hugely different and less hard on a bike frame..generally! I think Riv might have lost some sales because of the emphasis on fire road weight limits. It gets confusing when you read the info, at least for me it was. I simply focused on the weight limit number and got discouraged. Maybe a clarification on the site would be helpful to other potential customers. In one of my frame building books it mentions that modern O.D. heat treated 8x5x8 tubing is fine for riders (over) 200 pounds. I assume they meant for smooth roads when making this statement. I only wish I had not purchased the other brand frame that I did and waited and purchased what I really wanted as it would have been fine on the smooth roads I ride on. Wa! On Feb 21, 4:53 pm, Jim Bronson jim.bron...@gmail.com wrote: I went out and did a 200K brevet on Presidents' day. It rained the first 25 miles, which I was not expecting. So me and the bike ended up looking like crap again. I need a bike that can accomodate fenders. My Riv is a custom built with short reach brakes. I bought it secondhand. Although I love it and I've probably put 20 or 25 thousand miles on it in the last 4 years, it would really be nice if I could mount fenders. At least I've found that I can mount the wonderful Grand Bois 700x30 tires and still fit under the brakes. The thing is, I would really rather buy an off the shelf bike. But I am 6'7 so my options are limited. So I got to thinking about the AHH again. Last year I thought about the AHH and I called Riv and whoever I talked to discouraged me because of my weight, probably 255-260 at that time. But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. And that is one of the recommended uses of it. Anyways, here is an email I sent to the friend that I rode with on Monday. -- I am thinking of a new bike. need fenders. I wanted custom Ti for a while but then decided the steel rust thing really doesn't bother me that much. It's not like my current Rivendell is falling apart from rust or anything and I've put it through the wars. I called Rivendell. The A Homer looks like the best fit for a light touring kind of bike, but they say the weight limit is 220 on fire roads on their web site. I talked to someone a while back and they tried to guide me more towards an Atlantis. Well I weigh around 240, but I will probably never take it on a fire road. The infamous Kulow Road will probably be the worst thing it ever sees. I know you haven't done a Houston Randonneurs ride but if you ever do, Kulow is a road not to be missed ;-) ;-) So anyways this time Riv said if I rode in on-road only that it should probably be no problem at all. My current Riv Custom was built for a guy that was 6'5, 190, after all. On the 67cm AHH, the seat tube is a cm shorter but the top tube is actually a bit longer (64.5). So I would get stretched out just a little more if I were using the same stem. Of course I could always shorten up the stem a cm and that would leave things about equal. OTOH, my go-fast Paul Taylor custom has a 66cm top tube and it's not at all uncomfortable, although it does have a real short stubby threadless stem on it. One sticking point is, the price on the AHH frame has gone up by $500, to $2000. That's kind of hard to take, knowing it was $500 cheaper not that long ago. But I know they raised the price because they were getting squeezed by the exchange rates and they need to make their business work. Still, the American consumerist in me just doesn't like it I guess. I suppose I could maximize
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
Oh! almost forgot, get the crank length that you like/need. Sounds like you need long crank arms being that you are taller than the average rider. As an aside, I rode an old 90's steel mountain bike today that I recently streetified with albatross bars and solid fork. It has 175mm crank arms and thin pedals, making it more like 180mm arms and wow, what an easy climber it was compared to my 170mm armed touring bike. Maybe it was the bike weight, maybe the crank arm length or maybe the overall lower gearing but what a difference. My legs are not sore from the change either. I may change to longer cranks. Anyway, I think its important especially if you have long legs. On Feb 21, 4:53 pm, Jim Bronson jim.bron...@gmail.com wrote: I went out and did a 200K brevet on Presidents' day. It rained the first 25 miles, which I was not expecting. So me and the bike ended up looking like crap again. I need a bike that can accomodate fenders. My Riv is a custom built with short reach brakes. I bought it secondhand. Although I love it and I've probably put 20 or 25 thousand miles on it in the last 4 years, it would really be nice if I could mount fenders. At least I've found that I can mount the wonderful Grand Bois 700x30 tires and still fit under the brakes. The thing is, I would really rather buy an off the shelf bike. But I am 6'7 so my options are limited. So I got to thinking about the AHH again. Last year I thought about the AHH and I called Riv and whoever I talked to discouraged me because of my weight, probably 255-260 at that time. But now I have slimmed down to the 235-240 range so I started thinking AHH again. Rivendell's site says the weight limit is 220 lbs on fire roads. But I am never going to ride on fire roads. The AHH would mainly be my brevet bike. And that is one of the recommended uses of it. Anyways, here is an email I sent to the friend that I rode with on Monday. -- I am thinking of a new bike. need fenders. I wanted custom Ti for a while but then decided the steel rust thing really doesn't bother me that much. It's not like my current Rivendell is falling apart from rust or anything and I've put it through the wars. I called Rivendell. The A Homer looks like the best fit for a light touring kind of bike, but they say the weight limit is 220 on fire roads on their web site. I talked to someone a while back and they tried to guide me more towards an Atlantis. Well I weigh around 240, but I will probably never take it on a fire road. The infamous Kulow Road will probably be the worst thing it ever sees. I know you haven't done a Houston Randonneurs ride but if you ever do, Kulow is a road not to be missed ;-) ;-) So anyways this time Riv said if I rode in on-road only that it should probably be no problem at all. My current Riv Custom was built for a guy that was 6'5, 190, after all. On the 67cm AHH, the seat tube is a cm shorter but the top tube is actually a bit longer (64.5). So I would get stretched out just a little more if I were using the same stem. Of course I could always shorten up the stem a cm and that would leave things about equal. OTOH, my go-fast Paul Taylor custom has a 66cm top tube and it's not at all uncomfortable, although it does have a real short stubby threadless stem on it. One sticking point is, the price on the AHH frame has gone up by $500, to $2000. That's kind of hard to take, knowing it was $500 cheaper not that long ago. But I know they raised the price because they were getting squeezed by the exchange rates and they need to make their business work. Still, the American consumerist in me just doesn't like it I guess. I suppose I could maximize my economy by doing the bog stock complete build. That is $3400. They descibed it to me on the phone about how it was described on the site: Headset: Shimano Ultegra or just as good equivalent. Seat post: Nitto Crystal Fellow 27.2. Stem: Nitto Technomic Deluxe. Handlebar: Nitto Noodle. Saddle: Brooks B.17 or Selle An-Atomica. Brake lever: Shimano Tiagra (BL-400). We use it on all the bikes. Brakes: Silver sidepulls. Shifters: Shimano bar-ends or Silver (about same price). Front Der: Campagnolo Mirage or Champ, or IRD or Shimano. Rear Der: Shimano LX Rapid-Rise. Others available, too Chain: Shimano or IRD or SRAM. All about the same. Cassette: IRD 8- or 9-speed, or Shimano/SRAM equiv. We recommend a 11 OR 12-32 if you want the most versatility, for steep roads and trails. Shimano makes the XTR ina 12-32, but that's like $150. IRD makes a 9sp or 8sp for about $55. Basically, no diff between an 11 or 12. They're both such big gears that you'll hardly ever use them, so they just become space-takers, anyway. Wheels: Shimano LX hubs, Synergy or Mavic rims, DT butted spokes, built here by Rich, and they're poifect in every way. Tires: Any you like, but we
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 6:00 PM, Jim Bronson jim.bron...@gmail.com wrote: The geometry on the AHH is more suited to my height and what I want to do with the bike. With the shorter top tube on the Atlantis, the flight deck would be a bit cramped for me. On the AHH 67, the TT is 64.5, whereas on the Atlantis 68, the TT is 62. It sounds like an AHH would be perfect for your use. I hope you get one and have many happy rides on it. -- -- Anne Paulson My hovercraft is full of eels --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[RBW] Re: thinking about another Rivendell
On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 10:59 PM, 42MuskhamSt attew...@gmail.com wrote: Just wondering if a 60cm Hillborne would work? I seem to remember reading that they had a 56cm set up for one of their taller riders and because of the sloping top tube geometry, the fit worked. My gut reaction was oh hells no, but then I took your question seriously and went to examine the geometries. Because of the sloping TT, the virtual TT is actually 62, same as the Atlantis' actual (with much less slope) TT. So I guess it came closer than I thought, but it would require a lot of seat post showing and probably still a big stem. I don't think it would be ideal, but it could be made to work. Kinda like, this was made to work: http://flickr.com/photos/23646...@n03/sets/72157612182631020/ I went out to Phoenix for the University of Texas' bowl game against Ohio State and while I was there, I wanted to ride the Southern Arizona Randonneurs' Casa Grande Ruins 200K. But I already had my plane tickets on Continental, and they wanted $100 each way to take a bike box along. So I called 12 different bike shops in Phoenix looking for a suitable or even workable bike. Finally found the Giant OCR XL depicted in the photos at Pinnacle Peak Cyclery. Said it was for riders 6'1-6'5, right on the seat tube. We made it work with an extra long seatpost and a 160 mm adjustable stem on an extreme up angle. Even so the handlebars were an inch or two lower than I was used to. But at least the bike was in excellent tune as far as the drivetrain and brakes went. Now the tires, that's another story, some cheap 23mm Kendas and they were horrible. I used to ride Gatorskins in the 28mm size and they were not good rolling tires compared to the Grand Bois 30mm I ride now. But the Kendas were a whole nother level of sluggishness worse than the Gatorskins. Seriously, I probably would not like bike riding as much if I was forced to use those tires all the time. I have a basket full of Michelin Pro2Race 23's I bought at a closeout for about $30 each that I mostly use on my racy bike. I was going to take two with me to Phoenix and replace the tires on the rental bike when I got there, but I forgot to bring them so I had to suffer with the Kendas. I hope those Kendas at least last a long time. I did not suffer a flat but then I didn't see many road hazards either. I guess I'm just spoiled with my usual tire choices. The Pro2Race are the nicest all around 23mm tires made IMO, and the Grand Bois are the best tires I have ever used to date. Then don't even get me started on the 24(!!) paired spoke wheels that I was riding, I was nervous that wheel failure was imminent at any moment. Anyways, to sum all this rambling up, my rental bike worked well enough for one 200K on mostly perfectly smooth roads. But I'd never actually own it. While the Hillbourne would probably be nicer in a number of ways than that rental bike, I don't think I'd probably want to own it either. The AHH 67 is a perfect fit and worth the extra bones IMO. And I should not throw the fine folks at Pinnacle Peak Cyclery under the bus either, despite it's shortcomings as compared to a fine bicycle like a custom Rivendell, I was absolutely thrilled that I was able to rent a bike that allowed me to go out and ride the brevet. Pinnacle Peak has excellent customer service and bent over backwards to get me all the things I thought I needed for my brevet. They opened a bento box and a saddlebag from the packaging just to let me have it for the ride. Good folks and I highly recommend them. -Jim --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
