[RBW] 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Larry Powers

If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b conversion 
becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let me know if this 
is not true.

Larry Powers 
 
Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain



 
 Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
 Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
 From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
 To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
 
 Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
 reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
 Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.
 
 On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
  I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily on my 
  QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot (I also 
  completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around our 
  neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought our share.  
  I know things change and can understand moving production to Taiwan because 
  of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that pushed my buttons was to read 
  that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires will be discontinued.  When I bought 
  my Rambouillet it was touted as unique because it could use a large 28mm 
  tire with fenders.  Ruffy Tuffy tires have been my tire of choice for this 
  bike and now Riv has abandoned both the bike and the tire.  I believe that 
  the Homer Hilson is the bike that Grant really intended to build when the 
  developed the Rambouillet.  But the parts available at the time placed 
  limits on the design.  The availability of longer and wider brakes finally 
  allowed the Hilson to be built.  I like the Hilson but having a Rambo and 
  an Atlantis it is hard to justify the purchase of a bike in the middle.
 
  Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged steel 
  bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes because the new 
  Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are not as close to my 
  vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they will maintain a few frames 
  like the Hilson for those of us who appreciate a more classic shaped frame. 
   If the economy improves maybe I will buy a Hilson or a Roadeo because I 
  would really like to ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I also hope that they 
  do not completely forget those of us who supported them in the early years.
 
  I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and admire my 
  bikes.
 
  Larry Powers
 
  Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain
 
  _
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  protection.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/
  
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Re: [RBW] 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 07:39 -0500, Larry Powers wrote:
 If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b
 conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone
 let me know if this is not true.

The Rambouillet does indeed have a low bottom bracket -- and it was
designed for 28mm tires.  No matter which 650B you put in there, even
the Hetre, there'd be additional drop; and I'm not at all certain
there's clearance for a Hetre.  

On the other hand, it's not just bottom bracket drop, it's the
combination of bottom bracket drop + crank length that causes the pedal
strike problem.  If you used shorter cranks, you could compensate to
some extent.



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Re: [RBW] 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Bruce
It has less BB drop than an Atlantis or a Hilsen.  As mentioned by others, 
crank length matters too. I assume you refer to the 700 size wheels. The 26 
wheel Ram will not accommodate a 650B wheel. I tried it :)




From: Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com
To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, January 13, 2010 6:39:15 AM
Subject: [RBW] 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

 
If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b conversion 
becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let me know if this 
is not true.

Larry Powers 
 
Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain



 
 Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
 Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
 From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
 To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
 
 Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
 reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
 Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.
 
 On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
  I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily on my 
  QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot (I also 
  completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around our 
  neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought our share.  
  I know things change and can understand moving production to Taiwan because 
  of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that pushed my buttons was to read 
  that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires will be discontinued.  When I bought 
  my Rambouillet it was touted as unique because it could use a large 28mm 
  tire with fenders.  Ruffy Tuffy tires have been my tire of choice for this 
  bike and now Riv has abandoned both the bike and the tire.  I believe that 
  the Homer Hilson is the bike that Grant really intended to build when the 
  developed the Rambouillet.  But the parts available at the time placed 
  limits on the design.  The availability of longer and wider brakes finally 
  allowed
 the Hilson to be built.  I like the Hilson but having a Rambo and an Atlantis 
it is hard to justify the purchase of a bike in the middle.
 
  Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged steel 
  bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes because the new 
  Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are not as close to my 
  vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they will maintain a few frames 
  like the Hilson for those of us who appreciate a more classic shaped frame. 
   If the economy improves maybe I will buy a Hilson or a Roadeo because I 
  would really like to ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I also hope that they 
  do not completely forget those of us who supported them in the early years.
 
  I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and admire my 
  bikes.
 
  Larry Powers
 
  Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain
 
  _
  Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM 
  protection.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/


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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread MichaelH
The last issue of Bicycle Quarterly reviewed a bike (name??) that has,
if I remember correctly, a bottom bracket height of only 235mm. Jan
Heine reported that he had no real problem with pedal strike, but
could hit the rings taking it over curbs.  I doubt if a Ram or Rom
would be that low.

I'm still looking forward to taking possesion of my new, custom
Bilenky tandem this spring, but not too far down the road I want to
convert my 25 1984 Trek 620 to 650B, with couplers.

My Rambouillet still remains my favorite ride, but it's great to be
able to have a variety of rides to choose from.

Michael H
1983 SpecializedSequoia (My Wife's ride)
1984 Trek 620
1988 Custom Marinoni Stage Racing Bike
2000 Soma Dbl Cross
2004 Rambouillet
2007 Ebisu All Purpose
2010 Bilenkey Touring, Travel Tandem

On Jan 13, 8:22 am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:
 On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 07:39 -0500, Larry Powers wrote:
  If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b
  conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone
  let me know if this is not true.

 The Rambouillet does indeed have a low bottom bracket -- and it was
 designed for 28mm tires.  No matter which 650B you put in there, even
 the Hetre, there'd be additional drop; and I'm not at all certain
 there's clearance for a Hetre.  

 On the other hand, it's not just bottom bracket drop, it's the
 combination of bottom bracket drop + crank length that causes the pedal
 strike problem.  If you used shorter cranks, you could compensate to
 some extent.
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[RBW] Re: Step-in Frames

2010-01-13 Thread MichaelH
Ouch!  Hope you are feeling better.
How often should a tubular tire be reglued?  I have a pair on a bike
for two years.  I've never needed to remove them so have never reglued
them.  The bike hangs up when not in use.
Michael

On Jan 12, 5:06 pm, Don Genovese dgen...@gmail.com wrote:
 ...check the glue. Yep, that's what I didn't do. I mounted a new tubular
 without glue just to stretch the new tire. A couple of weeks later I took
 the bike for a ride, forgetting about the glue. Three weeks after that, at
 home from the hospital, I noticed the tire was off the rim. I don't remember
 the accident or that day or the next ten days or the operation. My helmet
 was cracked and I sustained a head injury. Surgeons couldn't operate on the
 hip until the bleeding in the brain abated.

 That's enough. Check the glue.
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RE: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Larry Powers

Congrats on the tandem.  I had a custom Bilenky tandem built two summers ago.  
Very nice bike and they wer great to work with.

Larry Powers 
 
Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain



 
 Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:18:56 -0800
 Subject: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned
 From: mhech...@gmail.com
 To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
 
 The last issue of Bicycle Quarterly reviewed a bike (name??) that has,
 if I remember correctly, a bottom bracket height of only 235mm. Jan
 Heine reported that he had no real problem with pedal strike, but
 could hit the rings taking it over curbs. I doubt if a Ram or Rom
 would be that low.
 
 I'm still looking forward to taking possesion of my new, custom
 Bilenky tandem this spring, but not too far down the road I want to
 convert my 25 1984 Trek 620 to 650B, with couplers.
 
 My Rambouillet still remains my favorite ride, but it's great to be
 able to have a variety of rides to choose from.
 
 Michael H
 1983 SpecializedSequoia (My Wife's ride)
 1984 Trek 620
 1988 Custom Marinoni Stage Racing Bike
 2000 Soma Dbl Cross
 2004 Rambouillet
 2007 Ebisu All Purpose
 2010 Bilenkey Touring, Travel Tandem
 
 On Jan 13, 8:22 am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:
  On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 07:39 -0500, Larry Powers wrote:
   If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b
   conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone
   let me know if this is not true.
 
  The Rambouillet does indeed have a low bottom bracket -- and it was
  designed for 28mm tires.  No matter which 650B you put in there, even
  the Hetre, there'd be additional drop; and I'm not at all certain
  there's clearance for a Hetre.  
 
  On the other hand, it's not just bottom bracket drop, it's the
  combination of bottom bracket drop + crank length that causes the pedal
  strike problem.  If you used shorter cranks, you could compensate to
  some extent.
  
_
Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390710/direct/01/-- 

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Re: [RBW] Re: East Coast Riv

2010-01-13 Thread Seth Vidal
On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Ethan ethan.bickf...@gmail.com wrote:
 I'd be happy to as well. But I'm in Massachusetts. Which means there
 is relatively easy access to a few Rivs at Harris Cyclery. That being
 said I have a Riv I'd be happy to show off.

 66CM Atlantis


It's nice to see so many folks on the east coast with riv's. If anyone
comes on the list looking for help or wanting to test out a riv I hope
everyone speaks up. :)

-sv
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RE: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread Frederick, Steve
I hope it has a seat tube angle of 73 degrees or so--the gradually 
slackening(!) of Riv's bikes has put them outside my fit zone.  (since I don't 
use Brooks saddles, I don't need so much setback)  

Oh, and I hope my size comes with 650b wheels!

Steve Frederick, East Lansing, MI

-Original Message-
From: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
[mailto:rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com]on Behalf Of Aaron Thomas
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 2:08 AM
To: RBW Owners Bunch
Subject: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos


Interesting write up and photos.

I really like the blue color, the fairly simple lugs, and the clean
font used on the SOMA decal (as opposed to the font SOMA usually
uses).

As per the San Marcos decal query in the photo captions, it isn't a
town in Italy; over on the SOMA blog they say it is the name of the
town in Guatemala where their warehouse guy was born.

I see that they're contemplating a kickstand plate, a.k.a. mud
shelf (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gzahnd/3285145851/in/photostream).

Not sure if that's well-advised, but it seems to be a Riv trend to use
them on recent frames.

Otherwise, It sounds like a versatile road frame and a fruitful
collaborative project.

Aaron



On Jan 12, 10:38 pm, CycloFiend cyclofi...@earthlink.net wrote:
 A new addition to the bicycle listings this evening -

 http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/amos/70-999

 May it be wildly successful!

 - Jim

 --
 Jim Edgar
 cyclofi...@earthlink.net

 Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries -http://www.cyclofiend.com
 Current Classics - Cross Bikes
 Singlespeed - Working Bikes
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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery
I've seen 650b Rambouillets: my question is why? You can already
fender a 700x32ish, which is ample for most road riding. If running
bigger tires is a priority, there are bikes designed to do that with a
lot less hassle.

On Jan 13, 6:39 am, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
 If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b 
 conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let me 
 know if this is not true.

 Larry Powers

 Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain





  Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
  Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
  From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
  To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com

  Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
  reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
  Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.

  On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
   I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily on my 
   QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot (I also 
   completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around our 
   neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought our 
   share.  I know things change and can understand moving production to 
   Taiwan because of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that pushed my 
   buttons was to read that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires will be 
   discontinued.  When I bought my Rambouillet it was touted as unique 
   because it could use a large 28mm tire with fenders.  Ruffy Tuffy tires 
   have been my tire of choice for this bike and now Riv has abandoned both 
   the bike and the tire.  I believe that the Homer Hilson is the bike that 
   Grant really intended to build when the developed the Rambouillet.  But 
   the parts available at the time placed limits on the design.  The 
   availability of longer and wider brakes finally allowed the Hilson to be 
   built.  I like the Hilson but having a Rambo and an Atlantis it is hard 
   to justify the purchase of a bike in the middle.

   Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged steel 
   bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes because the 
   new Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are not as close to my 
   vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they will maintain a few 
   frames like the Hilson for those of us who appreciate a more classic 
   shaped frame.  If the economy improves maybe I will buy a Hilson or a 
   Roadeo because I would really like to ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I 
   also hope that they do not completely forget those of us who supported 
   them in the early years.

   I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and admire my 
   bikes.

   Larry Powers

   Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

   _
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   protection.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/

 _
 Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email 
 service.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390708/direct/01/
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[RBW] Re: East Coast Riv

2010-01-13 Thread jpp
Not exactly east coast, but the country bike shop in ohio is also
something to keep in mind.  I am not connected with them in any way,
but they look to be an interesting spot, I have talked to them and
they are well versed in Riv fitting, etc  As a plus if you look at
their website they still have a number of saluki's, if anyone is
looking for one.  http://countrybikeshop.com/
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RE: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 10:30 -0500, Frederick, Steve wrote:
 I hope it has a seat tube angle of 73 degrees or so--the gradually 
 slackening(!) of Riv's bikes has put them outside my fit zone.  (since I 
 don't use Brooks saddles, I don't need so much setback)  
 

The difference between 72 and 73 degrees should easily be accommodated
with a zero-setback post.  Are you saying you are already using one of
those with a 73 degree seat tube?



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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Mike
Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
weren't good for 650b conversion.

--mike

On Jan 13, 7:42 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com
wrote:
 I've seen 650b Rambouillets: my question is why? You can already
 fender a 700x32ish, which is ample for most road riding. If running
 bigger tires is a priority, there are bikes designed to do that with a
 lot less hassle.

 On Jan 13, 6:39 am, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:



  If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b 
  conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let me 
  know if this is not true.

  Larry Powers

  Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

   Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
   Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
   From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
   To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com

   Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
   reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
   Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.

   On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily on 
my QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot (I 
also completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around our 
neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought our 
share.  I know things change and can understand moving production to 
Taiwan because of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that pushed my 
buttons was to read that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires will be 
discontinued.  When I bought my Rambouillet it was touted as unique 
because it could use a large 28mm tire with fenders.  Ruffy Tuffy tires 
have been my tire of choice for this bike and now Riv has abandoned 
both the bike and the tire.  I believe that the Homer Hilson is the 
bike that Grant really intended to build when the developed the 
Rambouillet.  But the parts available at the time placed limits on the 
design.  The availability of longer and wider brakes finally allowed 
the Hilson to be built.  I like the Hilson but having a Rambo and an 
Atlantis it is hard to justify the purchase of a bike in the middle.

Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged steel 
bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes because the 
new Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are not as close to 
my vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they will maintain a few 
frames like the Hilson for those of us who appreciate a more classic 
shaped frame.  If the economy improves maybe I will buy a Hilson or a 
Roadeo because I would really like to ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I 
also hope that they do not completely forget those of us who supported 
them in the early years.

I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and admire 
my bikes.

Larry Powers

Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

_
Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM 
protection.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/

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[RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread Michael_S
My vote is for the slacker seatpost ... 71.5d works great for me and
brooks saddles.

Kinda cool that GP is going to re-lable and sell as a Rivendell. I
guess they call that good marketing. As much as I love that Romulus
blue  others may prefer a sage green or orange ( hint, hint)

I think  the expanded top tube angle is going to take some time to get
used to. On my Hillborne it allows me to use the shorter length Nitto
Pearl stem which I think is a nicer stem.

Mike
SoCal


On Jan 13, 8:01 am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:
 On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 10:30 -0500, Frederick, Steve wrote:
  I hope it has a seat tube angle of 73 degrees or so--the gradually 
  slackening(!) of Riv's bikes has put them outside my fit zone.  (since I 
  don't use Brooks saddles, I don't need so much setback)  

 The difference between 72 and 73 degrees should easily be accommodated
 with a zero-setback post.  Are you saying you are already using one of
 those with a 73 degree seat tube?
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[RBW] for sale riv catalogs and readers

2010-01-13 Thread Sarah Gibson


have a huge pile of older readers and catalogs

if anyone has a hole in their collection

shoot me an email

off-list

thanks

peace




well behaved women rarely make history
_ride yr friggin bicycle_
 



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RE: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread Frederick, Steve
Steve Palincsar wrote:

The difference between 72 and 73 degrees should easily be accommodated
with a zero-setback post.  Are you saying you are already using one of
those with a 73 degree seat tube?

I am--my ideal, seat tube angle with the saddle I typically use is 73.5.  
That assumes a zero-setback post with the saddle rails centered.  So I'm on the 
steep side for a Riv rider!

Steve short thighs, Frederick, East Lansing, MI



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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery
I remember the article that Mike mentioned. I think the point was that
Riv bikes already have good clearances, so why bother (not to mention
BB height issues...) In the early days of RBW's promotion of 650B, a
lot of people were converting 27/700 bikes for no clear reason, since
many of the conversions already had ample tire-space (many 1970s bikes
had loads of room). Of course, if you have an early 80s Italian racing
bike or something else with minimal clearance, then there are clear
benefits to the conversion. We did many of these, which were well
received by their owners, and made the bikes much more useful and
interesting.

On Jan 13, 10:17 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
 Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
 fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
 can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
 RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
 weren't good for 650b conversion.

 --mike

 On Jan 13, 7:42 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com
 wrote:

  I've seen 650b Rambouillets: my question is why? You can already
  fender a 700x32ish, which is ample for most road riding. If running
  bigger tires is a priority, there are bikes designed to do that with a
  lot less hassle.

  On Jan 13, 6:39 am, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:

   If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b 
   conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let 
   me know if this is not true.

   Larry Powers

   Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com

Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.

On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
 I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily 
 on my QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot 
 (I also completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around 
 our neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought 
 our share.  I know things change and can understand moving production 
 to Taiwan because of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that 
 pushed my buttons was to read that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires 
 will be discontinued.  When I bought my Rambouillet it was touted as 
 unique because it could use a large 28mm tire with fenders.  Ruffy 
 Tuffy tires have been my tire of choice for this bike and now Riv has 
 abandoned both the bike and the tire.  I believe that the Homer 
 Hilson is the bike that Grant really intended to build when the 
 developed the Rambouillet.  But the parts available at the time 
 placed limits on the design.  The availability of longer and wider 
 brakes finally allowed the Hilson to be built.  I like the Hilson but 
 having a Rambo and an Atlantis it is hard to justify the purchase of 
 a bike in the middle.

 Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged 
 steel bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes 
 because the new Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are 
 not as close to my vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they 
 will maintain a few frames like the Hilson for those of us who 
 appreciate a more classic shaped frame.  If the economy improves 
 maybe I will buy a Hilson or a Roadeo because I would really like to 
 ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I also hope that they do not 
 completely forget those of us who supported them in the early years.

 I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and 
 admire my bikes.

 Larry Powers

 Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread clevewh...@gmail.com
The answer to why is toeclip overlap.  My 54cm Rambouillet has a
terrible problem with this and it really is a problem when I'm trying
to negotiate traffic with a heavy load of groceries

On Jan 13, 7:42 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com
wrote:
 I've seen 650b Rambouillets: my question is why? You can already
 fender a 700x32ish, which is ample for most road riding. If running
 bigger tires is a priority, there are bikes designed to do that with a
 lot less hassle.

 On Jan 13, 6:39 am, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:

  If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b 
  conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let me 
  know if this is not true.

  Larry Powers

  Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

   Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
   Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
   From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
   To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com

   Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
   reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
   Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.

   On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily on 
my QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot (I 
also completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around our 
neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought our 
share.  I know things change and can understand moving production to 
Taiwan because of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that pushed my 
buttons was to read that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires will be 
discontinued.  When I bought my Rambouillet it was touted as unique 
because it could use a large 28mm tire with fenders.  Ruffy Tuffy tires 
have been my tire of choice for this bike and now Riv has abandoned 
both the bike and the tire.  I believe that the Homer Hilson is the 
bike that Grant really intended to build when the developed the 
Rambouillet.  But the parts available at the time placed limits on the 
design.  The availability of longer and wider brakes finally allowed 
the Hilson to be built.  I like the Hilson but having a Rambo and an 
Atlantis it is hard to justify the purchase of a bike in the middle.

Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged steel 
bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes because the 
new Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are not as close to 
my vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they will maintain a few 
frames like the Hilson for those of us who appreciate a more classic 
shaped frame.  If the economy improves maybe I will buy a Hilson or a 
Roadeo because I would really like to ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I 
also hope that they do not completely forget those of us who supported 
them in the early years.

I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and admire 
my bikes.

Larry Powers

Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

_
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protection.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/

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  service.http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390708/direct/01/
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[RBW] Re: East Coast Riv

2010-01-13 Thread Marty
A few ideas:

1. RCR - Right Coast Rivers, or Right Coast Rivies

2. RRC - Rivendell Right Coasters

3. EMRA - East of the Mississippi Rivendell Aficionados

4. NERDS - NutinwrongwithlivinoutEast Rivendell DreamerS

Can't contribute a Riv ride at the moment. FYI - I'm in South-Central
PA.

Marty ( I vote for #3)


On Jan 13, 10:58 am, jpp paste...@notes.udayton.edu wrote:
 Not exactly east coast, but the country bike shop in ohio is also
 something to keep in mind.  I am not connected with them in any way,
 but they look to be an interesting spot, I have talked to them and
 they are well versed in Riv fitting, etc  As a plus if you look at
 their website they still have a number of saluki's, if anyone is
 looking for one.  http://countrybikeshop.com/
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Re: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 08:52 -0800, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote:
 I remember the article that Mike mentioned. I think the point was that
 Riv bikes already have good clearances, so why bother (not to mention
 BB height issues...) In the early days of RBW's promotion of 650B, a
 lot of people were converting 27/700 bikes for no clear reason, since
 many of the conversions already had ample tire-space (many 1970s bikes
 had loads of room). Of course, if you have an early 80s Italian racing
 bike or something else with minimal clearance, then there are clear
 benefits to the conversion. We did many of these, which were well
 received by their owners, and made the bikes much more useful and
 interesting.
 
 On Jan 13, 10:17 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
  Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
  fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
  can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
  RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
  weren't good for 650b conversion.

On the other hand, if you can fit it, there is a WORLD of difference
between a 650Bx40 Hetre and any 32mm tire.  There's even a world of
difference between a 38mm CdlV and any 32mm tire.  I have all these
sizes, and I speak from experience.  

Also, I've used 35 and 38mm 700C tires in the past (although not the
current gen. Pasela 37mm, which by all accounts is the best wide 700C).
In my opinion, based on my experiences, there is simply no comparison
between the plush, velvety ride of the wide 650Bs and the harsh,
unpleasant, heavy-feeling ride of the wide 700Cs I've tried.  

And the best of the wide 700C lot, the now-defunct Bruce Gordon Rock 'n
Road knobby, had other issues: very fast wear, and a wicked rebound.
Hit a good sized bump with it, and it was like slamming a basketball on
the ground: BOING!  Hang on to the handlebar, lest you lose it.

In my experience, the wide 700Cs just aren't the same as the wide 650Bs.
They're generally much higher pressure (in some cases, labeled inflate
to 90 or 100 psi) than the corresponding width 650Bs, which often are
labeled 50psi max pressure, with much stiffer sidewalls and beefier
construction all around.  Supple, they're not.



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[RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread RoadieRyan
Having it posted on the site gives me hope this is frame will come to
fruition.  It will be nice to have a choice between a sporty road
bike  AMOS, and a country bike  SamH.  Love the blue, hope they
keep it

On Jan 13, 8:25 am, Michael_S mikeybi...@rocketmail.com wrote:
 My vote is for the slacker seatpost ... 71.5d works great for me and
 brooks saddles.

 Kinda cool that GP is going to re-lable and sell as a Rivendell. I
 guess they call that good marketing. As much as I love that Romulus
 blue  others may prefer a sage green or orange ( hint, hint)

 I think  the expanded top tube angle is going to take some time to get
 used to. On my Hillborne it allows me to use the shorter length Nitto
 Pearl stem which I think is a nicer stem.

 Mike
 SoCal

 On Jan 13, 8:01 am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:



  On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 10:30 -0500, Frederick, Steve wrote:
   I hope it has a seat tube angle of 73 degrees or so--the gradually 
   slackening(!) of Riv's bikes has put them outside my fit zone.  (since I 
   don't use Brooks saddles, I don't need so much setback)  

  The difference between 72 and 73 degrees should easily be accommodated
  with a zero-setback post.  Are you saying you are already using one of
  those with a 73 degree seat tube?- Hide quoted text -

 - Show quoted text -
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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery
You may be right Steve. My 650B-riding experience is limited to some
Fatty Rumpkins, which were fine, but not magical. Interesting that no
tire makers have shown interest in a wider 700C that rides like the
fat 650Bs reportedly ride. You'd think that just once some tire
company would say, ya know, we don't need to add the 1,000th 700x23
to the marketplace - let's try something new!

I have to think that such a tire is forthcoming, with the
proliferation of randonneuring, gravel riding, and bikes that can
handle that size.

On Jan 13, 11:05 am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:
 On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 08:52 -0800, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote:



  I remember the article that Mike mentioned. I think the point was that
  Riv bikes already have good clearances, so why bother (not to mention
  BB height issues...) In the early days of RBW's promotion of 650B, a
  lot of people were converting 27/700 bikes for no clear reason, since
  many of the conversions already had ample tire-space (many 1970s bikes
  had loads of room). Of course, if you have an early 80s Italian racing
  bike or something else with minimal clearance, then there are clear
  benefits to the conversion. We did many of these, which were well
  received by their owners, and made the bikes much more useful and
  interesting.

  On Jan 13, 10:17 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
   Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
   fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
   can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
   RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
   weren't good for 650b conversion.

 On the other hand, if you can fit it, there is a WORLD of difference
 between a 650Bx40 Hetre and any 32mm tire.  There's even a world of
 difference between a 38mm CdlV and any 32mm tire.  I have all these
 sizes, and I speak from experience.  

 Also, I've used 35 and 38mm 700C tires in the past (although not the
 current gen. Pasela 37mm, which by all accounts is the best wide 700C).
 In my opinion, based on my experiences, there is simply no comparison
 between the plush, velvety ride of the wide 650Bs and the harsh,
 unpleasant, heavy-feeling ride of the wide 700Cs I've tried.  

 And the best of the wide 700C lot, the now-defunct Bruce Gordon Rock 'n
 Road knobby, had other issues: very fast wear, and a wicked rebound.
 Hit a good sized bump with it, and it was like slamming a basketball on
 the ground: BOING!  Hang on to the handlebar, lest you lose it.

 In my experience, the wide 700Cs just aren't the same as the wide 650Bs.
 They're generally much higher pressure (in some cases, labeled inflate
 to 90 or 100 psi) than the corresponding width 650Bs, which often are
 labeled 50psi max pressure, with much stiffer sidewalls and beefier
 construction all around.  Supple, they're not.
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Re: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Seth Vidal
On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 12:22 PM, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery
thill@gmail.com wrote:
 You may be right Steve. My 650B-riding experience is limited to some
 Fatty Rumpkins, which were fine, but not magical. Interesting that no
 tire makers have shown interest in a wider 700C that rides like the
 fat 650Bs reportedly ride. You'd think that just once some tire
 company would say, ya know, we don't need to add the 1,000th 700x23
 to the marketplace - let's try something new!

 I have to think that such a tire is forthcoming, with the
 proliferation of randonneuring, gravel riding, and bikes that can
 handle that size.

I'd like to think that, too. I've asked grand bois but they don't seem
interested.

Maybe I should try the 37mm paselas. I know the 35s are nice - so
maybe the 37s are the bees knees.

-sv
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Re: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 09:22 -0800, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote:
 You may be right Steve. My 650B-riding experience is limited to some
 Fatty Rumpkins, which were fine, but not magical. Interesting that no
 tire makers have shown interest in a wider 700C that rides like the
 fat 650Bs reportedly ride. You'd think that just once some tire
 company would say, ya know, we don't need to add the 1,000th 700x23
 to the marketplace - let's try something new!

Nah, they're too busy making 700x23s in every color that matches bicycle
paint.  Can't afford those extra SKUs...


 I have to think that such a tire is forthcoming, with the
 proliferation of randonneuring, gravel riding, and bikes that can
 handle that size.

I'll bet only if 'I' decides Grand Bois needs such a thing.  After all,
being market driven means you need more of those colored 700x23s...



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Re: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 08:56 -0800, clevewh...@gmail.com wrote:
 The answer to why is toeclip overlap.  My 54cm Rambouillet has a
 terrible problem with this and it really is a problem when I'm trying
 to negotiate traffic with a heavy load of groceries

That's certainly an excellent reason!



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Re: [RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 12:28 -0500, Seth Vidal wrote:

 Maybe I should try the 37mm paselas. I know the 35s are nice - so
 maybe the 37s are the bees knees.

They are supposed to be the bees knees in wide 700Cs.  I've never heard
anybody say they're the equals of Hetres, though -- and, they've been
very hard to find in the past year.



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[RBW] Re: East Coast Riv

2010-01-13 Thread jpp
What about ROBE, pronounced Robby.
Riv Owners Bunch East
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Re: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread Seth Vidal
On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 1:05 PM, Esteban proto...@gmail.com wrote:
 I think this will work out quite nicely for Rivendell.  Remember the
 pain of managing the QBP partnership with the Bleriot?  Soma will
 manage the bike, and Riv gets to see more people on a more sensible
 road bike.

 If someone walks into a Soma dealer and sees the SOMA/AMOS in the
 shop, the upslope on the top tub will seem much less dramatic than on
 other bikes, especially the less-sensible and much more expensive
 crabon fibré bikes next to it.  For me, I like a horizontal (or near-
 horizontal) TT, but I'm not shopping for a SOMA/AMOS - perhaps not the
 target market.


I agree with you about the TT. I like the look of horizontal or nearly
horizontal TT but I get the point of the sloping TT.

-sv
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[RBW] 650b Rambouillet

2010-01-13 Thread arthur strum
If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b  
conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with. Someone  
let me know if this is not true.


Larry Powers

[lots of replies, mostly that it's not possible, or not desirable...]

Larry:

I did this with my 68cm Redwood (functionally identical to the  
Rambouillet), because I found that 40-42 mm Hetres would fit. This  
makes the drop equivalent to a 21-23 mm tire -- not that different  
from the 28mm tire around which the Ram was built. I also ride 175mm  
cranks on this bike, and sometimes pedal through corners. Not a big  
deal, no problems with pedal strike. I did the conversion because 32mm  
tires with fenders simply aren't big enough for my 190lbs and  
commuting load and the terrible, terrible streets here. The Hetres  
make a huge difference. I also find that  I like the handling of the  
bike better with these much wider tires, and that it's more  
comfortable, although the bike is so comfortable with narrower tires  
to begin with that for this reason alone the change wasn't necessary.  
There's also a lot more fender clearance with the Hetres on this bike  
-- I kept having to readjust my anonymous old Japanese metal fenders  
when I was running 700C/32s.


So I think the change might be quite helpful for anyone who needs much  
wider tires, and probably not necessary for others. It just depends on  
your weight and local road conditions.


One caveat: I do find that the greater diameter of 700C/37mm Paselas  
causes them to handle gaps in the pavement and potholes (the ones one  
can't avoid) better than the 650Bs, even with Hetres - this even while  
the Hetres are otherwise more comfortable. (I say I find.. because  
this is simply an impression -- others undoubtedly have other  
impressions) Somehow the larger diameter wheels feel more proportional  
to me, at 6'6/190, and to the height of my bike.


Art
Tacoma


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RE: [RBW] 650b Rambouillet

2010-01-13 Thread Frederick, Steve
Art, I'd paypal you a dollar to see pics of your 650b Redwood!

Steve Frederick, East Lansing, MI
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RE: [RBW] Re: East Coast Riv

2010-01-13 Thread Frederick, Steve
Marty had:

A few ideas:

1. RCR - Right Coast Rivers, or Right Coast Rivies

2. RRC - Rivendell Right Coasters

3. EMRA - East of the Mississippi Rivendell Aficionados

4. NERDS - NutinwrongwithlivinoutEast Rivendell DreamerS

Can't contribute a Riv ride at the moment. FYI - I'm in South-Central
PA.

Marty ( I vote for #3)


Brilliant!  Make the first one RCRR (RivRiders) but I vote for #3, too.  

Steve 52 and 54cm Rivs available for fitting, Frederick, East Lansing, MI


On Jan 13, 10:58 am, jpp paste...@notes.udayton.edu wrote:
 Not exactly east coast, but the country bike shop in ohio is also
 something to keep in mind.  I am not connected with them in any way,
 but they look to be an interesting spot, I have talked to them and
 they are well versed in Riv fitting, etc  As a plus if you look at
 their website they still have a number of saluki's, if anyone is
 looking for one.  http://countrybikeshop.com/
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RE: [RBW] 650b Rambouillet

2010-01-13 Thread Larry Powers

I think my spring project is to get 32 mm tires working on my Rambouillet by 
changing the current Shimano brakes for Tektro R538's.  If I can get this to 
work then the Rambouillet would be everything I need in a bike.  I currently 
run 32mm Pasellas on my Quickbeam and for general purpose use they are great. 

Larry Powers 
 
Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain



 


Subject: [RBW] 650b Rambouillet
From: rthrstrum...@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:17:29 -0800
To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com



If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b conversion 
becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with. Someone let me know if this is 
not true.
 
Larry Powers 
[lots of replies, mostly that it's not possible, or not desirable...]


Larry:


I did this with my 68cm Redwood (functionally identical to the Rambouillet), 
because I found that 40-42 mm Hetres would fit. This makes the drop equivalent 
to a 21-23 mm tire -- not that different from the 28mm tire around which the 
Ram was built. I also ride 175mm cranks on this bike, and sometimes pedal 
through corners. Not a big deal, no problems with pedal strike. I did the 
conversion because 32mm tires with fenders simply aren't big enough for my 
190lbs and commuting load and the terrible, terrible streets here. The Hetres 
make a huge difference. I also find that  I like the handling of the bike 
better with these much wider tires, and that it's more comfortable, although 
the bike is so comfortable with narrower tires to begin with that for this 
reason alone the change wasn't necessary. There's also a lot more fender 
clearance with the Hetres on this bike -- I kept having to readjust my 
anonymous old Japanese metal fenders when I was running 700C/32s. 


So I think the change might be quite helpful for anyone who needs much wider 
tires, and probably not necessary for others. It just depends on your weight 
and local road conditions.


One caveat: I do find that the greater diameter of 700C/37mm Paselas causes 
them to handle gaps in the pavement and potholes (the ones one can't avoid) 
better than the 650Bs, even with Hetres - this even while the Hetres are 
otherwise more comfortable. (I say I find.. because this is simply an 
impression -- others undoubtedly have other impressions) Somehow the larger 
diameter wheels feel more proportional to me, at 6'6/190, and to the height of 
my bike. 


Art
Tacoma



  
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[RBW] Re: New Riv Custom

2010-01-13 Thread Brad Gantt
Just found out the bike will arrive on Friday. A little evening shake-
out cruise and then off for a proper ramble on Saturday morning.
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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread MichaelH
I am not able to get a 32mm (actual) tire under my Honjo fenders on my
Rambouillet.  Perhaps I could get a 30, but my sense is, despite the
promotional claims, that the Ram. is designed to be optimized with 28
mm tires.   I didn't see any point in trying to make that frame into
something it wasn't intended to be.

I had a '83 Trek 620 which could handle 35 mm tires, SKS fenders and a
Campy Grand Sport brake.  When I sold it and bought the 84 on ebay I
was disappointed to find that a 32mm tire really squeezed the
clearance.  I bought an Ebisu All Purpose, which is a frame much like
the AHH, to use for those times I want beefier tires.  But I consider
the Trek an excellent candidate for the conversion. I expect it to be
great with the Grand Bois 42mm tires.  I would suggest that there are
lots of good '80s vintage frames around that would make good,
inexpensive conversion candidates.
Let your Ram be the 700c Rondonee style bike it was intended to be.

Have fun.
Michael


On Jan 13, 11:17 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
 Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
 fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
 can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
 RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
 weren't good for 650b conversion.

 --mike

 On Jan 13, 7:42 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com
 wrote:



  I've seen 650b Rambouillets: my question is why? You can already
  fender a 700x32ish, which is ample for most road riding. If running
  bigger tires is a priority, there are bikes designed to do that with a
  lot less hassle.

  On Jan 13, 6:39 am, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:

   If I recall correctly the Rambo is not a could candidate for a 650b 
   conversion becuase it has low bottom bracket to start with.  Someone let 
   me know if this is not true.

   Larry Powers

   Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:29:41 -0800
Subject: [RBW] Re: Feeling Abondoned
From: charles_v...@hotmail.com
To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com

Couldn't you just convert to 650B wheels on the Ram and use longer
reach brakes? You would get more clearance and a wide tire selection.
Not sure on the bottom bracket height however.

On Jan 12, 3:40 pm, Larry Powers lapower...@hotmail.com wrote:
 I took a nice tour on my Atlantis this past summer, I commute daily 
 on my QB, my wife and I toured France on our Rambouillet and Bleriot 
 (I also completed PBP on my Rambo) and my wife likes to tool around 
 our neighborhood on her Glorius.  We like Riv bikes and have bought 
 our share.  I know things change and can understand moving production 
 to Taiwan because of the exchange rate.  I guess the thing that 
 pushed my buttons was to read that the Ruffy Tuffy/Rolly Polly tires 
 will be discontinued.  When I bought my Rambouillet it was touted as 
 unique because it could use a large 28mm tire with fenders.  Ruffy 
 Tuffy tires have been my tire of choice for this bike and now Riv has 
 abandoned both the bike and the tire.  I believe that the Homer 
 Hilson is the bike that Grant really intended to build when the 
 developed the Rambouillet.  But the parts available at the time 
 placed limits on the design.  The availability of longer and wider 
 brakes finally allowed the Hilson to be built.  I like the Hilson but 
 having a Rambo and an Atlantis it is hard to justify the purchase of 
 a bike in the middle.

 Change is inevitable and I hope that Riv continues to sell Lugged 
 steel bike for a long time.  I am very glad that I have my bikes 
 because the new Riv's with limited sizes and sloping top tubes are 
 not as close to my vision of what a bike should be.  Hopefully they 
 will maintain a few frames like the Hilson for those of us who 
 appreciate a more classic shaped frame.  If the economy improves 
 maybe I will buy a Hilson or a Roadeo because I would really like to 
 ride Brevets on a 32mm tire.   I also hope that they do not 
 completely forget those of us who supported them in the early years.

 I think I will pour a nice glass of wine, sit in the garage and 
 admire my bikes.

 Larry Powers

 Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

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   text -

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[RBW] Avocet Shoes

2010-01-13 Thread Marty
Just noticed a bunch of NOS Avocet touring shoes on the 'bay - alas
nothing my size, but maybe you or your spouse/SO have normal feet,
unlike my yeti-sized paws. I've always liked Avocet stuff; saddles,
components, computers, etc, but they are hard to find anymore in good
shape. (I bought an Avocet 50 years ago just for the cool package -
anyone remember the plastic mountain?) The Touring 1 saddle is still
my first pick. Just search under avocet touring and see if the shoe
fits.

Marty
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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread EricP
Interesting.  As I just inflate the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 700x40
to whatever the mood is.  Usually about 45 front and 60 rear.  And
after about 2,400 miles on them last year, do perfer them to the CdlV
in 650B.  Those were good tires, but I didn't find them in the same
quality league as the Schwable.  At least for my riding preferences.

Again, that's probably just my preference and my weight.  If I were to
lose a lot more weight, things might be different.

No matter, right now, 40 is about the narrowest tire in the lineup.
Although maybe my 700C studded on the Hillborne are not so wide.  But
that bike hasn't been out yet this year.  Weather too crummy.

The differences in folks getting tires to fit in the Ram make me
wonder if there are either rim issues involved or - and this is highly
unlikely - one batch might be slightly narrower in the stays?

Eric Platt
(who has cabin fever and the Atlantis on the road to nowhere trainer
isn't helping)


On Jan 13, 11:05�am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:
 On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 08:52 -0800, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote:





  I remember the article that Mike mentioned. I think the point was that
  Riv bikes already have good clearances, so why bother (not to mention
  BB height issues...) In the early days of RBW's promotion of 650B, a
  lot of people were converting 27/700 bikes for no clear reason, since
  many of the conversions already had ample tire-space (many 1970s bikes
  had loads of room). Of course, if you have an early 80s Italian racing
  bike or something else with minimal clearance, then there are clear
  benefits to the conversion. We did many of these, which were well
  received by their owners, and made the bikes much more useful and
  interesting.

  On Jan 13, 10:17 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
   Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
   fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
   can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
   RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
   weren't good for 650b conversion.

 On the other hand, if you can fit it, there is a WORLD of difference
 between a 650Bx40 Hetre and any 32mm tire. �There's even a world of
 difference between a 38mm CdlV and any 32mm tire. �I have all these
 sizes, and I speak from experience. �

 Also, I've used 35 and 38mm 700C tires in the past (although not the
 current gen. Pasela 37mm, which by all accounts is the best wide 700C).
 In my opinion, based on my experiences, there is simply no comparison
 between the plush, velvety ride of the wide 650Bs and the harsh,
 unpleasant, heavy-feeling ride of the wide 700Cs I've tried. �

 And the best of the wide 700C lot, the now-defunct Bruce Gordon Rock 'n
 Road knobby, had other issues: very fast wear, and a wicked rebound.
 Hit a good sized bump with it, and it was like slamming a basketball on
 the ground: BOING! �Hang on to the handlebar, lest you lose it.

 In my experience, the wide 700Cs just aren't the same as the wide 650Bs.
 They're generally much higher pressure (in some cases, labeled inflate
 to 90 or 100 psi) than the corresponding width 650Bs, which often are
 labeled 50psi max pressure, with much stiffer sidewalls and beefier
 construction all around. �Supple, they're not.- Hide quoted text -

 - Show quoted text -
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[RBW] bike-0, mud-4

2010-01-13 Thread manueljohnacosta
I just learned that mud can get stuck in your fenders and make an good
ride into an adventure!

Pictures can be founded here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mannyacosta/sets/72157623081384461/

-Manny
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[RBW] Was San Marcos - Now Seats Forward on Rivendells

2010-01-13 Thread James Warren
I'm a seat-forward Rivendell rider person, and I just recently found out. It 
freaked me out a bit, because I have a few of them with setback Nitto 
seatposts, and so far, I've only switched to the Thomson on the Ram with good 
results. I want a good silver seatpost for the other bikes too, so do I need to 
spring for Thomsons on those? I'm thinking about just flipping the Nittos 
around backwards. Will this cause problems?

-Jim W.


-Original Message-
From: Frederick, Steve frede...@mail.lib.msu.edu
Sent: Jan 13, 2010 11:50 AM
To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

Steve Palincsar wrote:

The difference between 72 and 73 degrees should easily be accommodated
with a zero-setback post.  Are you saying you are already using one of
those with a 73 degree seat tube?

I am--my ideal, seat tube angle with the saddle I typically use is 73.5.  
That assumes a zero-setback post with the saddle rails centered.  So I'm on 
the steep side for a Riv rider!

Steve short thighs, Frederick, East Lansing, MI




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[RBW] Re: Was San Marcos - Now Seats Forward on Rivendells

2010-01-13 Thread Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery
Usually it's hard to get the correct angle adjustment with a backwards
seatpost.

On Jan 13, 8:22 pm, James Warren jimcwar...@earthlink.net wrote:
 I'm a seat-forward Rivendell rider person, and I just recently found out. It 
 freaked me out a bit, because I have a few of them with setback Nitto 
 seatposts, and so far, I've only switched to the Thomson on the Ram with good 
 results. I want a good silver seatpost for the other bikes too, so do I need 
 to spring for Thomsons on those? I'm thinking about just flipping the Nittos 
 around backwards. Will this cause problems?

 -Jim W.



 -Original Message-
 From: Frederick, Steve frede...@mail.lib.msu.edu
 Sent: Jan 13, 2010 11:50 AM
 To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
 Subject: RE: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

 Steve Palincsar wrote:

 The difference between 72 and 73 degrees should easily be accommodated
 with a zero-setback post.  Are you saying you are already using one of
 those with a 73 degree seat tube?

 I am--my ideal, seat tube angle with the saddle I typically use is 73.5.  
 That assumes a zero-setback post with the saddle rails centered.  So I'm on 
 the steep side for a Riv rider!

 Steve short thighs, Frederick, East Lansing, MI
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[RBW] Re: East Coast Riv

2010-01-13 Thread Dick Denning


On Jan 13, 10:58 am, jpp paste...@notes.udayton.edu wrote:
 Not exactly east coast, but the country bike shop in ohio is also
 something to keep in mind.  I am not connected with them in any way,
 but they look to be an interesting spot, I have talked to them and
 they are well versed in Riv fitting, etc  As a plus if you look at
 their website they still have a number of saluki's, if anyone is
 looking for one.  http://countrybikeshop.com/

JPP:

Thanks for mentioning The Country Bike Shop.  We do have a good number
of Rivendells
available for test rides (currently 12) but we're about as far from
the East Coast as you can
get in Ohio.   We're actually just 15 minutes form the Indiana
border.  Cincinnati, Columbus, Oh.,
Toledo, Ft. Wayne, In. Indianapolis are all about 2 - 2 1/4 hours
away.  Detroit is 3 hours.

And I need to update the picture section of our website as we're down
to a 50cm Butterscotch Saluki
and a Fawn (Champagne) 54 Saluki.

Dick
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[RBW] Re: 650b Rambouillet was: Feeling Abondoned

2010-01-13 Thread Esteban
MichaelH wrote, the Ram. is designed to be optimized with 28
mm tires.   I didn't see any point in trying to make that frame into
something it wasn't intended to be.

I agree with that. When I think of my Romulus, I know it was designed
around the Shimano medium reach brakes and for 28mm tires with fenders
or up to 37mm without.  That determined the design details of the
whole bike.  As it is, that's pretty darn versatile!  It is a road
bike, afterall. I run mine with 28s and fenders, and I've been riding
35mm Paselas, and those are a dream - I would say almost equal to a
CdlV.  One can always get another bike built around 650B - and the
producers mentioned earlier are not the only ones - seems like younger
Rando riders and custom builders are really going after the classic
650B rando bike.

All this being said, I just did my first long-ish ride on the Hetres
now on my 650B Custom Protovelo (kinda like a Saluki).  Wow.  Those
are some fast, smooth tires. Its like they're not even there  like
you're floating along -- and fast!  And with the 38mm Grand Bois and
the Pari-Motos coming down the pipe, they should offer some very nice
650B performance options for distance events and general distance/
camping riding.

I really do wish Rivendell offered 650B in the larger sizes, up to
62cm.  I don't know whay I like 650B so much - it doesn't make much
sense.  True, there's nothing in 700c that can equal the Hetre, and
the same will probably be the case for the new 650B tires.  One can
always go Riv custom for that Grant magic!  I heard a rumor that there
is a 650B Pasela in the pipe...

Esteban
San Diego, Calif.

On Jan 13, 6:01 pm, EricP ericpl...@aol.com wrote:
 Interesting.  As I just inflate the Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 700x40
 to whatever the mood is.  Usually about 45 front and 60 rear.  And
 after about 2,400 miles on them last year, do perfer them to the CdlV
 in 650B.  Those were good tires, but I didn't find them in the same
 quality league as the Schwable.  At least for my riding preferences.

 Again, that's probably just my preference and my weight.  If I were to
 lose a lot more weight, things might be different.

 No matter, right now, 40 is about the narrowest tire in the lineup.
 Although maybe my 700C studded on the Hillborne are not so wide.  But
 that bike hasn't been out yet this year.  Weather too crummy.

 The differences in folks getting tires to fit in the Ram make me
 wonder if there are either rim issues involved or - and this is highly
 unlikely - one batch might be slightly narrower in the stays?

 Eric Platt
 (who has cabin fever and the Atlantis on the road to nowhere trainer
 isn't helping)

 On Jan 13, 11:05 am, Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com wrote:

  On Wed, 2010-01-13 at 08:52 -0800, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery wrote:

   I remember the article that Mike mentioned. I think the point was that
   Riv bikes already have good clearances, so why bother (not to mention
   BB height issues...) In the early days of RBW's promotion of 650B, a
   lot of people were converting 27/700 bikes for no clear reason, since
   many of the conversions already had ample tire-space (many 1970s bikes
   had loads of room). Of course, if you have an early 80s Italian racing
   bike or something else with minimal clearance, then there are clear
   benefits to the conversion. We did many of these, which were well
   received by their owners, and made the bikes much more useful and
   interesting.

   On Jan 13, 10:17 am, Mike mjawn...@gmail.com wrote:
Jim makes a really good point here. The Rambouillet works fine with
fenders and 32s so why bother with 650b. If you don't use fenders you
can fit a tire up to 37mm. There was an article or note in one of the
RR, I can't remember which one, where Grant mentioned that their bikes
weren't good for 650b conversion.

  On the other hand, if you can fit it, there is a WORLD of difference
  between a 650Bx40 Hetre and any 32mm tire. There's even a world of
  difference between a 38mm CdlV and any 32mm tire. I have all these
  sizes, and I speak from experience.

  Also, I've used 35 and 38mm 700C tires in the past (although not the
  current gen. Pasela 37mm, which by all accounts is the best wide 700C).
  In my opinion, based on my experiences, there is simply no comparison
  between the plush, velvety ride of the wide 650Bs and the harsh,
  unpleasant, heavy-feeling ride of the wide 700Cs I've tried.

  And the best of the wide 700C lot, the now-defunct Bruce Gordon Rock 'n
  Road knobby, had other issues: very fast wear, and a wicked rebound.
  Hit a good sized bump with it, and it was like slamming a basketball on
  the ground: BOING! Hang on to the handlebar, lest you lose it.

  In my experience, the wide 700Cs just aren't the same as the wide 650Bs.
  They're generally much higher pressure (in some cases, labeled inflate
  to 90 or 100 psi) than the corresponding width 650Bs, which often are
  labeled 50psi max pressure, with much 

[RBW] Video: How to apply bike decals

2010-01-13 Thread Ron MH
Jay Ritchey at Rivendell has just posted a YouTube video on how to
apply bike decals. It should be a great help to anyone trying this at
home. My first attempt to apply the decals on my Quickbeam ended in
abject failure (the darned things are super sticky and brittle). The
second try, with Jay's helpful email advice, was a success. Maybe I
should have  waited for the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-6Jya6H4lY
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[RBW] Re: Video: How to apply bike decals

2010-01-13 Thread manueljohnacosta
i miss the cardboard instructions. but still a good video
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[RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread rcnute
Why not clearance for JBs and fenders, wonders I?

On Jan 13, 10:20 am, rperks perks@gmail.com wrote:
 From following Rivendell/Grant for a while I would imagine that these
 types of projects really are the fruits of their labors.  It takes the
 intelectual property and designs for a deeper penatration into the
 masses.  The next stop would be packaging them as completes and
 getting them into the corner bikestore.  I look forward to hunting
 these down on Craigs list as Vintage in 20 or 30 years.

 Rob

 On Jan 13, 10:05 am, Esteban proto...@gmail.com wrote:

  I think this will work out quite nicely for Rivendell.  Remember the
  pain of managing the QBP partnership with the Bleriot?  Soma will
  manage the bike, and Riv gets to see more people on a more sensible
  road bike.

  If someone walks into a Soma dealer and sees the SOMA/AMOS in the
  shop, the upslope on the top tub will seem much less dramatic than on
  other bikes, especially the less-sensible and much more expensive
  crabon fibré bikes next to it.  For me, I like a horizontal (or near-
  horizontal) TT, but I'm not shopping for a SOMA/AMOS - perhaps not the
  target market.

  This bike will do well, and will really stand out against the other
  steel bikes newly released by Specialized, etc.

  Esteban
  San Diego, Calif.

  On Jan 13, 9:20 am, RoadieRyan rya...@hotmail.com wrote:

 snip
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Re: [RBW] Re: A Bit More on the RBW/SOMA San Marcos/Amos

2010-01-13 Thread CycloFiend
on 1/13/10 9:25 PM, rcnute at rcn...@hotmail.com wrote:

 Why not clearance for JBs and fenders, wonders I?
 

I think GP is being a little careful with the description at this point.
There are a whole heckuvalotta variables between now and when the finished
production frames show up - things could change slightly, they may be
slightly off-spec in the production models - and it's probably better to
have someone happier than expected rather than mad because some early
statements didn't quite end up correct.

His comment about fender mounting gives hope -

It's versatile because it fits tires up to 38mm, or 30mm with a fender. How
fenderable any bike is depends partly on how good you are with mounting
fenders, but I've built in as much fenderability as standard (not short)
reach brakes allow, and if you're halfway decent with fenders, you can
probably go up to 32mm, or even 33.333.

That combined with the not-quite-Hilsen brake spec (57, vs 73) would
probably lead one to be a bit conservative at this point.

- Jim

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