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We’ve got a new blog

This one is now closed and archived. Check out the new updates here.

-will

[rivbike]

Leah’s custom painted Platypus - built up

Leah’s is the first built up Platypus in the world. We had this frame made as a sample to make sure the changes we made to the drawings were what we wanted and, since we knew Leah wanted this color, we decided to have it painted her way from the get-go.

Here’s a quote from an email she sent me:

“I remain completely besotted with the bike. It’s like a custom even though it’s a production bike. Fits me perfectly, does everything I want, and I can’t stop loving the look of it. I put it on IG obnoxiously because I think every photo I take of it is THE BEST EVER and then I have to share it.”

Our shipment, arriving in late February, will be in blue-ish silver and lime green metallic. Check the Platypus product page for pictures of the color tubes.

-will

[rivbike]

Leah’s custom painted Platypus

This is our final Platypus sample frame and we arranged to have it painted a special color for Leah, a fantastic customer of ours. It’s not something we offer, but she’s been such a great rep for us that it was the least we could do. These frames are due in around December and are coming in a Blueish-Silver and Lime metallic.

-will

[rivbike]

An early Ritchey road bike built circa 1976.

[rivbike]

Who rides an Atlantis? - Earl does

Name:  Earl Craig

Job:  Farrier

Years riding:  Since I was a kid in 70s. 

How you got started riding:  My first bike was a Huffy Bandit (if not familiar, do Google).  You like a nice upright position?  No Problem—Riv should get Nitto to make copies of the “Huffy Bandit Bar”.  Expecting mud?  Take a look at those fenders.  Getting foggy?  Mine had “simulated fog lamps.” Need to pick up a friend (or 2) on your way to the pool?  The Bandit had a long rubber bench for a seat.  Also an airfoil on handlebars, and gold rims and cranks, the bike was obscene.  After my Bandit Days I rode BMX for a while, was obsessed with bikes, the smell of bike shops (the grease, the rubber)... would stare into glass cabinets at stems, at chainrings, at brake levers... and monthly I’d wait by the mailbox for the mailman (Joe Veda) to bring the latest copy of BMX ACTION, which I would read very carefully cover to cover.

Typical ride:  I sometimes still take a bike in pickup to a trailhead and ride trails, but mostly I love riding the gravel/dirt roads right from the house.  They go on forever, in multiple directions.  Black cows and blue skies.  Very little contact with automobiles.  In winter it’s lots of snowy rides with the dog.  Big mittens.  Balaclava.

Dream ride:  That Tuscany Trail ride!  I’ve been reading about that a lot lately this winter for some reason.  But maybe I’m kidding myself.

Riding goal: Start doing some overnights, get used to packing gear, learn what all’s needed, and maybe do a little touring here in Montana. 

Why this bike?:  I wanted something sturdy (and glorious) that could accommodate fatter tires and take a load well.  Have always loved the Atlantis, and this new model with longer wheelbase intrigued me.  I wanted something that felt like a cross between a touring bike and a mountain bike.  I’ve had this bike for 3 months now (actually its a year now.. Earl submitted this a loooong time ago) and I’m loving it.

Favorite Book:  Oh man, so hard to say... but Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian is fantastic.

Favorite Movie:  Same problem as above... hmm... Kubrick’s Dr. Strangeloveis great.  And Jim Jarmusch films.  And Werner Herzog.

Favorite Food:  There’s nothing wrong with a nice sourdough waffle with bacon and eggs.

Thanks Earl! Its always fun to see your pictures of Montana while you’re out on the bike.

[rivbike]

Guido’s custom

[rivbike]

Who Rides a Roadini? - Neal Adams

Name: Neal Adams

Job: IT Services (at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Years Riding: 60+

How you got started riding: Well like most of us I had bikes as a kid and used to love riding around the neighborhood. My favorite early bike was a Huffy Stingray. I used to treat it like a mountain bike. Rode it everywhere. Later in life I got into riding longer distances through a couple of good friends, Lamont Barton and Gary Bean. Both got me into training for and riding in centuries. Gary I’ve known since 2nd grade, Lamont I met my first year working at SLAC. Lamont passed away a few years ago and today (6/18) is his birthday. He and I rode quite a few centuries together. Rides I will never forget. 

Typical Ride: During SIP, around Alameda and Oakland, the eastbay hills, typically 15-25 miles. Lunch rides around Woodside/Menlo Park/Portola Valley when we were working in the office (pre-SIP).

Dream Ride: Don’t really have a dream ride. Any rides that take me to a new place. I enjoy exploring local cities and neighborhoods. I loved all of the AIDS Lifecycle rides (5) I participated in, mainly because I met some amazing people and I saw the state in a way I would never have by car.

Riding Goal: Enjoy the scenery and the people I see, fresh air, wind in my gray hair.

Why this bike: Always loved Rivendell’s cycling build philosophy; sensible, comfortable, beautiful. The Roadini fit well. I went from a Bridgestone RB-1 to a San Marcos to the Roadini. Ride much improved with each step. Plus it looks damned good, if I say so myself. I had fun building it.

Fav. Book: Anything by James Baldwin. "Thelonius Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original” is a wonderful book.

Fav. Movie/Director: SciFi: “Alien", Comedy: "Best Man” and “Sideways", Drama: "Shawshank Redemption", Musical: "Black Orpheus", Dramedy: “Do the Right Thing”;

Favorite Director: Spike Lee. I also really like the work of Ryan Coogler, Alfonso Cuaron and Ava Duvernay.

Fav. Food: Jambalaya or Gumbo, bread pudding for dessert 

Have you experienced racism as a cyclist, either from motorists or other bike riders?: I cannot recall a single time I’ve had a racist encounter while cycling. I’ve certainly had some unpleasant interactions out on the road but nothing racially motivated as far as I know.

Thank you for riding a Roadini, Neal! The Shikoro tires look great with the RBW Blue frame.

[rivbike]

Who Rides a Cheviot? - Susan Thomas

Name: Susan Thomas

Job: Owner of Montana Farrier Supply

Years Riding: On and off since my dad took the training wheels off.

 How you got started riding: Rode around our neighborhood growing up with all my friends. Rode to school and back – just a few streets over from our house.

 Typical Ride: Mostly the gravel roads around our house which are quiet and not much traffic.

Dream Ride: To live in Holland and ride my bike everywhere in a country that has more bikes than people!

Riding Goal: To ride to and from work at least twice a week in the summer. (24 miles round trip – some gravel, some highway and some smaller roads.)

Why this bike: Back in 2012 I test rode the Betty Foy while visiting the Bay Area. Got excited, then talked myself out of it. Then did the same with the Cheviot in 2016. That bike was smoky grey color but again talked myself out of it. Then my husband said I’m doing this for you for Christmas/Birthday 2019. (What a guy – he’s not a procrastinator.)  Also it’s true what they say… this bike rides like “maple syrup through a tube”.

Fav. Book: Non fiction: Grass Beyond the Mountains.  Fiction: Jane Eyre. Poetry: Woods and Clouds Interchangeable.

Fav. Movie/Director: YOUTH by Paolo Sorrentino….anything he does is worth watching. Trust me.

Fav. Food: Jenise’s Jammers – best energy bar out there!   https://jenisesjammers.com/

Also beet salad with arugula and goat cheese.

Thank you Susan! I’m envious that you get to ride roads like the one you’re on in the picture, that looks absolutely incredible. It looks like the type of dirt road you can pedal for hours on and feel super efficient the whole time. I look at it and I can hear the sound the pebbles make under my tires. Love it!

-will

[rivbike]

Who Rides a Homer?

Name: Nicola Tonthat

Job: Customer Success Manager

Years Riding: Since I was a kid, I suppose. Let's say 20 years give or take?

How you got started (riding): Didn't really get into bikes until high school when that Macaframa video came out. I had picked up a fixed gear when I studied in Santa Barbara where the primary mode of transportation around campus was biking. We all lived in Isla Vista where it was so easy to bike to the beach or to your friends house. I guess class too. That's where I started to love being on the bike. It felt so easy. When I picked up a job up here in the city, commuting to work on the bike made going to work not so bad.

Typical Ride: I've been enjoying riding out to the outer sunset. Tunnel records has a great selection of world music and there's great dumplings out there too. We'll typically ride through the park then south on great highway. Trails in Marin on the weekends and commuting to work on the weekdays.

Dream Ride: Somewhere in France when it's warm. Long day rides with stops to drink wine or hop in the ocean. No cars.

Riding Goal: Any type of brevet.

Why this bike: I wanted to build up a rando style bike with the intention of getting into randonneuring. I needed something primarily for pavement but not have to worry about mixed terrain rides. The homer seemed like such a classic riv bike and after looking at all the builds on the cyclo fiend site, I couldn't get it out of my head that I needed a homer.  

fav book: Nasty Bits by Bourdain. Rise to Globalism.

fav. movie: Oceans Eleven with Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and In the Mood for Love rounding out 2nd and 3rd.

fav. food: Sushi. Sushi Zone in the city.

------------------------------------------------

Between his Homer and Appaloosa, Nicola is set for basically all riding situations.

It’s cool how many people got into bikes from the fixed gear scene ten years ago. I think there wouldn’t be nearly as many people around 30 riding nowadays if that hadn’t happened. Also, that dream ride sounds amazing; Nicola and I are on the same page there.

-will

[rivbike]

Who Rides an Appaloosa?

Name: Bram De Martelaere

Job: Team manager / Photographer at Deluxe (skateboard company)

Years Riding: Been riding since I was a little kid. But long rides for the joy of long rides maybe 10 years ago.

How you got started (riding): Growing up in Belgium you just ride your bike everywhere. School, the store, skateboarding with your friends. As far as the longer rides, the fixed gear craze of 2007 really got me into other forms of riding.

Typical Ride: Golden Gate Park or Marin Headlands.

Dream Ride: I’d love to ride cross Europe one day. North to south. Not sure if It will ever happen though.

Riding Goal: My fitness has been very up and down over the last five years. Being able to explore Marin trails and roads without being exhausted is my goal I’d say.

Why this bike: It really can do it all. I’ve done multiple bike camping trips, single track and I ride it to work every day. Oh it feels so great going downhill.

fav. book: All time: 1984 by Orwell Recent: Travels with Charley by Steinbeck

fav. movie: All time: Pulp Fiction Recent: The killing of a sacred deer.

fav. food: The Vegan tacos I had in Mexico City two days ago.

Bram is always a treat to run into, either biking or skateboarding. He’s also a fantastic photographer. Thanks for being cool Bram!

-will

[rivbike]

Corwin’s HubbuHubbuH

This is the first Albastache HubbuHubbuH I’ve seen and it looks great. I’m worried Corwin will be too stretched out, but we’ll see how it goes. One of the benefits of the faceplate stem is it’ll be easily swapped if he needs the bars closer or higher.

The fenders, a new aluminum SKS model, were a little short for the rear wheel, so Mark fabricated an extension to give full coverage over the wheel. The Sinewave beacon light on the front also gives the stoker a handy USB charger.

It feels super smooth around the building. I had never heard of the tires, Schwalbe Hurricanes, but they seem like a perfect tread for mixed terrain riding. No buzz on pavement either.

-will

[rivbike]

A big, busy San Francisco street is just to the right of that tree. There are lots of fun trails within the city limits and if you can piece them all together you can do 2 hour trail rides without ever crossing one of the bridges.

-will

[rivbike]

Mark Nobilette interview from RR #44.

[rivbike]

Who Rides a Clem?

Name: Rachel F.

Job: Server

Years Riding: 9 years-ish

How you got started (riding): A certain someone I know named Will got me interested and set up my first bike as an adult (a vintage Gitane).

Typical Ride: To and from the park, grocery store or work. point A to point B type stuff

Dream Ride: A straight shot to the beach that's downhill both ways and also it's 75 degrees out :)

Riding Goal: I’d like to have more stamina and just ride more in general. these hills kill me!

Why this bike: I wanted something with bigger tires that would also be good in the city.

fav. book: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

fav. movie: Wild at Heart

fav. food: Any and all noodles

Thanks Rachel. She’s riding a stock Clem but we swapped the Bosco bars to Wavies with a trigger shifter and the stock Kenda tires to Conti Basketballs. The rack is a Riv proto that never made it to production; she’s saving up for a Basket Rack. That’s an old Avocet saddle with titanium rails.

[rivbike]

Jared’s 650b’d Homer

Former Riv Mechanic, now Oakland machinist Jared came by today with his old Homer that had been stolen and finally returned to him. He wanted bigger tires so he had canti posts tig’d on and now can fit 48mm GravelKings. It looks and rides great and according to him soaks up the bumps on Bolinas Ridge a lot better than the 40s he had on there before.

He loads up the BXB bag with a cuben fiber bivy (just in case of mosquitos), a 15 oz down quilt, and an ultra lightweight sleeping pad and spends weekends biking around Marin and stealth camping.

I love the big honkin dent on the top tube. I’m glad this bike made it’s way back to him; he puts it to good use.

-will

[rivbike]

We’re closed for Labor Day

All customers who place orders from 4pm PST today til 8am Tuesday will receive 10% rebate in the form of a gift card towards a future purchase. No coupon code required, just place your order within the time frame. Have a good three day weekend.

-RBW

[rivbike]

Erin’s RBW Step-Over Custom

So far I can't see any disadvantages to step-over frames like this one. I've heard the argument about flex when the swoop tube connects super low on the seat tube and although there's some merit to that, my experience with Clem Ls makes me think it's mostly overblown, at least on our frames. I doubt the slope of the top tube on Erin's bike has any effect on flex even fully loaded, but it does give a lot more standover room which I always appreciate. Plus I think it looks cool. :D

-will