I rode an Atlantis everywhere (work, touring, group rides) for 8 years until I was in a collision with a motor vehicle and the frame was damaged :<. I always felt the bike was very low-key in appearance and I feel the Sam Hillborne and Betty Foy are too. I would get positive comments from bicyclists who "knew" it was a Rivendell; it never made me feel uncomfortable. Usually they wanted to look at the bike and ask me a few questions about it. Once on a group bicycle tour in the White Mountains of Arizona it started to rain and most of the cyclists who didn't have fenders, rain gear, etc., stopped at a local store to wait for the sag to pick them up. I had my rain gear with me in my saddlebag and I had fenders so I just donned my rain gear and continued the ride. My husband told me later that one of the other cyclists said "That girl on the Atlantis looks like she can ride through anything". On another occasion on a group bike tour, a fast cyclist on a very flashy road bike passed me on a hill and said "What a dinosaur!" If I had ever caught up to him, I would have asked "Do you mean me or the bicycle?"
I had some of the best rides of my life on that bike and I felt it was worth every penny (and then some) that I paid for it. I now am riding a Rivendell Glorius, which is a stunning bike, yet I feel many people think it is just an old bike and don't give it any attention. That is fine with me. I hope to get another Rivendell frame in the near future, perhaps a Hillborne. I have been riding all of my life, primarily commuting and touring (though did a little road and off-road racing in my 30s). I have enjoyed my Rivendell bicycles immensely and feel the stock frames are a very affordable option. Get one and enjoy it! On Jan 14, 2:29 pm, Mick <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm very interested in buying a Sam Hillborne. I think it's a > fantastically constructed bike and aesthetically a work of art. I like > the idea of having a quality piece of machinery, that fits well, and > that could ridden for many years to come. While I can afford to drop > $2,000 (or so) on a bike, I've never owned one that costly before. I > was wondering if this owner's group could let me know if they've ever > felt uncomfortable riding an "expensive" bike or one as beautiful as > the Sam Hillborne. Is it the same as sporting around in a Porsche or > let's say a vintage Alfa Romeo? (I'm not sure I could ever do either > of these things). > > Generally speaking I like to keep a low profile. I was wondering if > that will be possible riding a Sam Hillborne. Do those riding > Rivendell's get approached often by people looking to appreciate their > bike? And is this a positive experience? Do you ever feel self- > conscious about riding such a flash bike? > > What about locking the bike and leaving it? Do you feel comfortable > doing so? Or is it so obviously expensive and sought after that you > wouldn't think of leaving it out of eye sight? > > Thanks for providing any insight you may have. I'd hate to buy a bike > that I loved, but didn't feel comfortable being seen in public with. > I'm hoping that you Rivendell riders might be able to put my mind to > rest.
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