Awesome story Ray. I think most people on this form felt the same way about Rivendell. I know i do.
On Mar 3, 9:38 pm, Way Rebb <grayc...@mac.com> wrote: > Hello, > > You folks seem like a fun group who might enjoy this. I thought I'd > share some pics of my "old" Sam Hillborne…but first a story…no wait, > the pics, skip the story: > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrebb/sets/72157623480171652/ > > Way back in 1982 or '83 I purchased a brand spanking new Lotus Eclair > touring bike in Santa Cruz, CA. That bike served me well for many > years. I don't know how many miles I put on it (tons) but I used it > for school, work, grocery stores, camping, tearing through the hills, > the valleys, rain or shine. I didn't take long tours but did ride > every major, and most minor, roads/trails in Santa Cruz / Monterey > Counties probably a zillion times. > > Fast forward 25 years to my recent move to Livermore, CA. This place > is flat. Poor old bike couldn't take that much pedaling and neither > could I. We were used to standing and charging up hills or getting > low, butt back, flying down hills, very little long stretches where we > just pedaled. Now, the bent chainring squawked, the bent rear > derailed squawked, my knees hurt after 30 miles or so, my neck hurt, > shoulders, bleah. After many adjustments and attempts to make the > endless pedaling more comfortable I decided I needed a new bike. > Naturally I went to a bicycle store. Unfortunately very few of the > things they had with two wheels resembled a bicycle. I decided to hit > garage sales and flea markets. Not much there either. The bikes were > really beat up or aluminum mountain bikes or etc. I wanted a steel > touring bike, one that I could put racks, bags, bungee cords on and > haul stuff. > > Suddenly I remembered this web site I visited. I had purchased a > couple of things in the past and I think they sold a bike called a… > umm… Atlantic maybe? It took a while to find it but it was > Rivendell. I saw they had the Hilsen. It was almost what I was > looking for except it didn't have cantilevers. It made number 2 on > my list. The Kogswell made number 2 on my list as did a couple of > others but nothing made number 1 so far. After about four more months > of garage sales I saw Rivendell announce the Hillborne. A bike between > the Hilsen and Atlantis with cantilevers! Finally a strong possible > number 1. > > In Dec 08 I took a ride out to Walnut Creek. My first visit to > Rivendell and I was impressed. Very friendly people and seeing the > bikes in person was awe inspiring! The one Hillborne was out but > Kevin kept adjusting seat posts and saying here try this one > (Atlantis), here try this one (Bombadill), here try this one (Hilsen) > until the Hillborne was back. I think I spent the entire day riding up > and down the trail with a huge smile on my face. When I got back on > the Lotus to ride home I immediately knew what was wrong. The Lotus > was way to small. It was like riding a circus tricycle. > > I put a deposit on a Hillborne that day and picked it up in June of > '09 and have been riding ever since with no pain. The Hillborne feels > like a luxury bike I can really stretch out on. It takes the flats, > hills, streams, roads, ruts, fence posts, everything like butter on a > duck. > > The pictures sorta document the first six months and they are fun for > me to look back on. I'm surprised by how many places I've been with > the bike considering how little free time I have. It hasn't been just > back and forth to work. Bikes are a great way to get around and a > comfortable bike is even better. Thank you for putting up with my > story. > > -Ray -- 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-bu...@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.
