Paul asked about another bike that rides like a Rivendell. I have a Mercian Audax that was built to my specs with 725 tubing and 650b wheels. The bike rides and handles as well as any Rivendell I've owned. This is completely subjective of course and YMMV.
Best, Rich in ATL On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 7:45:42 PM UTC-5 Paul Clifton wrote: > Chris, > I've heard this too, about the trade secret numbers. > > It made me wonder, has anyone ridden another bike that rides like a > Rivendell? > > To me, more-or-less like Joe said, it's nimble handling that also feels > extremely stable. It's easy to change lines around a curve, but it's also > easy to just let the bike hold it's line (straight or in corners). > > I've ridden plenty of miles on two Rosco Bubbes (MTBubbe and Rosco Bebe), > a Gus, and a tandem. I've ridden a few miles on a too small Clem L and a > Sam. They all handle similarly. The thing that changes is position and how > much bike is out front and how much bike is out back. The Bebe bike, with a > lot of length out front really leads itself through the curves. The Gus > kind of trails behind. But both are absurdly stable. I'd put the MTBubbe > and the Sam as kind of neutral in that respect. I can choose to place the > front or back wheel as a way to pick my line. > > The only other bike I've ridden that comes close was my Surly Long Haul > Trucker. It was not the same as a Riv, but it was stable, but not nimble > (which may or may not have made me like it more or less). I finally > realized that it was also a size too big, which I suspect has a tendency to > make a bike less nimble - think about how nimble a BMX bike is for a full > grown person ... I traded it for a 1984 Trek 720, which I don't consider > either stable or nimble compared to the LHT or my Rivs. But it's still an > alright bike. > > But it's gotta be something about the trail and the ratio of rider weight > over the front and back ends. So as rake increases, the rear end might also > increase. I dunno, I'd love to make an spreadsheet. > > Paul in AR > > On Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 6:32:53 AM UTC-6 Chris L wrote: > >> I remember reading where Grant, or one of his long-term employees but I >> think Grant, said on front end geometry handling there are a few numbers >> they hold to but they don't discuss them outside the shop. Trail would be >> an obvious one, but I've always thought it would be interesting to hear the >> rest. Jan Heine gets into what might be some of RBW's other unspoken >> factors in his book on performance bicycles. >> >> On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 10:38:08 PM UTC-6 pi...@gmail.com >> wrote: >> >>> Grant's 1993 Bridgestone RB-1 had a 54mm trail with 25mm tires. The 2022 >>> Roadini had a trail of around 58mm but with a 5mm lower BB. The Cheviot (I >>> can't find numbers for the Platypus) had a trail of 58mm with a 25mm tire >>> (but obviously few people would run 25mm tires on that bike), but even with >>> a 33mm tire it'll still be a 61mm trail, making the bike steer a little >>> slower but still agile. I had a custom bike built around the 1993 RB-1 >>> geometry with a lower BB, and it rides similarly great. Now when it comes >>> to compliance, stiffness, etc., the tubing thickness etc matters more, but >>> in terms of handling I think Grant has it dialed down and you can see that >>> he pretty much keeps all his bikes in the same zone when it comes to trail. >>> The longer wheel base that he's been going for recently adds alot to >>> stability and high speed handling at the expense of packability into bike >>> boxes, which few care about. If you were to buy say, a Craig Calfee carbon >>> framed bike, it actually has a very similar geometry too the RB-1, and >>> rides similarly, but of course being made out of carbon and with a short >>> wheel base and relatively little tire clearance chances are that bike >>> wouldn't appeal to the same people who like Rivendell bicycles. >>> On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 6:09:47 PM UTC-8 Joe Bernard wrote: >>> >>>> Oh I haven't the first clue how Grant does it. There's something going >>>> on with the numbers and tubes that makes them ride like a Harley Softail >>>> on >>>> the straights AND a Ducati Panigale in the turns. It's bonkers! >>>> >>>> On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 5:51:31 PM UTC-8 J J wrote: >>>> >>>>> You hit it on the head, Joe. Thanks for the thread. With all of your >>>>> experience on a gazillion bikes, what do *you* think accounts for >>>>> “the magical Riv ride he designs into these frames”? What makes it happen? >>>>> >>>>> On Nov 16, 2022, at 5:41 PM, Joe Bernard <joer...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> This is an edited version of an email I recently sent Grant, I wanted >>>>> to post here cuz I think the magical Riv ride he designs into these >>>>> frames >>>>> is slightly under discussed..like we all know it and love it, then talk >>>>> about other stuff like paint and parts. My comments are specifically >>>>> about >>>>> my custom but I've owned a bunch of Rivs and they all ride like this >>>>> (Clem >>>>> maybe not so light-feeling, but still zippy). Add your thoughts about >>>>> your >>>>> bikes! : >>>>> >>>>> The handling is amazing. It feels light and zippy, yet absorbs shock >>>>> (there's a lot of shock on these roads) and is very stable. When you put >>>>> it >>>>> in a turn it goes where you point it and holds the line until you change >>>>> it. It does this when getting bumped offline, too..the darn thing pops >>>>> right back to where it was going! I've ridden a bazillion bikes and >>>>> nothing >>>>> rides like a Rivendell 🙌 >>>>> >>>>> Joe Bernard >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/48ca3a64-ead6-4542-8cd3-7e0d4bcd5842n%40googlegroups.com >>>>> >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/48ca3a64-ead6-4542-8cd3-7e0d4bcd5842n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>> . >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. 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