Alex, your modified Ram is outstanding. Probably the most nicest, modified Rivendell I've ever seen.
This whole thread inspired me to wrap up a few things on my own 650b conversion project, an RB-1, and to ride my Ram one last time this weekend. (It's supposed to start snowing this weekend, so season's over I'm affraid). Interesting thing about the Ram, that strikes me every time, is how comfortable or "plush" it feels, despite only having 33.33 tires. I don't understand why. When it was new, it made "normal" road bikes, with 23 to 28mm tires look positively silly. As the rest of the industry has caught up and embraced fatter tires, the Ram now "looks' outdated next to a lot of other, newer bikes I saw. My own tendency is almost always to choose something with fatter tires, too. But as I said, I'm struck every time by how well it rides and how relevant it still is. I don’t think I'll ever sell it, even if I have to be "prompted" to ride it once in a while. I think if I ever felt differently, I'd now consider Alex's example. On Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 11:38:16 AM UTC-6 Applegate wrote: > Hey Max, > > I sort of love this dilemma. As much as my platonic ideal of a bike has > been shaped by Jan Heine, featuring skinny, thin-wall tubing and a flat top > tube, I will definitely back a 650b Ram. I would wholeheartedly recommend > MAFAC Raids (or go all-in with the Compass/Rene Herse updates). I have a > couple pairs of Raids I'm reconditioning with brass bushings/washers and > could probably ship one your way for a reasonable fare. Not the point of me > posting though. > > I had a V1 XL Canti Bolt for 14 months, using it for randonneuring as well > as some gravel rides and mixed terrains touring (with smallish front > panniers on a lowrider rack). It was nice to look at and often felt great, > but it never really fit me (too long of top tube, seemingly resolved in > current geometry). I think I put just over 4k miles on it in that timespan, > which is probably the fastest mileage rate of any of my bikes to date. > > However, I also got a 62 (so 60 C–C, as it would happen) Rambouillet about > the same time, and the connection felt deeper, sooner. It was stripped to > the bare steel and was sporting an eccentric genius 650b build, courtesy of > @shredportals Lyle. I rode it as a be-basketed commuter and overnighter, > and knew the fit and ride quality was something I wanted to hold onto. I > asked Erik Billings for a small litany of BQ-rando-style frame > modifications (fork re-rake and all), and got new paint and decals from > Rick Stefani. It's now replaced my Crust Canti Lightning Bolt as my > midcentury French cosplay randonneuring bike, and I was very happy with the > more upright fit when I rode it for Paris–Brest–Paris. > > This is all subjective and fit-oriented, etc, but I support trying a 650b > conversion on your Ram first. It might just be the ticket for great joy; if > nothing else, then you have a 650b wheelset for your next bike? The most > ideal is if you could *somehow* have both built up and in your possession > at the same time, for some fun back-to-back testing. > > Anyway, here are some pics. Yes, I re-sold the Waterford Homer you sold me > (great bike though—don't try to 650b that one) Good luck with your process > here! > > Alex > Berkeley, CA > -- 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. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/87f948e7-3df6-456c-9c1a-2a2c67b7b97bn%40googlegroups.com.
