What’s old is new:
circa 2010 Betty Foy!
Let me explain why this and not a custom I was hoping for.
For the past nearly three years, I’ve been “next up” on
Rivendell’s list for a custom retirement bike, something I’ve wanted since I
found Rivendell in 2017. I wanted something
1) like my 55cm Platypus, but shorter (I didn’t say short, just short-er) specifically so I could take it on
the city bus bike rack and Amtrak, that 2) fits and rides like my 2019 54.5 Homer.
During one of our many conversations, the ever so patient
Vince suggested a Betty Foy. When I saw
one posted on RBW’s Craigslist thread, I drove to Brooklyn, test rode and brought
it home, and thanked the RBW poster. I
think this bike is from the first batch of Betty’s because only one heart lug
was (notice the past tense) filled in and the seat tube is 58cm. The color is not robin’s egg blue, but more of
a sage/teal, which I like more.
It’s about as close to a custom as I think Grant would have
built for me—650b wheels, just under the Amtrak length limit by ½”, fits on our
city bus bike racks, rides great and no toe overlap. Perhaps not a cushy as my Platypus with its extra-long
wheelbase, but if I’m on my Betty, I have more options for mass
transportation. The only thing I wish it
had was an additional water bottle mount, but I remedied that with a water
bottle bag on the handlebar, big enough to hold a 40 oz Kleen Kanteen.
1X9 Drive train (38T Wolf Tooth in front with Microshift
Aventex in back), Albatross handlebar, brakes (Tektro R553) and Gravel King Slick tires are as I purchased
the bike.
I added “extras”—SKS fenders
with custom mud flaps (made by a little girl whose Dad is on the iBob board https://groups.google.com/g/internet-bob/c/M_iDE82EhkI/m/FZG8bZzMAQAJ
), red Ergon grips and Newbaum’s tape for pop of color, German mirrors, Greenfield
kickstand, 32 spoke Velocity A23 rims with tubeless setup, and Dyno lighting SP
hub with Edulux light on front and B&M Topline Plus light in the back. Bitex hub in the rear. Axiom rack. Brooks B68 saddle in honey, but I might try
the newly re-issued B72 albeit in brown.
Keystone Bike https://keystone.bike/ did amazing
work with the extras, and featured the bike on their IG page a few weeks ago. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0WqS6_OzqA/?img_index=1
. If you’re ever in Philadelphia, I
highly recommend a stop at their shop.
They understand Rivendells (and even own a few).
I did do one way-over-the-top (for me, at least) item—I had all
the hearts paint matched and filled by a meticulous and true professional—Lek, https://www.instagram.com/lekerleks/
, who also builds Albacore handlebars available at https://hopecyclery.com/ . My favorite heart is the one on the back side
of the seat tube—an “Easter egg” that I see every time I use my basket, which
is every ride. I asked him to fill in
the hearts and he returned the bike saying “I just did every open lug window I
saw—hearts, circles and dots.” WOW!
