Stay tuned for our next episode, when Leah buys a drop bar Roadini. :) Eric
On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! < [email protected]> wrote: > Ok, here’s what I have decided after Monday night’s club ride. Charlie is > easy and breezy and quick on the draw, yes. But in headwind, he gives me > the same struggle as a Platypus. I am not fooling the wind with Charlie. > > I’ll tell you a story. Skip to the end if you are here for the nuts and > bolts and not for the tea. > > I looked around at my group for the evening and there were many of the > usual suspects. There was one new rider, a male, and he appeared young. Was > he a kid? You know how you just can’t tell how old people are once you > reach a certain age? Well, I dread making that mistake. “Hi, are you new?” > I asked. > > He smiled at me with a mouthful of braces. “Yes! This is my first time > here. My name is D [using in place of his real name].” > > This is somebody’s baby! > > “What grade are you in?” > > “I’m in 8th, and I’m 14.” > > Ooookkkkkkk. I have never seen a kid on our club rides. “Are your parents > here?” > > “No, my little sister is. She’s riding with another group. Mom took my > brother to a soccer game, and Dad can’t be around people because of his > immune system. It could kill him.” > > When you encounter them outside, kids are communal property, I say. We > gotta all take care of them. This is probably why I get picked to be the > baby nurse at work, come to think of it. I love the cherubs. Bring me the > cherubs! So I pair up with D and we end up taking the first pull of the > ride. D tells me he is truly a mountain biker, but he knows how to road > ride. He’s training 130-140 miles a week. We are in a 17 mph headwind and I > am dying. I was counting on Charlie to really make life easy for me, > because Charlie is a road bike, and road bikes are supposed to have > advantages over Platypuses, but I look at my heart rate and it is 182. D is > chatting away about all his goals and his homeschooling and I am gasping. > After several miles of this, I say, “I am ready to fall to the back. Are > you coming or do you want to stay and pull?” > > “I’m going to stay here and keep the pace up.” > > And he did, y’all. He drug us over hill and dale, and we suffered the > whole time. For most of the 27 mile ride. I kept trying to feed him at stop > signs figuring he must be about dead but he never accepted any food. And > then he shot ahead like a slingshot at the end and beat everyone home. “Our > KID!” I said to the woman beside me. “I know,” she said, “but he’s > experienced on the roads.” I watched trucks pass our group and then > approach D, worrying they’d hit him. > > “HE’S FOURTEEN HE’S A BABY,” I croaked. He made it back fine. > > Back to Charlie. When my heart was 182, my friends’ hearts were in the > 150s. After we got out of the wind I could just *fly* without effort on > Charlie. I have decided that the weight of my bike, the flat pedals, > upright bars - all that stuff - doesn’t make me slow. But wind is the > mortal enemy of a Rivendell, I think, even if it’s a road bike. If it’s > windy, it’s work and it’s hard to be fast. I still say Charlie is otherwise > a fast bike and great fun to ride. > > Leah > On Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 5:05:24 PM UTC-4 Mackenzy Albright wrote: > >> I've been seeing such incredible builds lately! Both Leah and Matt's >> bikes are particularly inspiring, Kudos. I love the playfulness. It reminds >> me of the golden days of bmx/fixed gear days with flamboyant colors (or >> just color coordination) and uniquely outfitted components. >> >> >> >> On Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 11:45:14 AM UTC-7 [email protected] wrote: >> >>> I was fortunate enough to test ride a Charlie Gallop at Riv HQ recently >>> and entered the experience without expectations. Granted, this was my first >>> time trying a Riv. I had my sights set on a Homer but there wasn't one >>> available to try, so I grabbed a CHG to test its Homer-like tubing. While I >>> wasn't initially a fan of the CHG due to the top tube (purely aesthetic for >>> personal preference), everything changed once I started riding it. Not that >>> speed was the goal, but the bike felt much faster than the Roaduno and >>> Platypus that I also test rode. I was instantly sold on this bike and if I >>> weren't on the market for a Homer, the CHG would be second in line. >>> >>> Hope to see more CHGs in this thread! >>> >>> On Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 6:36:22 PM UTC-4 Bill Lindsay wrote: >>> >>>> Fashion! Here's a photo or two of Lord Charles with his lovely >>>> new-used White Industries VBC crankset on there: >>>> >>>> Cranks <https://flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/54455145695> >>>> Bike <https://flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/54454978649> >>>> >>>> My latest indulgence on the cute bike clothes front has been cycling >>>> specific button up shirts. I've got four or five Ostroy Resort Shirts, and >>>> just bought two more button up bike shirts at REI by maker FlyLow. They're >>>> cute! >>>> >>>> Bill Lindsay >>>> El Cerrito, CA >>>> >>>> On Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 3:13:53 PM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Also, for clarity’s sake, Bill said his stable is like a closet full >>>>> of outfits and he has to choose which one to wear [use] any given day >>>>> according to the Rules. My use of “Cute Bike Outfits” refers to Bill’s >>>>> BIKES in his closet. Don’t come to me with actual bike clothing questions. >>>>> I have no idea! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Apr 15, 2025, at 4:48 PM, Leah Peterson <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Bill Lindsay is a self-professed Bike Clothes Horse with a plethora of >>>>> cute bike outfits being held captive to Bill Lindsay’s Arbitrary Rules >>>>> that >>>>> he cannot change. Bill Lindsay would have to go to Bill Lindsay to change >>>>> the Rules, and not even Bill Lindsay is brave enough for THAT. >>>>> >>>>> Leah Peterson, a known lover of cute bike outfits, and first-rate >>>>> bossypants, is unafraid of her Big RivBros (well, maybe a little afraid of >>>>> Bill Lindsay) and would like nothing more than to get into Bill Lindsay’s >>>>> closet and rearrange his cute bike outfits *and* his mileage pyramid. >>>>> She would like to move Bill’s Rocket Charlie to the top position, weight >>>>> him down with some colorful bits, toss out a few of those imposters >>>>> (several non-Rivs will have to go!) and replace them with a paddle of >>>>> Platypuses in a rainbow of colors to really brighten Bill Lindsay’s Bike >>>>> Outfits up and round it all out. Then she would like a photo shoot. >>>>> >>>>> Fortunately for Bill Lindsay, Leah Peterson lives several timezones >>>>> away and his closet is probably safe for now. >>>>> >>>>> Leah >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Apr 14, 2025, at 10:20 AM, Bill Lindsay <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> "How do you have the willpower to keep rotating bikes? If I have a >>>>> rocket, I’m riding that one." >>>>> >>>>> The answer is I'm not sure how I have the willpower; I just do. Grant >>>>> once told me: "It must be hard being you". I guess I think about it the >>>>> way a "clothes horse" thinks about a new outfit. No matter how cute that >>>>> new outfit is, I'm not wearing it every day. I still pick my spots for >>>>> when to wear it, and I'm definitely not forgetting about my other cute >>>>> outfits, nor will I resist buying the next cute outfit. >>>>> >>>>> I'm definitely a compulsive. For a minute there I had four new builds >>>>> that were off-limits to ride. At the moment there are still three I can't >>>>> ride. What I've got is a mileage pyramid. One bike is assigned to the >>>>> 100 >>>>> mile level of the pyramid, another assigned to 200 miles and so on. >>>>> Twenty >>>>> bikes cover 100 miles up to 2000 miles cumulatively on Strava. Above 2000 >>>>> miles the steps are 200 miles each and there are two bikes up there: one >>>>> assigned to 2200 miles and the current top of the pyramid is at 2400 >>>>> miles. That's 22 bikes. I spread the use to get each bike to its >>>>> assigned >>>>> level, and I'm allowed some margin over that assigned level, but I won't >>>>> bleed over to the next level up. That's a no-no. I'm very close to >>>>> having >>>>> all those slots filled: My Black Mountain Model Zero needs 48 miles, and >>>>> my >>>>> Crust Lightning Bolt Single Speed needs 45 miles. At that point, I add >>>>> the >>>>> 2600 mile level to the top of the pyramid and have a wide open stable to >>>>> ride whatever I like. >>>>> >>>>> The four other builds (22+4=26 bikes) waiting to be used included my >>>>> Gallop. I have it at the 0 mile level, which means I can ride it, but not >>>>> over 100 miles because then it would get up into the next level which is >>>>> already occupied. There are three more bikes assigned to the -100, -200 >>>>> and -300 levels, which are imaginary, so I can't ride them at all. When I >>>>> get to ratchet up the framework, then one more bike will be unlocked. The >>>>> other way to earn the privilege of riding another bike is to sell a bike >>>>> and make a new vacancy in the pyramid. >>>>> >>>>> Unlocking the stable is really close, but I'm stalled getting those >>>>> last two bikes over the finish line: The ModelZero has a new drive train >>>>> set up in the works, and I'm missing a critical part for another week or >>>>> two. It's in the work stand disassembled. The Crust is stationed at my >>>>> office in San Jose, and I don't get out there more than once a week, and >>>>> when I do get to the office it's usually for full-days of meetings and >>>>> such >>>>> that make it hard to get out. I can still ride, because I can carefully >>>>> use up that surplus that each bike carries. That surplus is over 2100 >>>>> miles, so I can ride plenty and I can ride pretty much any of my bikes. >>>>> The Gallop carries 88 miles of surplus. I can even do my next 200k brevet >>>>> using up surplus miles: My Ebisu is assigned to 2200 miles, and it's at >>>>> 2215 miles, so it is carrying 185 miles of surplus. I can use it for my >>>>> May 200k, and still have 60 miles of surplus left over. >>>>> >>>>> Don't blame me! I don't make up the rules! (said the person who >>>>> literally made up the rules) >>>>> >>>>> Bill Lindsay >>>>> El Cerrito, CA >>>>> >>>>> On Monday, April 14, 2025 at 2:30:15 AM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> A rocket! Pretty exciting! How do you have the willpower to keep >>>>>> rotating bikes? If I have a rocket, I’m riding that one. I don’t know if >>>>>> my >>>>>> Charlie is a rocket; it doesn’t have those tires and certainly weighs >>>>>> more >>>>>> than yours. I was hoping to ride him tonight in the club ride but they’re >>>>>> predicting 37 mph winds. I don’t think that will be fun and it might not >>>>>> even be safe, so we’ll see… >>>>>> >>>>>> L >>>>>> >>>>>> On Apr 13, 2025, at 8:59 PM, Bill Lindsay <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> I hinted that my Charlie Gallop might make its appearance in my >>>>>> rotation this weekend, and it has. I did not ride it up Mount Diablo, >>>>>> but >>>>>> I did ride it down into Berkeley and back. It is most definitely a >>>>>> rocket. Blazing fast down the hill on 700x38 Barlow Pass Extralight >>>>>> tires, >>>>>> and blazing fast up the hills in part because it's so darn light. It'll >>>>>> take a little getting used to the handling with a Jitensha bar, but the >>>>>> fit >>>>>> felt super natural. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> I also hinted at a tweak or two, and one of those conceptual tweaks >>>>>> did happen. It turned out I needed a lightish 110BCD crank for a >>>>>> project, >>>>>> so I stole the Silver 3 crank off the Gallop for that application, and >>>>>> put >>>>>> on a White Industries VBC crank with a single 36T narrow-wide ring. >>>>>> That's >>>>>> a perfect match for the White Industries Titanium BB that was already on >>>>>> there, and it dropped ~15g. I don't have new photos yet. >>>>>> >>>>>> Bill Lindsay >>>>>> El Cerrito, CA >>>>>> >>>>>> On Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 5:39:41 AM UTC-7 Bill Lindsay wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I've probably disappointed some people because I spent a ton of time >>>>>>> talking about my Gallop build and have spent zero time talking about my >>>>>>> Charlie Gallop gallops. That's because I haven't ridden it yet. It's >>>>>>> not >>>>>>> laziness or neglect or a lack of wanting to ride it. It's my weird >>>>>>> self-discipline. I have a mileage framework with rules I entirely made >>>>>>> up >>>>>>> for myself, and the consequence is that I won't ride the Gallop until I >>>>>>> can >>>>>>> insert it into the framework, and I can't insert it into the framework >>>>>>> until I make a spot for it, and the way I make a spot is by riding each >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> my other bikes to its assigned mileage level. The punch-line is that >>>>>>> I'm >>>>>>> just a few days away from having a spot for Charlie in my riding >>>>>>> framework >>>>>>> and then stuff can begin. One of the first things I'll do is gallop the >>>>>>> Gallop up Mount Diablo, perhaps as soon as next weekend. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Meanwhile, independent from riding, there are always projects >>>>>>> parading through my brain, and some of those thoughts end up happening >>>>>>> in >>>>>>> my work stand, and there is a real non-zero chance that Charlie is >>>>>>> going to >>>>>>> get a couple more unconventional tweaks. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> For those who missed the build, here's the album: >>>>>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/albums/72177720322843646/ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Bill Lindsay >>>>>>> El Cerrito, Ca >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 4:17:52 AM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle Ding >>>>>>> Ding! wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hi Kat! I would have chosen the Roadini if the Charlie didn’t >>>>>>>> exist. The Charlie is, in size 53, lighter in tubing. And I love a >>>>>>>> dropped >>>>>>>> tube. Also the graphics and head badge and horses running along the >>>>>>>> chain >>>>>>>> stay are just YUMMY. And who doesn’t love that gold color? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The above all made it the winner. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in >>>>>> the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/ >>>>>> topic/rbw-owners-bunch/0NEP_PxVtP8/unsubscribe. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>>>> [email protected]. >>>>>> >>>>>> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/ >>>>>> msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1b7b4cd9-21e8-4195-b75a- >>>>>> 86dafdc91b5cn%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/1b7b4cd9-21e8-4195-b75a-86dafdc91b5cn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>>>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/ >>>>> topic/rbw-owners-bunch/0NEP_PxVtP8/unsubscribe. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>>> [email protected]. >>>>> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/ >>>>> msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/9dcda03f-2a03-4aa2-a511- >>>>> 44180e348003n%40googlegroups.com >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/9dcda03f-2a03-4aa2-a511-44180e348003n%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 [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/ > msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/22d1634e-5d61-4dac-a925- > 7f7c1c209e7dn%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/22d1634e-5d61-4dac-a925-7f7c1c209e7dn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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