Threadless forks are ugly IMO and once they are cut cannot be adjusted. With an allen wrench I can re-adjust my setup as many times as I want, worth a hundred bucks over the life of a bike.
On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 7:45 PM, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery < thill....@gmail.com> wrote: > I have been scolded for discussing such heresy in the past, but the most > obvious cost savings I can think of for Riv frames would be to switch from > threaded to threadless steerers. With threadless, one fork fits all frames. > With threaded, each frame size takes a different fork. This means extra > forks must be stocked in each size for warranty replacements, etc, plus, I > assume, making 4 or 5 different forks in smaller quantities is more > expensive than making one fork in a larger quantity. Obviously, I don't > know how the threaded-fork penalty compares to the other costs in frame > production, but I wouldn't be surprised if it adds $100+ to each frameset > at the retail level. I don't have experience with 2TT or diagonal tube > frames, but I do have experience to suggest a 1-1/8" threadless system > feels MUCH sturdier under load than does a bike with a 1" threaded system > on otherwise similar frames. > > As for disc brakes, I prefer the way hydraulics feel and self-adjust, but > sometimes sacrificing the drop bar is too much, so I go mechanical. The > good ones all work, when set up properly. > > > On Thursday, September 6, 2012 6:29:35 PM UTC-5, dougP wrote: >> >> This thread started out talking about a "budget Riv...". I realize >> it's hard to see how a few extra tabs, etc., to handle discs could >> impact the cost too much, and of course Rivs come with plenty of ways >> to hang on racks & fenders. However, I heard Dave Moulton speak >> (years ago when he was still building frames) and he made the point >> that it was difficult to justify to his customers the additional cost >> for adding various eyelets, rack mounts, etc., that tourists demand & >> racers don't. More fiddly bits can really up the cost a surprising >> amount. >> >> If Grant decided to add disc brake fittings, I would expect it to be >> on the $2,000 frames, esp. the Atlantis & Bombadil. I've only ridden >> disc braked bikes a couple of times and was impressed. My Atlantis >> now has V-brakes (replaced Tektro 720 cantis) which I like a lot but >> would go for a disc brake option. Braking changes a lot when you load >> up the bike with its own weight & go whistling down long hills. >> >> Of course, Riv went thru a big inventory reduction end of last year, >> so I wouldn't look for them to embrace stocking yet another kind of >> hub, brake, levers, etc., plus the frame redesign work to offer >> discs. In any case, it's always fun to speculate The Next Big >> Thing. >> >> dougP >> >> On Sep 6, 10:29 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery <thill....@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> > It's certainly true that there's seldom, if ever, a "screaming need for >> > discs". But we're pretty far down the road past "screaming need" for >> ANY of >> > the gadgetry we chat about in this forum. I personally know a number of >> > people who do not consider worthwhile any bike innovation that isn't >> > included on a 1950s English 3sp. I've ridden old 3-speeds plenty, and I >> see >> > the charm, but occasionally I think the technologies developed over the >> > ensuing half-century have earned a place in my 21st Century >> bicycle-centric >> > life. >> > >> > IMO, a sturdy, fat-tire Riv with capability to handle BOTH >> > cantilevers/v-brakes and discs would be a neat thing - sort of a >> prettier >> > functional-equivalent to the Surly Troll or Ogre. I think it would >> broaden >> > the appeal to potential customers who appreciate Riv's aesthetic >> stylings >> > and general approach, but aren't committed to using the same types of >> parts >> > mountain bikers were stuck with 25 years ago. Obviously, the true retro >> > connoisseurs will scoff at the superfluous disc brake tabs they'd never >> use >> > in a million years, but the scoffers will be offset by those who'll >> embrace >> > the added versatility. I count myself among the "embracers of >> versatility", >> > by the way. >> > >> > I'm not saying disc brakes are 100% necessary at all, but some >> concession >> > to modernity and, more importantly, diversity in the product line, >> would >> > seem to be a good thing for Riv. Otherwise, it seems like we'll have >> > another heavy-duty Riv frame that competes for the same seemingly >> limited >> > pool of customers who are considering the Atlantis, Hunqapillar, >> Bombadil, >> > Hillborne, etc. Something as simple as disc tabs would be a standout >> among >> > the excellent, but overlapping frames that are already available, and >> > would, I think, make a splash among a whole new pool of potential >> customers. >> > >> > >> > >> > On Wednesday, September 5, 2012 4:04:45 PM UTC-5, Matthew J wrote: >> > >> > > Seems to me for a budget bike that is almost certainly would be >> heavier >> > > than the upmarket Rivs, discs will mean extra weight and expense with >> > > little benefit for most riders. >> > >> > > Most people ride on pavement or hard pack trails and then usually >> when the >> > > weather is fine. In those conditions, decent rim brakes provide all >> the >> > > stopping power any rider will ever need. Some ride on pavement in >> inclement >> > > weather where discs have some advantages over rims. But not so much >> that >> > > there is a screaming need for discs. >> > >> > > Discs are markedly better off road and on long distance adventure >> > > touring. Neither Riv's niche. >> > >> > > On Wednesday, September 5, 2012 12:42:00 PM UTC-5, Jim Thill - >> Hiawatha >> > > Cyclery wrote: >> > >> > >> It seems moderately necessary to point out that there's nothing >> specific >> > >> to a frame that's made for hydraulic disc brakes that is different >> than on >> > >> a frame made for cable disc brakes. Therefore, IF Riv makes a bike >> for disc >> > >> brakes, which seems only a tiny bit likely IMO, there's no need for >> any of >> > >> us to be forced into one type of brake or another. >> > >> > >> I like hydraulic brakes. I've been using several models of Avid >> > >> hydraulics for about 3 years now, and I've never had one single >> problem >> > >> with them. They are, for all practical purposes, self-adjusting and >> never >> > >> seem to make any superfluous noise. It is true, however, that using >> > >> hydraulic brakes does limit brake lever options. Think of the >> hydraulic >> > >> brake/lever as a single unit, rather than the mix and match >> experience of >> > >> cable-actuated systems. This is a mix-and-match-centric group, I >> realize. >> > >> > >> On Tuesday, September 4, 2012 9:37:17 PM UTC-5, Montclair BobbyB >> wrote: >> > >> > >>> Or hydraulic brakes... I've been riding both cable and hydraulic >> disc >> > >>> brakes for years, and I'm here to tell you, hydraulic Shimano's >> (the older >> > >>> style) are the bee's knees... I've never had issues with busted >> brake lines >> > >>> or poor performance... They're easy to maintain and super >> dependable, way >> > >>> more dependable than rim brakes! And even the best-adjusted >> cable-actuated >> > >>> disc brakes can't come close to the hydraulics. The price has come >> way >> > >>> down on hydraulic brakes... there are few reasons left to go with >> cable >> > >>> discs... I've been running them on my mountain bikes for years in >> all kinds >> > >>> of rought weather conditions (including ice and snow). THEY STOP >> in all >> > >>> kinds of weather! >> > >> > >>> I'd love to see a disc version Rivendell...although I fear it would >> > >>> require a beefier fork (for the forces applied to the lower section >> of the >> > >>> fork). This might be a challenge to make a beefier fork that looks >> > >>> elegant. Then again, I'll bet it's possible to preserve the beauty >> in a >> > >>> disc version.. Wes Williams (for example) makes a beautifully >> curved 29er >> > >>> disc fork (the Willits WOW). I love the look of rim brakes, but >> > >>> performance wise there's simply no contest between rim and disc >> brakes. >> > >> > >>> Peace, >> > >>> BB >> > >> > >>> On Monday, September 3, 2012 5:53:11 PM UTC-4, James Warren wrote: >> > >> > >>>> I would like it if this bike were made ready for disc brakes. >> > >>>> Mechanical ones.- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > - Show quoted text - >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/a2WKOnTtwdEJ. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@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. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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