[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
I participate in one sprint triathlon a year (the Canby Telephone Gator Grinder). Way fun. I am on a steel bike (my Lemond Zurich, not my Riv), but there is also an MTB category, and I've seen everything out there. I think part of it is that many of the participants do not take this too seriously. Ride what you want. Have fun. Lynne F On Dec 14, 10:36 am, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: Awesome to hear, I'm just starting to see how much variability there is. Asking the tri folks so far there hasn't been a single person who was riding or suggesting steel. Hopefully someday I'll be in the happy/ fast/steel ridin' category. Right now I'm 2 out of 3. On Dec 14, 9:35 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com wrote: We had a guy come in to the shop a couple years ago to buy some canvas/ leather bags for his all-carbon bike. Seems strange, but you can't exactly clamp any luggage capacity on carbon seatstays, seatpost, or handlebar. Anyway, he told me about his intention to do at least one brevet series leading up to and including PBP 2007. While we were chatting, I suggested a test ride on a Rambouillet, which was probably about 8-ish lbs heavier than his carbon bike. He liked the ride quality on a short test ride, but left without buying the bike. He called a week later to tell me he wanted to buy it, but, unfortunately, that bike had been sold, and the only one I had left seemed too big. He said he wasn't sensitive to bike-fit and decided to buy the bigger bike despite my apprehensions. I lowered the saddle as low as it would go, and sent him on his way. A few weeks later, he told me he loved the bike and was, in fact, noticeably faster on some of his regular training loops than he was on the same loops with his lighter bike. I watched the brevet results come in all season, and noted that this guy was consistently one of the fastest riders. (it should be noted the he didn't fit my stereotype of a fast rider: middle-aged, stocky, etc, but he is WAY faster than me, and I'm 25 years younger!) He did it all on a heavy bike with comparatively wide, heavy tires. The point is that the weight of the bike and the width of the tire is way less important than people think it is. I know guys who go ga-ga over 16-lb bikes with all the trimmings and then ride long 20-mile flat-terrain rides all-out at 12 mph, and I know others who ride 38-lb super-commuters with big tires and cruise long distances closer to 20 mph. On Dec 13, 11:55 pm, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: This is a follow up to the post Visit to RBWHQ and Sam Hillborne purchase (It's a little long but I wanted to include everything I wish I'd known when I started looking at the Hillborne) After much resistance my wife got me to take a Sam Hillborne for a test ride and the next thing I knew I'd handed over a credit card for a deposit. I'm new to cycling, in November I signed up with team-in-training to do a triathlon and raise money for cancer research. Up until this point I've been happy with any bike that rolls, but I've never really enjoyed riding. The tri that I'm doing is an Olympic, so the biking distance is only 25 miles. That said, I have a hard time being passed, so I didn't want to get a bike that would slow me down too much. The bike that I've been riding is an aluminum Giant with really compact geometry. As soon as I test rode the Hillborne I noticed that I could breath better (and I was smiling). My posture felt much more natural, chest more open. I think the combination of a longer top tube, a higher/less aggressive handlebar height, and wider handle bars made for much better breathing (and probably more belly room). The Hillborne rides beautifully, and the feel of the steel is much more humane than what I'm used to with my aluminum bike. The tires on the shop bike were chubby and plush. I was initially talked out of getting thinner tires and ended up calling back to meekly request the the Ruffy Tuffy tires (it felt like ordering a steak at a vegan restaurant). The Ruffys are a great ride and all the reviews say they are nearly impossible to puncture. They feel faster than the larger tires, and even though everyone at Rivendell said they looked strangely thin, they're 28mm and do a good job on the treacherous San Francico streets. Notes on the rest of the build: Wheels: I went for the budget wheel set. I met Rich Lesnik on my first visit and he couldn't have been nicer. If you don't know about Rich, he builds all the Riv custom wheel sets (here's his website:http://handsonwheels.com/). What I didn't know is that Rich also tunes all of the budget wheel sets. There's some cache with getting Rich to build your wheels from scratch, but the budget set is fantastic and they won't get out the door without Rich's approval. Shifters: I
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
Cool story and I like the pictures of you, grant and bike and grant riding your bike. Grant Approved!! Plus I don't know how races are out in California, but in Ohio you have a huge range of bikes show up for a race anything from Carbon racers to Huffy 10 speeds with full racks and bags, so I would doubt you will have the heaviest bike. You will easily have the best looking! Good luck! On Dec 14, 12:55 am, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: This is a follow up to the post Visit to RBWHQ and Sam Hillborne purchase (It's a little long but I wanted to include everything I wish I'd known when I started looking at the Hillborne) After much resistance my wife got me to take a Sam Hillborne for a test ride and the next thing I knew I'd handed over a credit card for a deposit. I'm new to cycling, in November I signed up with team-in-training to do a triathlon and raise money for cancer research. Up until this point I've been happy with any bike that rolls, but I've never really enjoyed riding. The tri that I'm doing is an Olympic, so the biking distance is only 25 miles. That said, I have a hard time being passed, so I didn't want to get a bike that would slow me down too much. The bike that I've been riding is an aluminum Giant with really compact geometry. As soon as I test rode the Hillborne I noticed that I could breath better (and I was smiling). My posture felt much more natural, chest more open. I think the combination of a longer top tube, a higher/less aggressive handlebar height, and wider handle bars made for much better breathing (and probably more belly room). The Hillborne rides beautifully, and the feel of the steel is much more humane than what I'm used to with my aluminum bike. The tires on the shop bike were chubby and plush. I was initially talked out of getting thinner tires and ended up calling back to meekly request the the Ruffy Tuffy tires (it felt like ordering a steak at a vegan restaurant). The Ruffys are a great ride and all the reviews say they are nearly impossible to puncture. They feel faster than the larger tires, and even though everyone at Rivendell said they looked strangely thin, they're 28mm and do a good job on the treacherous San Francico streets. Notes on the rest of the build: Wheels: I went for the budget wheel set. I met Rich Lesnik on my first visit and he couldn't have been nicer. If you don't know about Rich, he builds all the Riv custom wheel sets (here's his website:http://handsonwheels.com/). What I didn't know is that Rich also tunes all of the budget wheel sets. There's some cache with getting Rich to build your wheels from scratch, but the budget set is fantastic and they won't get out the door without Rich's approval. Shifters: I went with the bar end. The bar ends are made custom for Rivendell and they look beautiful. I chose friction instead of indexed, and they are smooth and easy to adjust. Cable housing: I asked if they could put blue cable housing on instead of the stock. It took a little extra time to arrive, but it looks sweet against the orange. If you haven't seen the orange paint it's a beautiful deep vibrant color with a gold shimmer. Cassette: Everyone suggested that an 8 speed cassette works best with the friction shifters. It's a triple so I have 24 gears (the granny gear seems like I could ride up a wall) Brakes: This will also be a commuter bike so I had interrupter brakes installed on the top bar. They have as much finesse as the levers on the drops and they were only $35. I got the IRD cantilever brakes. They have a great feel and a shiny finish that looks right on the Hillborne. Pedals: I put Shimano hybrid clipless pedals on and they work great with regular shoes and cleats. Visiting the shop If you haven't been there before, plan on driving past it at least once before you find it. Once you find it there's always a great feeling of being a kid in a candy shop, and you usually have to speak up to get some help. There's definitely no pressure sales pitches. Grant was there when I picked up my bike. He saw the saddle I brought in and quietly walked over and said something like I'm gonna make this better for you. I introduced myself and he was just really nice. He grabbed some packing material, cut it up with a Swiss knife and started stuffing my saddle with it to give it better support. It looks clunky but as he said you can take a certain perverse satisfaction from having something like that on a brand new bike. In my head I have a custom built Grant Peterson saddle. It's beautifully janky and it's a lot more comfortable. I asked Grant about the name and he said that it's hard to find a name that's not cliche or taken. I said that Sam Hillborne sounds like a good English gentleman and he answered that it sounded like a good honest bike. If you haven't been to the shop before and are going to make a trip out I'd say plan on spending most of the
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
We had a guy come in to the shop a couple years ago to buy some canvas/ leather bags for his all-carbon bike. Seems strange, but you can't exactly clamp any luggage capacity on carbon seatstays, seatpost, or handlebar. Anyway, he told me about his intention to do at least one brevet series leading up to and including PBP 2007. While we were chatting, I suggested a test ride on a Rambouillet, which was probably about 8-ish lbs heavier than his carbon bike. He liked the ride quality on a short test ride, but left without buying the bike. He called a week later to tell me he wanted to buy it, but, unfortunately, that bike had been sold, and the only one I had left seemed too big. He said he wasn't sensitive to bike-fit and decided to buy the bigger bike despite my apprehensions. I lowered the saddle as low as it would go, and sent him on his way. A few weeks later, he told me he loved the bike and was, in fact, noticeably faster on some of his regular training loops than he was on the same loops with his lighter bike. I watched the brevet results come in all season, and noted that this guy was consistently one of the fastest riders. (it should be noted the he didn't fit my stereotype of a fast rider: middle-aged, stocky, etc, but he is WAY faster than me, and I'm 25 years younger!) He did it all on a heavy bike with comparatively wide, heavy tires. The point is that the weight of the bike and the width of the tire is way less important than people think it is. I know guys who go ga-ga over 16-lb bikes with all the trimmings and then ride long 20-mile flat-terrain rides all-out at 12 mph, and I know others who ride 38-lb super-commuters with big tires and cruise long distances closer to 20 mph. On Dec 13, 11:55 pm, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: This is a follow up to the post Visit to RBWHQ and Sam Hillborne purchase (It's a little long but I wanted to include everything I wish I'd known when I started looking at the Hillborne) After much resistance my wife got me to take a Sam Hillborne for a test ride and the next thing I knew I'd handed over a credit card for a deposit. I'm new to cycling, in November I signed up with team-in-training to do a triathlon and raise money for cancer research. Up until this point I've been happy with any bike that rolls, but I've never really enjoyed riding. The tri that I'm doing is an Olympic, so the biking distance is only 25 miles. That said, I have a hard time being passed, so I didn't want to get a bike that would slow me down too much. The bike that I've been riding is an aluminum Giant with really compact geometry. As soon as I test rode the Hillborne I noticed that I could breath better (and I was smiling). My posture felt much more natural, chest more open. I think the combination of a longer top tube, a higher/less aggressive handlebar height, and wider handle bars made for much better breathing (and probably more belly room). The Hillborne rides beautifully, and the feel of the steel is much more humane than what I'm used to with my aluminum bike. The tires on the shop bike were chubby and plush. I was initially talked out of getting thinner tires and ended up calling back to meekly request the the Ruffy Tuffy tires (it felt like ordering a steak at a vegan restaurant). The Ruffys are a great ride and all the reviews say they are nearly impossible to puncture. They feel faster than the larger tires, and even though everyone at Rivendell said they looked strangely thin, they're 28mm and do a good job on the treacherous San Francico streets. Notes on the rest of the build: Wheels: I went for the budget wheel set. I met Rich Lesnik on my first visit and he couldn't have been nicer. If you don't know about Rich, he builds all the Riv custom wheel sets (here's his website:http://handsonwheels.com/). What I didn't know is that Rich also tunes all of the budget wheel sets. There's some cache with getting Rich to build your wheels from scratch, but the budget set is fantastic and they won't get out the door without Rich's approval. Shifters: I went with the bar end. The bar ends are made custom for Rivendell and they look beautiful. I chose friction instead of indexed, and they are smooth and easy to adjust. Cable housing: I asked if they could put blue cable housing on instead of the stock. It took a little extra time to arrive, but it looks sweet against the orange. If you haven't seen the orange paint it's a beautiful deep vibrant color with a gold shimmer. Cassette: Everyone suggested that an 8 speed cassette works best with the friction shifters. It's a triple so I have 24 gears (the granny gear seems like I could ride up a wall) Brakes: This will also be a commuter bike so I had interrupter brakes installed on the top bar. They have as much finesse as the levers on the drops and they were only $35. I got the IRD cantilever brakes. They have a great feel and a shiny finish that looks right on
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
I didn't even think of that. The tri world seems so high tech oriented. It would be awesome to see someone out there rocking a Huffy. I'll keep an eye out for my steel brethren. On Dec 14, 6:17 am, jpp paste...@notes.udayton.edu wrote: Cool story and I like the pictures of you, grant and bike and grant riding your bike. Grant Approved!! Plus I don't know how races are out in California, but in Ohio you have a huge range of bikes show up for a race anything from Carbon racers to Huffy 10 speeds with full racks and bags, so I would doubt you will have the heaviest bike. You will easily have the best looking! Good luck! On Dec 14, 12:55 am, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: This is a follow up to the post Visit to RBWHQ and Sam Hillborne purchase (It's a little long but I wanted to include everything I wish I'd known when I started looking at the Hillborne) After much resistance my wife got me to take a Sam Hillborne for a test ride and the next thing I knew I'd handed over a credit card for a deposit. I'm new to cycling, in November I signed up with team-in-training to do a triathlon and raise money for cancer research. Up until this point I've been happy with any bike that rolls, but I've never really enjoyed riding. The tri that I'm doing is an Olympic, so the biking distance is only 25 miles. That said, I have a hard time being passed, so I didn't want to get a bike that would slow me down too much. The bike that I've been riding is an aluminum Giant with really compact geometry. As soon as I test rode the Hillborne I noticed that I could breath better (and I was smiling). My posture felt much more natural, chest more open. I think the combination of a longer top tube, a higher/less aggressive handlebar height, and wider handle bars made for much better breathing (and probably more belly room). The Hillborne rides beautifully, and the feel of the steel is much more humane than what I'm used to with my aluminum bike. The tires on the shop bike were chubby and plush. I was initially talked out of getting thinner tires and ended up calling back to meekly request the the Ruffy Tuffy tires (it felt like ordering a steak at a vegan restaurant). The Ruffys are a great ride and all the reviews say they are nearly impossible to puncture. They feel faster than the larger tires, and even though everyone at Rivendell said they looked strangely thin, they're 28mm and do a good job on the treacherous San Francico streets. Notes on the rest of the build: Wheels: I went for the budget wheel set. I met Rich Lesnik on my first visit and he couldn't have been nicer. If you don't know about Rich, he builds all the Riv custom wheel sets (here's his website:http://handsonwheels.com/). What I didn't know is that Rich also tunes all of the budget wheel sets. There's some cache with getting Rich to build your wheels from scratch, but the budget set is fantastic and they won't get out the door without Rich's approval. Shifters: I went with the bar end. The bar ends are made custom for Rivendell and they look beautiful. I chose friction instead of indexed, and they are smooth and easy to adjust. Cable housing: I asked if they could put blue cable housing on instead of the stock. It took a little extra time to arrive, but it looks sweet against the orange. If you haven't seen the orange paint it's a beautiful deep vibrant color with a gold shimmer. Cassette: Everyone suggested that an 8 speed cassette works best with the friction shifters. It's a triple so I have 24 gears (the granny gear seems like I could ride up a wall) Brakes: This will also be a commuter bike so I had interrupter brakes installed on the top bar. They have as much finesse as the levers on the drops and they were only $35. I got the IRD cantilever brakes. They have a great feel and a shiny finish that looks right on the Hillborne. Pedals: I put Shimano hybrid clipless pedals on and they work great with regular shoes and cleats. Visiting the shop If you haven't been there before, plan on driving past it at least once before you find it. Once you find it there's always a great feeling of being a kid in a candy shop, and you usually have to speak up to get some help. There's definitely no pressure sales pitches. Grant was there when I picked up my bike. He saw the saddle I brought in and quietly walked over and said something like I'm gonna make this better for you. I introduced myself and he was just really nice. He grabbed some packing material, cut it up with a Swiss knife and started stuffing my saddle with it to give it better support. It looks clunky but as he said you can take a certain perverse satisfaction from having something like that on a brand new bike. In my head I have a custom built Grant Peterson saddle. It's beautifully janky and it's a lot more comfortable. I asked Grant
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
I know, it's like I live in a parallel universe Her adopted motto is the number of bikes you need is N+1, where N is the number of bikes you currently own. On Dec 14, 6:49 am, Tim McNamara tim...@bitstream.net wrote: On Dec 13, 2009, at 11:55 PM, Jason wrote: After much resistance my wife got me to take a Sam Hillborne for a test ride Your fingers are typing but I don't understand the words. ;-) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@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.
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
Jim - So good to hear. I was wondering if CX was an option. I'm looking forward to trying fatter tires eventually. I think the Ruffy Tuffy's are a great balance. They're 28 at 80 psi. Way more comfortable than hat I've been riding. I'm keeping an open mind though. On Dec 14, 9:24 am, CycloFiend cyclofi...@earthlink.net wrote: on 12/13/09 9:55 PM, Jason at jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: (among other things) I'm planning on having the most beautiful and heaviest bike at the triathlon. I'd love to know if any of you have used your Riv for a tri. It's probably an un Rivendellish activity, but I love my bike and I love to go fast (and I really want to pass some carbon bikes). The beauty of a Rivendell is that it pretty much can do whatever you want to. My Hilsen and Quickbeam have both gotten out on the CX circuit (though sadly, not this season), and yesterday, I was the _only_ bike out on a rainy Sunday ride with fenders. Make sure you say nice bike as you motor past those poor folks on their Cervelos... And just because I'm thinking about it, comfort on the bike means less fatigue, and I'd bet you'll find that a nice set of 28 - 32 mm tires at an appropriate pressure will leave you feeling like you have more reserves. There have been several endless threads over on the iBob list arguing about larger volume tires and the inherent speed thereof, but one take-away that no one could argue down is that large volume tires with supple casings do not slow you down. They may, in fact, be faster. - Jim -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries -http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes You must be the change you want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@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.
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
Don't stop at 28. That bike comes alive with some 40s on it! On Dec 14, 12:03 pm, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: Jim - So good to hear. I was wondering if CX was an option. I'm looking forward to trying fatter tires eventually. I think the Ruffy Tuffy's are a great balance. They're 28 at 80 psi. Way more comfortable than hat I've been riding. I'm keeping an open mind though. On Dec 14, 9:24 am, CycloFiend cyclofi...@earthlink.net wrote: on 12/13/09 9:55 PM, Jason at jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: (among other things) I'm planning on having the most beautiful and heaviest bike at the triathlon. I'd love to know if any of you have used your Riv for a tri. It's probably an un Rivendellish activity, but I love my bike and I love to go fast (and I really want to pass some carbon bikes). The beauty of a Rivendell is that it pretty much can do whatever you want to. My Hilsen and Quickbeam have both gotten out on the CX circuit (though sadly, not this season), and yesterday, I was the _only_ bike out on a rainy Sunday ride with fenders. Make sure you say nice bike as you motor past those poor folks on their Cervelos... And just because I'm thinking about it, comfort on the bike means less fatigue, and I'd bet you'll find that a nice set of 28 - 32 mm tires at an appropriate pressure will leave you feeling like you have more reserves. There have been several endless threads over on the iBob list arguing about larger volume tires and the inherent speed thereof, but one take-away that no one could argue down is that large volume tires with supple casings do not slow you down. They may, in fact, be faster. - Jim -- Jim Edgar cyclofi...@earthlink.net Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries -http://www.cyclofiend.com Current Classics - Cross Bikes Singlespeed - Working Bikes You must be the change you want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@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.
[RBW] Re: Sam Hillborne for a triathlon and a visit to RBWHQ (My first Riv!)
Awesome to hear, I'm just starting to see how much variability there is. Asking the tri folks so far there hasn't been a single person who was riding or suggesting steel. Hopefully someday I'll be in the happy/ fast/steel ridin' category. Right now I'm 2 out of 3. On Dec 14, 9:35 am, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery thill@gmail.com wrote: We had a guy come in to the shop a couple years ago to buy some canvas/ leather bags for his all-carbon bike. Seems strange, but you can't exactly clamp any luggage capacity on carbon seatstays, seatpost, or handlebar. Anyway, he told me about his intention to do at least one brevet series leading up to and including PBP 2007. While we were chatting, I suggested a test ride on a Rambouillet, which was probably about 8-ish lbs heavier than his carbon bike. He liked the ride quality on a short test ride, but left without buying the bike. He called a week later to tell me he wanted to buy it, but, unfortunately, that bike had been sold, and the only one I had left seemed too big. He said he wasn't sensitive to bike-fit and decided to buy the bigger bike despite my apprehensions. I lowered the saddle as low as it would go, and sent him on his way. A few weeks later, he told me he loved the bike and was, in fact, noticeably faster on some of his regular training loops than he was on the same loops with his lighter bike. I watched the brevet results come in all season, and noted that this guy was consistently one of the fastest riders. (it should be noted the he didn't fit my stereotype of a fast rider: middle-aged, stocky, etc, but he is WAY faster than me, and I'm 25 years younger!) He did it all on a heavy bike with comparatively wide, heavy tires. The point is that the weight of the bike and the width of the tire is way less important than people think it is. I know guys who go ga-ga over 16-lb bikes with all the trimmings and then ride long 20-mile flat-terrain rides all-out at 12 mph, and I know others who ride 38-lb super-commuters with big tires and cruise long distances closer to 20 mph. On Dec 13, 11:55 pm, Jason jasonshaef...@gmail.com wrote: This is a follow up to the post Visit to RBWHQ and Sam Hillborne purchase (It's a little long but I wanted to include everything I wish I'd known when I started looking at the Hillborne) After much resistance my wife got me to take a Sam Hillborne for a test ride and the next thing I knew I'd handed over a credit card for a deposit. I'm new to cycling, in November I signed up with team-in-training to do a triathlon and raise money for cancer research. Up until this point I've been happy with any bike that rolls, but I've never really enjoyed riding. The tri that I'm doing is an Olympic, so the biking distance is only 25 miles. That said, I have a hard time being passed, so I didn't want to get a bike that would slow me down too much. The bike that I've been riding is an aluminum Giant with really compact geometry. As soon as I test rode the Hillborne I noticed that I could breath better (and I was smiling). My posture felt much more natural, chest more open. I think the combination of a longer top tube, a higher/less aggressive handlebar height, and wider handle bars made for much better breathing (and probably more belly room). The Hillborne rides beautifully, and the feel of the steel is much more humane than what I'm used to with my aluminum bike. The tires on the shop bike were chubby and plush. I was initially talked out of getting thinner tires and ended up calling back to meekly request the the Ruffy Tuffy tires (it felt like ordering a steak at a vegan restaurant). The Ruffys are a great ride and all the reviews say they are nearly impossible to puncture. They feel faster than the larger tires, and even though everyone at Rivendell said they looked strangely thin, they're 28mm and do a good job on the treacherous San Francico streets. Notes on the rest of the build: Wheels: I went for the budget wheel set. I met Rich Lesnik on my first visit and he couldn't have been nicer. If you don't know about Rich, he builds all the Riv custom wheel sets (here's his website:http://handsonwheels.com/). What I didn't know is that Rich also tunes all of the budget wheel sets. There's some cache with getting Rich to build your wheels from scratch, but the budget set is fantastic and they won't get out the door without Rich's approval. Shifters: I went with the bar end. The bar ends are made custom for Rivendell and they look beautiful. I chose friction instead of indexed, and they are smooth and easy to adjust. Cable housing: I asked if they could put blue cable housing on instead of the stock. It took a little extra time to arrive, but it looks sweet against the orange. If you haven't seen the orange paint it's a beautiful deep vibrant color with a gold shimmer. Cassette: Everyone suggested that
