[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I agree. In that sense probably a little like toe overlap. On bikes that have it, once your body is aware, it happens less. I imagine some people with certain 650b conversions deal with this phenomena. And in fact, the higher bb drop on the Clems is a feature, not a bug, an adjustment of the ol

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Mark, Your good looking Clementine seems right at home in the wild. Visually more appealing than the neutral pics Riv uses on its website. Thanks for the report. Best, Richard On Sunday, June 26, 2016 at 9:57:48 PM UTC-4, Mark in Beacon wrote: > > >

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I agree with Rich. The Clementine looks much cooler loaded up with stuff. Thanks for sharing your experience and the pics! Scott On Monday, June 27, 2016 at 8:25:21 AM UTC-6, RichS wrote: > > Mark, > > Your good looking Clementine seems right at home in the wild. Visually > more appealing tha

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Yes, I like your Clementine, the dark colors really make'em look a bit more masculine. Regarding the wheel base/chain stays/ bottom braket drop & pedal strike. I am not the only one whose noticed it so I do hope they address it at some point. Things are rarely perfect right out of the gate,

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Excellent! Yes, I've found I really like the lower (realitively) BB of my Hunq for the overall stability, and that proper technique goes a long way to making it a near-non-issue. I know my daughters love their Clementines' stability both climbing and descending (much more confidence descending a

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I do not think Grant will alter the chainstay length or BB drop. Clems are expected to be able to traverse dirt trails - as is true of every Riv 'cept maybe Roadeo - but its primary role is as a general use 'just a bike' bike. If he fiddles with it to make it better at singletrack, it won't be w

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Great post (and photos), Mark -- of all the Clem(entine) rides I've read about in reviews, I think your ascent up Beacon Mountain was the most demanding of the lot. It really speaks to the versatility of those bikes when they're equally at home commuting, grocery getting, or trail riding. Can y

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Joe, that is my thought, too. I am by no means a bicycle designer, but you don't need to be to understand that those particular parameters are a large part of what makes a Clem a Clem. You give up a certain nimbleness on a trail perhaps, but you gain that luxurious, super fun handling, plenty e

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

The Bosco Bulls were fantastic on the descent--much more so than other bars, including drops set kind of high and the straight bars on a Trek 990, which made me feel like I could be pitched over, and also left me with "pumped" forearm muscles--ouchy. You can see the bars on the early 90s Tre

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Well, concerning fine tuning the Clems I just feel like it's inevitable, maybe not now, but most likely in the future. The problems with popping over obstacles & pedal strike are definite real "things" mentioned & identified independently by several people. The Clem really has the potential to

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

masmojo, your passion for Rivendell is wonderful, but your criticism is confusing a simpleton like me. Your critique of Grant and Co. and the Clem/entine is that they should keep doing what they've always done? I suspect they will, though perhaps not in the direction you hope. After all, Grant

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I agree, Patrick. RBW is not going to react to long chainstays and low BBs they designed by redesigning them. There's a billion alternatives out there if people don't want these features. I like my LongLow Clem and Joe, and wouldn't be happy to see the benefits exclusive to those frames designed

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Well, it should not be confusing; to be sure as much as I admire Grant, it would be wrong to sit back, put him & Rivendell on a pedestal and prostrate myself in front of him. The people on this forum can be a bit gushy, but without (construtive) criticism where are you!? I am not really talking

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

There are pros & cons to every bike, and the pros for one person could be cons for another. I love my Clem because it works wonderfully for me - I don't love it just because it's a Rivendell designed by Grant. It fits my needs. That's all that matters to me. David Chicago -- You received th

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

The inference that we "prostrate in front of Grant" is not necessary. This is a Riv forum for people who like those bicycles and that company. If I want a change from my Clem or Appaloosa, I ride something else. My Dahon folder and Bobbin mini velo have very short stays. -- You received this m

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Not wanting to extend this discussion too much, it's not really a matter of positive vs. negative, add some this, subtract some that, fiddling with things, back and forth, until...Voila! The Perfect Bicycle Is Created. Everybody please go home, the work is done. Now *that* would be putting som

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Of course nothing in bicycles is a totally clean sheet, obviously they've been making them forever. Much of what I said was figurative, not sure why everything here is so literal? Personally, if I was building bikes this sort of feedback is precisely the type of thing that I would be looking f

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I'm going to say again that your implication that we're some sort of cult afraid to criticize The Master is a bit much. The point I've made several times is that the Clem and Appaloosa frames were specifically designed for the benefits of long stays and low BBs, the latter of which Grant has bee

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

You've lost me. What part of recommending to the designer ad nauseam that he lower the bottom bracket drop and shorten the chain stays on a particular model is figurative, not literal? Personal experience is great. You made an interesting point about the relationship between bb height and chain

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Mark, your explanation is why you can't buy a true custom from Rivendell. A Riv custom is built to your size and riding preferences, as interpreted through GP's design philosophy, to create a bike that looks and rides like a Rivendell. There are people you can pay that will build a bike practica

[RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I cannot wait to see the Clem hop.Jim D Massachusetts On Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 12:52:50 AM UTC-4, Mark in Beacon wrote: > > You've lost me. What part of recommending to the designer ad nauseam that > he lower the bottom bracket drop and shorten the chain

Re: [RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

I would say the Clem are really a 2nd gen product. The first long chainstay bike was the Cheviot, maybe 19" chainstays (?), while the bigger models Clem come in around 21" (? again). So, it seems Grant likes what he had in the Cheviut, but wanted MORE! And pretty much all Riv models have ~80mm of

Re: [RBW] Re: Clementine Climbs a Mountain

Excellent point, Eric. And arguably, any bike Grant produces incorporates his ever growing expertise and none (even the small run, "Using up old fork" frames) is a clean slate design. Chain stay length is a big tweak, but it is a tweak. But the mystery bike, Cheviot, and playing with Appaloosa