Rivendell vs Waterford

[uforgot]

I've decided to get a good bike that combines all that I want to do with it. Looking at the Rivendell website, the Rambouillet seems to be perfect. I don't want to race, mostly road but Katy trail and touring if I feel like it. My question is...are there any other bikes comparable to the Rambouillet? I'd like to take my time and compare and ride many bikes. The Waterford st bikes seem to be fairly close also. Any others I should take a look at? What I want is drop bars, relaxed geometry, tires that can go fairly large like the ruffy tuffys, but that I can also install fenders and racks.

[northstar]

How about a Salsa Casseroll?

[Veronica]

I love my Rambouillet. I don't ride it as much since I got my Legolas. But if I could only have one bike it would be the Rambouillet. I have done a three week self supported tour with it, towing a trailer, a little off road riding - nothing gnarly though :p and my first three double centuries were done on it. It really is a bike that you can configure to do whatever you want.

V.

[Thorn]

Depending upon your budget, you might also want to look at Surly.

I've ordered a custom Waterford for my summer steed. High-end steel, light weight. So far, the experience has been outstanding.

I'm also seriously contemplating building up a "slush-kicker" for winter riding. It won't need to do snow, but it should be able to handle really rough, gravelly roads with coatings of melt. I plan on using it for gravel bike trails in the summer. It will be full fender, wider tires. My needs are similar, but my budget is much smaller than yours. Bikes in the market include the Salsa mentioned previously, the Surly bikes (Cross check or Pacer--you might want to check out the Long Haul Trucker) and Bianchi Volpe.

Pay attention to fit. If you're shorter in the torso, all of those bikes, including the stock Waterford/Gunnar's have long top tubes. If you also short you may not find a perfect fit frame.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Claudia, how tall are you?

[Trek420]

What I want is drop bars, relaxed geometry, tires that can go fairly large like the ruffy tuffys, but that I can also install fenders and racks.

I love my Mondonico, great ride, beautiful and with plenty of zip and pep but yet all day comfort. But I don't think you could equip it with racks, fenders or ruffy tuffys.

Mimi's Davidson is a beaut and what I'd get for touring (if I won the Lotto and could get another bike :rolleyes:)

[uforgot]

Claudia, how tall are you?

5'4", but I have a long inseam so I'd like some idea before I take any trips anywhere to look at bikes. You guys are telling me what I want to hear. I'm getting some idea and like I said, I'm not in a hurry. If this takes months, it takes month.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

5'4", but I have a long inseam so I'd like some idea before I take any trips anywhere to look at bikes. You guys are telling me what I want to hear. I'm getting some idea and like I said, I'm not in a hurry. If this takes months, it takes month.

Ok, so for your info- I am 5' 5" 1/2 and have a fairly long inseam too. My 54cm Rivendell fits me, but only just barely, and a 52cm Rivendell might even fit me better.
So if you are an inch shorter than me I would say you need a 52cm frame in a Rivendell. A 54 would likely be too big for you, reach wise. I have some issues with too long reach as it is on my 54 and I'm an inch and a half taller than you.

There are still a few 52cm Rambouillets around for sale new, but they are going fast and Rivendell has stopped making Rambouillets for now (big mistake in my book). One thing you should know though is that a 52 Ramb would have 26" tires, not 700 tires.
A Rivendell Saluki would fit your needs well too, and Riv still makes those. It also would have 650B tires in your size frame.
Look to see if there are any Jamis dealers near you- the Jamis Aurora is a fine touring bike and much cheaper than Rivs or Waterfords.

You have not given any clues as to your price range. And are you considering waiting for a custom bike made just for you?

[Veronica]

Now I'm also 5'4" and a bit and my 54 Rambouillet fits me pretty well and I considered getting a 56. So you can't just go by height.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

True! Height alone will only get you in the ballpark.
But even inseam length is overrated- sometimes the arm length/reach thing is very important, like for me. I have no trouble standing over my 54cm and the bike feels generally very good- except for the slightly too long reach thing with my arms- and that has little to do with my height or inseam. Hopefully you will be able to test ride a production bike before buying it, that is the best thing.

[uforgot]

I'm not trying to figure out size just yet. I'm just trying to get some idea what kinds of bikes are out there that will fit my needs. Actually, when I did the Rivendell "fit" system, I was at the top end of a 54. (32+ inseam) There is a shop in Nashville that carries the Rambouillets, so I would certainly go there first to make sure since I've really not put a cap on price yet, but it's a long drive so I want to have my ducks in a row first. I rarely drive, only if I leave town, and no one would blink if I spent the amount a Rivendell cost on a vehicle! I agree about the Rambouillet. All of the others Rivendell offers have a minimum suggested tire width of 30mm and the Rambouillet is 27mm which appeals to me. I've read where some think the Rivendells are overpriced for what you get, and that we are essentially "buying" Grant Peterson, but then again, there seems to be a Grant following and those who don't care at all for him. He seems to bring on the controversy, but I'm buying a bike, not him, so I really appreciate what Veronica said. You can adapt the Rambouillet to whatever you want. The Bleriot and the Saluki seem to be more off road. I have several bikes right now, among them a road bike that has more of a racing geometry and a commuter/katy trail bike and it would be nice to get one that does it all (except single track of course!) I've noticed that the Rivendells tend to hold their value well when reselling also. Something else I want. I had a Jamis which was in almost new condition and pretty much couldn't give it away! I also don't mind waiting until the Rambouillet quits sleeping as I plan on making this my LAST bike, (seems contradictory to my resale rule) and I want the best for my needs and money. I'm sort of tired of always economizing in my life.

Whew, long post. I appreciate all of the input!

[SR500]

Congrats on a new bike, sounds great. Just an an FYI, our dealer sells Waterford, they are fully custom and simply beautiful, not cheap, but they can be almost as light as carbon and have an excellent ride. Gunner is the stock bike for Waterford, they come in standard sizes (although adjustments can be made for additional cost).

In looking at Rivendell, the stock frames are imported, while Waterford is all American made - this is important to some people. Also Rivendell doesn't offer a stock WSD frame, while all Waterford's are custom fit to you. If I were buying my LAST bike, I would go with Waterford, in the end I think a custom fit will be money well spent.

[Veronica]

I put Mavic Ksyriums and 23s on my Rambouillet for doing double centuries. I've since decided I don't like the Ksyriums, they blow me around too much in a cross wind and I'll replace them with what I have on my Legolas eventually. Anyway, to my point, you don't always have to use wider tires. :)

I'm always amused when people talk about Grant. Riv HQ is maybe 15 miles away from me and we've been on three Rivendell campouts with the staff from Riv. Plus we go through phases when we're in there buying stuff every weekend. Oh, and we've bought 4 Rivendells.

Grant has to be one of the nicest guys I've ever met. All he wants is for more people to ride bikes. Yeah he's opiniated about what makes a good bike. All bike designers must be opiniated, otherwise they wouldn't have a job and all bikes would look the same and be manufactured the same way.

V.

[uforgot]

Well, I went to a Waterford dealer yesterday. I asked about fenders and he said it would just be a matter of changing the brakes??? Then I asked about fit, and he said he would just look at my current bike. No real fit session there. He seems to think that people worry too much about fit, and it didn't matter what kind of bike, as I was curious as to the difference between Waterford rs (road sport) and Waterford st (sport touring). That's when he said if I wanted fenders I would just get cantilever brakes. Frame really didn't matter. Maybe I should also say he had only 2 Waterfords in stock and one Gunnar. Lots of Treks, Bianchis, etc. He did take his time with me and wanted to see my Burley, which I had on the car. I still wasn't impressed. I would think that if I was willing to drop a lot of money on a bike, you would at least fake a fit session?:confused: He did mention that a customer drove to the Waterford plant to get a fit. He laughed when he said it.

Closest Riv dealer is 5 hours away, so sometime in the next few months, I may take a trek there. Of course I'll take my bike along and find a route or path to ride while I'm there! Hope it doesn't turn out like the Waterford dealer. Anyone know anything about Harpeth Cycles in Tennessee?

[Veronica]

You could come to California to Riv HQ and get fit. They'll probably even let you borrow a bike and ride it up Mt. Diablo. :) Come on, you don't have anything planned over Christmas break anyway.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Claudia, that guy doesn't sound like someone I would trust to sell me the RIGHT bike for me. How can someone who sells bikes say that "people worry too much about fit"?!?! :eek: :mad: Poor fit=pain and even possible injuries. I'd be runnin' away from that guy myself.
And um....you can't put fenders on just any bike by simply changing the brakes- for one thing, you need sufficient fork clearance.

[uforgot]

You could come to California to Riv HQ and get fit. They'll probably even let you borrow a bike and ride it up Mt. Diablo. :) Come on, you don't have anything planned over Christmas break anyway.

V.

After your 50th birthday, there is a lovely little medical test most doctors want you to take. THAT'S what I have planned over Christmas break. :eek: So do you believe me when I say I'd rather come to California?

[uforgot]

Claudia, that guy doesn't sound like someone I would trust to sell me the RIGHT bike for me.

No kidding! I tried to slink out of there several times but he wanted to keep talking. I think the Rambouillet is the bike for me, I'm just gonna wait until I can get somewhere to see one in person. I've spent hours researching forums, etc. Maybe I should write Rivendell and tell them I want to see one, so go ahead and push that button to start their production again. I'm not sure of the point, seems that there are a LOT of people who think it's a big mistake. I don't see how the Saluki and Homer whatever replace it. They seem to be more off-road than the Ram. That bike does everything I want, tires are the min and max width I want AND it has lugs. If I'm going to get what I want, I'm going all the way. Meanwhile, my Burley is a terrific road bike, and it will do me until next year for sure! I just can't take it off the pavement.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Claudia, there's a 54cm Rambouillet very similar to mine that's on Ebay right now- auction ending in a few hours:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250174234175&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123
It "should" go for over $2000. If you miss that one you might then want to keep an Ebay search notification going for "Rambouillet". You would take either a 52cm or a 54cm Rambouillet. The 54's usually have 700 wheels, and the 52's usually have 26" wheels on them, just for your info. ;) :cool: :p

[sandra]

After your 50th birthday, there is a lovely little medical test most doctors want you to take. THAT'S what I have planned over Christmas break. :eek: So do you believe me when I say I'd rather come to California?

oh my gosh. I'm getting one too at that time. Man, I dread it. Want to come go do that at the same time? I'll take you to my two great bike shops. :rolleyes:

[uforgot]

Claudia, there's a 54cm Rambouillet very similar to mine that's on Ebay right now- auction ending in a few hours:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250174234175&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123
It "should" go for over $2000. If you miss that one you might then want to keep an Ebay search notification going for "Rambouillet". You would take either a 52cm or a 54cm Rambouillet. The 54's usually have 700 wheels, and the 52's usually have 26" wheels on them, just for your info. ;) :cool: :p

Lisa, I'm the one who drove it up to $1700! I'm hesitating because it has 3,000 miles on it. I have a search going on for one, that's how I found this one. If it has minimal scratches and 3,000 miles do you still think it's worth $2000?

[sandra]

:eek: Girrrrrrrrrrrl. Don't bid and drive it up yet! Wait until the last few minutes!

[uforgot]

oh my gosh. I'm getting one too at that time. Man, I dread it. Want to come go do that at the same time? I'll take you to my two great bike shops. :rolleyes:

Before or after? Then if it's after we can have some fried green tomatoes, before and we can toast each other with that milky white substance everyone says is so awful.

[sandra]

We are not going to drink that stuff. They have pills now. We are going to demand pills!

[uforgot]

We are not going to drink that stuff. They have pills now. We are going to demand pills!

My doc already told me no pills. She says they are finding that they don't do the job they are suppose to, and that's enough on THAT!:eek:

Man, talk about a thread hijack, this has to be the best one ever!

[sandra]

:( OK, back to the bike.

[Veronica]

Lisa, I'm the one who drove it up to $1700! I'm hesitating because it has 3,000 miles on it. I have a search going on for one, that's how I found this one. If it has minimal scratches and 3,000 miles do you still think it's worth $2000?

My Rambouillet has about 8,000 miles on it. It's worth more than 2 K to me.

V.

[sandra]

Looking at that bike, I'm more concerned about the 54 being too big for you than I am the extra $300.

[Veronica]

I'm 5'4.75" and I ride a 54 Rambouillet.

Give the folks at Riv a call and see what they recommend for a size.

You'll end up missing out on this one. Although the seller does have a return option.

I gotta say the pictures look like ones straight from the Riv catalogue with the gray sheet backdrop.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh that's too funny my pointing that bike out to you, and you've already beed bidding on it! :cool: :cool: :D

Claudia, your inseam is 32", right? That's exactly the same as mine, and my 54 Rambouillet fits me quite well, except for the fact that I wouldn't mind it if it had a slightly shorter top tube, women-specific-wise. But with a 7mm stem and some Salsa Poco short reach handlebars I recently put on to replace the Nitto noodle bars, it is a pretty good fit now for me.
Putting the Poco bars on brought my hands back an actual 2cm more than where they were with the noodle bars. That made a big difference for me.
If your inseam is truly 32", then you should have about 1" crotch clearance when you stand over the bike, just like me.

My Ramb is a 2006 and has about 5,000 miles on it. Aside from a couple of paint scratches and needing a new chain and tires, it's like a new bike!
3,000 miles is like nothing for a Rivendell....I've ridden over 3,000 miles already so far this year.
That Ebay bike has some NICE components and is a real clean sparkling jewel- well worth over $2,000 if you ask me. If you bought it new today it would cost well over $2,500 with the components it has. Just so you have some perspective: I paid $2,500 for mine new 16 months ago, and it had less high end stuff on it at the time than this Ebay one has.
54cm Rambouillets can't be bought new anymore, don't forget. I don't *think* anyone has them in stock right now. ...Veronica?

If it were me.... I'd bid $2,225 at the last 3 minutes. :cool: But you're not me! Easy to spend other people's money!
P.S. don't worry, I won't bid on it- I already have mine!

It's a FINE bike and is made to last a lifetime.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I gotta say the pictures look like ones straight from the Riv catalogue with the gray sheet backdrop.

V.

Rivendell might have taken pictures of it built up, before they sold it to the owner.
Also notice the location of the bike is in Walnut Creek, CA- exactly where Rivendell headquaters is.
Perhaps Rivendell themselves are selling this one?- or one of their employees there in Walnut Creek?

[uforgot]

Thanks Lisa and Veronica. You are giving me the info I need. I did the Rivendell pbh test and a 54 is the size I need. It would be the TT length that would do me in. I guess it's not like I'm stuck with it either. There are NONE of these for sale anywhere that I can find. I could certainly sell it or, like you said, return it.

tick tick tick as the ebay clock runs down.

[sandra]

If it were me.... I'd bid $2,225 at the last 3 minutes.

I agree. $2,226.96

[Veronica]

I don't think they are the stock photos. But I did wonder if it was a Riv employee selling it.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I agree. $2,226.96

Yep, that's even better. You gotta just beat the guy who's going for 2,225.

[uforgot]

The women of TE cost me more money than my kids!!!!

[sandra]

No kidding. Hey if you buy it, I'll buy your mixte if you need extra cash. :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The women of TE cost me more money than my kids!!!!

Yeah, but you don't have to send us to college! :)

Stop bidding! Wait til the last couple of minutes!

[sandra]

Yeah, but you don't have to send us to college! :)

yeah or help pay for weddings.....

[sandra]

That auction had nearly 4 hours to go. Restrain yourself until the last 3 minutes. Don't drive the bid up this early in the auction. ;)

[uforgot]

Yeah, but you don't have to send us to college! :)

Stop bidding! Wait til the last couple of minutes!

I just wanted to see if somehow that other bidder had stopped at $1750. Then I was going to think about it. That bid was just a toe in the water kind of thing. I really think that if I'm going to spend that much, I'll just spend a little more and get a bike I have 1) tested and 2) is a color I like. I'm sort of tired of compromising because of cost. I don't think I'll do it here. I think I'll just make a pilgrimage to a shop that has some Rivendells and take a "look see" at them. There's one in Nashville.

As for college...that's where this funding is coming from! I paid for last semester and my son just couldn't seem to get out of bed to get to his Trig class, and then he missed some of his engineering courses, and so his grades were awful. I told him he would be paying for this semester, since I teach summer school to fund this stuff, and he could just see how much it cost. Needless to say, his grades AND attitude have improved since he has to work to pay for it. THEN he finds a job where they promise to pay for his schooling if he signs a contract that he will be an engineer for them when he graduates, and works for the next year first. (And he loves working for them) That kid will always come out smelling like a rose, no matter what!

[sandra]

I've got one like that too Claudia. After 3 years, we quit paying for him to fool around. He ended up joining the Army National Guard so they would pay. Loves the guard and ended up working full time at thelocal military base and makes good money with a good federal retirement. He says "I may not be rich, but I love what I do".

How old are your boys?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I really think that if I'm going to spend that much, I'll just spend a little more and get a bike I have 1) tested and 2) is a color I like. I'm sort of tired of compromising because of cost. I don't think I'll do it here. I think I'll just make a pilgrimage to a shop that has some Rivendells and take a "look see" at them. There's one in Nashville.

Well I admire you for your logic and your self-control!
Ai....now I have to calm down from my vicarious excitement over your new Rambouillet! :p
Whew.

:D :D

So let's see what it goes for in the end- I bet it goes for more than $2,225!

[uforgot]

Lisa, Actually, it's not so much self control, but ever since you put up the pic of your dh's bike, I have wanted a green one. If I want a green one, then I'm going to GET a green one! I'm not even a green person, but like I said. If I have to pay extra I will. I'm not compromising on this, even though I'll probably drive a neon forever because I don't care about the car. (It has a hitch on it, though, so the bikes are easily transported).

Sandra, I have two boys, 23 and 20. The oldest is in the Navy and will continue Art school when he gets out. Do you think that perhaps we were twins separated at birth? We seem to have a lot in common...

[uforgot]

He says "I may not be rich, but I love what I do".

How old are your boys?

Love the quote. That's all I ever wanted for my kids. I feel the same. I'm not rich, I'm a teacher, but I get up every morning wanting to go to work. Retirement? I can, but I'm not even considering it right now.

[Veronica]

You know you could always get it and have it painted green. :)

V.

[sandra]

We've already done retirement. Hubby retired federal after 37 years. We missed the money :rolleyes: and both went back to work. I'd go to my job if they quit paying me. I like it that much.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa, Actually, it's not so much self control, but ever since you put up the pic of your dh's bike, I have wanted a green one. If I want a green one, then I'm going to GET a green one! I'm not even a green person, but like I said. If I have to pay extra I will. I'm not compromising on this, even though I'll probably drive a neon forever because I don't care about the car.

Oh! So the plot thickens....
Well then you should be told
The Saga of the Green Rambouillet. :rolleyes:

It all began when he was a little boy in Iowa.....
(no, maybe I'll fast forward a bit)

It all began over a year and a half ago, when he was having trouble getting his 10 year old Trek hybrid set up to ride the way he wanted it too. The Trek was not cooperating and was starting to show its age. I was not riding bikes yet, hadn't ridden since I was a kid. I'm 53.
Anyway, I told my husband that he really deserved to get himself a brand new bike after all these years, and it should be a GOOD bike, not some cheesy bike. He does not spend a lot of money on himself. He began to look at and research bikes. He wanted the kind of bike that would perfectly match the kind of riding he was hoping to do here in the rolling hills/country we live in. He also wanted a bike that would be comfortable for long rides of say 70 miles. After much careful research (he's a careful and patient man), he decided that a Rivendell Rambouillet was the right bike. It was a big step.

The closest Riv dealer to us was Harris Cyclery near Boston- a 5 1/2 hour drive round trip for us. He wasn't sure about whether he'd take a 60cm or 62cm frame. Harris had both in stock, so we drove there one weekend for him to test ride them. I told him to take all the time he needed, and to not give me a thought while I waited in the store for him to test ride and discuss bikes endlessly. I sat there for about 3 hours, watching people come in and out excitedly with their new bikes, watching the gleaming bikes being rolled back and forth, spinning silver spokes and clicking gears...
He rode them both, and found the 60 was best. BUT.....all the Rambs at the time were bright blue. He didn't like that blue at all. They then told him that Rivendell was about to start making the Ramb in dark green. They said if he was willing to wait about 4 weeks, they'd have some new ones coming in in green. He was thrilled, and ordered one on the spot. :)

So we went home and waited. And waited. 6 weeks came and went... 2 months went by....then he was told it would take another month....or maybe two or three more months. At that point, frustrated, he decided to buy the blue one right there already at Harris, have it sent to Joe Bell clear over in CA (the GREAT bike painter) and have him STRIP it down and repaint it (at an additional cost of several hundred dollars to us), then send it back across the country to Harris to build up. It was getting rather complicated, but he'd have his green bike within 2 months then for sure.

And so....the blue bike in MA got sent back to CA to be stripped and painted green. My DH had seen a pictures of a beautiful dark machine green Ramb that Joe Bell had painted for someone else- and Joe said Yes I know that one, I have a paint sample of it still right here! Wonderful!

OK....another development in the meantime. All this bike talk and all that sitting at Harris' looking at happy people on new bikes had infected me.
We visited a girlfriend and I borrowed her hybrid bike and started riding. I absolutely loved riding, and couldn't believe I could still ride after 38 years or so off a bike. Her bike had to be returned in 2 weeks. What would I do?? :(

I asked DH what he thought of the preposterous idea of ME getting a bike too. Would he scoff, would he be resentful of my trying to horn my way in on his happy pastime?....NO!- he was thrilled, he said he had always dreamed of riding bikes with his sweetheart one day. (what a man!)
Thus, in the midst of his no-bike torture saga, this wonderful man takes me BACK to Harris to get ME a Rambouillet...and they just so happened to have one in my size in blue right there in stock, no waiting!
I got my bike and started riding happily. DH continued waiting patiently.....


More delays to get the bike repainted. We still didn't know when exactly it would be painted and ready. Joe Bell had his waiting list after all. By this time it was 5 months since DH had ordered the first Ramb at Harris'.
I felt so bad for him! :(
ONe morning he sheepishly showed me a Rivendell for sale on Ebay. It was a beauty- a custom Riv in a cool frosty pale ice blue, in his exact size, in PA within a few hours drive, in wonderful condition and very nicely priced with a Buy it Now low price. It was ready to ride.
I said GO FOR IT!!!! JUST GET YOUR *"{%RH^# BIKE ALREADY!!!!! :eek: :eek: :p :p :D :D
He bought it. The next day we drove to PA and picked it up. It was fabulous and just needed some new gearing for our hills.
So.....DH was in seventh heaven tinkering on his new beauty and riding it, making it his very own.

Fast forward....(skipping the middle part where the repainted bike arrived in MA and almost got sent back to CA again)....

A few more weeks later.... his repainted green Rambouillet was shipped from CA to Harris where they built it back up and we excitedly drove back to MA to pick it up.

IT WAS THE WRONG GREEN. It was supposed to be a dark "manly" French green, like old vintage machinery used to be. Alas. Instead, it was a soft creamy grey green- exactly the kind of green that DH jokes around is MY girly kind of green- the same green I have so many clothes and objects in , that I painted our kitchen in. :cool: He even had a pet name for this green already: Sweetie Green.

The happy part is that after all this, all we could do was LAUGH about the Sweetie Green bike. It *was* lovely, after all. He joked that whenever he rode it he would dream of me. :p :p He gets many compliments on the color wherever he rides.
I love my bike. He loves both his bikes and is a happy happy man. :p

And here are our three Rivendells:
http://harmonias.com/Bikes.html

[uforgot]

Great story Lisa! I knew about your pics. Looking at them made ME want one. One question, if it was the wrong green, couldn't he have had it repainted if the painter made the mistake? Sweetie green, yeah, that's the color I want!

[sandra]

I'm in lust too. I have green eyes. I love green clothes. Green is my favorite color. I LOVE your DH's Sweetie Green bike.

Claudia, you must get one like that!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Great story Lisa! I knew about your pics. Looking at them made ME want one. One question, if it was the wrong green, couldn't he have had it repainted if the painter made the mistake? Sweetie green, yeah, that's the color I want!

Well, apparently the painter and my DH were talking about two different green bikes when the painter said he knew which bike DH was referring too. An honest enough mix up I suppose. And by the time DH finally got the bike it seemed like sending it back to CA again would have been totally anal and beyond ridiculous. (remember I skipped a middle part where another painting mixup almost occured) And- the poor brand new bike had been stripped and repainted once already!
By the time it was here and ready the whole thing seemd so ludicrous that it just made us laugh and that made it all ok. It's not like it was a hideous color, so DH decided it was Fate that he ride on a green bike that reminded him of me. :p

[sgtiger]

Lisa, that's a great story! LOL Thanks for sharing it with us.

[emily_in_nc]

Well, I think that "Sweetie Green" bike is a gorgeous color and not girly at all. It's not like it's Celeste or anything! :D And your blue one is lovely too!

Emily

[KnottedYet]

So... who the heck won the Ebay bike??

(inquiring minds in SF want to know)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, I think that "Sweetie Green" bike is a gorgeous color and not girly at all. It's not like it's Celeste or anything! :D And your blue one is lovely too!

Emily

Thanks. :p

The funny thing is, whenever we go biking together, people always ooh and ahhh and drool over HIS bike....and they never say ONE SINGLE WORD about my bike- even though they are the same bike! :rolleyes:
It's the combo of my screaming neon biking clothes and my electric blue bike- must get them gagging. ;) :D
I admit that particular blue is not the color I would have PICKED....but hey I was in the throes of biking fever and I needed a bike right then and was thrilled to get such a fine one! I was just about to have to give my borrowed bike back and be totally bikeless! :eek:
I love my blue bike. It and I both have "electric personalities". We've learned to ride together from the start.

Besides...next Spring I'll have my new, second bike ...this time in my very own chosen color. :p


So....that Ramb on Ebay sold for $1975....a good fair price I think. :)

[KnottedYet]

Who won it!? $1975 sounds pretty peachy.

[uforgot]

I stopped at $1780. Polarbiscuit won. Don't know who that is. A Rivendell Atlantis sold last week for $1576. I'm sure they will come up from time to time, although an Atlantis is not what I'm looking for.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Claudia,

If you want a Rambouillet the same green as my DH has, then you'll have to have one stripped and repainted too, just like we did.
The green Rivendell used recently (after the blue run) is more a dark frosted forest green. Not sure if they actually made any 54cm frames in the dark green either, as there were a surplus of blue 54's at the time.

[uforgot]

Instead of spending $2000, I bought this for my Burley. She's extremely pleased that I haven't tossed her over for a new model. (yet)

[uforgot]

Claudia,

If you want a Rambouillet the same green as my DH has, then you'll have to have one stripped and repainted too, just like we did.
The green Rivendell used recently (after the blue run) is more a dark frosted forest green. Not sure if they actually made any 54cm frames in the dark green either, as there were a surplus of blue 54's at the time.
I saw that dark green and that was a thumbs up too. I was actually trying to find a pic on the Rivendell website to ask you if that was the one your husband wanted, but the website had a "flat tire" this morning. Maybe when they start production again, they'll keep the same color, otherwise I'll pay the $200 for custom.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Claudia,
Here are someone else's pix of their stock green Rambouillet:
http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc130-ccanter0706.html
It's a nice green too, with just a bit of frosted metallic to it.

That's what my DH originally ordered. But when it looked like they woouldn't get any in for many months, he bought a blue one and wanted a sort of non-frosted dark tractor green (not like the Riv stock dark frosted green). What he got instead was the creamier Sweetie Green color. :rolleyes:

[northstar]

Claudia,
Here are someone else's pix of their stock green Rambouillet:
http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc130-ccanter0706.html
It's a nice green too, with just a bit of frosted metallic to it.

That's what my DH originally ordered. But when it looked like they woouldn't get any in for many months, he bought a blue one and wanted a sort of non-frosted dark tractor green (not like the Riv stock dark frosted green). What he got instead was the creamier Sweetie Green color. :rolleyes:

Wow, that really IS a gorgeous green. But I like the Sweetie Green, too. :)

[Blueberry]

But I'd be sorely tempted if this were my size...it even comes with a generator hub!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rivendell-Rambouillet-50cm-with-Schmidt-Dynamo-light_W0QQitemZ200165496821QQihZ010QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

CA

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yep, and a Mark's rack too!

Not cheap though.

Hey does everyone know yet that Heron bicycles is going out of business soon? One less steel bike option out there. :(

[jobob]

Yep, and a Mark's rack too!

Not cheap though.

Ah, but it also has very good handbuilt wheels which run about $400 - $450 for the pair, and the Schmidt Dynohub and B&M D'Lumotec light would add another couple of hundred, easy. It looks like it would be a great deal.