Rodriguez bikes?

[Crankin]

DH and I are starting to research touring bikes. We are willing to spend, but want to spend a few months thinking this out. We would use the bikes for short, credit card tours, perhaps C&O Canal, etc. and around town riding, errands, maybe commuting. We wouldn't be making this purchase for about a year, probably.
We would sell our Jamis Codas, as the flat bars are killing us and we really want something we could use for touring. I am not interested in Surly (too heavy). I love the Terry Valkyrie, but one thing that intrigues us about the Rodriguez bikes is that you can get them with a travel (S & S coupler) option. We eventually envision that we would take our bikes to further destinations by plane and do riding/touring as part of our vacations. DH has a Bike Friday, but it's a road bike, set up for fitness, road riding. Since DH rarely travels to Europe much, as he did in the past, he will also be selling this bike. We are in a more "smell the roses" phase of life and we already have nice road bikes.
Anyone have a Rodriguez bike?

[DebW]

Crankin, are you looking for stock bikes or custom? I got my S&S couple bike custom made by Peter Mooney at Belmont Wheelworks. There's also Bilenky Cycles in CT which will do touring bikes with S&S. Going local to speak with the builder and get fit in person is a nice advantage.

[KnottedYet]

R+E (who makes Rodriguez) is a nice shop with good folks and bikes... but they are all the way out here. I was really considering a Rodriguez, too. Partly because they are a short ride from my house. (buy local, and all that)

Lots of bikes are available with S+S couplers (even the Surly Traveller's Check). I'd go with a builder local to you, like DebW suggests.

[Crankin]

Well, to answer Deb, we are looking at stock. Unless you can get a custom bike with decent components and couplers for around 3k? I think Peter Mooney would be out of our price range. But, it wouldn't hurt to talk to him. We don't care about paint jobs, etc., that are important to a lot of people who go custom.
Knot, we were very impressed with Rodriguez's information on the web. Steve had a very good experience with his fitting for the Bike Friday, doing it long distance. He felt as if he was riding his regular road bike when he rode it. But, our lifestyle has changed a bit and we are looking toward the future of doing more bike related vacations on our own, not with a tour company. We also considered planning a vacation to Seattle (which has been on our list for awhile) and getting a fitting. Another reason we were interested in Rodriguez, is that they now offer 18 stock sizes, including some for short people . Basically, the only other decent touring bike that would fit me is the Terry.
Will discuss the custom further and might be talking to you more, Deb.

[KnottedYet]

We also considered planning a vacation to Seattle (which has been on our list for awhile) and getting a fitting.

YAY!!!!!

And of course, you'd have to come back to get the bikes, and take them on a test ride all through the islands before you went home!

[NbyNW]

I have the smallest size stock Rodriguez with 650c wheels and I'm very happy with it. Excellent customer service, too.

If you're petite but are dead set on 700c wheels, I wouldn't be surprised if the guys at R+E tried to talk you out of it, so be prepared for that. If you read their newsletter you'll see that they are fans of 650c for smaller bikes . . . and accordingly they stock plenty of supplies to support the number of 650c bikes that they sell. Which is handy if you live nearby.

I have the Rainier Mirage -- haven't done any loaded touring on it, but have done a bit of research re racks & bags so I know there are options for a smaller-framed bike. I did not opt for S&S couplers, as I have a folder that I would probably use for long distance travel.

MM_QFC's new Seven has S&S couplers, she might have some thoughts on the experience of breaking the bike down and building it up again . . .

I imagine any custom builder could put S&S couplers on your bike.

Check out Indy Fab, which is closer to you and can also do S&S couplers as an option:
http://www.ifbikes.com/OurBikes/Road..._Independence/

I haven't personally dealt with them, but whenever I've met someone with an Indy Fab they seem to be completely in love with their bikes!

[Crankin]

I have no issues with 650 wheels... my Trek 5200 47 cm had them and I am not any faster now on my Kuota with 700 wheels , despite what the LBS owner tried to convince me. I think he doesn't realize how old I am! Plenty of local supplies for 650 touring wheels at Harris Cyclery.
Well, we have to discuss how much we are willing to shell out. Both Seven and Independent Fabrication are local, as well as Peter Mooney. Denise G. has a very beautiful Peter Mooney bike I have seen sitting in her garage, but I've never seen her ride it.

[Thorn]

My guess is that most custom frame builders will do S&S couplers. As long as the tubes are round, they can put the couplers on (e.g., one of Waterford's steel models has oval tubes).

I love my S&S coupled bike so much we bought one for DH. Both are Waterford RS14s. The couplers plus the suitcase run around $1K so a complete bike for $3K I suppose is possible. Like Knotted said, there is the Surly Travelers Check for an off-the-shelf option.

If you go that way and you need packing suggestions, I believe that DebW posted packing pictures and I can send you my cheat sheet. We don't dissassemble as much as DebW, but we do pack both of the bikes the same way even though DH's is sssooooo tiny compared to mine. For us, it is just easier to do them the same.

Good luck on the hunt.

[DebW]

I'd offer to let you two do a demo pack with mine, but I'm sure Steve can handle it with no problem. Plan on 2 hours the first time you pack one (that's per bike, so 4 hours, because you have to cut and fit the tube wraps and other packing material). After that 45 min - 1 hour per bike to pack, less to unpack and reassemble.

[NbyNW]

Wow Crankin, looks like you've got tons of options! Can't wait to see what you decide.

[Crankin]

There's always a way to spend more money.

I think we are leaning toward ordering by phone, discussing what we want from the stock bikes, flying to Seattle, having them do the final fitting/tweaking and then going on a vacation around the islands (we have a friend on San Juan Island). Then we would have them pack and ship the bikes back to us when we were done.
Thanks for the offer, Deb. You know that *I* will not be involved with the putting together/taking apart.

[DebW]

Thanks for the offer, Deb. You know that *I* will not be involved with the putting together/taking apart.

I assumed that, but you could wrap and unwrap the tubes, which takes almost as long as the mechanical part, and just requires a good level of paranoia about protecting your bikes in transit.

[Biciclista]

wow, now I want one too (maybe in my next life).
Good luck Crankin, maybe we can all see you when you come.

[Crankin]

Well, it looks like this might be a combined summer vacation for 2011/graduation present to myself.

Of course, I would want to meet all of you in Seattle.

And yes, Deb, I could handle the unwrapping, etc. It does help that I married a mechanical genius, because I am severely challenged in this area.