Fifty Plus (50+) - Found My Bike

Let the retro-bling begin. :) I found myself attracted to the retrostyle of Rivendell. I gave it a lot of thought, and actually some of the decision-making was based on my height. Okay, some of the decision-making was based on my lack of height.

I've predicted that the majority of my riding will be solo rides in metro parks, hopefully 30-mile round trips on the weekends ... some club rides that should be about 40 miles ... and hopefully a century if I can tune up the motor(ad). Based on my 74-cm pubic bone height in stocking feet, the 700C wheels make the Rivendell frames too big for me. Because I wanted to have a wheelset as close to a 700C, I selected Rivendell's Saluki, which comes with 650B wheels. It should be a tight fit over the Saluki's size 47 frame, because it has an approximate standover height of 73.5 cm.

Another reason why I like the Rivendell frames, is there is a wide variety of tire sizes (and fenders) as options per frame. I gave a down payment for a Saluki on Feb 23rd, and I should be receiving it before the end of April.

Here's my first retro-bling question, meaning I want to maintain the Rivendell aesthetics: Should the frame be painted with non-metallic paint? I wanted a subdued outdoor color. Using the color chart used by Joe Bell, I selected "Olive Green Met" ... which on Joe's chart is "Number G8068" ... click here to see it: < http://www.campyonly.com/images/joebell/imron.pdf >. The question is whether metallic color is in keeping with a retro Rivendell-style bike ... and if not ... which non-metallic color on Joe Bell's chart looks as close to the olive green color of G8068? Plus, on the computer-chart, the G8068 color didn't look shiny, but now I am remembering how metallic paint does make the metal shiny. Un-retro-cool?

Let the retro-bling begin. :)

Here's my first retro-bling question, meaning I want to maintain the Rivendell aesthetics: Should the frame be painted with non-metallic paint? I wanted a subdued outdoor color. Using the color chart used by Joe Bell, I selected "Olive Green Met" ... which on Joe's chart is "Number G8068" ... click here to see it: < http://www.campyonly.com/images/joebell/imron.pdf >. The question is whether metallic color is in keeping with a retro Rivendell-style bike ... and if not ... which non-metallic color on Joe Bell's chart looks as close to the olive green color of G8068? Plus, on the computer-chart, the G8068 color didn't look shiny, but now I am remembering how metallic paint does make the metal shiny. Un-retro-cool?

Well done on the choice of bike but as to the colour-Ask Rivendell what the retro colour should be. They should know but colour is to me the last of my choices on a new bike- Unless it Only comes in Fluorescent pink or orange.

I am another shortie by the way and use compact frames. Standover height is a measurement that is on a bike. By the time I have got the saddle up to the correct height- I have plenty of seat stem showing but I cannot touch the ground while sitting on the saddle. I am too short by at least a couple of Inches. I could easily ride a bike that is a few inches taller, providing it had a correspondingly shorter top tube, as this would get rid of the Long seat stem and I still would not be able to touch the ground. So to me- Standover height is not something to worry about

There are bike fitters who will work up a custom set of measurements which could then be sent to Rivendell. There's a place here in Madison who charges $190 and spends up to 3 hours with you developing them. They even take into account your flexibility and fitness level.

Doesn't the Saluki come in a single stock color? That would make the decision easy for me.

Well done on the choice of bike but as to the colour-Ask Rivendell what the retro colour should be. They should know but colour is to me the last of my choices on a new bike- Unless it Only comes in Fluorescent pink or orange.

I am another shortie by the way and use compact frames. Standover height is a measurement that is on a bike. By the time I have got the saddle up to the correct height- I have plenty of seat stem showing but I cannot touch the ground while sitting on the saddle. I am too short by at least a couple of Inches. I could easily ride a bike that is a few inches taller, providing it had a correspondingly shorter top tube, as this would get rid of the Long seat stem and I still would not be able to touch the ground. So to me- Standover height is not something to worry about

A couple of things.

Bigger bikes are usually big all over so a bike with a taller seat tube will usually have a longer top tube too. You'd think that you could just shorten the top tube but, if you do, your toes will hit a 700c front wheel. If you're short, I think that it's better to buy a bike that was designed from the ground up for a short person.

So far as the color thing goes, if you're having a custom frame made it has to be painted some color so you might as well get whatever color you think you'll like best. That's really a question that only you can answer but, if you like the olive metallic, I'd think that you'd like medium green gold too (43521).

Anything but that Coleman green that Grant was enamoured with a few years ago. I like the 80's ice blue on my Romulus. The Molteni burnt orange would be another keeper. White bar tape and you'd have the eye-catching creamsickle look. Kogswell's yellow cream stock color is retro and eye-catching.

Unless you're determined to be retro, why not choose a color that complements the lines of the bike, matches whatever saddle you intend......and above all fits your personal style and temperament.

The bike should be YOU....not retro, Lance Armstrong blue black, Grant's wife's eye color, etc.

End of rant. Enjoy your new "baby"....picking the color may be more strenuous than choosing a child's name.

Do they offer a way to look at the bike on-line and flip through the colors?

A lot of sites offer this nowadays. We were looking at flooring from Mannington and Armstrong and they let you custom design rooms and then change the flooring in them to get an idea of how it looks.