General Cycling Discussion - Been working on this for several months. Hard to believe it's almost done.

Hi,
I got my wife a Rivendell production frame for Xmas. It's made from very nice Japanese tubing, but welded and painted in Taiwan. So the frame wound up being $600. They are prob more now. Sis gave her the rear hub, her boss gave her a chain, my nephew and his gal gave her a front brake. I spent roughly $1600. You could have a bike shop throw one together for you for about that much, but it wouldn't have titanium BB/hubs/saddle. And the brakes wouldn't be quite as nice, the front brake alone was $150. Hmm, I guess I spent more than $1600. And that doesn't count her saddle; if I had to replace that; it would be about 200 bucks now. That would hurt.

Anyway, the shop is wiring it up, the test ride is manana. I have my fingers crossed. I put everything I knew about bikes into this one.
Hope she likes it. I'll borrow my sister's camera and throw up some pics in a week or two.

Which frame is it? I've had my eye on a Legolas for my wife, but she really doesn't ride enough to justify it. I built an Atlantis four years ago and got a screaming deal on a used Rambouillet last year, and I don't have one bad thing to say about either one.
Let us know how things work out...

It's a Bleriot. They only make a couple 650b frames and the other one is
too expensive for us.

http://parts.spicercycles.com/page.cfm?PageID=37&action=list&searchtype=search&keywords=bleriot&Brand=&gobutnsearch=Search

That is the best price I could find. They will face the thingy for the headset free. But when they did mine they didn't get it quite right. Let a bike shop do it if you go that route.

It uses big poofy tires, but 650b tires are a bit larger, lighter, and faster than slick MTB tires.

Just FYI, the Bleriot is completely Taiwanese built - tubing and lugs too. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Even the custom (U.S. built) and Japanese Rivendells use Taiwanese lugs, AFAIK.

I'm very happy with my Bleriot.

There's a Bleriot group on Flickr too, here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/bleriot/pool/

You filthy tease. I want pics!! And not catalog bs dude. Where's that sweet ride you just invested all your soul in?

Bah, I'm off to hunt for lolcats now...

Hi,
I got my wife a Rivendell production frame for Xmas...Hope she likes it.

You must be joking :D . How could she NOT like a Rivendell for Christmas? I would be most pleased with my husband if he were to get me such a bike :) .

We will hold you to your promise to provide photographic evidence of your generosity, late!

East Hill

You filthy tease. I want pics!! And not catalog bs dude. Where's that sweet ride you just invested all your soul in?

Bah, I'm off to hunt for lolcats now...

You will like this. I have my drop bars almost flat. She wanted them that way, but they came out the regular way. We pulled them up, but forgot about the shifting. The wire for the front deraillieur was so tight it couldn't budge. So she had a very short inaugural ride. But... she looks good on it. It fits. That is what I was most worried about. It feels light for a steel bike that can tour; and rolls as smooth as a baby's bottom.
I have walked bikes down my driveway a hundrred times and never had one tugging at my hand like it wanted to break free.

One thing I got wrong was the bottom bracket. When you get the BB right, the legs move straight up and down and look like pistons. I put a really nice 107mm BB on that i had and it was too narrow. Her old bike was perfect, so I need to find out how long that BB is and get another.

I'll call Sis manana and see about borrowing her camera. The bike is already back in the shop, so it will be a while.

She looks perfect on it, and while she hasn't made up her mind yet, I am thrilled.

What kind of cranks are you using? Rivendell specifies a 107mm BB but that is in fact rather misleading... you need a 107mm BB if (and only if) you use the Sugino XD-2 cranks that they sell. The other Sugino cranks on the market, like the XD 400/500/600 require a 113mm BB.

Rivendell should really update their info on this... i'm sure lots of people buy 107 and 110mm BBs and end up gouging their chainstays.

What kind of cranks are you using? Rivendell specifies a 107mm BB but that is in fact rather misleading... you need a 107mm BB if (and only if) you use the Sugino XD-2 cranks that they sell. The other Sugino cranks on the market, like the XD 400/500/600 require a 113mm BB.

Rivendell should really update their info on this... i'm sure lots of people buy 107 and 110mm BBs and end up gouging their chainstays.

Hi,
they are Sugino cranks, but I think they are the XD600. The shop got them, charged me $90 and they have alloy rings.

They are a bit tight with the 107, but it works. The bike looks like it would accomodate 2 or 3 different sizes without drama.

However, the BB doesn't suit her, so once again my lovely titanium BB is homeless... Which reminds me, I need to tell the bike shop about it; I called them about adding barrel adjusters and forgot to mention it.

Just FYI, the Bleriot is completely Taiwanese built - tubing and lugs too. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Even the custom (U.S. built) and Japanese Rivendells use Taiwanese lugs, AFAIK.

I'm very happy with my Bleriot.

There's a Bleriot group on Flickr too, here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/bleriot/pool/

There is another group on Yahoo

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bleriot_owners_group/

Hi,
they are Sugino cranks, but I think they are the XD600. The shop got them, charged me $90 and they have alloy rings.

They are a bit tight with the 107, but it works. The bike looks like it would accomodate 2 or 3 different sizes without drama.

However, the BB doesn't suit her, so once again my lovely titanium BB is homeless... Which reminds me, I need to tell the bike shop about it; I called them about adding barrel adjusters and forgot to mention it.

Hmm. If that's really a 107mm BB, keep an eye on it. After the cranks have a few dozen miles on them, you'll want to retighten the crank bolts, at which point you may run into clearance issues (but maybe not.. it might depend on the taper of the BB).