exfreewheeler

Elegant and ... elegant!

Motorad

The twine gives a good touch on d2create's handlebars. I can see where it could also serve a small purpose, possibly keeping the brake lever cables from causing an increasing gap between the handlebar and the handlebar wrap.

On one of the photos, I saw a bike computer. Is that "okay" for the retro look, as an odometer would be useful. I didn't see a computer coming from the cable, or is it a wireless computer? If there is a wire from computer to the wheel, are there retro ways to anchor the wire such as with twine at strategic locations?

d2create

Well, over two years and several thousand miles (i lost track), it's time for a few more changes and I thought I'd post up a few sneak-peak pics.

First, I was starting to feel a bit too stretched so I raised my bars. OMG... they're higher than the seat!
I got a longer Nitto stem and the stem has the upward angle instead of being flat.
But of course these periscope stems can't make it easy on you and it is required to rip off all your beautiful shellacked cork tape and hemp twine in order to remove the bars. But that's ok... if you look at the before pic (first pic) you'll see that the tape was getting worn but it was also not aging like the brooks seat was. When I first got the bike the seat and bars matched really well. Now the brooks was getting nice and dark. So.... i found some chocolate brown CLOTH bar tape. Then i put on 5 coats of Amber shellac and 3 coats of Clear shellac. It came out unbelievable close to the brooks!
Then while I was taping the bars I decided I might as well add some of that gel padding under the bars to soak up some more vibration. And I also wanted to add some interrupter brake levers since I spend most of my time with my hands on top of the drops where the curve meets the straight part.

And last but not least... what the heck is that on the rear wheel?! <gasp!>

(more to come...)

Gibbygoo

staying tuned...

JeffS

I like how you conveniently left that attractive new shifter out of the pics...

Just how out of place does it look?

d2create

Ha! I'm not done yet which is why I'm only showing a couple detail pics.
Apparently... SRAM decided to make a shifter that ONLY fits skinnier straight bars, not the thicker drop bars. But of course the late Sheldon Brown has a solution. Only problem is that the solution is on backorder. So for now the shifter is just tied out of the way and I'm running one gear.

And that is not all... there will be even more in the not so distant future...

CHenry

You can clamp a barend on the lower part of the quill and mount the shifter knob to that. It works well on my Rohloff-hub bike.

unkchunk

Can you please reshoot that last photograph. There's a speck of dirt right where the right fender mount attaches. It's driving me crazy. I keep trying to wipe it off my screen.

Anyways, congratulations on the new 9 speed. I have a Nexus 8 and there are times I would love to have a few extra gear inches. Any chance for a right side shot of the hub/cable connection? I keep reading about a quick connect cable box or something but have never seen an actual set up.

3bikes

A friend of mine actually builds custom bikes and does the traditional French style lug frame construction with silver brazing, custom painting and all that jazz. The first time I saw one of his creations, I realized that a custom made bike can be a piece of art. I wish you all the best with your beautiful and unique bike.

-3bikes

d2create

CHenry - Yes, I'm actually thinking of doing that instead. After the first ride this morning this might be a little more convenient and make the bike look a tad less lopsided.

unkchunk - Ha! I missed a spot. I'll be taking more pics soon and I'll make sure to get one of the connection. It works great, though. Just slide back the cover and pop it off. Done.

3bikes - Thanks. I love lugged steel. My ultimate favorite "works of art" come from Vanilla Bicycles in Portland. But uhhh... the current wait time is 5 years!!!

BassNotBass

Very beautiful bike! There's something to be said for steel tubing and hand finished lugs.

One of these days I may just get another custom Peter Mooney frame to replace the one that was stolen 20+ years ago.
https://www.peter-mooney.com/gall.htm

sean000

That's really one of the more beautiful Rivs I've seen! A black Rivendell is a rare thing, but I don't know why. It looks fantastic. Nicely done on the photos as well. I should post some photos of our pair after I get around to taking updated pics. I've got a roughly five-year-old Atlantis in the traditional color, and my wife has a red Wilbury mixte that has some of the most beautiful lugs I've ever seen on a bike.

My Atlantis has been my faithful commuter, grocery getter, and everyday bike for years... and I have also done a fair amount of bicycle camping and riding on rough fire roads and not-too-technical trails with it. It's quite a nontraditional build though... Deore XT and XTR! At first I thought it would look really silly, but it's kind of cool to have the modern looking components on such a classic frame. I gotta say they aren't as pretty as the components you are running, or that my wife has on her bike though. One day I want to get a fast Rivendell or Rambouillet road bike and run a classic Rivendell chrome component setup with it.

I'm a fan of all lugged steel frames, and of course I'd be happy with any number of brands out there... but I've been a fan of Rivendell (and Grant) from the Bridgestone days. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I think it is hard to argue with the versatility of Grant's designs. I road-raced in the mid-80s through the early 90s, and also was hardcore into mountain biking for years. I was, and still am, a bike geek who can appreciate everything from a 40-pound utility bike to a barely race-legal carbon fiber racer. I just happen to think lugged steel is the place where bicycle technology and craftsmanship strike the best balance. And these days I favor a more upright position, even on a fast sport-touring/club-racer than I did when I was a 19-year-old racer who weighed 30 pounds less. I still have the lugged steel Pinarello with Campagnolo Super Record parts that I raced in the 80s, and the bars still many inches below the saddle. I'm going to replace the old Modolo stem with a Nitto Technomic just so I can raise them a bit more. The low bars just aren't as comfortable to me as they once were. That old Pinarello is in need of some serious rehabilitation though... but it has to last me until I can afford another Rivendell. I'd love a custom frame, but I'm hoping that the return of the Rambouillet to production will come at a time when I have the money.

I like your Arkel bags too. I use an Arkel Utility bag along with my Baggins Hobo handlebar bag and Banana bag.

Nice bike!

Sean

pgoat

wow....

don't leave that baby outside the convenience store.....

sean000

No kidding! Although many would-be thieves might figure it's an old (and therefore probably worthless) bike because of the retro styling. Others would just take it because they think it looks cool, even if they aren't aware of the value. I have an Atlantis that always gets interesting reactions from passersby on the street. When I'm locking or unlocking it people often comment on how nice it looks, and ask me how old it is. They are surprised when I tell them I bought it in 2004! I guess the lugged frame, mustache bars, and leather saddle make it look old to anyone who isn't a bike geek. I also have canvas bags that complete the retro look. I've often wondered if the canvas bags (which are showing some wear these days) are a theft deterrent? They make the bike look old and well-used (and it is well-used).

When I bought my Atlantis about five years ago a lot of people thought I was nuts to commute on such an expensive and beautiful bicycle. Here was my reasoning though: I was living car-free in Washington, DC and wanted a bike that I could ride anywhere and easily carry anything. A single ride could include very bad urban roads, smooth to chunky MUPs, and extremely chunky gravel (like the C&O Towpath). So I wanted an extremely tough and versatile bike for commuting, grocery-getting, bicycle camping/touring, and fitness/recreation. Since I knew I'd be spending most of my time on this bicycle, I wanted it to be a really nice one that I would enjoy riding. Before that I commuted on an old mountain bike that was not the best all-around machine. It was fine for commuting, and I didn't worry about it when I locked it up for long periods. I had a fast road bike as well that I would ride for fun and fitness, but it wasn't up to the task of riding on many of the surfaces I would encounter. I lived in an apartment, so two bikes was the max I could fit.

I would not want to lock a really nice bike up outside or in a parking garage for long periods, but fortunately I was able to bring my bike into the office. Now I live in Washington State and I can still park my bike inside the office. So the only time it is ever locked up outside is when I'm running errands... usually short periods while I'm in the grocery store, but sometimes I lock it up for a couple hours or more while I'm dining at a restaurant or listening to a band. When I have to lock it up I always try to choose a visible spot with a lot of foot traffic. I also look for the most solid anchor and use a good lock with an anti-theft guarantee. My homeowners insurance also covers the bike. I'd hate to have it stolen, but I love riding it and the benefits outweigh the concerns in my book.

Now that I live in a house I might buy a used beater bike to take out the door when I know I'll need to lock up for longer periods of time... but the Atlantis is what I'd rather ride on a daily basis.

Sean

d2create

^^^ Heh, heh.... Ditto every word! ^^^
Well, except the living in DC part.

d2create

Just another update to my thread...

If you followed my hub thread, you'll know I removed the internal geared hub (wasn't digging it) and instead of putting the original triple back on I replaced it with a sugino xd double up front and a shiny new sram 9 speed cassette in back. Took it for a 25 mile ride around town with the wife this morning. Lovely.

Next up... going to try a generator hub in front.
And I have a couple of Acorn bags on order.

thebarerider

How long did you leave the mustache bars on and why did you change them out? Someone asked but you never replied...I was kind of curious myself.

d2create

Oh did I never reply to that? Ooops, sorry.

It was just a personal comfort thing. I just couldn't find a comfortable hand position with them.
I didn't have them on their for long at all but I don't remember exactly how long.
I loved the way they looked, but they just didn't work out for me comfort wise.

My favorite spot on my current Nitto Noodle bars is the 90 degree curve where the straight part bends around towards the brake hoods. It's comfortable on my wrists and sits me more upright. There was no such position on the moustache bars. I move between there and the flat area behind the hoods.

sean000

I've ridden mustache bars on my Atlantis for years, and I really like them... but I do think drop bars offer more hand positions. Mustache bars are something I think someone just has to try before they know whether they'll love them or hate them. I do think they beat flat bars hands-down. I don't think I'll ever own another flat bar again... unless it's a mountain bike. I might even put mustache bars on my next mountain bike. I ride my Atlantis on trails sometimes, and appreciate the control the mustache bars allow.

I like my mustache bars raised pretty high though... a good inch above the saddle. If you want a fairly upright position with them you have to raise them high... otherwise they put you in a kind of aggressive position. Even raised up they aren't as upright as the Albatross bars on my wife's Wilbury. They might be if I had a shorter reach stem, but as I have them positioned they are very comfortable for me. They offer excellent control and access to brakes, so I think that's what makes them good commuter bars. I have three good hand positions with them... in the bends, just outside the bends, and back on the bar-ends. You can also ride on the hoods, but I don't do that very often. I love the mustache bars for climbing, which is something I do plenty of around here. In fact, I think I prefer mustache bars for long and/or steep climbs over drop bars... or at least I like them just as much. On really long rides (4 hours or more) I sometmies wish I had drop bars, and sometimes when I'm just crusing around I wish I had albatross bars. I guess I just need more bicycles

CHenry

I tried them for awhile on my Atlantis (56cm frame--26 in wheel then, 650B now) and I liked the way they looked better than the way they rode. I prefer drop bars with generous tops--a Nitto noodle 46cm is my favorite--and prefer the hand positions on those to the moustache bar, so that is what I am using now.

thebarerider

I've been thinking of switching from drops to trekking bars or mustache bars. I have read that some people find the trekking bars too wide and I saw a picture the other day in a local paper that really showed me how wide they are. I have no idea if I would enjoy that width or not. It seems like people who switch from drops to trekking bars don't like them, and those who switch from flats to trekkers like them. That's what I've gotten from these forums, at least...

sean000

My opinion is that anything is better than a flat bar

According to Sheldon, mustache bars are 51.5cm wide.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/h...ars/index.html

Trekking bars may vary in width, but the one on this site is 55cm:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html

Wider bars do give you some great leverage for climbing, but whether or not you find the width comfortable for general use might depend on the width of your shoulders. Another difference between similar bars might be the diameter of the bar itself. Mustache bars (at least the Nitto model) require road brake levers and accept bar-end shifters. If your bike has mountain shifters and brake levers, they will fit on some trekking bars... but you will have to swap them for road parts to use the Nitto mustache.

BTW, I prefer the "moustache" spelling, but my spell-checker disagrees

Sean

Andy69

wow that's a pretty bike. You should take a couple of whacks at it with a hammer, chip it now, so you get that part over with

margoC

Nice bike! I agree with some of the rivendale opinions, like road bikes being too racer like. I miss the olden days of sport tourers, but I'm a retrogrouch, I even have brooks saddles, no real maintainence to talk about, and works just fine in the rain.

Now that I am older and have neck and shoulder problems it's harder to ride my road bikes. I got a "comfort" bike for short errands. This thread makes me want to consider a rivendale. I'll just have to live vicariously through you, POST MORE PICS!

d2create

Ok.

36 mile road/mup ride today.
Took a couple pics at my turnaround point.