It's possible to get close to a Rivendell by buying a much less expensive frame but I don't think I've seen one that is a close copy. Most Rivendells seem to be a combination of touring bike seat/head tube angles, very low bottom brackets, long chainstays and here's the kicker....road bike trail measurements. The Soma Saga & the Surly LHT come close in a lot of ways but both have higher trail measurements. There's one guy who posts here who went from a LHT to a Hunqapillar and he commented that the Hunqapillar felt more lively than the LHT. I think a substantial part of this is that the Hunqapillar has less trail, although it might also have stiffer tubing which might contribute to the lively feeling.

I really want to try a Rivendell so I can experience the ride that so many people rave about. I'm sold on a lot of Grant's ideas....steel frame, wider tires, upright riding position, versatility, etc.. but I don't know if his idea of a perfect bicycle geometry is the same as mine and I'm really curious to find out. My new frameset has a lower bottom bracket, longer chainstays and less trail the bike I was riding and the ride is a huge improvement over the old bike. Right now, the trail and chainstay length are perfect for me but I would like to try an even lower bottom bracket. The major question left in my mind is whether I would prefer the slacker angles that Grant prefers. I'm pretty happy with the 73/73 angles I have now but I was also happy with my old bike's ride until I rode my new one.