I am a Rivendell admirer and believe that they offer a refreshing point of view compared to most bike manufacturers. Unfortunately, Rivs also have become very expensive. Five years ago, you could buy a Rambouillet for less than $1,000 including frame, fork and headset. Now a comparably Riv frame is nearly $2,000. That price inflation is probably higher than health care costs have gone up.

My main gripe with Rivendell is their attempt to force-feed 650b wheels on their customers. They have pretty much abandoned 700c bikes in their attempt to make 650b the new standard. The Rambouillet was their best-selling frame and they quit making it so they could "persuade" their customers to buy Bleriots and other 650b frames. That's when I wrote off Rivendell. I was in the market for a commuter/touring frame but did not want a bike with wheels incompatible with my other bikes. If a spoke breaks on the wheel of my commuter bike, I want to be able to swap a wheel from another one of my road bikes rather than having to wait to get it fixed. I also did not want to spend a premium for odd-sized wheels and tires.

My solution? I bought a Bob Jackson World Tour from England for less than 1/3 the cost of a Rivendell frame. In fact, I built up the entire bike for much less than a Riv frame. However, there are plenty of other inexpensive alternatives to Rivendell -- including Salsa, Soma, Surly, Gunnar and some custom builders.