Big Paulie

What I get from Rivendell's reader and website, and which Grant agreed with when I posed it to him in person, is that Rivendells are "clean sheet" designs...meaning that they take stuff that has been proven to work from every generation of design, then put it together in a copesetic package. The look of the bikes is old, but as much as I like older bikes when I get the chance to ride them, my Rivendell is faster, stronger, more comfortable, and more reliable.

overthehillmedi

For those who may be interested this person has a 53 rivendell for sale https://vancouver.craigslist.org/bik/286746314.html

Motorad

Out of curiosity, do you know why the seller wants to trade his 53 Rivendell for a Rivendell frame between 47 through 51? That's a pretty significant difference in size, as far as frames go, isn't it?

BluesDawg

Either something is fishy or the guy is just not too bright. First he buys and has lug lines applied to a frame the wrong size. Then he obviously hasn't really found out the size he needs or he wouldn't be considering a 3-size range after having a professional fitting. All this for a bike that he could easily find out the right size for him by making a phone call or sending an email to Rivendell. They would take a few measurements from him and suggest a size. I smell a rat.

CrossChain

Most Rivendell buyers seek Riv out and already have some basic knowledge of their personal bike fit. Beyond that, the staff will readily bend your ear with sizing questions when you order their flagship custom. Could this seller be other than the original owner? Or, is he shady? Or maybe just a determined hardhead?

BluesDawg

It's not a custom Riv, but an Atlantis. But still. the guys at Rivendell would help someone figure out the right size to buy.

Motorad

Yep. And my guess is that if somebody got the wrong size from Rivendell, chances are better that the buyer got a bike too small from Rivendell, instead of too big.

Being vertically challenged (5'3"), I thought I would barely straddle their smallest Saluki: Size 47 with estimated standover height of 73.5 cm. In fact, I put a down payment on a Size 47 ... because ... I used a tape measure with inch-units ... to guestimate that my 29" PBH measurement would translate to a 74 cm PBH.

It was not until about three weeks after I put a down payment on my Saluki, that I had a professional fitting, to verify that my actual PBH was 75.75 cm. I immediately changed my bike order from Size 47 to Size 50. Their Size 50's approximate standover height is 75 cm.

The moral of the story: Get a professional fitting before buying a high dollar bike. And trust the Rivendell-recommended frame sizes, that they base on your (professionally measured) PBH and saddle height.

BluesDawg

And you don't need to have a pro fitting unless you want to. Rivendell has a very thorough description of how to measure and choose a size.
https://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_y...pick_your_bike
https://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_y...g_a_frame_size
https://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_y...iding_position
https://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_your_bike/pbh

trackhub

Would you consider another brand? A two year wait sounds a little odd.

linux_author

- two years? sorry, that's absurd...

canali

hermes: a 2 yr waiting list is worth it if you feel the builder's skills warrant it...a richard sachs is a good 2-3 yrs wait...and you won't find many sachs customers complaining!