That's chipseal, alright. Sometimes the gravel is sharp and makes for a rough, noisy ride. ----- Original Message ----- From: R Gonet To: RBW Owners Bunch Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 10:00 AM Subject: [RBW] Re: Rivendell Bike Models Page - some updates
I read a lot of posts referring to "chipseal" and I wonder what that is? I may very well be riding on it but have never used that term. Around here in Virginia, we have roads that are either concrete or smooth rolled asphalt. The next step below that is gravel with hot, liquid tar sprayed over it, giving a hard, rough surface. Is that what you refer to as chipseal? After that we go to gravel, then dirt. On Jan 18, 11:35 am, charlie <charles_v...@hotmail.com> wrote: > This is a general reply rather than specific to anyone so........I > just don't get the 'go fast' concept here. I really can't see where a > couple of pounds makes much, if any difference. I mean, any bike can > take a narrower tire and you can dispense with the racks and bags so > where is the mysterious speed gain of having a short reach braked bike > that weighs a couple of pounds less. I have a vintage, lugged steel, > 21 pound all Campy race bike with 25mm tires (soon to be tubulars) and > it really isn't a whole lot easier to ride than my 30 pound, racked > tour bike, if I run 32mm tires on it. At my weight, over the rough > chipseal I often ride on the wider tires actually seem to be faster > and on asphalt the race bike accelerates faster but that's about it. > If i want to go fast on flats and rollers I ride my recumbent until I > get to steep hills then.............I lay back and grind up. Its all > very subtle when it comes to the differences between one style of > steel bike and another and when you consider the trade offs in utility > and durability you often find yourself ultimately going back to what > works and makes sense. IMHO! Grant is on to something either way and > I'm glad he is making available some fine bikes. I'm continuing to > save my money. > > On Jan 18, 8:07 am, "Bill M." <bmenn...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > Look at the SOMA Speedster. For $800 it's a lugged steel sport frame > > and fork built for 57 mm reach brakes, with chromed head lugs and fork > > crown, room for 32's, and two sets of rear eyelets. Yes, the steerer > > is 1-1/8" threadless, but that's not a deal breaker for most riders > > these days. It's even painted dark red as requested here. The SOMA > > has angles within 1/2 degree of my '95 Riv Road, and probably better > > clearance (the Road used short reach brakes, as did the '91 RB-1 I > > owned), and costs $100 less than I paid for my Riv in '95. > > > I'd want the Speedster to have an extended head tube and a little more > > BB drop, but I could make one work for me. IMO it would be pretty > > tough for Riv to compete with the Soma in the RB-1-like go-fast > > market. I can't really blame Grant for sticking to turf where he can > > offer something more unique. > > > This isn't an ad, I've never ridden the SOMA (or even seen one in > > person), and my old Riv Road will continue to be my go-fast bike. I'm > > just saying... > > > Bill > > > On Jan 17, 2:28 pm, Aaron Thomas <aaron.a.tho...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > I fully concur with Patrick and James. I've recently come into > > > possession of an old RB-2 (a hand-me-down from a generous friend). By > > > Rivendell's high standards, the lugwork is kind of cheap in > > > comparison. But, man, does that bike smoke! > > > > As the proud owner of a Romulus, my allegiance has been slowly > > > shifting to the RB-2. It is quick, responsive, and simply flies up > > > hills in ways that make the Romulus feel tired and plodding. I don't > > > know what to chalk it up to (non-OS tubing, different geometry, > > > lighter weight, who knows?), but it sure makes me wish that Rivendell > > > could bring back something like the RB-1 (or -2) for unloaded, fast, > > > road-specific riding. > > > > Produced in Taiwan at Bleriot-ish prices with a simple, one-color > > > paint job (maybe the old, deep RB-1 or Legolas red), and designed > > > around, say, a 25mm Pro Race tire -- I bet it would sell like > > > hotcakes. > > > > -Aaron > > > > On Jan 17, 1:23 pm, James Warren <jimcwar...@earthlink.net> wrote: > > > > > Patrick, I agree. I think the Rivendell offerings are amazing, but nothing is perfect. If it were possible, I would love if Rivendell added just one more bike to their line-up, basically one like the Heron road, with that sport geometry you mention, and nice understated looks and a resonably low cost. Lugged, maybe Taiwan, single-color and Heron road type geometry. But still with mini-rack braze-ons! > > > > > -Jim-----Original Message----- > > > > From: PATRICK MOORE > > > > Sent: Jan 17, 2009 1:07 PM > > > > To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > > > Subject: [RBW] Re: Rivendell Bike Models Page - some updates > > > > With the not-so-recent proliferation of high bars, retentionless pedals, fat tires, load capacity, and so on, does Riv have any model that in basic theme if not details corresponds to the RB-1, that is, a decently priced, unpretentious, well performing sport bike? My last Riv was '03 and it as well as the other two were very much in the category of "fast sport bike meant for riding very much exclusively on pavement". I'm not particularly fast, but that's the kind of bike I want for much of my riding. If I want to ride off road, I'll use another bike.On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 11:10 AM, James Warren<jimcwar...@earthlink.net>wrote:http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/bicycle_models#product=none > > > > Note the Quickbeam and the new Which Bike For What Chart. I like it. > > > > Atlantis/Ram/Rom/Redwood: that's so 2003. Things change - embrace it. > > > > Now it's Atlantis/Homer/Sam/Bombadil/Betty/QB > > > > The new regime has more versatility than the old. And with Homer taking Ram's duties, I think things have evolved quite nicely. > > > > I wonder if outsiders who just think Rivedell is "old school" can recognize even one bit of the evolution. Fun stuff. > > > > -Jim --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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