Hey! Thanks for reading it! The Appaloosa and the Clem were pretty similar, but there were two big differences: the handlebars and the sizing.
The Appaloosa comes in more sizes. The Clem is basically the first Rivendell to be built to a price point. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they said they wanted to stop recommending people buy Surlys if they wanted a cheaper bike than a Rivendell. They succeeded by doing this incredibly scrappy move: manufacturing only three sizes. I'm 6 feet tall with a PBH of 86cm (if I remember correctly) and I felt like the Appaloosa fit me better. The 59 Clem was wayyy toooo big, and I liked the 52 Clem, but it had 650B wheels and I sort of had my mind set on 700 x 2.0 tires for my bike. My first impression of the Bosco bars on the Clem was that they were too much of a beach cruiser bar. I commute year round in NYC in heavy traffic, so beach cruiser isn't exactly ideal for me. I liked the Choco-moose ones because they had the classic "sit up and beg" position, but also the reach forward was like riding the tops of drop bars. I suppose you can lean forward and grab the middles of the Bosco bars, but again this was just a brief ride. I actually still want to try the Bosco bars on my vintage mountain bike and see how they would change that bike. Also, I bought the Appaloosa because they were sold out of Clems and I got excited and really wanted a bike! If they had a Clem in the 55cm size, I would have bought that. I test rode the Cheviot primarily to try the Albatross bars. The Cheviot has centerpulls, and I knew I wanted fatter tires, so I think that's a big difference between bikes. I didn't want a step-through bike. The Cheviot had the best paint though - the swampy green looks AMAZING in person. It is so much nicer in person than in photos. The Cheviot doesn't have the long chainstays like the Clem and Appaloosa. The Cheviot was nice, but it felt like a normal bike; whereas the Appaloosa is definitely funky, is definitely something different, and has a very unusual alchemy of measurements that combines to a really special bike. m On Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 9:25:41 AM UTC-4, Patrick Moore wrote: > > Michael -- thanks for this writeup. I was particularly struck by this: > > * I rode around their parking lot, doing laps around their building. I > really liked the bike. It felt nimble, like my LeMond cyclocross bike, but > more stable. I expected to dislike the handlebars, but in a snap judgment > decided I liked them.* > > All the positive reviews about the Appaloosa are making my defenses start > to crumble. I would very much like to try one out. I am more skeptical of > sweep back bars, but those too get much praise. > > Question: can you elaborate about the difference in handling and feel > between the Appaloosa and the Clem and the Chevs? I realize that this is > first impressions, but those sometimes reveal real qualities. > > (Aside: I wonder, if I went all weight weenie, if I could get an Appaloosa > down to UCI minimum ...) > > On Wed, Jun 15, 2016 at 5:06 PM, Michael Morrissey <michaelg...@gmail.com > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> I wrote a bit more about my new Rivendell on my blog: >> >> http://thedayweneverwenthome.blogspot.com/2016/06/riding-first-fifty-miles-fast-and-free.html >> >> It also includes my $0.02 on test riding other Rivendells in Walnut Creek! >> >> Thank you for the kind words of encouragement with the bike! >> >> - michael >> >> >> On Monday, June 13, 2016 at 4:37:04 PM UTC-4, Michael Morrissey wrote: >>> >>> >>> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A_HSaKdJZ3M/V18Vp9Gt7eI/AAAAAAAAAvA/zY_fKmhjuOk1CEVzQ7FAB23IT7LazL8ZACKgB/s1600/IMG-20160612-01773.jpg> >>> >>> >>> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YSLptbPeHDA/V18VoiIiNpI/AAAAAAAAAvA/oEL3JqXZP_cWj9VkJxQ2oWoVcUAepluVgCKgB/s1600/IMG-20160601-01754.jpg> >>> I finally got my Appaloosa together! I'm really enjoying this bike! >>> The main thing I love about it is the lower bottom bracket height. It's so >>> stable and comfy. I built it up with a mish-mash of parts: some new, some >>> from my cyclocross bike, some from the ebay, some from the shelves at the >>> LBS! I'm running 35mm tires now because that's what I have, but I'm going >>> to go fatter soon! After wanting a Rivendell for 10 years, I am thrilled >>> to have one! >>> >>> Parts list: >>> Paul neo-retro brakes and paul levers >>> Sugino x White Industries cranks >>> VP Vice pedals >>> Wolf Tooth 94bcd x 32 tooth narrow wide chainring (really low gearing!) >>> Sunrace 9 speed thumbshifter >>> Nitto dirt drop stem with albatross bars >>> >>> m >>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com >> <javascript:>. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > > > -- > Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. > By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. > Other professional writing services. > http://www.resumespecialties.com/ > www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Vereinigte Staaten > ************************************************************************** > ************** > *The point which is the pivot of the norm is the motionless center of a > circumference on the contours of which all conditions, distinctions, and > individualities revolve. *Chuang Tzu > > *Stat crux dum volvitur orbis.* *(The cross stands motionless while the > world revolves.) *Carthusian motto > > *It is *we *who change; *He* remains the same.* Eckhart > > *Kinei hos eromenon.* (*It moves [all things] as the beloved.) *Aristotle > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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