There is always some risk in a custom bike because every custom is one- of-a-kind, and there are no prototypes, etc to work out the bugs before the customer pays the bill and takes the frame/bike. And if you don't like it, a custom can be tough to sell. Rivendell has the advantage of having designed/sold thousands of bikes, not including the even larger number of GP-designed Bridgestones. Unless you have some really strange bodily dimension to accommodate, or want some non- standard features on the frame, I'd suggest the stock Roadeo.
(I have a custom bike and it's wonderful, but not every custom owner has the same positive experience...) On Jan 4, 3:54 pm, sjauch <sja...@gmail.com> wrote: > I currently have a 2005 Specialized Allez Comp. It was my first road > bike and it is about a size too big and only recently got comfortable > riding it once I put an 80mm stem on it. > > Anyway I have been looking for a new road bike and want to go with a > steel frame, preferably lugged. I have been eyeing the Rivendell > Roadeo, as well as the De Rosa Corum (not lugged) and custom builders, > Jeff Lyon and Circle A Cycles. I am very close to sending in a deposit > to Jeff Lyon because of his experience with building the type of > frames I'm interested in. However, I have resisted because I am drawn > to the Rivendell Roadeo since it is similar to what I would like Jeff > Lyon to build me. Also I am out in CA two or three times a year and > stay pretty close to where Rivendell is located. So, I can visit them > and test ride a similar frame to what I would be buying. They have 2 > 55cm's built up and I'm a 52 or 53, so even though It's not my size I > can hopefully still get an idea of how it rides. > > I also really like the De Rosa, but none of the shops I called keep > them in stock and if I am going to buy it locally I'd like to be able > to take it out for a spin to see how things feel. If I'm dropping over > 2k for that frame I might as well send my $ off to Lyon and let him > build me something since I couldn't test ride that either and is > probably more what I want. > > That brings me back to the Rivendell and Lyon dilemma. I want a lugged > frame that is as light as practical and can fit fenders if I want to > use them. I like the Lyon option because for about the same as the > Rivendell I am getting something made just for me. However he is > relying on the measurements and info I provide to make the correct > frame. With the Riv bike I can visit them and let them take my > measurements to determine which size Roadeo is the best fit. > > So I am really confused and am asking here to see which way some of > you would go. > > Thanks!
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