I found Clem to be more than reasonable for my own needs (and wants.) After going down the fixer-upper rabbit hole several times after getting back into cycling in recent years I finally invested in a Clem as my first (and only) Rivendell and first complete bike purchase since 1994/95 (when I bought my first adult bike... a low/mid-range rigid steel Mongoose mtb whose frame I still have and still want to build back up for some reason.) In my case I went with a 65cm Clem H to match my 6'5" height and 97ish pbh... and I'm on the low end of the pbh range for this beast. I bought sight unseen during pre-order after already being familiar with the initial release in the smaller sizes but still never having ridden a Clem or any other Riv. The only area of disappointment for me was the discovery that this second batch of completes no longer included the bullmoose version of the bosco bar. Mine came with a 55cm cromo bosco bar and 12cm tallux stem (which I understand the fixed size/shape of boscomoose presented packaging challenges for the completes.) I got over that quickly once I took the stock build for a ride anyway. I still eventually replaced with a chocomoose bar considering I still really wanted a moose bar that wouldn't be able to slip under load since I had experienced it before with swept back bars and I was interested in trying the Choco design. I've been very pleased with my Clem (aka Herman Clemmington) but haven't given it anywhere near the love it deserves with limited saddle time over the past year.
I do not recall the pbh ranges for the smaller sizes but if you are on the cusp between sizes I would definitely consult with Riv and their sizing/geometry charts to find the best fit depending on your personal preferences regarding handlebar, riding posture, etc. Brian Cole Lawrenceville, NJ On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 11:27:14 AM UTC-4, Tully Lanter wrote: > Hi, all. I've had my eye on a Clem for a while now, and would appreciate > your take on whether it's a reasonable choice. > > - 5'10", ~85cm PBH, presumably in need of a 52cm frame > - Fairly short but steep daily commutes (in the Pacific NW., i.e., > hilly and wet) > - Occasional Costco runs and the like. Long chainstays are appealing > for the heavy loads and bumpy roads! > - Random, long-ish distance rides on unpredictable routes. Pavement, > gravel, etc. in varying proportions. Bits of singletrack if I'm so > inclined. > > I'm drawn to the Clem's relaxed but not extreme geometry, total lack of > back-box components, and (relatively) accessible price point. All in all, > does it sounds like I'm barking up the right tree? > > I'm inclined just to take the plunge on a secondhand Clem (if they're out > there...), but since even "cheap" Rivendells aren't cheap, I'd love to hear > your collective thoughts first! > -- 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 [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
