Patrick, I agree ride quality does take precedence, and we all trust Riv to put that first and foremost, and they deliver. But there is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say, so there are lots of different ways to make a bike that rides well and is durable (the other really important Riv guiding principle?) But there still other choice(s). That's where I believe aesthetic comes in. Rivendell could make the exact same bikes but with hot pink flames on the DT, but they don't, they make bikes with softened primary colors and cream. I don't think they begrudge a bike with hot pink flames, but that's not what they do. If you repainted a Riv frame with them they might even dig it. But they're not making one anytime soon. And so it goes with all their design choices. And whenever you already chosen for function and durability, the only thing left is aesthetic (well, I'll admit that I may be leaving something out, but you get the idea).
And by the way, *not* choosing tweed mudflaps is an atheistic ;) "But that's fine; there is plenty of room for wonderful, practical bikes that are outside of the Rivendell ambit." That's a great sentiment and I totally agree. On Monday, October 30, 2017 at 5:47:34 PM UTC-7, Patrick Moore wrote: > > Oh, and I have to say about the Niner: as far as I can tell, it's a very > Rivendellian bike in its subordination of form to function; but true, it's > not a Rivendellian mannter of subordinating form to function. But that's > fine; there is plenty of room for wonderful, practical bikes that are > outside of the Rivendell ambit. > > On Mon, Oct 30, 2017 at 6:45 PM, Patrick Moore <[email protected] > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> >> >> On Mon, Oct 30, 2017 at 6:25 PM, Ben Miller <[email protected] >> <javascript:>> wrote: >> >>> ... end of the day Grant decides what Riv is. (This is said slightly >>> tongue-in-cheek, but only slightly) >>> >> >> That's true; what is left for debate is, if this is all that Riv is, is >> it worth following? >> >> I've followed Rivendell since 1994, when I belatedly signed up for the >> Bob group and got the mailing about the new post Bridgestone Bicycles USA >> startup. I ordered a custom in late '94, and I've loved Rivendell bikes >> ever since. >> >> But I love them, and many others love them, because they ride so well, >> and that everything else was largely* subordinated to this ride quality. >> After all, what else takes precedent over ride quality? >> >> " ... It's a choice, an aesthetic. " >> >> If Rivendell was only, or principally, an aesthetic, I'd gag and run as >> fast as I could toward the horizon. If Riv was only, or principally an >> aesthetic, then f*ck them, I personally have no use for stylemongers. >> >> But, thank God, Rivendell is far, far, *far* more than an aesthetic. >> >> Aesthetic posers be damned, I say. >> >> Patrick Moore, who feels very strongly about this, and who would, were >> Rivendell only an aesthetic, feel betrayed. >> >> * I'll allow Riv a wee bit of slack for gratuitous aesthetic touches, >> though I take points away for tweed mudflaps. >> >> >>> >>> Personally, I do think Rivendell is retrogrouchy, but instead of running >>> away from that, I love have they embrace it. "Yeah, we don't like carbon >>> forks, disc brakes, or anything but steel, so what?" It's a choice, an >>> aesthetic. Rivendell definitely curates its own brand/philosophy/style and >>> it's part of the fun/allure. It's part of bucking the system, but also >>> leads to good design choices (a bunch of which have already been >>> mentioned). But there are plenty of good design choices that they're >>> purposefully at odds with and that's more than OK, it's why we like them. >>> It allows us to feel good about our own overlapping quirky design choices >>> (whilst at the same time secretly hiding way our brifters and disc brakes). >>> >>> > > > -- > 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, New Mexico, EUA > ************************************************************************** > ************** > *Auditis an me ludit amabilis insania?* > -- 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.
