Patrick
I almost, and probably should have, refrained from comparing the Clem with the Platypus. I built the 60cm Platypus with 42mm Graveling SS tires and Crust Juan Martin bars, front rack, often with a beloved little dog in the front basket rack. The Clem is a 64cm with Tosco bars, 48mm Oracle Ridge tires, and no racks. Surely all of that is part of the change. It feels a little more sure - to me - with the type of riding I’m doing now: a little less road, a few more rocky trails (images to follow in another thread). I’m highly visual, and while I couldn’t argue that the Platypus is the more objectively beautifully built frame, there’s something downright compelling to me about the largest Clem and the way the top and down tubes diverge at the steerer tube, and the way my somewhat dyslexic brain works, that translate to *me* finding myself more at home on this build; it feels a bit more like an extension of me, or maybe I just feel more sure with the Clem in the type of riding I’m doing now. I’ve grown more accustomed to riding upright, and maybe that extra inch or so of chainstay suits the riding I’m doing now. - Chris On Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 10:34:35 AM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote: > Good cosmetic job on the dent, and good on ya for the equanimity about the > slight defect. > > You say that the Clem "feels unique to the Platypus." I take it that you > mean that the Clem feels sufficiently different to the Platypus that you > can perceive, and appreciate, the difference. Can you describe that > difference? As someone who has vague hankerings after a Clem I'd be > interested to hear what others feel makes it "unique." > > Oracle Ridges: lovely tires. I recently got a 2nd wheelset for my Matthews > "road bike for dirt" and shod it with ORs regular casings, this to get > decent pavement handling and rolling with better traction, float, and > stability in sand than I got with the Soma Supple Vitesse SLs on the first > wheelset. For this bike, I believe that the ORs are the Goldilocks tire: > roll surprisingly well on pavement -- better than any other knobby I've > used, if not as well as the Somas, corner on pavement as well as the Somas, > and very definitely give me more float and directional control than the > Somas, which sink and plough. > > If anyone has any Oracle Ridges for sale (Regular or Extralight; not > interested in Endurance) please contact me offlist. > > On Tue, Apr 16, 2024 at 5:17 PM Chris Halasz <cha...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> The Clem chain stay ding on the Clem I received, you may recall, looked >> like this: >> >> >> [image: Clem_Chainstay.jpeg] >> >> >> And is now touched up with a heart-shaped tint and shade of pink in an >> homage to the Platypus lugs: >> >> >> [image: Clem_Chainstay_Painted.jpeg] >> >> >> The bike is now built and was ridden a few times in the hills and along >> the coast, and on a couple group rides, now that the generous West Coast >> rains (may) have passed. The only Clem I rode previous to this was Grant’s, >> a couple years ago, and I’ve wanted one ever since. I thought mine would be >> an unnoticed change since my previous group rides. I was surprised by how >> much people on their e- and carbon bikes took to the Clem’s appearance: >> >> >> [image: Clem_Side.jpeg] >> >> >> The 64cm Clem build includes a Brooks B68 with 60mm Toscos on a 70mm >> Nitto stem (that's a 90mm Nitto Pearl in the photos, but I went with the >> shorter option), XT hubs on Alex rims with Oracle Ridge tires, Deore >> brakes, no-name crank with RBW chainguard, c.1990 Jannd saddle bag that has >> been on many, many nice Rivendells since then, and a new Arkel ’Signature’ >> handlebar bag that quickly transforms into a(n over-the-) shoulder bag. I'm >> about an 88cm PBH, and weigh in at about twelve stone. Saddle is at about >> 78cm. Bars top out a little over 3" above the saddle mid-section, and I may >> raise the bars another quarter inch or so. >> >> >> [image: Clem_Perspective.jpeg] >> >> >> I have never ridden a more comfortable bike, and the only one as >> comfortable, to me, is the Platypus, but the Clem feels unique to the >> Platy. The Oracle Ridge tires feel and appear a bit slower than a set of >> 35mm Contis while climbing a section of paved road, judging by who passed >> me at the top of the climb on their e- and carbon bikes, but a worthwhile >> trade for having the traction and the wider tread while off-road on rougher >> stuff, which is why I wanted a Clem in the first place. Cheers to Grant, >> Will, Mark, James, Roman, and everyone else at RBW for their continued hard >> work and bold innovation. Riding this bike is so much fun. >> >> >> This purchase and build all started with someone offering me those Oracle >> Ridge tires, in great condition, for $20 a piece, with brand new Schwalbe >> tubes for a few dollars more, while we were out on the East Coast this >> winter. Thought the tires would be too wide for another bike I had, so good >> excuse for an upgrade, right (anyone interested in a 58cm LHT)? >> >> >> One of these days going to post a video of some local rides, and see if >> we can’t get some interest on a summer or fall group gathering through this >> area of the Central Coast. >> >> Cheers >> >> Chris >> On Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 8:14:25 AM UTC-7 Chris Halasz wrote: >> >>> Thanks all so much for your thoughtful and generous input! The >>> consistent nature of the responses was welcomed. >>> >>> The frame is a keeper, and the seller is sending a refund. The seller >>> offered for the frame and fork to be returned, but that would've incurred >>> losses on all sides, including my return of the parts I was receiving from >>> RBW for the build. >>> >>> Off to find some primer and paint today to cover the dings, and will be >>> sure to post photos of that build once complete! >>> >>> - Chris >>> >>> On Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 4:53:02 AM UTC-7 ascpgh wrote: >>> >>>> Tough scenario... >>>> >>>> I agree with Patrick, it's a new to you item damaged from when you put >>>> your money into the bike you wanted but is now different of condition. A >>>> detail that kicking in your buyer's foothold includes is the seller's >>>> option to refund you and take it back. I'm thinking that may not be the >>>> resolution that best suits your interest in this purchase. >>>> >>>> I agree with Josiah that this is essentially a cosmetic fault at this >>>> time, it's close enough to a weld that there is plenty of metal in that >>>> tube's wall thickness. Being at the low end of the frame, if it was mine, >>>> I'd pick the flaked paint until I reached the margin of the firmly intact >>>> and execute a DYI spot refinish/repaint to protect the bare metal and ride >>>> on. >>>> >>>> Once you mount the BB and your crank, the spot of that ding and the >>>> degradation to the nice Clem you found will be difficult to see. This is >>>> on >>>> par with chainsuck damage occurring to folks who subsequently had no >>>> issues >>>> with for many miles and years of riding. I think you could touch up the >>>> fork crown ding with adequate fill and finish to make it easily get lost >>>> in >>>> the enjoyment of the riding. >>>> >>>> I'd land in the middle and ask the seller for a little perk for the >>>> fork and stay damage, dress the paint nicks appropriately, build it up and >>>> ride. I don't think anyone would consider my Rambouillet's patina-ed >>>> condition in comparison, it would probably rank as salvage under the 20 >>>> years' "beausage" as Grant defined. I think it's next level, what I think >>>> of as beausavage. Nothing structural (broken rear dropout replaced with a >>>> new pair and the brake bridge re-brazed) but definitely aesthetically >>>> detrimental, and I love it still. >>>> >>>> Andy Cheatham >>>> Pittsburgh >>>> On Friday, March 29, 2024 at 2:47:17 PM UTC-4 Chris Halasz wrote: >>>> >>>>> Received a used XL Clem frame, and the removed fork separated from its >>>>> packaging, and nestled into the chainstay. >>>>> >>>>> The ding is about a third of an inch long, a quarter inch wide, and >>>>> 0.023" deep. >>>>> >>>>> Curious to know whether others have experienced similar, and whether >>>>> there's consensus for repair. >>>>> >>>>> I'll refrain from biasing the jury. >>>>> >>>>> The interface: >>>>> >>>>> [image: Clem_Fork_Ding.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> Closeup of the damage. >>>>> >>>>> [image: Clem_Chainstay.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> Thanks all! >>>>> >>>>> Chris >>>>> >>>> -- >> > 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. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/93e625db-d1a3-4138-a30a-60e1e311a57dn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/93e625db-d1a3-4138-a30a-60e1e311a57dn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > > > -- > > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing > services > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* > > *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* > > *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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