Atlantis Trio
The fabled and somewhat elusive Atlantis is the most sought-after model in Rivendell's lineup, and for good reason! Having decades of refinement and tinkering behind it, the Atlantis, in their words: "defines our approach to bikes and our ride and fit and aesthetics as well as any bike can." Billed as a do-it-all bike that'll last (almost) forever, the Atlantis is made to change and evolve as your tastes and needs do, too. So, how do you go about building a forever bike? As is our great pleasure, we recently built three of 'em in fairly short succession for three customers lucky enough to snatch Atlantis frames in time. Mario's Kicking off the trio is Mario's Sergio Green 59cm Atlantis. This absolutely bonkers build is the result of leaving no stone unturned. Every little detail was considered for it's manufacturing quality, durability, serviceability and, of course, bling-factor. 700x42C Ultradynamico Rosé Race tires. Mario opted not to max-out the tire clearance knowing he'll eventually want to add fenders. The White Industries cranks with their proprietary double chainring is perfect if you want to fine-tune your gearing. Here, Mario is probably intending to stay on the large 42t ring most of the time, only to drop to the 24t ring when things get steep. Lovely finishing details as you can expect from our fine mechs! Ted's This 50cm Atlantis is as classic as it gets! The small front Sim Works Obento rack (same as on the Atlantis above, and possibly a staff favourite I might add) paired with the sturdiest Tubus rack available make this one fully ready for some seriously loaded touring. The Obento, although not large and seemingly delicate is actually incredibly solid thanks to its 5 attachment points. Tubus CrMo steel racks are no-brainers for classic pannier touring. Cantilever brakes are wonderful when trying to make racks, large tires and eventually fenders work well together since v-brake arms can sometimes get in the way. Cantilevers, being short-pull, also keep the door open for an easy drop bar conversion in the future should Ted ever choose to do so. Smart! The hacked triple crank is a fun touch. Ted opted for our Bassi Classic Triple crankset and replaced the biggest ring with our Bassi Chainguard. The remaining 34 and 24t rings give plenty of range and the 10-tooth difference between them will make for ultra smooth shifting, every time. Bitex Heavy-Duty touring hubs laced to Velocity Cliffhanger rims will spin smooth and true no matter what gets thrown at them! Ted also opted to keep tire size reasonable with 650x48B Ultradynamico Cavas to save room for an eventual fender installation. Another A+ 10/10 build! Samuel's Rounding out the trio is this 55cm Sergio Green Atlantis for Samuel. This one was built around some parts he already had, namely the handlebars. Boscos set up nice and high for max comfort! Setting up the thumbies "upside-down" and further down the bars leaves a ton of room for moving your hands forward. That's an Ultradynamico tire on Velocity rim hat trick! Here Sam opted for the Ultradynamico Cava JFF in 700x42C and Velocity Atlas rims. The eyeleted Atlas is about as strong a rim as Velocity know how to make, and with 36 spokes each these wheels will be able to carry a boatload without hesitation! A Shutter Precision front dynamo hub provides power to a front and a rear light. At the rear is Rivendell's Silver-brand cassette hub. The Nitto Lamp Holder designed by Blue Lug is exactly the kind of perfect little accessory Blue Lug are just so good at designing! The Busch & Müller IQ-XS provides plenty of light at 80 lux and is way more than enough for city use. The Busch & Müller Mu rear light, mounted with a p-clamp à la Julian, will keep Sam seen from behind. The generous amount of rear wiring is enough to give the option of mounting the light on a rear rack. The cranks, also a double, are Rivendell's latest Silver 3 crankset with a chainguard and 44/28t. Being already set up with fenders and a basket, Sam's Atlantis is perfectly set up for all-weather rides and commutes! Fin So there you have it! 3 different Atlantis build, all with their own little twists. We look forward to seeing how these will get ridden in throughout the years! Keen on your own custom Rivendell build? Come on down to our Rachel store or hit us up! Want a Rivendell at a great price and don't need to overthink every single component, we have a very limited number (2, at the time of writing this) Complete Rivendell Platypus bicycles. Check 'em out! All photos by Troy
A tringle-speed Roaduno!
When we're talking gears with folks shopping for bikes, especially for commuting, it frequently goes something like this: -Singlespeed? How silly and impractical! -Gears? Meh, they're cool, but I only stick to two or three, why do bikes these days need so many?! Internal gear hubs, where nothing but three speeds is a normal and widespread standard, are very much in our wheelhouse but have their downsides - they're heavy, the internals are complex, cable routing can be awkward, and they're often pricier. Folks have been working around this since forever with parts bin special dingle- and tringle-speed configurations, where a front derailer shifts between two or three chainrings, and an old rear derailer stays put on a single speed freewheel, just acting as a chain tensioner Rivendell, always a step ahead, went a step further and built a frame just for this kind of build! Meet the Roaduno. With its rear-entry dropouts and simple, lightweight construction, it works great as a single-speed, but has a few additional features that make it perfect for a two or three gears! A single downtube housing stop on the left and a rear derailer hanger are crucial elements that allow you to route a cable to a front derailer, and install a rear derailer or chain tensioner. This build we recently put together for Jocelyn is a perfect use of all these features! We opted for the fancy transmission bits - a White Industries freewheel and Paul Component Melvin chain tensioner - but also kept it practical and friendly for commuting and bopping around the city. A Nitto M18 rack, Crane bell, Greenfield kickstand, full Velo Orange fenders, and comfy upright Sim Works Fun 3 handlebars make this a very capable everyday bike. We love how it came out! Reach out if you'd like to plan a build, we still have a couple Roadunos left and would be thrilled to get more folks on 2 or 3 speeds! Build spec Rivendell Roaduno frameset, Mustard, 51cm New Albion XDT triple crank KMC X9 chain White Industries ENO freewheel Paul Component Melvin chain tensioner Bassi high flange track hubs Sun Ringlé CR18 rims René Herse Babyshoe Pass tires Rivendell Silver2 shifter with thumbshifter mount Microshift R9 front derailer Dia-Compe SS6 brake levers Tektro R369 brake calipers Nitto Technomic stem Sim Works Fun 3 handlebar Ergon GC1 grips Gilles Berthoud saddle Crane E-NE bell Sim Works John Cage bottle cage Greenfield kickstand Nitto M18 rack Velo Orange Zeppelin fenders Lovely photos by Troy
A Sergio Green Platy
Paul’s been riding bikes seriously for many years and knows what he likes. He came to us asking about Rivendells after having switched from commuting on good e-bikes, to a quality singlespeed for the better exercise, to trying out a racing-ish gravel bike for longer rides and some speed. Unfortunately, the comfort just wasn’t there and it wasn’t pleasant. Ultimately, if you’re into cycling in an upright position on short or long rides, want a simple all-mechanical bike, and want to go as fast or slow as you feel like on dirt, gravel, and pavement, a natural place to end up is on a Riv, particularly if you want the bike to be as beautiful as possible! We spoke of a few models, but the Platypus is something special. You can size up on it (which we did here) for taller handlebars, but the bike is light enough and nimble enough that the upright position won’t hold you back. It’s like a more flexible all-rounder in the mold of the worldwide do-it-all Atlantis and Joe Appaloosa. With this simple, no-nonsense and few-extras build (inspired by an unusually minimalist Blue Lug Platy), the bike remained pretty light and easy to pack for travelling. Paul eventually added a Memento front rack with a small Wald basket for errands, and one of the smaller Carradice saddlebags and a Gurp stem bag for daily essentials. The Losco bar looks sharp, sweeps back for comfort and has a long grip area, and offers a forward hand position, convenient for climbing or other such higher efforts. We kept the gearing simple but nice and low (for the East Coast, no need for super low out-West gears). The rest of the details we worked out over some long chats, like the chainstay wrap adding a pop of colour and a useful bit of protection for the frame in case the chain bounces too hard. Thanks to our head mech Vince for his patience when shellacking it! Thanks again as well to Paul for his trust in us to build him an exceptional bike which, as he says, “will be a perfect bike for me as I age. Keep me riding!” We’re out of Platypus frames for the moment, but as of this writing we’ll be receiving Atlantises shortly, then a few Homer Hillsens, then in a few months at last some more Platys. Get in touch if you’d like to talk custom builds, we love to work with you on those. Photos by Troy
Liz's Purple Platypus
Open images in a new tab to embiggen Rivendells have been extra-popular this year! During their recent pre-order campaign before the Platypus frames arrived, a lot of people tried to get one, but they sold out within minutes. Liz was one of the disappointed hopefuls, but happily she reached out to us for one of the only remaining 50cm Purple Platypuses in North-America, and we were able to build her a dreamy bike. Liz isn't new to Rivendells: she's been riding a Toyo-built Atlantis these last twenty years and it's had some serious mileage. At a certain point, though, some enhancements in comfort and elegance make it worth changing over. This build also has many more affordances for everyday convenience, such as the basket-rack combo and the dynamo lighting. Among the spec was a build close to a typical current RBW and Blue Lug bike in terms of practicality and looks, respectively. Purple was the watchword on this project, with cotton tape finished with twine and coated in shellac as a signature look. The bike wouldn't have to be easily packable and haul massive touring loads for bike trips, but it would need to be able to carry things on day-trips and errands. Riding would be on roads, but super hilly ones. And, in Liz's words, "I sometimes consider a dynamo light system. It’s such a pain to get all the lights charged and hooked up". You're right about that one, Liz. Read on for the gorgeous-looking result! For the hills, everyone agreed: a triple gets you up and down anything you'll want to climb. Our Bassi Triple Classic has a no-nonsense 46/34/24-tooth range (chosen to be compatible with basically everything). Using it with an 11-34t 8-speed Microshift cassette maxes out the derailer's capacity - that old favourite, the Shimano RD-M310. By the way, I think Liz's was the very last we'll ever have in silver, none of the local Shimano resellers have been able to get them for us this year, and you can forget about Shimano N.A. themselves. Why they don't want to make it anymore is baffling but that's the world we live in. Write your member of parliament or congressperson about it, I guess. The purple Newbaum's cotton tape on the chainstay protects the thin steel tube from chain-slap. It's lightly shellacked for longevity and some UV protection. Rivendell's new Silver hubs are simply excellent. Worth the price given how tricky it is to find silver rim-brake 135mm hubs these days, they of course include an internal-cam QR skewer, and the spacer so you can use an 8-speed cassette on the long 11-speed body. You wouldn't think the type of QR skewer is worth mentioning but this kind's surprisingly rare for non-Shimano hubs. The rims are our SunRinglé CR18 Polished 650B: a rim that goes with almost everything and leaves room in the budget for other niceties. The front hub is a Shimano Alfine, an easy choice in affordable but long-lasting dynamo hubs. Along with that drivetrain we've got the Silver2 friction shifters on thumbie mounts. Even people who've never shifted friction are impressed with them if they've got an open mind and a couple of kilometers to get used to them! Since friction shifters don't care about the housing's stiffness, we could use the same clear brake housing for the brakes and shifters. The Shimano DXR V-brakes were a little upgrade from the simple Tektros we spec by default, and they are indeed a little nicer to set up. The matching levers are really comfortable and have reach adjustment for smaller hands or setting them up on a swept-back handlebar like this Choco on a Tallux stem. An all-Nitto cockpit is really the last word in subtly gorgeous parts that work great together. Above, you can see the effect of shellacked Newbaum's finished with twine. This was about eight layers and some smoothing halfway - the cotton absorbs a lot of shellac for the first few layers. Future touch-ups won't use much product though, and will let the handlebars show plenty of honest beausage. Here we've reached the most complicated-looking bit of the bike, with a rack, dynamo light, basket, and fenders all connected in the same 10cm area. Let's go through them: 1. Front dynamo: Busch+Müller's IQ-X is their flagship light. The lens design doesn't waste any power on illuminating things you don't need, only the road in front of you and further along, and it won't blind anyone on the road when set up right. That's the beauty of beam-shaping lenses.2. Front rack: Made here in Montréal by Éliane, Ronny, and Aube at Memento Cycles from stainless steel tubing. These bike builders and designers weld their fantastic racks in-house, informed by their impressive history as bike messengers and cyclotourists. The Ant Rack is their extra-small just-as-strong model and is the right one to pair with a Wald 137 basket. Voilé straps connect the two securely, but you can use zip-ties if you prefer. 3. Connecting the light to the rack can be tricky but it becomes easy and clear with the Blue Lug-designed, Nitto-produced Lamp Holder Mod.7. It's deceptively simple and subtly perfect, and I frankly never want to install another light without one. They make it out of rack struts, it's my favourite new product of 2024. 4. The rear light is powered by the front, as are all modern dynamo lights. The cable runs along the rack, then jumps to the shift cable which it follows down the frame. A twist added to the electrical cable with a heat gun gives some slack, to allow the fork to turn, while allowing for some tension relief and keeping everything in place with small zip-ties. The Herrmans H-Trace Mini, made in Finland, mounts to the seatstay or, as in this case, to the rear fender. It's a small but cleverly made light! This particular setup needs a lot of cable on a long bike such as the Platypus, since it goes inside the fender right by the bottom bracket and reaches all the way to the light on the rear. The cable's nicely hidden and tucked away from anything that could damage it, though. 5. It had to be Honjo fenders, didn't it? Liz wanted them lightweight so we suggested Honjo, she went further and wanted the hammered version, probably a good choice since they won't show the inevitable bumps and dings of everyday riding the way smooth ones would. There are already a few extra dimples smacked into them by yours truly to make them fit perfectly, but they're impossible to photograph: they just get lost in the hammered surface. Having the fenders fall naturally into following the curve of the wheel radius they were made for means that they'll last as long as possible: they aren't being forced into a different shape and therefore aren't under stresses which could weaken the metal prematurely. That's the practical reason for an even and smooth fender line: the æsthetic reason should be self-evident. As a special finish, we added a surprise Liz didn't specifically request but which was oh-so-right: as we were finishing the bike, our friend Peter was sewing us a batch of his Famous Fender Flaps and made an extra purple rear one just for Liz. Anyone riding behind her on wet roads will be thankful not to get a spray of water to the face! Happy riding Liz, and thanks so much for trusting us to build you this beauty. Photos and bartape by Simon
A green Clem!
Another day, another Clem! This one is featuring a wide 3x transmission, solid handbuilt wheels and rarely seen canti brakes. Photos by Troy
An orange Clem!
Clems are always a joy to build - everything just comes together so nicely every time! The wide clearances, tons of braze-ons, upright position and wonderfully low top tube make it an excellent choice for running errands around town. Despite it being the least ornate @rivbike, its good looks will never go out of style! Photos by Troy
Eric's Purple Plat
Some of you may know Sam M., our most enthusiastic front of house team member, huge Rivendell fanboy, heavy machinery mechanic-to-be, and proud Platypus owner. Some of you may have heard him talk Riv, and if that's the case I'm sure you can imagine how much intention, thoughtfulness, and care went into speccing this build for Eric. This one has all our favourites and friends featured on one two-wheel'd chassis. From Sim Works, with their fast-but-grabby Super Yummy tires, to Nitto, with their supremely comfy Albatross handlebar, Campee rack, and Technomic stem, along with seating arrangements made in France by Gilles Berthoud and Deutsche lighting courtesy of SON Nabendynamo. Eric'll be able to charge his devices with Sinewave's Revolution USB wired up to his dynamo hub, and schlep snacks in the now-classic Wald 137 basket. Then there's the frame! Billed (pun intended) as Riv's most popular, most versatile frame, the Platypus also exudes good looks and has what might be the greatest headbadge of all time. Plus, a portion of sales is donated to the Australian Platypus Conservancy! The swoopy step-through design, sporty geometry, and wide tire clearance make it infinately capable and comfortable. Photos by @killiski
Michael's European Atlantis
Michael wanted the Riv-est Riv! We've so thoroughly pored over their website, blogs, Rivendell Readers, Instagram account, Blue Lug's Instagram account, the Google Groups Owner's Bunch, and beyond, that we think we're pretty decent at building a Riv-ey Riv. This is that, with GrantWrap™ twined grips/bartape, upside-down friction shifting, fully dynamo'd setup, and a healthy dose of Nitto componentry. We're thrilled to see a bike we built on the eastern shores of the Atlantic! As always, left-click photos to embiggen and enjoy! Build Spec Rivendell Atlantis frame and fork, 61cm Rivendell Wide/High crankset, 42/28, cause it's pretty flat there 9-speed Shimano drivetrain, simple and solid Velo Orange rear hub, SON28 front hub, for smooth running and nighttime lighting Velocity Atlas rims, because etymology Ultradynamico Mars Robusto tires Rivendell Silver2 Shifters, mounted upside-down to their Thumbshifter Mounts Paul Component Love Levers, with matching Motolites. Shiny! Nitto Albatross handlebar and Technomic stem, now timeless classics Riv special Brooks B68 saddle. Not available for retail, sorry! Nitto M1 front rack SON Edelux II headlight SON seatpost mounted taillight Reach out if you'd like one of your own! We don't have any Atlantis for the time being, but we can do something similarly Riv-esque on the Joe Appaloosa!
Three Sams
Rivendell's Sam Hillborne, which they categorize among their "Country Bikes", is a versatile frame made for all types of roads and a good amount of touring. The Sam is a do-it-all road bike: road biking, road touring, groceries, shopping, commuting. That's why it's been so popular! All roads and all weather, too. In Riv's words: "Can the "gravel bike" you're considering fit fenders? How about racks?" Here are three builds fresh off the stands expressly spec'd to do it all! Some similarities, some differences, but in all cases these bikes are set to be trusty companions for decades to come! Photos by JD
Jo's Susie W. Longbolts
You can always count on Jo to pull some fancy vintage MTB components out of his seemingly bottomless parts bins to decorate the rebuilds he does in his spare time. So the bar was pretty high as to what we'd expect when we saw Jo walk out of the shop with a sparkly gold Rivendell Susie W. Longbolts frameset as his next project. Well folks, he did it again! The mix of vintage and new components, the Bobby Bar and Discord w(Right) stem combo and the wide knobby tires make this a perfect bike for cruising over rough terrain in undeniable style! Pics by Jo Chhoo
Dustin's Gus
The Gus Boots Willsen from Rivendell is the bigger-boned cousin of the Susie W. Longbolts. These "Hillibikes", what Riv calls them to avoid using the term "mountain bikes" which might inspire overly extreme riding, are designed to explore the least beaten paths in comfort and style! Dustin kitted his Gus right with a SON dynamo hub, Busch & Muller light, Paul brake levers and callipers and a wide 2x9 transmission. As for contact points, the Nitto Bosco sheathed with ESI chunky grips and Newbaum's bartape, Gilles Berthoud Marie Blanque saddle and MKS X Sim Works Bubbly pedals will keep Dustin comfortable for long time to come!
Jason, Emily and Maurice’s Rivendell Rosco Bubbe
About a year and a half ago we received the Rosco Bubbe frameset Jason ordered from Rivendell with a small assortment of components. Having not yet figured out what the build was going to be, on top of being unable to get much of anything anyway due to the global parts shortage, the frame slept in our basement. Jason wasn’t in any particular rush. Their household is no stranger to Riv, already having a Cheviot, an Appaloosa and a Soma San Marcos (designed by Grant Petersen) in their stable. Eventually, the final details were ironed out, parts were received and Jason gave us the go-ahead to build the bicycle. Rosco Bubbe? On top of offering wonderfully designed bicycles in their standard repertoire, Rivendell sometimes make small batches of one-off bikes with spare tubes or forks left behind from previous models or prototypes and call them Rosco Bubbes. This model in particular was made with front-mounted child seats in mind. The extra long front end and ultra slack seat tube lend themselves particularly well to having a little passenger up front where they might appreciate seeing things other than your sweaty back. Equipped with the Mac Ride child bike seat, Emily and Maurice can zip and zoom around together. The Nitto Bosco handlebars seem like a natural choice due to their massive amounts of rise and backsweep, on one hand compensating for the added length of the bike and the flat section is perfect for Maurice to hold on to! Looking for the perfect ice cream getter for you and your kiddo? Rivendell Clem Smith Jr. framesets and completes are due to arrive early next year. Hog’s Backs make great tyke toters, too, and will be back in August! Pics by Troy
Sarah's Platypus
Sarah was looking for something to complement her trusty Velo Sport commuter, her only bike at the time. Upon hearing news about us becoming Rivendell dealers last year, the choice was clear. She devoured Grant’s literature about steel frames, long chainstays and friction shifting. Sarah knew what she wanted: something for pleasant outings, day rides and maybe the occasional overnighter, that would not limit her outfit choice, and nothing black! The current supply-chain woes have tested the patience of even the most monk-like among us, and the Platypus was no exception. As time went by, the ever-extending delays started to make the bare lime-olive frame hanging on our living room wall feel like a cruel joke about something that’s destined to forever be just beyond reach. The arrival of the Ultradynamico Cava Races a few months later, the final pieces of the puzzle, finally marked the end of the wait and soon enough, all the parts that had been sleeping amassed in a plastic bin started to pop, thread and slide into place. As the bicycle started to take shape, we had totally forgotten just how long the wait was. It was worth it. With the Platypus moved in to its new nest, we could finally take it out on the rides we had planned all summer. “I never knew a bike could be this good!” If you want your own Rivendell foreverbike, make sure to contact us. We have an exciting schedule of arrivals planned throughout the next year, supply-chain willing. Photos by our well-dressed bud, @jochhoo
A tall 'n' handsome Appaloosa
Open images in a new tab to see full-size Gerald, a long-time customer of ours, caught word that we had a Rivendell Joe Appaloosa in his size and approached us for a very special build. Having mainly ridden his Opafiets around Montreal for work, a major priority in this custom bike was comfort, but also the ability to ride long miles efficiently. The Appaloosa was an excellent candidate, so after some back and forth with Gerald, here's what we came up with! Specs Rivendell Joe Appaloosa frame and fork, 60cm, Burnt Orange Rivendell Silver crankset, 178mm arms, Wolf Tooth Drop Stop chainring MKS Gamma pedals SRAM Rival1 drivetrain Velo Orange hubs HPLUSSON TB14 rims Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass Endurance tires Tektro CR720 brakes Nitto Technomic stem Nitto Noodle handlebar Lizard Skins DSP bartape Brooks B17 saddle Velo Orange Fluted fenders Velo Orange Constructeur rack Crane E-NE bell If you'd like a similar build, reach out to us by email, and leave a comment if there's something you like, or something you'd change! Pics by @jochhoo
A lovely Platypus with VO, Soma and SimWorks
Open images in a new tab to see all the film grain Our first Rivendell build for a client is a refined and elegant city bike with parts built to last. When Carol approached us to get herself a new bike, we had just received our first shipment of frames from the legendary Rivendell Bicycle Works based out of Walnut Creek, California. After some hesitation for our own Rachel frame (and of course we would’ve been just as happy), it only took Carol seeing photos of the Platypus to make her mind up. We were very happy to build her an honest-to-younameit Riv with classic and robust parts so she can go ride around the Upper Canada Village out there in Morristown, Ontario in all her comfortable glory. Here’s how we built it up: Rivendell Bicycle Works Platypus frame and fork in Lime-olive, 50cm. FSA Duron X 1” headset (those are actually included with the frame). Vélo Orange Grand Cru face-plate quill stem. Vélo Orange Curvy Bar. Brooks Slender leather grips. Shimano BL-R780 brake levers. Shimano BR-T4000 V-brake calipers. Kalloy 26.8 seatpost (also included with the frame). Brooks B17s saddle Soma Weymouth 650b rims laced on Shimano Alivio hubs. Sim Works The Homage tires in 650b. Narrow-wide Bassi crank. Sim Works Bubbly pedals. Vélo Orange fenders. Soma Champs-Élysées front rack. Wald 137 basket. Photos taken on the always lovely Portra 400 film by the always lovely Fabien