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Julian's Roaduno
I'm a sucker for #newbikeday. In the past year, I've kind of laid it on thick, with three new whips acquired and only one let go of. I tell people it's because of the money I saved living car-free for the past 18 months, after 17 years of car ownership before that. This is true, but obviously I'm just addicted to riding new bikes. So meet my Roaduno! A prototype from pre-production of the run of frames Rivendell just released, they brought this 51cm Ana-Purple bike to the Philly Bike Expo where we exhibited in a neighbouring booth this spring. It caught my eye while we were setting up, and when it hadn't sold by the end of the last day, I took it as a sign I needed a test ride. One lap around the convention center and I was sold! I'm a single- and dingle-speed aficionado, after all. Eben Weiss, better known as Bike Snob NYC, describes it perfectly to detract the dingle-haters: "The upshot of it is that you’ve got a “road” gear and a “trail” gear, and it’s less like having a geared bike than it is like having two singlespeeds in one". It's a surprisingly handy setup - I'm in the higher gear 9 out of 10 km I ride, but for those moments when I need it, I'm so happy to have the 24/18 easy ratio. The bike is basically set up like Riv's stock build, though I swapped out a few bits here and there to fit me right: it came with a Brooks B17, but because it's a Roaduno I felt road-y and put this cool old Selle Italia Turbomatic on; the stock Gravel King tires were cool, but I needed some of that small batch terroir rubber, the Ultradynamico Rosé; and finally, the Riv x Nitto Billie bars it came with are great, but I was feeling a little sportier and pulled a fan favourite, the Sim Works Getaround, from my parts bin and it fit just right. The wheels are built by Rich, Riv's legendary wheelbuilder, and feature Suzue's disco-finish quick-release track hubs and some unbranded Velocity Quills. Riv's Silver2 shifter perched below a Thumbshifter Mount controls an IRD front derailleur, getting me between the chainrings on the Rivendell Silver Wide/Low crank. A Paul Melvin tensioner keeps the chain taut, and my old White Industries freewheel has a new home on my Roaduno. A Nitto S65 seatpost and Pearl stem keep the cockpit crispy, and I reinstalled the two-tone ESI grips that Riv built it up with for the show. Champagne finish MKS Gamma pedals give me all the grip I need for sporting around. This bike has been super fun around the city so far, but I've got big plans for it. My latest favourite form of touring is multi-modal, and requires some dis- and re-assembly periodically along the way from point A to B. Be it a bus, trunk, train, plane, ferry, truck bed, you sometimes need to make your bike small. Winooski Wheels has been talking about the idea of an airplane bike, that flies and flies, where it can be disassembled pretty extensively without being coupled or a folder. I'll change the shifter to a downtuber to get rid of that cable and housing, add self-extracting crank bolts, and get a compact headset wrench, which'll allow me to take things apart small enough to fit in an extra-extra-large cordura tote bag and pretend it isn't a bike! If you're keen on a Roaduno of your own, get in touch! We've got a full run of frames in stock, and would be happy to discuss dream builds. Photos by Troy @killiskii
Julian's Chunk
Crumbworks is a shop in Tokyo led by a visionary bike builder, Keita. For the past five years or so, I've been watching build after build come together in his compact but efficient work space. His frame-up builds of our Bassi Bikes have been exemplary, with creative touches that regularly blow our minds here at C&L. In 2023, when I visited Japan and Taiwan with Roberto, we were generously greeted by Keita and his crew of Crumlins, similar enthusiasts who ride eccentric and tasteful bicycles. This in-person experience just added to my love of all things Crumb. When Keita announced last year that Crumbworks would be producing their very own frame, the Chunk, I knew I needed one before I even knew what it was. I already have two of Crumb's KT Bars and their house brand Magic Component's Moth Bar, and I was drawn in by the lure of getting the frame too. The Chunk is an incredible balance of old and new, elegant and rough. These seemingly contradictory traits come together beautifully in a bike that mixes standards from different eras of bicycle history. I love the swoopy and delicately curved tubes, the very visibly handmade nature of a raw clearcoated fillet brazed frame, and of course, that it's a step-through! The frame was welded by Raizin Works, a framebuilder whose previous work has mostly focused on light and fast touring and classic randonneuring bikes, but whose talents lend wonderfully to this Chunk-y mountain bike worthy of its name. The headbadge is designed by Zenzay, a friend of Crumbworks and rider of a beautiful Bassi Rachel, among his other very cool bikes. My build feels familiar and comfortable. It's a mix of some parts bin stuff that fits perfectly, and new parts that I wanted to try and thought would work just right. To accent the metal of the framebuild, I used brass and pewter finish parts here and there. Here's the spec, with a li'l blurb on each. Frameset: Crumbworks Chunk, M, Raw Clear Headset: Dura-Ace HP-7400, my favourite headset and the one on my first serious bike when I got into mechanics Crank: Rivendell Silver2, 38/24T, 173mm Rear hub: Shimano Ultegra FH-RS770, 28H Front hub: Schmidt SONdelux, 28H Rims: Velocity Blunt 35, ano grey, my third pair cause they're indestructible even after countless dents Tires: Panaracer Driver Pro, cause I wanted Super Yummys but wider Shifters: Suntour Power Ratchet thumbies, timeless Rear derailleur: Shimano XT, not Rapid Rise, sorry Front derailleur: Shimano 600, barely works but works! Brake levers: Dia-Compe 4-finger Brakes: Growtac Equal, they're as good as they say they are Stem: Salsa CrMo NOS, bin find from pal Winooski Wheels <3 Handlebar: Crumbworks KT Bar, the perfect bar Seatpost: OneUp V3 Saddle: Brooks Team Professional, my first from 2008 when I was 18, it needs some love but we do that! Light: Schmidt Edelux The ride is incredible. It's not a modern mountain bike, but since I'm coming from a mountain bike that also isn't a modern mountain bike everything is relative! With gears, wider tires, and a dropper post, I can climb things I couldn't previously, and descend and send much quicker than before. Thanks Crumbworks, thanks Keita, thanks Raizin Works, for my new favourite bike! Photos by Troy @killiskii
Alex's Coyote
After years of owning and riding a number of road bikes from the 70s and 80s, my attention has shifted towards bicycles capable of something else, something new. The road surface I’ve most evolved on is pavement. After my first old racing bike, I acquired a randonneur with a geometry that accommodated significantly wider tires, which opened the door to touring, trails, and the joys of riding alongside roads and far from cities. Even then though, my bike and I sometimes encountered obstacles that were unfortunately insurmountable. To get over them, I needed a bike that could. That’s how, albeit only a prototype at that point, my focus landed on the Bassi Coyote. Despite not quite being one, I wanted my Coyote to be a mountain bike. With a SRAM and Hope drivetrain, DT Swiss wheels, parts from Title and Wolf Tooth, and Michelin enduro tires, I chose European and American brands because until now I’ve mostly been familiar with Asian component manufacturers that have near exclusivity on my main bike (Shimano, Dia Compe, Nitto, Panaracer…). For these reasons, the bike is totally novel to me. It makes the previously inaccessible ridable, and brings me happiness I can’t hide every time I get on the saddle. Originally built with its rigid fork, it’s since been equipped with a 130mm travel suspensions fork that lets me get into the rough stuff. And despite the intent and design for 27.5” wheels, I chose to mullet it (with a 29” in the front), to improve its acceleration and capacity to get over obstacles. This setup is perfect for me, who loves fast downhills while maintaining playful and sporty nimbleness and control from the rear end of the bike. As we all know, mullet is “Business in the front, party in the back”. To maintain the frame’s geometry, I also used an offset headset that removes a few degrees to the head tube angle, which modernises the geometry even more towards contemporary mountain bike geometry trends of slack head tubes. That said, with its components (short stem, wide bars with a little rise, a 27.5 rear wheel, and quick rear hub engagement), it has the quick handling that I’ve always enjoyed from my other bikes. It’s reactive, steers quick, and allows me to change my position quickly and intuitively. In short, the Coyote is my first Bassi, and even after 5 years at C&L Cycle, I don’t regret waiting this long before getting one. Also, since I’m passionate about frame paint, I decided to personalize it myself with a unique design that matches my taste. I wanted to achieve an elegant sobriety that discretely highlighted the presence of the steel. I added the colour red here and there, in light and periodic notes, that add dynamic to the base tone. If you’re interested in a paint job, reach out, it’s something I’m keen to share. Photos by Troy @killiskii
Simon's archetypical Le Montréal
Open images in a new tab to embiggen Hello beloved bicycle people, it's Simon. If you've emailed C&L we've certainly been in touch, and some will remember me from my years as the main front-of-house person at 978 Rachel. We probably also had coffee together if you've come to our group rides. These days I do a lot of things around the ol' bike company, but the relevant one to this blog post is that I spec out our Bassi builds, buy the relevant parts, and quote people on their cool custom projects. I'd like to tell you a few things about my main ride around town, since I use it all the time as an inspiration and it's got some really well-loved parts and it's helpful to see how certain things (like people) age gracefully. I've had this 52cm V2 Le Montréal since the moment it came off the boat in 2016. As you can see from the photo above, it's a little bit small for me, but that made sense with how I originally built it, and even now I kind of like that about it. What you have before you today is the third major build and the one I'll keep as-is for many more years. That's because I believe I've found the perfect, platonic Montréal: since I've built it this way, it has cast its shadow on every single bicycle I've had a hand in, and that's quite a lot of bicycles. I also sometimes catch it out of the corner of my eye and say "well, if that isn't just the exact way a bicycle should look". This is now my only road bike! It's pretty quick and manœuvrable (not like my old Italian steel of course) but has room for some tire and some cargo, so it's way more useful every day around town. The smaller Montréals of the V1 and V2 generations, including mine, had some pretty vicious toe overlap, but that's a normal thing on oh so many road bikes with small frames but big 700C wheels. You get used to it after a while. These days we make this size with 650B wheels and it's a lot better, 2016 was before we'd gone all the way on proportional wheel sizes on our frames. I can only shake my head at our timidity. Let's go through the build, why don't we? Along the way I'll point out the beausage on certain parts, so you can know what to expect from your own beautiful bicycle as it ages and bears the marks of your adventures and everyday life together. There will be stories and opinions. THE BRAKING Shimano SLR æro levers: I don't know what kind, or from when. They came out of the old-old C&L garage in 2013. They squeaked, once, then I oiled the pivot and that was that. Shimano really used to know how to make a pretty part when they wanted to, and they just work. Dia-Compe DC980 Cantilevers: we sell these now in 2024, and when I look through the 1980s Dia-Compe catalogues, there they are, completely unchanged. They're super-small, minimalist, light, and exactly strong enough for what this bike does. They're perfect and elegant - why would you change them after perfecting them forty years ago? That's right, you wouldn't. Dia-Compe sticks to their guns. Hangers: the front is the ultra-sturdy steel model from Dia-Compe. Ask me in person sometime why I modified it, it's a bit too silly to go into here. The rear is seatpost-bolt-mounted from Nitto, because when Nitto make something it's the most sensible yet most elegant way to make a part. THE DRIVETRAIN René Herse Crankset: Ah. Yes. Well. It's a really nice crank. It just doesn't do anything another crank wouldn't for half the price. Don't get one unless you really, really enjoy *~*æsthetics*~* of vintage French bikes and don't mind paying for it. I'll say that it really is enjoyable to pedal and top-notch workmanship. Just look at it though. Whew. Wellgo pedals: the nine-to-five slob to the crank's socialite beauty queen. I don't know which model this is, I used to get whatever flat/clippy Wellgos Marinoni was clearing out at the time when I needed another set. They've been on massive tours with me and don't mind getting smashed on rocks and sidewalks. Wellgos work really well! Never turn your nose up at a Wellgo. Campagnolo front derailer: another part from the old C&L parts garage. I had a modern double for a while but you know how the cages are shaped and squished around? That makes the chain shift more smoothly from one chainring to the next, but also rubs a bit if your alignment isn't perfect. So I grabbed this completely flat and straight '80s derailer from my bin, and guess what? It shifts perfectly every time. It just goes "KER-KLUNK" while doing it, nobody ever accused vintage Campy of shifting smoothly. Shimano parts-bin rear derailer: I forget whose parts bin it's from actually. It's about as old as I am, was always generic non-series (like yours truly), hates going into a 32-tooth cog, but like the brake levers is from when Shimano could really make a good-looking bike part. I'm calling it now: this part will outlive me. Rivendell Silver Shifters (aka Dia-Compe W-Shift): I think I've written more about this shifter than any other bike part or concept. They make the whole package work together and are a pure pleasure to move and feel. Plus, when mounted to the downtube, they're the lightest shifter you'll ever encounter, and all you need is about eight inches of housing. I grew up with downtube shifters on Dad's old Motobécane and never minded them, but even for someone new to them, it becomes second nature quickly enough. 8-speed cassette: I don't know, Shimano or something, who cares. THE WHEELS The hubs are the old (sadly departed) Formula-made Bassi Road hubs that I've had on a few bikes. Originally this bike had Hplusson Archetype rims and I rode enough that they were due for a replacement, which is a life well-lived for a pair of rims. Now I'm riding my fave cheap-ish road rim, the Alex R450. No nonsense, just good solid dull-silver aluminium and stickers that are easy to remove. That dynamo hub on the front is a Shimano Alfine. It was my first dynamo and, I'll say it again, Shimano made it, so it's still going. Rivendell Jack Brown tires: from back in the day when Riv was working with Panaracer on a tire program. Tire selection was nowhere near as good then as it is now, it's another domain where the bike industry owes them recognition for sticking their neck out and improving things for everyone. They're smooth-but-grippy, have good volume at 700x33mm (plenty for any road-plus bike) and might be my longest-lasting tires ever. Innertubes: yes THE COCKPIT Nitto Technomic NTC-DX stem: It's the most perfect stem anyone has ever made. I don't think I need to explain more (but send me an email if you'd like me to and you want a few pages of ranting and raving). Actually, just take 25 minutes out of your week and enjoy my favourite video on Youtube: Blue Lug visiting the Nitto factory Nitto Noodle M.177 42cm handlebar: I like other more traditional rando bars, but the Noodle lives in my heart. It's comfortable and beautiful, another successful Rivendell collab. I'm not a bodybuilder so on a road bike the 42cm width is very comfortable. Newbaum's cotton bar tape, shellacked: This is what you get if you use light gray cotton bar tape and garnet-grade shellac. The cotton tape gives just enough texture (no cushion but I ride in gloves) and the shellac protects it from dirt, abrasion, moisture, and me. Ask a woodworker friend about shellac, we usually all have some. I was looking forward to photographing this for you all, because this tape job is about four years old and it's good to see what you can expect if you do this to your bike. When the shellac layers got too banged up, I'd clean them a little, then simply reapply new coats over the old ones. Shellac is in an alcohol solution and the new layers dissolve the old ones a bit, so you don't need to do anything special to integrate them. The later layers are almost colourless blonde shellac, and the different colours you can see are a reflection of how it's been worn away based on where I hold the bars, or where I lean the bike.The spot where the tape goes around the brake levers is bare because I simply do not care about that when it comes to my personal bikes. I'll wrap yours up good and pretty, don't worry. Crane Suzu Striker bell: The raw brass model. The sound is glorious, loud, and sustained. Everyone loves hearing it. Again, this is what you can expect from yours after many years of love. I've bent back into place all the parts of it, and even hammered the bell back into shape with a ball-peen after it got a little smashed. "Biiiiiiiinnnnnggggg.............." THE FENDERS Honjo Fluted H29 (I think): another fabulous example of beausage! This is the second bike I've had these on. They fit great, the rolled edge means the water stays inside the fenderline, they're light and don't rattle ever, and I think they're so gorgeous. Their beauty only gets better when they have the honest scrapes, bumps, dings and scratches of a life well-lived. They're also soft enough that you can bend or hammer them back into whatever shape you think they should be. Honjos need some very careful work to install perfectly and that takes a few hours and can lead to frustration, so here's my trick for speeding things up: don't install them prefectly, just install them pretty well. Dia-Compe leather fender flaps: they're so wee and cute! Velo Orange fender-mount reflector: don't pretend you didn't see me buddy, I've got a catadioptre. THE LUGGAGE Velo Orange Flat-Pack Rack: it goes from décaleur to tombstone and you can go 2-stay or 4-stay. Mounting your front rack to the mid-fork eyelets if you have those is the way to go, very sturdy. Plus, if I don't want the rack on my bike that day, I undo three bolts and it comes right off, leaving the fork-crown doohickey right where it is on the bike. These days I put a randonneur bag on this rack. Check out how the angles match the ones of the bike! Carradice Classic Saddle Bag Rack: when the company that made this for decades went out of business, Carradice bought this fine rack and kept having it made. It hangs off the saddle loops and rests on the rails, which is super clever, and it just lifts right off so you can pop into the shop with your bag. Not for massive loads, but wonderful for a small saddlebag around town. Carradice Barley saddlebag: I ordered this little bag direct from Lancs, UK back when the exchange rate started being reasonable for the first time in my life. It was my first Carradice and I've been a big booster of theirs ever since. This small cotton duck model is just right for day trips and using around town. The dowel (the straps for attaching it to your saddle loops go around an internal wooden dowel) broke a couple years ago so I went out and bought some dowel from the neighbourhood hardware place. Easy enough as far as repairs go. THE LIGHTING B+M IQ-XS: dynamo hubs and lights all pretty much go together these days. The current light is Busch und Müller's small but bright shaped-beam IQ-XS. It's silver and has a switch. Really it was the lazy choice, I knew it and liked it already. If you ask me to spec you a dynamo setup I'll probably suggest this light. MISC Tange Levin headset: old-school good looks, precision Japanese manufacturing. Love it. IRD Tenacity QB-40 bottom bracket: adjustable cup-and-cone bottom bracket with excellent metals and precision Japanese manufacturing, again. Also love it. I want to spin it forever. Once you know how to adjust one of these it's super easy and quick. Unbelievably cool that this exists in TYOOL 2024. Brooks Swift saddle: it's the prettiest of Brooks' premium saddles (hand-skived edges? yes please), but if I'm honest I'd ride a B17 on a longer trip, it's just more comfortable. Soma Bolo seat collar: left over from when I had a Soma. Thomson Elite straight seatpost: honestly, I'm not that attached to it. I'll trade you for a Nitto if you've got one in 27.2 you won't use any more. King Cage bottle cages: simply put, I switched all my bikes over to this model a couple of years ago. The shape is perfect, super tough, great hold and release, and stainless steel. In conclusion: if you like the look of this bike and want something that's tough and rides well, my advice is: Nitto, Honjo, pre-1994 Shimano, and Dia-Compe of any era. You won't go far wrong with Japanese parts, much like with Japanese cameras. Leave a comment under this post or send me an email if you want to talk about this bike! I bring it up all the time anyway.
Julian's Rachel
I’ve really been leaning into step-thrus these past couple years. My first was a 51cm single speed dark blue Rachel in 2018 - I’m riding a 59cm now, two full sizes up, which goes to show how versatile this frame shape is. I got a Riv Clem in 2021, and that got me more comfy and upright, which informed the sizing choices on this lovely brown guy. I have another super secret step-thru on order, which I’ll share soon! For now, here’s the background on my current Rachel, which has quickly become my beloved everyday bike. I often think of my builds around one or two key components. For me this tends to be a handlebar, because it’s so integral to how you interact with a bike. With this bike though, there were a lot of parts that I really focussed on, and obsessed over their coming together, both functionally and aesthetically. Here’s a breakdown of the most important ones. The Sturmey-Archer AW 3-speed hub definitely contributes to the specialness of my Rachel. Mine is a 1976 model - you can tell because they’re all stamped with a production year. I’m so impressed with parts that have been on the road so many decades and will likely last many more. This choice, and the whole bike in fact, was inspired by my dear friend Dan’s (of Winooski Wheels fame) Univega. When I go visit him in Vermont and forget my own bike, it’s my first pick though I always feel a little guilty for taking his own everyday bike. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I wanted to nod to my first bike as a young adult, the one that really got me riding and fixing bikes. It’s a 1988 Miyata Team Pro with a complete Dura-Ace 7400 groupset that my dad bought new back then. I managed to get my hands on a headset and right crank arm from that same groupset, and thought they’d be a silly but fitting addition to this build. The original Miyata by Nitto quill stem from that 1988 Team Pro is reused here - I shortened the reach on the road bike and this is a perfect place to re-use the original. The handlebar is another special bit. We were so warmly welcomed to Japan by Keita and his friends at Crumbworks in Tokyo that I want to incorporate something from them, or their house brand Magic Components to every new bike I build. Here I used Magic’s Moth Bar in the Raw Clear finish. They’re obscenely wide, in the best possible way, and there are so many spots for my hands. Mine have already developed a patina, and I look forward to more as they age over the years. I have a small and shrinking stash of this floral pattern housing that I save for only the special-est bikes, and even though I needed long swooping lengths of it here, it was totally worth a couple meters. The rest of the build is straightforward but just right. Front and rear dynamo lighting, Axiom fenders, a big ol’ Wald 139 atop a Sim Works Obento front rack, my trusty old Tubus Cargo rear rack that has been with me for tens of thousands of kilometers and is handy for pannier-filled grocery-getting, strong LX parallelogram v-brakes with matching levers, my first Brooks from 15 years ago, and my favourite Deore XT pedals that always end up on my most-ridden bike. The result is a chaotic, all over the place, but somehow coherent build that I’m thrilled to call my own. It rides like a dream and is super nimble and speedy despite how comfy and upright I am. Finally, the brown colour is just right - who knew that brown can sparkle?! Specs Bassi Rachel frameset, 59cm, Fondue Shimano Dura-Ace HP-7400 headset Shimano Dura-Ace FC-7400 right crank arm with Blackspire Mono Veloce chainring Schwinn left crank arm Shimano Deore XT PD-M730 pedals Izumi chain Sturmey-Archer AW rear hub, 1976 Panasonic dynamo front hub Sun Ringlé Rhyno Lite hubs Sim Works Homage tires Shimano LX BL- et BR-M570 brake levers and calipers NOS flower housing All-metal Sturmey-Archer shifter Miyata by Nitto stem Magic Components Moth Bar ESI XL Chunky grips Bassi seatpost Brooks Team Pro Special Brooks Sim Works Obento rack Wald 139 basket Busch & Müller IQ-XS front light Busch & Müller µ rear light Axiom Flascheguard fenders Photos by Emiliano Portrait by Simon
Emiliano's Rachel
Today I present to you my Bassi Rachel in the beautiful Monet Blue colorway. I’ve been working here at Bassi / Cycle C&L for a little more than a year and a half and I really wanted to rep our own brand on the streets of Montreal. I was kinda indecisive to which model I would choose and to be honest the Rachel wasn’t really on my radar. That was until we received the new production batch and Simon and I opened a few boxes to photograph the frames. I was struck, I was in immediate awe of the blue colorway and the way it revealed a sparkling and iridescent green hue when the sun rays hit it. At that moment it clicked, everything made sense. What I was looking for was in front of my eyes the whole time. The Rachel would be my perfect commuter. It truly has everything you need to make it the perfect commuter and the specs are widely common and as standard as they get : 700C wheels (for the 55 and 59 sizes) 1-inch threaded headset and 22.2mm quill stem Rim brakes (V-brakes only) 68mm BSC bottom bracket shell Diagonal dropouts (single speed baby!) A bunch of eyelets for accessories and racks I have a history of buying bikes on the smaller side, being an avid roadie… and this time again I went with a smaller frame. Be reassured though, it wasn't for aero purposes, my partner is 5’9 and I'm 6’0 (91cm PBH) and the size 55 fits both of us equally and the idea of sharing a bike with her was appealing and fun. Now for the build, I knew I wanted to go for silver parts and build it as a single speed, I wanted handlebars with backsweep and big tires but with enough clearance for fenders. I switched the handlebars a few times until I found the one I liked the most. I started with borrowed Rivendell Toscos (thank you Julian), then tried Magic Components Wormbar and finally settled on my all time favorite SimWorks Getaround. Build Highlights: Frame: Bassi Rachel 55cm Monet BlueHeadset: FSA Duron 1-inch threaded, installed à la Chris KingWheelset: Hplusson Archetype polished laced to basic Novatec track hubs (rear axle modified to work with 132.5mm spacing)Brakes: Shimano BR-T4000 mix matched V-brakes paired with Kool-stop salmon compound brake padsCrankset: Shimano RSX with 42t Biopace chainringHandlebar: SimWorks Getaround dull brightGrips: Ergon GA3 BlackStem: Profile design TITANIUM LOOK CrmoBottle cage: SimWorks John Cage in blackReflector: The coolest reflector ever made, yes sorry blue lug. So there you have it, my awesome, unisex, handsome and a little bit ratbike 4-season commuter (yes I’m going to ride it in the winter. Bassi's are made strong).
Emiliano's 1998 Cannondale CAD2 R500
Here, my friends, is the story of my 1998 Cannondale CAD2 R500 in an insanely beautiful deep purple. (I think purple is one of the best colorways for bikes. Trust me, wait til you see Bobby’s new Joe Appaloosa). This bike used to (and kind of, sort of still does) belong to my father Hector. It was the first road bike he bought back when we still lived in Mexico city. I was born just a little after he bought it so this bike is as old as me which I think makes it even more special. A few years ago when I was racing bikes I gave my dad my road bike since I had to ride a team bike. The Cannondale had been sitting in the shed for quite some time because he wasn’t riding as much I guess. I had asked him a few times if he would let me build his bike into a neo-retro but I was greeted with a no every single time. His argument, which I've got to admit was very valid was “No, it’s a piece of history”. I had to carefully elaborate an offensive strategy that would give him no choice but to let me have his bike. I guess in the end I was just so annoying that he eventually gave in and let me take the bike with me back to Montreal. The only condition was, and these are his words: I want the frame to be intact, and if I want it back you give it back and in its original stock build. Deal. This bike has had 4 stages. Stage 1: Stock build Stage 2: Very simple flat bar conversion road bike with a sketchy front rack and basket setup Stage 3: I work at a bikeshop and i love simworks (parts upgrade and bling) Stage 4: Back to dropbars, full circle (my favorite) For obvious reasons this bike is very special to me and will always bring so much joy to my heart. This thing is crazy fast and it got me running errands like I was racing a crit again. Pics by Emiliano
Hugo's VO Campeur
It can happen to anyone. You spend days, weeks, maybe months preparing for a long tour. The route is set, your gear is ready, your chain is lubed, this time you remembered to pack all the silly things you usually forget. You're stoked. Then, right on the first downhill, that janky 30-year old front rack that you got for cheap decided to give out and you go down, hard. Well that's exactly what happened to Hugo last summer. Not only did it cause him to have a concussion and ended his tour on the first day, it was also the end of the road for his 1989 Miyata 600GT. Or so he thought. As luck would have it, after weeks of moping and grieving the loss of his first real touring bike, he came across a brand new Velo Orange Campeur in a closeout sale. Thanks to VO's contribution to keeping the quill stem, rim brake dream alive with the now discontinued production of the Campeur, Hugo was able to transfer over most of the parts from his defunct Miyata with a few upgrades. This sweet setup will serve for lots of commuting, touring and plenty of mushroom foraging hopefully for at least as long as the frame it replaced! Pictures by Troy
Beaulé's Hog!
Sam spent a few seasons with us at C&L and concluded it with this perfect Hog's Back build! Wald 137 baskets have become nearly ubiquitous on our on all our townie/country/toury builds, and each person tends to make it their own. Sam did that with a made-to-measure, made-in-Montreal bag by Trame with nice complimentary colours and lots of pouches for organizing. Along with his Carradice saddle bag and Atwater cell pouch, he's got plenty of space for all his bits and bobs! A fun silly detail - the FSA The Pig headset fits the porky Hog's Back theme just perfectly! Given that it's a stout DH headset, it fits the bill perfectly for what's intended to be a bombproof commuter and tourer. MKS x Sim Works Bubbly pedals are a staff favourite - many of us have given into temptation because of their perfectly spinny bearings and great design. Sam opted for the very tough Rhyno Lite rim along with a fast rolling Maxxis DTH dirt jump tire. Pics by Troy @killiskii
Roberto's Hog's Back and Bobby Bar Prototype!
Here are the specs of the forthcoming handlebar right off the bat: 780mm wide 30° backsweep 25mm rise This bike, and handlebar, has been my go-to all summer. Between commuting, long-distance road rides, local secret trail rides, overnighters and even actual mountain biking, I'm confident in saying this handlebar truly unlocks the "right tool for any job" superpowers of the Hog's Back. The relaxed 30° sweep offer a great middle-ground between shreddy and cruisy for all-day comfort and off-road control. The long grip areas not only make it possible to trim down the bars substantially if you're so inclined, but also offer plenty of room to move around. What started over two years ago as an idea for a new bikepacking handlebar is shown here in its final prototype phase with the production batch featuring dear friend @lovedrawings' graphics on the way! We're expecting them to arrive by late Winter. Here's an early prototype made by JD that Vince borrowed to test on his Hog's Back:
Luc-Antoine's Long-Awaited Atlantis
Well, at long last, here it is: my 62cm Rivendell Atlantis 3, also known as Pélagie. The Atlantis had already been my dream bike for a number of years when we got the A-OK from Rivendell about opening an account with them and becoming a dealer during those dreadful days of 2020 – talk about a silver lining to that whole thing! And after a couple-odd years of waiting around (and a few times when I was told it would never happen), it’s finally here. I’ve been riding it for just just over two months now and it’s everything I had hoped it would to be: a smooth-yet-responsive, comfortable, surprisingly fast bike that makes you wish the road ahead was just a wee-bit longer. It climbs great, it descends even better, and thanks to that double top-tube, it’s actually quite stiff for a bike this size and, of course, it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s set up as a daily commuter right now because that’s exactly what it is: it’s my only (non-winter) bike. I’ve been riding it mainly to go to work, school, to run errands, get groceries, etc.; mostly on pavement, with the occasional trail when it shows up along the way; it’s actually a quite capable trail bike, too, which isn’t the kind of stuff I’m typically attracted to riding, but it’s nice to know I can if I want to. That tall Technomic stem with the Albatross bars, both from Nitto, get me nice and upright, and when paired with that admittedly controversial saddle angle, you’d think you’re sitting in your favorite armchair. The basket is a must, but I’ve been longing to have a proper saddle-bag so that my stuff stops clanking around whenever I do go down one of those unexpected trails. For the parts, I tried best I could to build the Atlantis most suited for my immediate needs and wants, as opposed to building it for the future, hypothetical tour around the world, a mistake I've done many-a-time and is always a dumb idea (that being said, I’d definitely ride this thing around the world just as it is now). Add that to the need to build it as cheaply as I could with a potpourri of parts I had laying around, picked up mainly from my old Polyvalent, and newer stuff because, well, I had never had a bike with v-brakes before (I know, weird right), and I ended up building the RIVEST Riv I could’ve: practical, no-nonsense and easy to maintain with fun bits and a few quirky riv-isms that I sprinkled all over the darn thing. I could make an extensive list of everything on it, but most of it is super basic or I already explained on my previous staff bike thing, so I’ll try to stick to the more fun ones: The hubs are, I think, early oughts Shimano Deore LX in this beautiful gold colour that I got from Zach, which he got from Roberto. Apart from that pristine lineage, their somewhat unusual colour fit great with with the cream headtube of the bike and they’re the classic open bearing shimano stuff that you rarely ever have a reason to replace other than a change in æsthetics. I laced them onto Alexrims DM18s; I could’ve done fancier, but they’re super solid and it’s my understanding that Riv used to build all of their bikes with them until they started to carry Velocity (which I might still get if and when these ones croak). Take a gander at those panda spoke nipples, too, speaking of Riv-isms. I got the Deore XT long-cage Rapid-Rise on ebay a few years back; it’s been on a few bikes but I feel like it only started to feel at home on this one. The upside-down Silver2 friction thumbies from Rivendell are honestly the best shifters I've ever used; simple, precise, and with a RR rear derailleur, they’re as instinctive as a shifter can possibly get. Also a good trick for seamless friction shifting that I got from friend and Villeneuve co-mechanic Troy is an 8 speed cassette (which is plenty enough for the riding I do) with a 9 speed chain; keeps the trimming time to a minimum. Yes, the brake levers are upside down, yes it’s a thing that Rivendell bikes often have, yes it’s somewhat of a Rivnerd thing that I didn’t think I'd do because I think that particular Riv-ism is just a bit too nerdy; BUT, turns out, it actually serves a purpose: if you want to put your thumbies upside down like this, if your brake levers are the right-side-up, the bolt that tightens the lever to the bar is in the way of the shifter. So you actually HAVE to put it like this. Also I personally think it looks kinda cool. Snoopy follows me everywhere. It’s actually a tube valve-cap thing that I took off a bike I fixed a flat on years and years ago. It was sitting at the shop for a while in expectation of that particular client coming around so I could give it back, but they unfortunately never did, so I decided to give it a good home and it’s been red-Lock-Tite'd on this piece of innertube on some stem or other for a few years and bikes, now. It doesn’t have a name, I'll find one some day. If the client sees this and wants it, I’ll gladly give it back. I got no clue how I'll take it off of that valve thing, though. That grip-job is a happy mix of Blue Lug extra-ness and G. Petersen laissez-faire. Both sides are uneven, I think one side has one more layer of shellac than the other. I don’t know if I like the feel of it yet, but it’s progressively been accumulating beausage and I think it looks fun. I did the same grip twine thing on a Hog’s Back recently and it’s much nicer than mine. I might re-do it eventually. They’re not a part per se, but I think these here chainstays deserve a mention. They’re particularly long, ridiculously some might say. I think they’re amazing (apart from those two times a day where I have to haul the thing up or down my two flights of Montréal stairs), but to be perfectly honest, when you’re riding it, apart from being especially stable, you don’t really think about them. They’re not a life-changing feature, they just work well and I personally think they actually look super cool. I understand people who don’t, though. I always tell people that Rivendell is kinda like the Grateful Dead: on one hand either you get it or you don’t, but also it’s way more than just a brand, there’s a whole culture along with it and these obnoxiously long chainstays, like the endless jams of, say, Dark Star, are part the thing, for better or worse. As we all need a bit more GD in our lives, we could all use an extra 10 cm on our chainstays, I think. So that’s it, I could go on forever about this bike, but we all have other things to do. This bike is it for me. I would never try to fool anyone by saying I'll never buy another bike again (no one’s gonna buy it, and I shouldn’t be selling it), but I honestly don’t see what else I could want in a bike. Try it out, you’ll love it. Hell, if you’re tall enough, you can even try mine if you want to. G’day y’all, s’ouerra, LAC
Bloomfield Fixie
Open images in a new tab to see huge 'uns As a young man in the early 2010's, it was hard to ignore the attractiveness of fixies as a concept, and it was equally obvious that most of the actual bikes were hideous. The exception, a bike that always managed to turn my head when I saw one about town, was that bright-yellow speeding streak that was the first-generation Bassi Roma-Tokyo, running fixed with track handlebars. Such beautiful lines, and such handling! Sadly, by the time I could afford a brand-new frame of my very own, the Roma-Tokyos had sold out. Since then, I've been agitating for its return, and got my wish this year, though it bears a different name now, to underline that it's more capable, flexible and useful than the old super-skinny, super-zippy track frame: Bloomfield, named after a street in Outremont. You may be aware that the Bloomfield is compatible with the new hotness, the trendy 650B size of wheel, which allows one to use higher-volume tires given the same frame size than the old, stodgy, boring 700C wheel size. I'm happily tall enough at a 86cm PBH not to have been eternally underserved in terms of proportional wheel sizes for my bikes, but 650B and 26-inch wheeled frames are a godsend for shorter or medium-height people! They're not necessary everywhere, however, and I've found I'm happiest with larger wheels with a mid-sized tire, in this case 32mm width. They roll well, have plenty of volume for comfort on streets and crushed-stone and dirt paths, have less rotating weight than a wheel with more rubber, and have a better-shaped contact patch. Of course, the benefit of the updated Bloomfield frame compared to a Roma-Tokyo is that I don't have to use unpleasantly harsh super-skinny tires, and could get one size skinnier tires if I wanted to have room for fenders. Luxury! THIS BIKE'S PARTS Super-cheap Alexrims on the smooth Bassi Classic track hubs, 32-spoke for that nice symmetrical pattern. Bassi Classic track crank to match. Gatorskin 700x32mm tires, which is very exactly the largest tire that fits in this frame. All-City 17t track cog. I liked the cutouts, not that the saved grams are worth anything. My old 13t steel cog is sitting on the other side, but I may not be young enough to push that one anymore. Call it nostalgia. Izumi track chain cause I always wanted one. The saddle is my first-ever Brooks, it's been going for about 8 years of city riding, long tours, rain and sun, and looks awesome. Well worn in, but still holding its shape to perfection. Sadly they stopped making this B17 Narrow with cut-out. Nitto Noodle 42cm handlebars, Nitto Technomic 9cm stem, I have yet to find anything prettier or more comfortable than Nitto's very careful and refined shapes. Newbaums cotton bar tape, covered with shellac, which I enjoy for its grippiness and slim look. The little piece of tape on the seatpost is its original colour, the shellac darkens it a little or a lot, depending on the grade you're using. This was super-blonde shellac. The brake lever is an old interrupter (cross-top) lever that I had in my parts bin. I wore straight through the pivot of the left one on an old bike, so this is the right-hand one, inverted and installed on the left. It was black but I removed the anodizing and sanded and polished it. This is an all-silver-parts build, after all. The housing is the same as on my Appaloosa, I had a little scrap left over. The Mafac Racer brake was a miracle find at a friend of a friend's bike garage that I had to insist on paying for. It's very nice to have bike friends! I took it apart, cleaned and polished it (try doing that with disc brakes!), and modified it a little to fit the recessed nut fitting on the Bloomfield's fork. Last, but possibly my favourite part on this bike: the 1994 Dura-Ace SPD pedals. They were a trash-score of a colleague, but he wound up hating the way they always hang at the exact same angle upside-down. It does require patience at first but now it's quite automatic muscle-memory to flip them up and clip in. They've been ridden regularly for decades now, are scuffed everywhere, have never been serviced as far as I know, and they're still going strong. And Graeme Obree uses the same ones! One of these days I'm sure I'll put a rack on the front since it's got the eyelets for it, but I enjoy having a minimal bike. It's a nice change of pace from my other whips and I can always put my Carradice on the saddle loops. Photos and words by yours truly
Touring Joe Appaloosa
Feel free to open images in a new tab to embiggen This Rivendell touring bike has been my dream for years. I love Riv's commitment to lugged steel, beauty in bikes, and bloody-minded practicality. It's a hell of a balancing act! Swinging into the saddle makes me feel like sinking into a comfortable couch. Rivendell's frames are meant to have you sitting up fairly upright, and perform best when you go with it, ideally with a swept-back handlebar. This, and the extremely long wheel-base, makes the bike look slow, but it absolutely is not. It gets up and goes wonderfully, shifts cleanly, and it's super-stable climbing and descending on really bad roads. You won't believe me until you try one, but please do, you'll be astonished at how these bikes feel. I've ridden this loads up north of Montreal in the Laurentians, and south in the Eastern Townships, on all kinds of roads and unmaintainted rights-of-way. Last year me and Joe went around the north and south shores of the Saint-Lawrence on a weeklong trip, and this year the plan is the VTXL. In any case, being on this bike all day feels natural, restful and encouraging. Joe Appaloosa is a worthy companion for the gentle adventures I enjoy most. Reliable and well-loved parts carried over from other bikes RD-M592, Shimano Deore Shadow 9-speed rear derailer. From my old roommate's totaled Surly that a car ruined. This is the fifth bike it's been on, and it does everything I ever ask of it without complaining. I intend to use it until it explodes, then install an identical one I've squirreled away in my parts box. The Microshift R8 double front derailer turns out to be just fine friction shifting a triple. Figures. The gold KMC X10 chain was on another bike briefly before this one. Very bling. I had to add links from another non-gold chain to make it fit Rivendell's XXL chainstays. Hplusson TB14 wheels, which used to be on a disc-brake bike, but are just as happy here. 36-hole for tradition and strength. The rear hub is Velo Orange's old 10-speed disc touring field-serviceable hub. It comes apart without tools, which so far has been mostly helpful for easy cleaning, but it's nice to know I can change a spoke without a cassette tool. Dia-Compe GC999 cantilever brakes. Pin-pads aren't as bad as you've heard to adjust. The pulley yokes are just me being deluxe. Nitto Albastache handlebars, the weirdest bars I've ever had. I knew C&L friend Peter would have a pair from his old Bridgestone. Thanks Peter! Dia-Compe non-aero brake levers. These used to be on a Noodle handlebar, and they fit amazingly on the Albastache. The incompressible brake housing was on that other disc-brake bike. Waste not, want not. The Bassi leather bar tape has been re-wrapped who knows how many times, this is their third bike and third handlebars. Tubus rear rack, because the heavy-duty rack goes where it's needed. Does panniers as well as bag-support. The rear B+M dynamo light is bolted to the rack, so it follows along too. Fresh, exciting parts added since owning the frame Nitto Dirt-Drop stem, the elegant choice for a stem you can really wail on if you need to. Trail-approved by Nitto's ultra-rigorous tests. Rivendell/Dia-Compe Silver2 shifters. These came out around when I got the frame. They're the greatest shifters ever made. Brooks B17 saddle, a sure thing. The SON dynamo hub is new, replacing a Shutter Precision which had to replace an entry-level Shimano elsewhere Kasai Trail Beam headlight, for wide beams in the woods at night. It also has a USB port to charge a battery pack. Nitto R14 rack, which is supposed to be a rear bag-support rack. It doesn't get a huge front load, mostly my lightweight sleeping gear, maybe a shirt that needs to dry from a storm. Bassi Classic Triple crank. The range is appropriately large, and perfect for touring wherever I please. MKS Grip-King (Lambda), I was riding in sandals the day before taking these pictures, so super-wide super-supportive pedals were just right. SRAM 11-36t 10-speed cassette, because I get a perverse pleasure from fritcion shifting a 9-speed derailer over a 10-speed cassette. When it's worn I'll replace it with a 9-speed, or an 8-speed, or whatever's in stock. The Widefoot Cargo cage underneath the downtube gets my Nalgene strapped to it on tour. King Cage bottle cages are my new favourite. Affordable and tough, not to mention the good looks. WTB Nano 29 x 2.1" tires. As you can tell from the cleanliness of the bike, great for mud but I like them on everything but perfectly smooth pavement, so great on most tours. Nice and grippy on gravelly climbs as well. Carradice Nelson Longflap, a laughably huge saddlebag, which fits everything necessary for a weekend tour and expands ever bigger with the Longflap folded out. The side pockets don't fit a Nalgene, but only just. Swift Gibby stem bag, this year's Campout edition in coral. I needed a bag, it was in stock, and it was a cute pink. One-handed action is really practical! Not pictured: The frame pump, a pleasure to use and quick to inflate. The beat-up Ortlieb pannier bags The fenders and smooth tires, they're pretty quick to change into for riding and touring on roads and in the rainy months. Words and pictures by me
JD's Bloomfield
It had been a while since JD treated himself to a new bike. Knife making, building a cabin in the woods and being a father of two on top of running the shop left little time for riding anyway. He chose the Bloomfield as his freshest canvas, maybe as a throwback to the very first frame he co-designed for Bassi 13 years ago, the Roma-Tokyo. While the Bloomfield took the old R-T and asked why you would ever want to limit yourself to 25c tires, JD takes it a step further by questioning brake choice. Seeing as his Bloom would serve mainly for off-pavement shenanigans, why wouldn’t you opt for the strongest rim brakes available? So, being no stranger to the torch, he took it upon himself to answer that query. The result is a pretty badass looking ride that has already proven itself to be a blast to ride on the most unkempt dirt roads. Should the V2 Bloomfield feature posts for cantilevers/v-brakes? Let us know in the comments below! Pics by the master of the blade @devolution514
3 Staff Bloomfields
Bloom1, tracklothrowback: Fixed-gear brakeless like it’s 2009. The most direct nod to the now-retired Roma-Tokyo, the frame that started it all. 650x48B Ultradynamico Cava Races, 42x16 gearing, 3/32 Izumi Super Toughness and Sim Works MowMow keep it light, zippy and fun! Bloom2, bloomuter: The coaster-brake, dynamo and custom rando rack build showcase how this Bloomer is fit for purpose as a reliable, low-maintenance, commuter. 36-spoked front and rear wheels make it pretty bombproof too! This one will eventually be getting fenders and a front brake as soon as its owner makes up their mind. Bloom3, bloomdonneur: This rando-tastic build was made with long days of dirt road exploring in mind! Crust Towel rack, Ron’s Fabio’s Chest bag, Mone’s souped-up coaster-brake hub, White Industries crank, 650x43B Sim Works Homage tires and Honjo Fenders make for one dreamy Bloomie! Hit us up to get your dream Bloomie build started! Photos by @Jochhoo
Julian's 2x2 HB
And now for something completely different. I've ridden quite a few iterations of this frame, starting with the prototype which first landed three years ago now. The Hog's Back, with its mile-long top tube, was very much intended to be built with swept back, wide, comfy handlebars, and initially, that's what we expected everyone's build to feature. Then something a little unexpected happened: people started building it with drop bars. Early adopters were friends Keith, and James and Candice at Analog Cycles, whose Discord Components stems help shorten the reach to achieve this kind of setup. It caught on so much that we ended up offering a drop bar build as a stock option. I felt that I needed to see what the hype was all about, so I built myself a road bike! I was also wondering what was up with everyone's wide-as Cowchipper bars, so I built it up with a 52cm and love it. Chunky descents are a breeze, just keep your hands in the drops for quick brake grabs. Speaking of brakes, these TRP RRL levers are just the comfiest! I'm also quite fond of the Newbaum's cushioned cotton bartape. I love the way it soaks up the UV and fades, just like some of my favourite black t-shirts. The fraying is fun too. Sim Works Super Yummy. They live up to their name. Moderate but grabby tread and peanut butter sidewalls do great on smooth, chunky, and everything in between. Plus they look fantastic! 2008 fixie craze me is stoked that colours are back on bikes! Pops of purple here and there keep this build exciting - the Widefoot cage, Paul QR seatpost collar, and White Industries headset were a couple indulgences I felt were crucial to get this bike looking just right. These pedals are something else. They're Shimano Deore XT PD-M730s, produced between 1986 and 1993. I've never enjoyed a platform pedal so much. I like their asymmetry and black/silver combo. If you're hunting for a used pair, make sure to get this wider version, not the more conventionally shaped and smaller PD-M735. Or treat yourself and order a NOS pair from Chillin ATB Antique Dealer. My mountain bike friends keep teasing me for not having a dropper post, so this one's for them! And here's the weirdest part. We're living in a strange time, and parts sourcing for our customer's builds has been a challenge, to say the least. I feel as though every day I'm becoming (evolving? regressing?) more and more into the old-timey retro-grouch club. I pore over back copies of Rivendell Readers, gripe about new groupsets and their lack of inter-changeability, am terrified of electrification, and covet parts that are as old as me. This build is very much an expression of that. It's a 2x2 transmission, inspired by our friends and Bassi dealers Crumbworks. It's got a double crank (40/34) in the front that I manually shift (upshift with my hand, downshift with my toe) and a double freewheel (20/22) that I shift with the barrel adjuster on the Shimano 600 (6100 series) derailleur. It may seem strange, or dumb, but I'm into the simplicity. A lot of my bikes are single speeds and albeit a slight departure from that, this transmission gets me in the same mind set. Since I don't shift with my hands while riding, I always feel as though I'm in the right gear and adjust my cadence and effort accordingly. It's fun, try it! All said and done, I've been stoked with this build. I rode it on Matt's yearly Dynamo ride, inspired by classic UK overnighter Dunwich Dynamo. It did fantastically on the rolling hills of the Rivière Rouge and was plenty comfy for a hallucinatory overnight 150km. Then I rode it for a week with a bikepacking setup in the Chic-Choc mountains in Gaspésie, where you can find the namesake for the Hog's Back. Cruising the ATV trails of Réserve Faunique Matane, climbing up Mount Logan, wild descents in Parc National de la Gaspésie, long rolling gravel days to Murdochville, power line rough stuff, riverside doubletrack, Mont Béchervaise single track, and a glorious finish in Parc Forillon were all a pleasure on this whip. Check out the route here, we had a great time and I'd recommend it to anyone! What's on it Hog's Back Frameset, sparkly beige, 51cm White Industries EC34 Headset, Purple Tange Bottom Bracket Bassi Classic Double Crank, but with the big ring swapped out for a 40 Shimano Deore XT PD-M730 Pedals SRAM PC-870 Chain White Industries Double Freewheel, 20/22 White Industries ENO rear hub, in case I want to pull the derailleur and single speed it Sapim Race double butted Spokes Velocity Blunt 35 Rims Sim Works Super Yummy Tires, 26" TRP RRL Brake Levers, hoods swapped out to match the peanut butter sidewalls TRP Spyre Brake Calipers Paul QR Seatpost Collar Bassi Forged Seatpost Brooks C17 Saddle 49N Stem, which I'll swap out for a Discord Peeper now that I'm sure the fit is right Salsa Cowchipper Handlebar, 52cm Newbaum's Cushioned Bartape Widefoot CargoMount Cage Pix by @jochhoo, @jenny_bernier, and me