# Any Revindell experts out there?



## then8j (Feb 16, 2021)

I was given 2 Rivendell bike recently and they are all new to me.
can anyone give some input


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## Freqman1 (Feb 16, 2021)

Damn that is one tall frame! @juvela


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## cyclingday (Feb 16, 2021)

Grant Peterson


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## Eric Amlie (Feb 17, 2021)

You are a very lucky person to be given those!
That Rambouillet is a very nice bike.
I've wanted one for years.


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## then8j (Feb 17, 2021)

Thank you, it is a nice bicycle.....really tall. I cant seem to find much information about them.....

grant Peterson....


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## Roger Henning (Feb 17, 2021)

Grant is the owner of Rivendale and used to run Bridgestone when they were in the USA in the 1990s.  No nonsense guy who sells very good bikes.  Roger


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## then8j (Feb 17, 2021)

I just got back from meeting Grant Peterson. Super nice guy.
He filled me in on the history and details of these bikes and a great resource for any parts I may need.


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## bulldog1935 (Mar 1, 2021)

you were given a fortune in fine bicycles


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## HARPO (Mar 1, 2021)

LOVE the orange! The bike looks like it just came out of the box!!


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## sykerocker (Mar 1, 2021)

The difference between The CABE and Bikeforums.net:  Asking that question here has me answering as #10 over a period of nine days.  Asking it at the other forum, we'd already be on page 12 of the comments, at least two members would be at the point that you never, ever put them within arm's reach of each other, and tempers are flaring.  And it happens every time someone starts a thread on the brand.

As had been mentioned, Rivendell is the brainchild of Grant Peterson, one of the more important figures in the American lugged steel frame bicycle philosophy.  In geometry, materials used, and intent, a Rivendell is, by design, as far away as you can get from a modern carbon fiber racing bike.  And Grant's attitude in cycling is as far as you can get from the lycra-clad "Lance Armstrong" rider.

His bikes are excellent.  And expensive.  And desirable.  At the Westminster, MD swap meet I've never seen one for sale for less than four figures.   And, to a lot of owners, they're as much of a religious experience as they are a bicycle (the closest parallel I've seen is Brompton's among the folding bike crowd).  There's a lot of philosophy behind them, if you're curious the website is rivbike.com.

Grant's currently on a new quest - rethinking the mountain bike, which in his eyes has degenerated to a pedal-powered motocross bike.

You've been given something wonderful there.  Hopefully, at least one of them is in your size.  Enjoy.  I'm jealous as hell.


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## bricycle (Mar 1, 2021)

I'm sorry, that would be *Riverdale*.....


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## juvela (Mar 1, 2021)

Freqman1 said:


> Damn that is one tall frame! @juvela




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Fear I have little to contribute to the thread.  

First met Grant in '77 when he was clerking at the REI branch in Berkeley, California.

When he became the head of Bridgestone USA his particularness regarding cycle fittings had the effect of making the products less competitive with other marques on a "bang for buck" scale.

Industry in Japan, for example, is organised on a _keiretsu_ basis - what we might term in the West a trade association or export group.  In the cycle trade names such as Maeda, Sugino, DiaCompe, KKT, Sansin Matsumoto, & others were all part of one group.  Grant invariably made specifications for the Bridgestone products which went across _keiretsu. _This has the effect of raising costs at the OEM level.

When the Bridgestone XO-1 launched I "got" it instantly and loved the concept.  XO-1's are highly valued today at the "pre-owned" level.

When the Rivendell entity launched received the first couple issues of The Rivendell Reader.  Always enjoyed them.

As time went forward Grant kept making new marques and I failed to keep up.  It got to where I would see a machine locked up somewhere tranferred with an unfamiliar name but which appeared decidedly Grantian; so I would figure it was yet another of his badges.

Humourous anecdote: one o' me other interests is coffee.  Some years back stopped in at a relatively new small storefront roastery / coffee bar in Santa Barbara which had been begun by some cyclists.

Just inside the door and leaning up against the then idle roaster was a cycle of a marque unknown to me.  It had a decidedly Grantian appearance so I asked the counterperson if it was one of the Grantian marques and it was not.  

Enjoy these fabulous treasures!  


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## Iverider (Mar 2, 2021)

Given? Someone must like you.


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## bulldog1935 (Mar 3, 2021)

well, now Grant drives a Ferrari - of course, only when he's not pedaling.


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## dnc1 (Mar 3, 2021)

sykerocker said:


> The difference between The CABE and Bikeforums.net:  Asking that question here has me answering as #10 over a period of nine days.  Asking it at the other forum, we'd already be on page 12 of the comments, at least two members would be at the point that you never, ever put them within arm's reach of each other, and tempers are flaring.  And it happens every time someone starts a thread on the brand.
> 
> As had been mentioned, Rivendell is the brainchild of Grant Peterson, one of the more important figures in the American lugged steel frame bicycle philosophy.  In geometry, materials used, and intent, a Rivendell is, by design, as far away as you can get from a modern carbon fiber racing bike.  And Grant's attitude in cycling is as far as you can get from the lycra-clad "Lance Armstrong" rider.
> 
> ...









If you think Brompton owners are on a par with Rivendell owners, just wait till you meet one of the Moulton crowd; enthusiastic is nowhere near an adequate word! Lol!


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## juvela (Mar 3, 2021)

dnc1 said:


> View attachment 1366695
> 
> 
> 
> If you think Brompton owners are on a par with Rivendell owners, just wait till you meet one of the Moulton crowd; enthusiastic is nowhere near an adequate word! Lol!




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...the only cycles i know of of which it can be said that they are "estate bottled"...

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## gkeep (Mar 3, 2021)

My office mate has a stable of custom builds from them and loves them. He's 6'4" so takes a tall frame. Another friend has one of the touring models and also loves it. Well built and from what I hear excellent customer service if any repairs are need due to operator error or accident. Enjoy them!


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## then8j (Mar 5, 2021)

What really surprised me about meeting Grant the other day was that he didn’t seem to know that very much about the older cruisers, like Elgin and Dayton.
I am going to ride my twin bar over to show to him, maybe the lack of a seat post tube might inspire a whole new bike.

I have both of these Revindell bikes up and going. I am surprised with how comfortable both of them are.

Yes they were giving to me by a client that “ has more money then sense (cents)”

putting the orange one together he stripped/crossthreaded the rear derailer onto the frame and stopped working on building it .........in 2003.
the green one has been across the country and up and down highway 1 on the west coast. He estimated over 5000 miles. I just had it rebuilt with all new old stock parts, that he also gave me, so it feels brand new.

I think that i will keep them around for a little while.

I like the people here on theCabe much much much better then on the other forum.


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## Allrounderco (Jun 6, 2021)

bulldog1935 said:


> well, now Grant drives a Ferrari - of course, only when he's not pedaling.



Grant drives, yes. But does not own a car. He's mentioned this in his Blagh within the last year or so.


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## Allrounderco (Jun 6, 2021)

I don't like the Brompton / Riv comparison, but I can't disagree with it, either. Also, I happen to own one of each. 

Rivendell is a fantastic company.who builds fantastic bikes. Price aside, I feel they are a great value. Brompton on the other hand, has become very much a brand, with all their special editions, and color choices. The whole lifestyle accessory aspect just isn't my thing. But I do realize many Rivendell owners fetishize their bikes. Just like many Brompton owners fully realize the utility of their rides. The difference, in my view, is the way they are marketed. Just look at the resale value of a 20 year old Brompton versus a 20 year old Riv.


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