[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by ravdg316

Joe, you're right here about the Roadeo and Rivendell's genuine willingness to let customers use modern-ish parts. However, Rivendell is still synonymous with terms like "Retro-Grouch." Reality may be different (a Google search shows the word "grouch" isn't used even once on the entire website), but public perception can't be denied.

Not every potential customer is going to dive deeply into Grant's nuanced philosophy on modern parts.

Riv's primary website photo is of a Sam Hillborne with Albatross bars placed way above the saddle, thumbshifters, long-reach brakes and a threaded headset. This is the first photo a brand new customer engages with on the site. There's nothing wrong with this, but the 30-something who's in decent shape and just spent a year on an entry-level Trek road bike is going to look at this picture and potentially be turned off altogether. It's just too far gone from what his buddies ride. He won't even bother digging deep enough into the site to discover the Roadeo. He's gone!

I would love to see Riv showcase a beautiful, lugged Riv road bike with a horizontal top tube and modern-ish parts as the primary photo. The Trek rider would immediately recognize it as something different but familiar and relatable, and Riv will then be able to ease that Trek rider gently into the Riv philosophy. Trekster's gotta learn to walk before he learns to run.

I am not sure about that. People that are into that aspect of road cycling do not want a Riv, even if the picture shows the bike kitted out with road parts. I don't think Rivs savior is in modern rim brake road bikes.