The New Yorker article on Grant Petersen and Rivendell

[redir]

BTW don't get me wrong I'd love to have one of his bikes. Lets see some more Paceliner Rivendell pics!

BTW I can only imagine he came up with the name Rivendell based on JRR Tokein so I love everything about that.

[pdxharth]

I thought this was worth repeating about that Roadeo! Could not state it better than Julian did.

Also came here to say that Grant Petersen is a class act. It hurts a bit to see so many being harsh about such a nice, kind, low-key person who has a positive effect on the world in many ways. He is a bike person. Period. Dedicated his life to putting good bikes out there. He does not hate Lycra or racing or racers that I have ever heard or read. He does have issues with the racing-driven bike industry, but that is not difficult to justify. He has made my life better, for sure.

Originally Posted by julian3141

Wow that bike rips!

[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by raygunner

No mention of his New York Times bestseller, "Eat Bacon, Don't Jog"? And did I miss anything about long chainstays?

In that book, he recommends putting two to five tablespoons of butter or cream in your tea or coffee.

I think he's the only person in the bike business who would tell you to eat fewer carbs (or none at all) and ride less.

[julian3141]

Originally Posted by pdxharth

I thought this was worth repeating about that Roadeo! Could not state it better than Julian did.

Also came here to say that Grant Petersen is a class act. It hurts a bit to see so many being harsh about such a nice, kind, low-key person who has a positive effect on the world in many ways. He is a bike person. Period. Dedicated his life to putting good bikes out there. He does not hate Lycra or racing or racers that I have ever heard or read. He does have issues with the racing-driven bike industry, but that is not difficult to justify. He has made my life better, for sure.

for reasons I cant fully explain I have always loved the retro modern thing. Kirk, Bishop, and Sachs do it so well

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by redir

BTW I can only imagine he came up with the name Rivendell based on JRR Tokein so I love everything about that.

I'm certain there is some influence there (I mean there was a Legolas frame), but if I remember the story right, Grant was a big fan of a hiking/backpacking gear company named Rivendell Mountain Works and fashioned his company's name after that..

and here is my Homer that I inherited from my dad in dropbar form..

[jr59]

Here is one of mine

[rccardr]

'95 Road Standard, respray by JB:

[Kirk Pacenti]

Originally Posted by rccardr

'95 Road Standard, respray by JB:

Nice! the 94/95 Rivendell road bikes inspired my posters...

[commandcomm]

For those that followed the trends, Grant pushed the wide tire and gravel bike trend in the 1990s to push back against the 23mm and 25mm. Jan bought a Rivendell because it was one of the few frames he could find with wider tires that was not just for touring.

With all of the gravel bikes out there, Rivendell was one of the first to make the all around bike with wider tires that can ride on the road and dirt trails. In 2006, he called the A. Homer Hilsen a county bike that you can everything. Who else was making a bike like this in 2006 that was not custom? Here is his explanation from the Rivendell Reader complements if Cyclofiend. http://cyclofiend.com/Images/rbw/rr38_pg44lg.jpg

I always respected Grant for persevering in a tough industry while selling what he wants and sticking to his ideals.

[tellyho]

Originally Posted by fourflys

I'm certain there is some influence there (I mean there was a Legolas frame), but if I remember the story right, Grant was a big fan of a hiking/backpacking gear company named Rivendell Mountain Works and fashioned his company's name after that..

I think there was a closer Tolkien cause. There were multiple models with Tolkien names and I think the estate eventually forced Riv to cease and desist.

[tellyho]

Honestly, if you want a wild / trippy experience, join the RBW Google group. It's like a different branch of the bicycle evolutionary tree. It looks kind of like our world in essential details (spending large amounts of $$ on bikes and related equipment), but it's almost entirely different in what those bikes and equipment are. I find it kind of anthropological.

[thwart]

Pics? Here’s my Romulus.



In its element, ‘under-biking’… just as Grant would probably want it used.

[hummus_aquinas]

Long stay Riv era is the best. I had an early homer and ram and they were wildly boring.
I find Rivendell's ethos far more palatable than whatever the current/typical bike industry is pushing at the moment. I'd rather see their low-normal 9spd rear derailleur potentially come into existence over endless gravel bike, earth tone lycra, tattoo guy marketing.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by redir

BTW I can only imagine he came up with the name Rivendell based on JRR Tokein so I love everything about that.

I thought it was in homage to Rivendell Mountain Works, but I could be wrong. And they likely got their name from Tolkien.

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by tellyho

I think there was a closer Tolkien cause. There were multiple models with Tolkien names and I think the estate eventually forced Riv to cease and desist.

for those interested, here is the origin of the name..

https://www.rivbike.com/pages/rivend...repel%20arrows.