Rivendell customer service is very good

I paid Rivendell $20 on Sunday for a subscription to the Rivendell Reader
and a catalog. It was mailed on Monday, and arrived here in Florida on
Wednesday, which was surprising. I read the catalog and I'm starting to
think they're on to something with the whole "functional bike" thing. I'm
not financially able to buy a Rivendell now, but I'm considering buying a
longer stem to get my bars even with my saddle. Not knowing what I needed, I
called Rivendell. I spent 20 minutes on the phone with Rich, who worked with
the limited info I was able to give(called from work, no bike to measure),
and he gave me an idea what I needed, but wanted me to measure and get back
to him. No pressure. I'm going to buy the Nitto Technomic stem and if
raising the bars makes things more comfortable, I think I'm going to put
down a deposit on a Rivendell custom. 2 years wait and $3500-$4000, but I
think that will be the bike I hand down to my kids.

"Gooserider" wrote
I paid Rivendell $20 on Sunday for a subscription to the Rivendell Reader
and a catalog. It was mailed on Monday, and arrived here in Florida on
Wednesday, which was surprising. I read the catalog and I'm starting to
think they're on to something with the whole "functional bike" thing. I'm
not financially able to buy a Rivendell now, but I'm considering buying a
longer stem to get my bars even with my saddle. Not knowing what I needed,
I
called Rivendell. I spent 20 minutes on the phone with Rich, who worked
with
the limited info I was able to give(called from work, no bike to measure),
and he gave me an idea what I needed, but wanted me to measure and get
back
to him. No pressure. I'm going to buy the Nitto Technomic stem and if
raising the bars makes things more comfortable, I think I'm going to put
down a deposit on a Rivendell custom. 2 years wait and $3500-$4000, but I
think that will be the bike I hand down to my kids.

Rivendell has been consistently excellent to do business with. I've had a
Riv touring frame for almost 4 years now, and I don't ever plan on replacing
it (although I would love to have another Riv for fast day rides).
--
mark

Gooserider wrote:
I paid Rivendell $20 on Sunday for a subscription to the Rivendell
Reader
and a catalog. It was mailed on Monday, and arrived here in Florida
on
Wednesday, which was surprising. I read the catalog and I'm starting
to
think they're on to something with the whole "functional bike" thing.
I'm
not financially able to buy a Rivendell now, but I'm considering
buying a
longer stem to get my bars even with my saddle. Not knowing what I
needed, I
called Rivendell. I spent 20 minutes on the phone with Rich, who
worked with
the limited info I was able to give(called from work, no bike to
measure),
and he gave me an idea what I needed, but wanted me to measure and
get back
to him. No pressure. I'm going to buy the Nitto Technomic stem and if
raising the bars makes things more comfortable, I think I'm going to
put
down a deposit on a Rivendell custom. 2 years wait and $3500-$4000,
but I
think that will be the bike I hand down to my kids.

Whatever. See: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html for a
discussion of bar height & options to increase. There's a link on that
page to Harris parts, including the Nitto.

Sheldon & the folks at Harris are very friendly, don't require a
subscription or a waiting list.

In article ,
"mark" wrote:

"Gooserider" wrote
I paid Rivendell $20 on Sunday for a subscription to the Rivendell Reader
and a catalog. It was mailed on Monday, and arrived here in Florida on
Wednesday, which was surprising. I read the catalog and I'm starting to
think they're on to something with the whole "functional bike" thing.

raising the bars makes things more comfortable, I think I'm going to put
down a deposit on a Rivendell custom. 2 years wait and $3500-$4000, but I
think that will be the bike I hand down to my kids.

Rivendell has been consistently excellent to do business with. I've had a
Riv touring frame for almost 4 years now, and I don't ever plan on replacing
it (although I would love to have another Riv for fast day rides).

I've considered Rivendell, but I'd really like to see what they could do
if they committed themselves to building something out of carbon fibre
in compact geometry, you know, sort of an elite touring version of a
Giant TCR Zero.

Ducks, runs,
--
Ryan Cousineau, http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

Peter Cole wrote:


Sheldon & the folks at Harris are very friendly, don't require a
subscription or a waiting list.

The folks at Harris are fine, as you say. But Rivendell doesn't
"require a subscription." If you want to buy something there, you can
just buy it. If you want to subscribe to their newsletter, you can
just subscribe. (I think it's well worth it just for the interesting
viewpoint and interesting writing.)

Regarding the waiting list: That's only for their custom or
semi-custom bike frames. Rivendell is a tiny operation selling bikes
that are works of functional art. It's the market segment they choose
to serve.

MOre ordinary bikes are fine too, of course. It's all in what you
want.

I don't get the Rivendell stuff.

They make bikes like they used to be made. Lugged frames, etc., only
they charge huge prices. Why not just get an old bike that was made
the way they used to make them- you can pick one up out of a dumpster
or pay $5 at a police auction. Then spend a few bucks on replacing
the busted parts, or maybe even upgrading them and Voila! you have a
Rivendell for about 1/100th - 1/10 th the cost.

I am always amazed at how so many people will pay crazy prices for
things they can easily do themselves for much lower cost.

I haven't got a clue.

On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 14:52:02 -0600, kituyjkm wrote:

They make bikes like they used to be made.

Only better. Riv makes some choices with frame design and tubing that
is quite different than the older rides. I wouldn't mind if they did a
lugless steel frame with the same design characteristics for less money
though--but that's what we have Surly for right? :P

I agree about recycling old frames though. I ride an old 70s frame myself
and total cost w/parts was @ 300 usd--I get asked quite often if it's a
Riv or from Momovelo, and I love telling them, no, it's from the Salvation
Army.

kituyjkm wrote:

I don't get the Rivendell stuff.

They make bikes like they used to be made. Lugged frames, etc., only
they charge huge prices. Why not just get an old bike that was made
the way they used to make them- you can pick one up out of a dumpster
or pay $5 at a police auction. Then spend a few bucks on replacing
the busted parts, or maybe even upgrading them and Voila! you have a
Rivendell for about 1/100th - 1/10 th the cost.

I am always amazed at how so many people will pay crazy prices for
things they can easily do themselves for much lower cost.

That's all fine if you have the time, ability, and inclination to do it. Some
people don't. They have the money to spend, and they're happy to spend it --
especially to support artisans and small businesses. If there weren't people
willing to "pay too much" for things, a lot of these things would disappear.
What is it that Oscar Wilde said, about people who know the price of everything,
but the value of nothing?

Matt O.

kituyjkm wrote:
I don't get the Rivendell stuff.

They make bikes like they used to be made. Lugged frames, etc., only
they charge huge prices. Why not just get an old bike that was made
the way they used to make them- you can pick one up out of a dumpster
or pay $5 at a police auction. Then spend a few bucks on replacing
the busted parts, or maybe even upgrading them and Voila! you have a
Rivendell for about 1/100th - 1/10 th the cost.

I am always amazed at how so many people will pay crazy prices for
things they can easily do themselves for much lower cost.

I haven't got a clue.

One clue I've picked up over the years is this: When you look at
something done purposely that seems to make no practical sense, it's
likely "art."

This applies to weird sculptures outside of buildings, odd assemblances
of colors and shapes in frames on a wall, and strange sounds sometimes
called "music." Heck, it applies to _all_ music, when you think about
it.

Sure, a *-mart Huffy or a dumpster bike can be a functional bike. A
semi-generic low-end Trek can be much more functional in many ways.
But a Rivendell is much more beautiful, to those who appreciate the art.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Peter Cole wrote:


Sheldon & the folks at Harris are very friendly, don't require a
subscription or a waiting list.

The folks at Harris are fine, as you say. But Rivendell doesn't
"require a subscription." If you want to buy something there, you can
just buy it. If you want to subscribe to their newsletter, you can
just subscribe. (I think it's well worth it just for the interesting
viewpoint and interesting writing.)

Regarding the waiting list: That's only for their custom or
semi-custom bike frames. Rivendell is a tiny operation selling bikes
that are works of functional art. It's the market segment they choose
to serve.

MOre ordinary bikes are fine too, of course. It's all in what you
want.

Exactly, Frank. I know I could be fitted for a Trek 520 and with a few parts
changes I would have a bike that is functionally the same(fenders, racks,
low gears, high bars, etc). But it's not the same. I want a piece of
functional art that has a builder's sweat and soul poured into it. :-)