My Rivendell Clem is on it's way to Connecticut, where I hope the new owner will love it's smooth ride and easy step through design. I liked the wide low double gearing - something that may grace my next bike! Panaracer Pasela tires are old favorites, plus the new Soma Oxford bars were A-1 comfort, a definite improvement over the stock Boscos.
Trying to make the Clem my forever touring bike, though, had it's drawbacks. It's long. It's heavy. In the end, those two factors were not something I could live with and avoided even riding the Clem, barring a multiday trip, where low gearing was needed. In the future, I will never order a bike online - especially an expensive one - without trying it first.
I do have a replacement in the queue, building from the frame up - first time for everything! I won't be doing the work myself but rather providing input. Light wheels for starters. More on my Beaujolais babe later.
For now, goodbye Miss Clem. May you provide the next rider with lots of smiles.
Glad it went to a good home! Yeah, it's hard buying a bike sight unseen and not knowing if it's going to be right for you. I know a lot of people like Clems and Rivendell in general, so it's not too risky to buy one of their bikes. Now ordering a custom frame and hoping it all works out...
ReplyDeleteShawn
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Ordering a custom frame sounds scary...not sure I would ever have the need for one either.
DeleteI still remember being envious when your Clem arrived. Perhaps I am showing my age liking a longer slower comfortable ride. Someone is going to be lucky, she looks like new. Then again you are going to get the joy of building up something exactly as you want it and that is priceless.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteIt's hard to give up a nice bike, especially when you had high hopes for it. But sometimes it doesn't work out. Let's hope that it works out for its new owner.
ReplyDeleteI love my Clem but I know what you men about it being long and heavy, especially since I have racks and generator lighting on mine. That makes it hard to take on public transit or even to load into a car. Most of the time I don't think about this at all because it's so much fun to ride.
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