Rivendell Bombadil: my personal two week fling
I recently had the capacity so you’re able to carefully test drive the brand new 52cm twin-top-tubed Rivendell Bombadil prototype, and in small, I can conclude similar to this: this new Bombadil try a bike that is going to elevates by the wonder.Rivendell touts La Bomba due to the fact « a stout-tubed mountain bicycle to possess harsh driving and you can big tons. It is really not Dutch-big, but by modern requirements off high priced, okay cycles, it’s available to you toward line. »
The only thing I was thinking when i first chosen it up are, « kid, this point is actually white! » I was not the only person one to consider thus; most of the cyclist buddy one to took place to eliminate of the my house while in the my personal date towards Bomba said the same thing, none coaxed neither dependent on me.
Configurations Offer had place brand new bike right up for themselves, and that i envision it’s been their fundamental steed to have a great while, while the he’s exercise the fresh new kinks and tweaking anything. Thus, once i chosen the brand new bicycle right up, We got it as try.
La Bomba are wear the brand new Pacenti Quasi-moto 650Bx2″ rims, being recharged because Pacenti’s hardpack tire. I am able to article various other remark into those tires, however, I am going to you need to be quick right here and you may report that escort babylon Fort Wayne he could be easily competitive with one XC race tire You will find actually ever put, and that i used loads of competition tires back to my personal off-path triathlon months. They’ve been desperate, it move perfectly, and the deluxe basis is that regarding a beneficial Cadillac. Higher wheels, and you can I’m hoping one to Kirk’s the newest quicker knobby have a tendency to fit my personal Bleriot.
This new cockpit is arranged with 46cm Pasta, and you will flash install shifters into the flat part of the bar. It actually was plus suitable with a brand new build Tektro brake lever (undecided of your own model) that appeared a smooth scoop-eg lever – excellent to touch. Certain purists you will cry heresy along side V-brake system, however they was basically alright in my situation.
Saturday
The initial thing I did so try lower the pubs a couple from legs (joking! only a couple of in!). Immediately following screwing it for many months, I might have well-known an apartment hill-concept handlebar. I discovered that in the Chico’s really tech eruptive landscapes, that we would have to be on the drops quite a bit simply to have more influence into the brakes. That is much more a direct result the newest landscapes in which I live, and you can my choice, so never bring it given that a suggestion otherwise things by doing this.
The greatest gripe I got having Grant’s handlebar options had been the newest rubbing thumb shifters. I take advantage of friction thumbies back at my Bleriot, however, on this bicycle it never somewhat, um, engaged personally. First of all, the brand new thumbies believed in the way when i rode with my practical the flat a portion of the club. Finally, each time I made use of the most useful-n-apartment the main club, the fresh jarring surface do cause my personal hand in order to a little contact brand new shifters. After a few minutes from operating I’d need certainly to skinny brand new shifter a bit to eradicate strings rub and you will/or unintended rear shifts.
Again, I feel like this comes from the newest landscapes here. If i rode simpler single-track, fire roads, reg’lar courses otherwise gravel roads it would have-not come an thing. Below was a photo of a beneficial « trail » in the Chico on which I checked out the latest Bombadil.
Easily would be to setup personal Bombadil to own natural off-highway operating in the Chico/Sierras/Shasta urban area, I would fool around with a hill apartment bar and MTB braking system levers which have trigger shifters. Brand new liberty for the bike stands out when thinking about just how to set it whether or not, because you you can expect to rig it a pure hill bicycle, a taking a trip bike, an epic Concert tour Using Tibet bicycle, or just an effective every-rounder. Any of these setups perform suit the latest Bombadil.