Rivendell customer service is very good

03-03-2005, 05:07 PM

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.

03-03-2005, 07:23 PM

"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

03-03-2005, 07:23 PM

"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

03-04-2005, 05:12 AM

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: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] 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.

03-04-2005, 05:12 AM

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: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] 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.

03-04-2005, 05:13 AM

In article <zpRVd.734$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthlink.net >,
"mark" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

03-04-2005, 05:13 AM

In article <zpRVd.734$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthlink.net >,
"mark" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

03-04-2005, 08:30 AM

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.

03-04-2005, 08:30 AM

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.

03-04-2005, 11:52 AM

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.