The Rivendell Question

Owning a Rivendell bicycle is a wonderful experience, not only because it's a great bike to ride, but also because it seems to draw the attention of ... well, everyone.  While my other bikes would occasionally get a "nice bike" or a wave, there's rarely a ride on the Hunqapillar during which someone doesn't stop to look at it and ask about it.  It is, indeed, a beautiful bike, and I certainly have no problem in talking about it with people.

People generally have very nice things to say.  Since everyone's different, it's fun for me to hear the different things that catch different eyes.  Sometimes it's the colors in the frame.  Sometimes it's the cool woolly mammoth headbadge.  Other times it's the bags and racks, or the fenders, or the handlebars and cork grips, etc.

There's one question, though, that seems universal whenever someone who is unfamiliar with Rivendell asks about my bike.  You Riv owners out there already know this question, and are already laughing.  It usually goes something like this:

"Wow ... cool bike.  How old is it?"

I get it ... really, I do.  You see, in our world filled with modern high-tech thick-tubed molded carbon fiber and aluminum bicycle frames, it's a rare sight to see one with skinny steel tubes connected with artistic lugs.  A classically-styled bicycle is ASSUMED to be old, especially one with fat tires, fenders, racks, and bags, ridden by a dude who's obviously not dressed for any kind of training or racing.

"It was built way back in November of 2011."  That's what I tell them.  They're always shocked, having expected me to tell them about how it was passed down to me by my great grandfather who brought it back from Austria during the war, loved it more than life itself, and kept it in perfect condition for the past 75 years ... or something like that.

Sometimes I sense a slight disappointment because I didn't have a better back story of the bike's special history.  More often, though, I find that people are happy to hear bikes like this are not only still being made, but also offered with the perfect mix of classic style and modern technology.

"That looks like pure joy to ride", said one man after looking it over.  

Exactly ... that's the whole point.  It was built to be enjoyed.  Great classic style never truly gets "old", especially when there's as much quality in the workmanship as in the style.  I'm looking forward to the day when someone asks me how old it is, and I can tell them this:

"It was built way back in 2011 ... that was more than 30 years ago now, but I've been riding it ever since ... and it's still going strong ... somebody else will be riding it after I'm gone, I'll bet ..."

Review: Rivendell Sackville Bags Part 2!

It's time for Part 2 of the Rivendell Sackville Bags Review! WooHoo! In Part 1, I showed you the bags I'm using most often, the Medium SaddleSack and the SlickerSack/Platrack combo. In this second installment, I'd like to cover some of the other incredibly useful products from this great line. These are the ones I use slightly less often, which means not EVERY day, but frequently enough that I consider them to be invaluable tools.

Here's my disclaimer:  None of the products reviewed here were provided to me by the manufacturer or any retailer for evaluation. Nope. I'm not one of those famous bloggers who gets stuff for free. I purchased everything with my own money, and without any sort of special interweb journalist discount, so you can rest assured that the opinions expressed here are unbiased and come purely through my own experience ... good, bad, or otherwise. That being said, should any manufacturers out there wish to provide some cool bike-related products for ... ummm ... testing and evaluation ... I would likely be open to offering my honest review.

First, let's take a look at the Sackville ShopSacks. These handy bags are intended (and designed specifically) for use with Wald model 137 and 139 wire baskets. The Medium ShopSack fits the 15" model 137 basket, and the Large ShopSack fits the 18" model 139 basket.

Medium ShopSack & Wald 137 left - Large ShopSack & Wald 139 right

ShopSacks & Wald Baskets ... Brass Snap Hook attachment

The baskets can be purchased through Rivendell, as well as the Soma Fabrications Store (available here in both black and silver), and I'm guessing lots of other places for $20-$23. The ShopSacks will cost a bit more, but are well worth the price, as they are quite versatile both on and off the bike.

Either of the Wald baskets can be mounted to a front or rear rack with simple plastic zip ties, or with any number of creative applications of wire, Velcro straps, etc.  Once mounted to your rack, the appropriately-sized ShopSack just slips in and clips to the basket with two heavy-duty brass snap-hooks to keep it from moving about.

Heavy-Duty Brass Snap Hooks for attachment

Medium ShopSack & 137 Basket on my Surly LHT

This combination of bag and basket lets you carry all kinds of stuff. Although it was designed primarily as a grocery type tote bag, it comes in handy for carrying whatever you need for your daily commute ... clothes, books, lunch, personal items, and so on. It's made from Scottish all-cotton fabric and U.S. made military-spec webbing for the handles (per the Rivendell website). It goes on and off the bike in seconds, and stays put while it's there, keeping the contents secure with a nice strong zipper that has sturdy brass pulls. There's a strip of bright reflective material on one side that will be quite visible in headlights. The handles are sturdy, and long enough for a good grip or even to carry on your shoulder ... or if you prefer, you could attach another strap to the hooks.

Size-wise, the Medium ShopSack is a little bigger than a standard grocery bag, in that it is wider than it is tall, which makes putting stuff in and carrying it easier ... plus you can pack it more with heavier items, having no fear of a "bag failure". In practice, I find that I can usually put almost twice what I'd attempt in a standard grocery bag.

ShopSacks with standard grocery bag for reference ... but they actually hold  much more than it appears!

The Large ShopSack should really be called the "Huge" ShopSack, because that's just what it is. If you fill this bag with canned goods, you might need some help carrying it ... yes, it holds that much. It will hold an entire box of fire logs and a package of toilet paper. I know, I know ... why would I do that? Good question ... but one day I needed fire logs, the box was a great buy, and I had panniers and the huge ShopSack, so I bought them and loaded up with the rest of my groceries in the panniers. It all fit ... but I wouldn't recommend it unless your ride home is a short one.

Simple interior and WIDE opening for easy loading/unloading

While the cost may seem a bit high for what appears to be a basic shopping tote, I can tell you that it is much more than basic, and much more than just a shopping tote. I've been using one of the Medium ShopSacks for almost two years now, and it shows very little signs of wear. The zipper is still smooth and secure, the handles are strong as ever, the brass snap-hooks are still shiny and sturdy, and the fabric has only become softer with a bit of normal wear from scuffs and scrapes during regular use.

Sturdy zipper and heavy-duty brass pulls ... quality materials throughout

I've used this bag for grocery runs, carrying odd items on the bike, carrying miscellaneous audio/video gear to job locations, and as a carry-on bag for airline travel. It has performed so well that it is my "go-to" bag for ... well, for whenever I need a bag! We use one of the Large ShopSacks as a general purpose tool bag ... and beach-stuff bag ... and suitcase substitute. They're incredibly versatile, great-looking, and very durable. They will outlast any other bag of their kind, without doubt. When used for shopping by bike, they make life very easy, as you can take the bag in with you as your reusable grocery bag. No more extra plastic in the landfill, and no more flimsy store-brand reusable bags that break and wear out. Filled with stuff you buy, it then goes back in the basket for the ride home, then right into the house to unload ... and it is then ready for the next task.

Next up is a set of two bags that are possibly the most stylish of the whole line; the TrunkSacks. There are two sizes, Small and Large.

Sackville TrunkSacks: Small (left) and Large (right)

The Small TrunkSack is designed to be carried on a small front rack such as the Nitto Mark's Rack or Mini Front. The Large TrunkSack is designed to be carried on a rear rack, and will work with almost any type ... however, it is most perfectly mounted on a Nitto R-14 Top Rack. Attachment is simple, with a riveted leather panel that slips over the rack loop, and four brass snaps on leather straps that wrap around the rack rails. If your rack doesn't have a loop, don't worry ... the four snap straps are enough to keep it in place.

Riveted leather panel slips over the rack loop

Leather straps wrap around rack rails and attach with heavy brass snaps

The bags are closed with nice zippers and brass pulls, with leather storm flaps running along the sides to help keep water out in the event of rain. Although it's not technically waterproof, the fabric is quite water-repellent, and unless it's raining heavy, the inside should stay pretty dry. Keep in mind that I live in Southern California, though, so my expertise in rain gear might be the equivalent of an Eskimo instructing you on how to select summer beach attire.

There's some nice reflective material running all around the outside of the bag, which is very bright in nighttime conditions, as well as in the sunshine. The Large TrunkSack also has a leather loop for a rear light attachment ... a very nice little feature if you happen to ride after dark.

Leather light loop and reflective material for safety!

On the top of each bag are four brass "D" rings, secured with heavily stitched cotton. These can be helpful if you need a place to secure your jacket when you get too hot, or any other light-ish item that could be strapped on with a bungee cord. I've often clipped a shoulder strap on them as a way to carry the bag, since there's no built-in handle.

Sturdy brass "D" rings for strapping stuff on!

The inside of the TrunkSacks is very simple ... just an open space for whatever you want to put in. This is good, because it's not pre-configured with pockets or dividers that may not fit your particular needs. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that there is no padding to protect anything fragile. If you just drop in your keys and cell phone, they'll be free to roll around, rattle, and scratch each other at will. I have devised a couple of small modifications to help with this, and to make them custom fit for my application.

My small TrunkSack is generally used for any personal items I need for a ride ... phone, keys, wallet, garage door opener, handkerchief, small pad of paper and pen. To keep things from rattling around and give it all a little padding, I cut a piece from a bargain bin yoga mat to perfectly fit the interior space. The dense material adds some structure to maintain the box shape of the bag, and gives some padding for the contents. One yoga mat goes a long way for useful padding in lots of applications!

Small TrunkSack with Bargain Bin Yoga Mat Interior ... simple, effective, and cheap!

My Large TrunkSack was purchased to carry my Nikon DSLR, so it was an absolute necessity to add some protection for the camera. Sure, I could have just put some towels or an old sweatshirt in there, but that just isn't stylish enough ... and putting the camera in another bag inside this bag seemed tedious when I needed quick access. So after doing some measuring ... and experimenting with a few ideas ... going back to the drawing board and doing some research ... I stumbled across something that happens to work amazingly well and seems perfectly designed for this bag. Another bike bag company, Zimbale, makes a product called the Camera Protect Case that is designed for their saddle bag line ... and the 7/11 liter size fits the Large TrunkSack like a glove!

Large TrunkSack with Zimbale 7/11 liter Camera Protect Case insert.

The Zimbale insert nicely holds my Nikon with extra lens and extras.

With the modifications I've made, the TrunkSacks have been quite useful, and they are very stylish on the bike. They have a compact appearance, in spite of their interior capacity, and in my opinion, are the nicest looking rack-top bags available. They are quick to attach and even quicker to remove, and they are easily customized to fit a wide variety of applications.

Small TrunkSack in use!

Large TrunkSack in use!

Small and Large TrunkSacks ... stylish matching luggage for your bike!!

Well ... there you have it ... Rivendell Sackville Bags Part 2! Thanks for reading!!

Review: Rivendell Sackville Bags - Part 1

If you're like me, you like to bring stuff with you when you ride. After all, it's not simply about pedaling a bicycle ... it's also about finding fun things to take photos of, stopping to write down some notes of the inspired thought that would otherwise disappear by the time you get home, making sure you're equipped for minor road or trail mechanical emergencies, and so on. Basically, you want to have the stuff with you that you might need or find useful for your daily adventure. And who knows when you'll find some kind of unique treasure along the way that you just have to take home ...

It follows that if you're going to bring stuff with you, you'll need some place to put it while you ride ... something to carry it all in. Sure, you could just grab a backpack ... but then you have all that extra weight hanging around your neck, shoulders, and back ... and that can be restrictive, hot, and tiring ... and it makes the riding less fun. No ... you need bike baggage ... and I have some product reviews for you today that might be just what you're looking for.

Here's my disclaimer:  None of the products reviewed here were provided to me by the manufacturer or any retailer for evaluation. Nope. I'm not one of those famous bloggers who gets stuff for free. I purchased everything with my own money, and without any sort of special interweb journalist discount, so you can rest assured that the opinions expressed here are unbiased and come purely through my own experience ... good, bad, or otherwise. That being said, should any manufacturers out there wish to provide some cool bike-related products for ... ummm ... testing and evaluation ... I would likely be open to offering my honest review.

Rivendell Bicycle Works offers more than just a fine selection of bicycles. Among their other products is a line of bags designed for use on your bike. This set of bags is produced under the name Sackville:

I like the slogan "Sacks for Cyclers" ... sounds better than "Cyclists", don't you think?

The Sackville line is made in the good ol' USA, and the bags are constructed with high quality heavy weight waxed and waterproof cotton duck, with leather trim and brass hardware. Non-leather versions are available in some models for the anti-leather folks out there. Several styles are available, from simple tool rolls to handlebar bags, rack-top trunk bags, saddle bags, and some unique bags designed for basket use.

Today's review (Part 1 of 2) will focus on the two bags I'm currently using the most on my Hunqapillar. These are the Medium SaddleSack and the SlickerSack.

First, let's look at the Sackville Medium SaddleSack:

Lots of brass hardware for strapping on what can't fit inside!

Zippered pockets on both sides for easy access! Leather flaps to keep water out!

This bag has a large main compartment and two side zippered pockets. It is large enough to hold my toolkit, small camera tripod, notebook and pen, picnic blanket, and lunch with room to spare for an extra layer of clothing or extra camera gear. The side zip pockets are great for my cell phone, keys, and wallet. The bag comes with a snap-on pouch that could also be used for small valuable personal items, the idea being that you can quickly remove it and take it with you, leaving the saddlebag attached. I like the idea, but generally don't use it, since I'm always with my bike when I'm out (this is not my shopping bike ... too attractive to would-be thieves).

The main compartment is accessed through a large rear cover flap that has a nice strip of reflective material sewn on for safety. It's very bright when lights hit it at night, but is also very useful in the daytime ... can't imagine anyone not seeing this. The cover flap is secured with adjustable-length leather straps, smartly equipped with sturdy brass snap fittings for quick and easy opening and closing. This was an important feature for me, since buckling and unbuckling of the normal strap closures is tedious (and I'm often impatient).

Snap open ... just guide through the D-ring for opening or closing the main flap

Snap closed ... strong and secure ... fast and easy.  I like!

For the same reason, I really appreciate the zippered side pockets. Many large saddlebags use buckle closures on the straps for those, and it's just too much extra effort when I want to get in or out of the pocket. Zippers and snaps are fast and easy.

Inside the bag, you'll find a Corroplast plate attached to the bottom with wide Velcro strips to provide a stiff and stable shape, keeping the bag from getting droopy. It works very well, and is virtually weightless, but since it's a hard material, things can rattle around on top of it without some kind of padding. For this, I purchased a clearance bin fleece throw blanket and trimmed it to picnic size, then used it to line the bottom of the bag. It serves double purpose for providing bag padding and occasional lawn covering for actual picnic applications or if I need to lay the bike down for a quick tube replacement, etc. The main compartment has a large inner cotton duck storm flap that also helps to keep your stuff secured, and might even help keep it in the bag if you forget to snap the straps on the outer flap.

Inner flap covers and secures your stuff!

Inner flap open ... inside: tripod, camera strap, tools, and more!

Tools, spare tubes, large portable pump, notebook, picnic blanket ...room for more

This bag can be attached to just the loops on your Brooks saddle, with a strap around the seatpost, as the Corroplast stiffener will maintain the bottom shape. There are rings on the bottom of the bag if you need to raise it or provide some additional support in this mounting fashion. Or ... as I prefer to do, especially with a smaller bike frame ... you can mount the bag to a rear rack. Almost any rack will work, but I've opted to use a Nitto R-14 Top Rack, which can be positioned lower and closer to the seat tube than a standard rack on my small frame. This rack also has a U-shaped loop on top that fits into a leather slot on the bag front:

Leather slot fits over rack loop to secure the bag.

The main straps wrap around a sturdy wooden dowel inside the leather strip on the bag for solid support and stability, and are attached to the bag loops on my saddle:

Wooden dowel anchored straps attached to Brooks saddle bag loops

The bottom of the bag has a leather surface for abrasion resistance, with slots for additional security when mounting on a rack. I used two heavy zip ties to secure the back end of the bag to the rack top.

Zip ties through leather slots secure the bag and prevent any movement.

I almost forgot to mention this, since it's generally not a huge concern of mine, but this bag is very light. Looking at it, one might expect it to add considerable weight to the bike. In reality, although it's made from heavy-duty materials, those materials are also quite light in comparison to the weight of comparable bags or panniers. When empty, it feels the same to me as if there was no bag there at all. The only weight I ever notice is that of its contents, but even then, it's not a problem, because it's positioned properly where bike handling is not affected.

I love the Medium SaddleSack! It has made it possible for me to go ride without ever having concern for where I might put something. It's never more than I need ... and never less. I must admit that when I first received the shipment from Rivendell, I thought I may have made a mistake. I was unaccustomed to seeing a bag this large on my bike, and it almost looked like much more than I needed. However, after using it for a few days, it suddenly didn't look so out-of-place to me, and the usefulness has made me wonder why I waited so long. It is now just a part of my bike ... I put in what I need, take out what I don't, and don't even think about it being there when it's empty.

The second bag I use regularly now is the Sackville SlickerSack, which is unfortunately now discontinued (but still available as of this post writing). That's a real shame, because it's a brilliant design. I almost never got it, because it was fairly expensive, but when Rivendell had their first ever sale and put it on their "going away" list, I figured I'd better get one while I still could.

The SlickerSack was, according to the product information, designed to be the ultimate commuter bag for carrying a small laptop, books, or camera gear. It was made specifically to fit the Nitto Platrack (also now discontinued ... but still available as of this post writing). The Platrack is an add-on "porteur" style platform for a Nitto Mark's Rack or Mini Front Rack. The Platrack platform, once initially installed and adjusted, can be put on or removed from the front rack in a couple of minutes, making the whole system quite versatile for quick changes with different front bag setups. Possibly the reason the bag didn't sell as well as hoped is the requirement for the two rack components, but the idea was that many people already had the Mark's or Mini Front rack (which I did), and so only need the Platrack and bag. I also already had the Platrack, which I used as a base for a large basket on my "grocery bike". It worked extremely well there, but has now been transferred for use with the SlickerSack.

Here's the SlickerSack/Platrack combination, mounted on a Nitto Mini Front rack:

Nicely designed ... great attention to small details ... notice the wrap-around reflective material

Even the zipper pulls are leather and brass ... awesome!

It's basically a nicely designed briefcase-style bag, but with some well-thought-out touches. It has a sturdy zipper around the top, with nice brass and leather pulls. There are two brass D-rings for use with the included matching shoulder strap, so you can carry it easily off the bike. The top has slots for attaching straps ... handy if you need some extra space to secure a jacket or yoga mat or whatever. There's a handle on the front for carrying, which is firmly sewn in ... I can't see it ever coming off. And there's some nice reflective material sewn all the way around near the bottom. It is an extremely lightweight bag, but is also very durable and well made.

It attaches to the bike with a leather slot that fits over the U-shaped loop of the rack, and four heavy-duty brass snaps on leather straps that attach around the Platrack rails.

Leather slot slips over rack loop

Brass snaps secure the bag to the Platrack rails

I got this bag to use as a case for my Olympus PEN E-PL3 camera, with extra lens, flash, viewfinder, spare battery and other accessories. I love the look of these bags, and it seemed like a nice way to go that would work well on the bike, but also be presentable off the bike for any of the more "professional" places that I would be taking the camera system. It has worked very well in that regard, although I did make some internal modifications for protection of my camera and gear.

The inside has a Corroplast panel, which is attached to the bottom of the bag with wide and strong Velcro strips. The side panels of the bag have some lightly-padded material, and there are two dividers included that can be placed with Velcro as desired. I did not use those, as I had other plans. Since I wanted the best protection from vibration and impact for my camera and gear, I used a set of foam pieces made for the interior of a Pelican equipment case. The foam had to be cut and glued to match the front curve and exact size of the SlickerSack, and sections removed to fit the camera, extra lens, and accessories. I used a 1" thick piece of foam as a bottom (which sits on top of the Corroplast), with a 2" thickness of custom cut foam for the camera/accesories, and a piece of 2" egg-crate foam in the top of the case. Once cut to fit and glued, it all worked perfectly, and the inside now looks like this:

Custom cut foam insert and top panel ... Olympus PEN E-PL3 camera and accessories ready to roll!

The camera is protected very well, and the entire bag (now really more of a "case") with camera and all accessories is incredibly light. The main foam insert for the camera can be easily removed if I ever need to use the bag in another capacity, since it isn't actually attached to the bag, but fits snugly and does its job well. The bag goes on and off the front rack quite easily, although I do need to unzip the bag and reach inside to assure a firm connection when snapping the straps (some pressure from inside the bag is required). When I get to my destination, a quick unsnapping of the straps and sliding off the rack loop frees the whole thing, and I'm off and running.

One nice benefit of this system is that I can stop and grab the camera relatively fast without getting off the bike. The zippers are within reach, and it's no problem to get the camera as its positioned in the case.

Having this bag on the front of the bike changes the handling in such a small way that I didn't even notice it after about 30 seconds of riding. Any front bag will change handling to some degree, but this one is so little that it's a non-issue. I only mention it because some of you may be wondering.

The only negative I have found is that the Corroplast panel tends to make some noise against the metal rack over bumps. I have resolved this little issue by inserting some light fleece blanket material (left over from the one I cut for the SaddleSack) under the Corroplast to give it a little cushion. The fleece is thin enough to fit, but cushy enough to buffer the Corroplast.

So there you have it ... the Medium SaddleSack and SlickerSack ... my two favorite Rivendell Sackville bags! Part 2 will include the Sackville Trunk Bags, ShopSack, and Mark's ToolWrap ... very clever items with many applications.

Stay tuned ...

Hunqapillar is ...

It's a strange name, for sure. According to Grant Petersen at Rivendell, it's a name he saw on a mailbox many years ago, perhaps spelled a little different, but memorable enough ... and he thought it was a good name for this bike, a Woolly Mammoth bike, as it is aptly described on the decals and depicted on the headbadge.

But what is a Woolly Mammoth bike and what makes it special?

Well, besides the fact that it has a funky name and a cool headbadge, here are some personality features that might help to explain it's "specialness":

1. It goes anywhere. Really. Anywhere. It's just as happy and comfortable on a smooth paved surface as on a rough, bumpy trail. I was mildly skeptical, but now that I've had it out for several rides in different places, I totally get it. While it's a sweet ride on the road like a great bike should be, it somehow comes alive on the dirt and gravel, still remaining stable and smooth. I suppose the Mammoth would have the same sort of behavior. Smooth flat surface? Okay, let's go. Rough terrain, rocks, dirt? Sure ... sounds like fun!
2. It carries lots of stuff. I love that there are brazed-on attachment points all over this frame. Almost any kind of front or rear rack or other carrying hardware can be installed, making it a truly great exploring bike. The small rack up front currently holds a tiny trunk bag for my "personals" (cell phone, keys, wallet, garage door opener, paper and pen for inspirational moments). It could just as easily be a full-size rack intended for the rear, since there are mounting points on the top of the fork crown in addition to the center mounting hole. It could also have low-rider rails for front panniers. The rear mounting options are just as versatile for any kind of rack system. I have a larger bag in back that carries my repair kit, camera stuff, and whatever else I might decide to take with me. There are no worries of supporting the weight of any riding load. Rivendell describes the frame as "stout", which sometimes brings the image of a portly dude drinking a dark beer to mind, but this isn't that kind of stout. It's more like "extra-strong and rugged without an ounce of fat". The funny thing I noticed is that the bike rides pretty much the same whether the bags are full or empty. No weird or squirrelly handling and no noticeable flex in the frame.
3. It's geometrically awesome! In other words, it's incredibly comfortable, without ever being sluggish, and has none of that "watch out when you turn slowly or the front tire will eat your foot" toe overlap thing. In the past, I've always ended up feeling like I have to keep pushing myself back on the saddle, and after a long-ish ride, my hands and neck would get stiff. The design of this bike has a more relaxed seat tube angle, which places the center of gravity further back. Cool! What that means is that when I pedal, the force is more forward and down, as opposed to down and backward on a bike with a steeper seat tube/more forward center of gravity. That shift in force keeps me in place on the saddle, rather than pulling me forward away from it. It also seems to give me a larger percentage of the pedal stroke where I'm applying full power. I can't back that up with science, but I can feel it in the physical action. The other benefit is that since the pedaling force is now more balanced, keeping me back in the saddle, there is less forward force (meaning weight) through my arms and hands onto the handlebars. On a bike with a steeper seat tube, the balance and pedal force pushing forward places more weight on my hands in order to maintain balance. Even though I'm technically reaching about 6cm further forward than on my other bikes, there's a LOT less weight on my hands, and the long-ish rides (and the LONG ones, too) are much more comfortable.  It is a pure joy to ride a bike that is so well balanced.
4. It's smooth and stable. This is mostly due to its geometric awesomeness (see #3 above), which includes long chainstays, and a proper fork angle and rake, which give it the right amount of trail. Yes, I know ... more technical bike jargon. Basically, as mentioned earlier, the bike is just well-balanced. Whether I'm riding slow on tight uphill turns, coasting down a steep hill, riding fast on a smooth road, or kickin' it on a gravel and dirt trail, it just rides smooth. I've yet to notice any squirming, no matter the conditions, whether I'm riding with a full load or empty. I don't have to grip the bars tight and push. I just gently guide them in the direction I want to go. It's so stable that I can ride it no-handed with full bags. I've never, EVER, been able to ride for any length of time with no hands on the bars, loaded bike or not ... until I rode this one. That says something big to me. And that something is not "Hey, dude, your bike skills suck."  No ... it says this bike is designed right and rides stable.
5. It's stunningly beautiful. You'd have to see it in person to really understand. For some reason, the photos don't truly capture the look. So just trust me on this ... it's gorgeous. It's like classic roadster, 87 layers of deep rich paint, lustrous satin silver hardware, hand-finished-and-polished ... it's that sort of quality in the appearance.
6. It's funky. In a very good way. Not like dirty greasy funky, or strange and weird funky. It's unique and different funky. As I was riding the other day, I stopped to look at the ocean for a minute, and as I started to ride away, a man actually ran across the street to ask about the bike. He'd never seen anything like it before, but said it was almost exactly what he pictured in his mind as the kind of bike he wished he could find. Even though he's reasonably happy with the Trek and Jamis bikes he owns, he wanted something that wasn't a road bike, or a mountain bike, or a city bike ... but something that was maybe the good parts of all of them, with something "more" added in. A good way to describe it. I just like to say it's funky. Funky is good.
7. It's fun! I've never enjoyed riding a bike as much as this one. Well, maybe that red Schwinn Sting-Ray with the 3-speed stick shift I had when I was a kid ... the one that got handed down to me from my older brother. But that's completely different ... or maybe not. I suppose it's much the same, actually. I used to love riding that Sting-Ray. I rode it everywhere and tried to do everything I had the courage to do on a bike. I have that same sort of feeling with the Hunqapillar. I want to ride it in places I've never been, just to see what happens. I'm no thrill-seeker, mind you, and I avoid danger whenever possible. But there are trails to ride here ... and hills to climb ... and this bike makes me want to go find them.

One last note ... if you have to ask whether the Hunqapillar is fast, or need to know how much it weighs, you should leave this blog immediately and go to Bicycling.com to read about the latest crabon fibre (thanks BikeSnobNYC for the proper spelling) race bike. Seriously ... go now. The Hunqapillar is not about being fast, and it's not about being the lightest bike on the market. It's about going anywhere and everywhere, being able to take the stuff with you that you'll need when you get there, and being supremely comfortable and fun in the process. It goes much faster than I'll ever need to ... but is happy to move at whatever speed the situation calls for. It's certainly not a "lightweight", but it's not what I'd call "heavy", either. Even with the racks and bags, it's surprisingly liftable (is that a word?). I just think of it this way ... it's fast enough and light enough for whatever I could ever need to do with it, and doesn't feel like I could break it by doing any of those things I could ever need to do.

Rear bag full of camera stuff, tool roll in bottle cage

Front bag with "personals"

Stunningly beautiful and functional butt perch (Brooks B17 Select)

View from the driver's seat, including the driver's seat

And here's a video shot by the Rivendell crew that reflects the fun nature of what the Hunqapillar is all about:

If my information is correct, that video was shot by Jay Ritchey, who also did the riding in the video, and who ALSO did the assembly work on my Hunqapillar. Sadly, Jay is leaving (or has already left) Rivendell ... I think the Blug post said it's for a nice lady in Arizona ... but I'm glad he was the one to build up my bike. Nice little touches he added ... to be elaborated on in the future.

So ... to sum it all up, it's fun, it's funky ... it's Hunqapillar! Perhaps we should modify the name just a little more from that mailbox Mr. Petersen saw all those years ago.  How about this ...

Plus FUN

Plus FUNKY

Equals:

  

More to come ... thanks for reading!

  

  

Hunqapillar ... The Arrival and Build!!

As mentioned in my last post, a new bike was finally shipped to my door.  And now it's time to reveal the details. It came from the brilliant and good folks in Walnut Creek, California ... better known as Rivendell Bicycle Works.  The bike is a 48cm Hunqapillar frame with a carefully-chosen component group, expertly assembled by the team at Rivendell, then expertly packed for shipping and sent to me.  Upon the arrival of the UPS truck (which is always met with great excitement by our two dogs, who just KNOW it's UPS approaching and find some kind of thrill in attacking the door), I was presented with this:

And just in case I was confused as to which way was up, it was clearly labeled for me:

I already had all of my assembly tools prepared, along with a detailed step-by-step assembly list to prevent getting off track in my excited state:

So I began by opening the box ... CAREFULLY.  I didn't want to take any chances of making the slightest scratch on anything inside.

It turns out I had nothing to worry about.  Inside the box, every part was secured with zip-ties and dense foam. Every tube on the bike was covered in bubble wrap.  No chance of anything moving or being improperly jostled in transit.  NICE!  It is rumored that the packing team at Rivendell takes 2 hours to partially disassemble and pack a complete bike for shipping ... and from what I can see here, it's no joke.

The next step was to get the bike out of the box, which meant first removing all of the foam blocks that were glued in place to secure the frame.  Not the easiest task, but I managed.  This particular piece puzzled me ... and made me grin with a Beavis and Butthead laugh.  I mean, just look at this thing ... the foam has a woody!

These are the pieces removed and saved for ... well, I'm not sure what for, but I saved them anyway.

Okay ... now it was time to pull the bike from the box. This is what came out, all in one piece:

See all those zip-ties?  Next step was to cut them and free the secured parts. Good thing I had all of my tools prepared ... diagonal cutters ... check.

Okay ... next was to temporarily put the handlebar/stem assembly into the steerer tube (to be properly adjusted later).

Then I installed the prepared front fender and rack.  I've installed some fenders in the past.  It's never quick and easy.  This time, however, all the difficult setup was already done, and I simply had to connect the bolts.  Thank you, Rivendell!  After the rack and fender were attached, I put the front wheel in the dropouts and attached the quick-release skewer. Then I removed all of the bubble wrap from the frame tubes.  Such a great deal of work they put into that!  Starting to look like a bike ...

The next step was to secure my new saddle to the seatpost, make sure there was a bit of grease in the seat tube (always use Phil's ... the best), and put the saddle/seatpost assembly in the seat tube of the bike. Now it's getting exciting ...

Then it was time to attach the rear rack.  This is a Tubus Cosmo stainless steel rack that I already had ... waiting for an appropriate home.  I like that it has both an upper deck for a trunk bag and lower rails for panniers ... because you know I likes to do me some heavy touring with a massive load of baggage. Okay, not really ... but at least there are options ... and it looks cool, too.  Hey ... dudes like shiny things, too.

After the rack was installed, it was time for the trimmings. I'm trying these here pedal thingies from Fyxation, called the Mesa.  They're very strong Cro-Mo (a technical term for steel) spindles with heavy-duty sealed bearings and impact-grade nylon platforms.  That means I can really bash on them. Dudes like to bash things.  Really, it means they're strong and durable ... and the nylon spiky things won't chew up my shoes like metal spikes do.

I also put on some King Cages Iris stainless steel water bottle cages. These are the best ... seriously ... the BEST bottle cages ever.  They're really strong, and they really hold a Klean Kanteen tight, with no rattling.  That's important, because real dudes use only stainless steel water bottles.  And, of course, they're shiny and pretty.

And then the final adjustments were made before the first test ride.  Adjust the handlebars for proper height and angle ... check.  Attach the brake cables ... check.  Make sure the brake pads are aligned ... check (and perfectly, I might add).  Pump up the tires ... check.  By the way ... these are Schwalbe Marathon Dureme 26" x 2" folding tires.  AWESOME!!!  More on them in another post.  Check the wheels and quick-release levers for secure attachment ... check.  Put the bags on the racks and put the tool kit inside ... check.  READY TO GO!!

I immediately went out for a quick spin.  And by "immediately", I mean that I didn't change into my usual riding shorts, socks, shoes, sweatshirt, and so on ... I left the house in my cut-off sweatpants, Birkenstocks, and sunglasses.  Style be damned!  And it was ... the most AWESOME 15 minutes on a new bike EVER.  Why only 15 minutes?  Well, since I'd gotten the bike into a ride-able state, I just couldn't wait any longer for the remaining step to finish it, which would mean not being able to ride it for at least 24 hours ... but I didn't want to get the cork grips all sweaty and grimy, so I kept the ride duration brief.  Make sense?

Okay ... the last step in finishing the build was to add some cork-look-alike bar tape to the front curves of the handlebars, where the secondary hand position is ... and then apply some Zinser Bullseye Amber Shellac (2 coats for the grips, 3 coats to the bar tape for a good color match).  The shellac will keep it from getting nasty with hand sweat and dirt, while simultaneously making it look ... well, warm and authentically aged ... and ... yes, I'll say it ... pretty.  Hey, dudes like pretty things, too.  And here's the result:

Notice the little copper bell?  Nice sound, a great functional warning device for people walking their dogs or tandem baby strollers occupying the entire 2-lane bike path, and ... pretty. There's also a German-made mirror on that bar ... works well ... but while not ugly, it is not pretty.

Now complete with bags attached to carry camera gear, repair kit, cell phone, keys, and whatever else I may need, the final build looks like this:

I am thrilled and honored to own this bike.  The photos don't do justice to its in-person appearance.  But, while stunning to look at, the ride is even better.  Smooth and stable on any surface ... and amazingly comfortable on rides near and far.  More to come ...