Well, on the site it does say that you can get a Roadeo made to order but it isn't saying the original Atlantis as available anymore, but they did previously say you could get the original one with the older geometry. You may be right, the long chainstays may be something Waterford isn't going to do for Riv or it could be what tubing is available domestically, or something else. Who really knows.
I'm sure you have already, but have you looked at the canti Sam Hillborne? It really sounds to me like that bike would fit your priorities pretty well. It is definitely the bike with the "business elements of an ATB, but more spritely. It's honestly the one Rivendell that I've thought I should never have sold. In my experience it rides pretty much identical to the older geometry Homer in feel but braking is more powerful on the Sam. (both of these bikes in my size are 650b and the Sam was my main road ride for several years...my friend has a Homer in my size that i've ridden several times. Not much difference between the two except the Homer did have some lugs that were a bit fancier. The Roadeo lugs were a little fancier looking too). The current canti-Sam would make a pretty killer "gravel bike."
Personally, I've been converted over to the long chainstay thing on these bikes by riding the Appaloosa for the last couple of months.
I was really hoping you'd respond!!
Grant actually suggested the Canti-Sam- and now this goes into the whole "what do I need/ what do I want/ and why" thing.
From what I've read... The Sam is a more... beefier bike than the Homer. By that I mean, from what I read- the frame of the Sam is (or was) a more 'heavy duty' frame than the Homer. (I base this on the results of a Google search on "Sam Hillborne vs A Homer Hilsen") If you'll notice the bikes in my sig- most everything is "tourer." Most of my bikes are built for bearing weight and most have 45+ cm chainstays. Not a lot of "lightweight" in that collection. I do like that my bikes ride like the equivalent of a 1972 Cadillac Eldorado (big car show in town tomorrow!), glorious, smooth, cool.
I think what I want for this bike is somewhat akin to the old Specialized Sequoia (but with cantis and clearance). While "Sport Touring" bikes were generally always entry/mid-level bikes- The early 80s Sequoia was a sport tourer with a premium tube set with fender/rack braze ons and specced with Suntour Superbe and other class A components. An early 80s "all-rounder" beyond, yet still stuck within the confines of its time. I look at the Homer as an extension of that- premium tube set... attachment points for fenders, racks, bottles, clearance for wide tires... Take that, braze on some cantis and build it uncompromisingly dominant. Superbe, XC Pro, XTR, XT, Phil Wood... **** yeah. Or maybe the concept is more of a shorter wheelbase tourer with thinner tubing...
My 1986 Trek 400 Elance shares a lot of the same geometry and metallurgy with my 1985 Trek 620. (I don't know about wall thickness- which is more important- but I *assume* similar thicknesses) They're both 531 main frame, CrMo fork and stays- the 400 Elance has 42.5 cm chainstays compared to the 620's 47cm chainstays and the fork offset is different. I believe the Elance to feel more stout than the 620- it rides heavier. IMO- the 720 rides heavier than the 620. You know how there's a give and take between "flexy" and "stiff?" IMO- my 620 has a flexiness that the 720 doesn't have. Here's where we get to
what I perceive as the difference in the Sam and Homer- the difference between the 620 and 720.
I've got the load bearing thing covered.
I guess I want a bike that rides light; a bike that the "give" with a reasonable load takes precedence over the "stiff" ... to a point.
Maybe it's a whole lot of overthinking it- but the long and the short of it is I want a spritely, lightweight sport tourer that can take wider tires with cantis and the Rivendell aesthetic- from what I see- that's a US made Canti-Homer. I'm frustrated because I'm waving the ****ing money around and being told they can't make it anymore.