It's a strange brand. Rivendell seems to be more about Peterson's ideas and preferences than about the ideas and preferences of his customers. A few rare companies can make this work (see Apple's "the customers don't know what they want until we give it to them" approach) but generally not giving people what they want is a recipe for bankruptcy.
Still, by sticking to his guns I think Peterson has been somewhat vindicated. Lugged steel, retro paint work, room for wider tires, upright positions, less performance focus etc. All are very on trend right now and Rivendell is surely part of that story. Flat pedals and Crocs on road bikes, a return of cantilevers, a return of friction shifting, flat bars... these ideas are less popular but take these trends to the next level. Also, this isn't a fad for Rivendell: they've been making this type of bike for decades. Say what you want about Peterson but he is what he is and his bikes are what they are. You might disagree with his design preferences or choice of gear but they don't sell crap and they seem to honestly think carefully about their choices. Integrity might be a word to use, something I can appreciate regardless of what I think about his bikes.
Last edited by Hiro11; 07-27-18 at 07:40 AM.