The Golden Boy 

I love that Rivendell philosophy- you can ride. I've despised the 'suffer' philosophy. I really dig the Rivendell aesthetic- the sort of "craftsman/arts & crafts" styling.

Where Rivendell used to be the steel thorn in the side of carbon and aluminum- these days, it seems the designs are moving farther out to distinguish themselves from other makers and their forms of convention.

My own Rivendell story makes me sad. As it's been mentioned, the new designs have mile long chainstays- my forte is tourers- I've got bikes with long chainstays. I wanted something a bit less tour-y but not exactly race-y; a "sport" bike, or a "country bike" in Rivendell parlance. A few years ago I came into the money to get a new bike, and I decided I wanted an A Homer Hilsen with cantilever brakes. I talked to Grant- but for whatever reason he was reticent to have an old style Homer built for me. He didn't like that I didn't do good at measuring my PBH. So I got a professional fit done, he still didn't like that... I offered to drive down to Waterford to get measured or have a fit done. I drove 120 miles round trip to a Rivendell dealer to get it all worked out only for a week later to have them say they weren't doing the US style bikes anymore... (this is after I personally talked to Grant). I was pretty much waving cash around screaming to take my ******g money.

I wish Grant and Rivendell the best of luck. I want them to take off and be a huge success, sell a gazillion bikes and really influence culture. What they have right now doesn't interest me. I've got bikes with 47cm chainstays. I drank the Kool-Aid, I wanted a "country bike" as it was when I drank the Kool-Aid. If I ever run across an old style Homer in my size, I might go for it- I really want it with cantis, but not with the geometry of the new models.