I was drooling over Rivendells as I went about deciding what bike I'd get for pleasant riding around town. Unlike many who are apparently attracted to the brand (or bicycles with similar purpose), most of my miles actually are spent riding hard and at decent speeds (14-20mph), so having a "comfort" bicycle is typically low on my priority list. I couldn't afford the Rivendell so I went with that Creme Cycles 3-speed I recently shared about. It's a bit ponderous and I'm sure a nicely equipped Rivendell would be more agile and just as comfortable, but the cost difference would absolutely be in the four digit range...
Would I buy a Rivendell as long as I can find a pristine and rare vintage road bike for similar money? Probably not. But they're still pretty.
I think the Rivendell marketing strategy is rather peculiar, but then again, I went to school in San Francisco, and struggle to say I miss the mentality of many people I met there who profess to be interested in such things. In my opinion the Bay Area is a hotbed for "long-term trendy stuff" that people cling to rather adamantly - be it hippy or hipster or yuppie lifestyles as a whole, or any of the individual trademarks associated with those ilks. As long as the things are good, that's fine, and I think Rivendell is fine... But it also creates a rather dismissive and divisive attitude towards mainstream trends or unusual/uncool stuff. The LA area stands in stark contrast to this, where all of the newest, flashiest stuff is always on display!
Rivendell pretty much settles right in with that Bay Area mentality.
-Gregory
Last edited by Kilroy1988; 05-22-20 at 07:05 PM.