Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen for Sale (and a tale about how this has come about)

The below post is several years old and that bike is sold. However, I have another 47cm A Homer Hilsen/Saluki frame for sale as of Aug 2017. You can find photos and info by clicking here.
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I started writing a post about the last couple of days, but I realize some may have no interest in the back story and just want to see the bike for sale. If that is the case, you are welcome to scroll toward the middle of the post where I've headed up the section with "Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen for Sale," or you can view additional photos of the bike here. For all others, feel free to start (or continue on) from this point. Thanks! :O)
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We had an eventful 24-hour period here in the E.V.L. household starting Monday evening. After Sam got home from work in the late afternoon, we were chatting (about bikes, of course), plotting out some final attempts with the Trek, and preparing for kickboxing, when he suddenly started having stomach pain. I thought little of it and went about my business, but after a few minutes, Sam was on the floor telling me that he could barely breathe and was in pain like he had never experienced.

"Do I need to call for an ambulance?" I asked, in a half joking tone. I truly thought he was okay and was just dramatizing a bit of gas or temporary stomach pain. Within a few minutes, I knew he wasn't kidding and we headed for the emergency room. As we traveled, Sam started saying things like, "If I die..." Not exactly what one wants to hear from his/her spouse in this sort of moment. I reassured him that he wasn't going to die (honestly, only half believing it myself because I had no idea what was going on). After arriving in the ER, it took about 2 hours to actually get a doctor and some pain medication flowing, but soon Sam was at least able to stay put without writhing in pain.

Sam waits for pain meds -
I had plenty of time for photos as the ER doesn't seem to be particularly speedy

After getting results of the blood work, the ER doctor noticed that there were elevated levels in Sam's pancreas. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on after quizzing Sam about what he'd ate, drank and done over the last few days, so he sent him in for an ultrasound. By this time, Sam was fading in and out due to the medication he'd received, but he was still aware of everything going on, attempting bad jokes with all the staff, and trying to understand himself what was going on.

The short story is that there is no definite answer to what happened. The doctors believe Sam was experiencing pancreatitis, and have no idea what triggered it or why it happened. He doesn't drink or smoke, he doesn't take any herbs or naturopathic supplements, and after the ultrasound, there were no stones anywhere to be found. They kept Sam overnight because they didn't know what had happened, nor why, and wanted to be sure that it wouldn't start up again before sending him home. They also wanted to check his triglycerides and so on, but had to wait until morning to do so. The doctor stated he could be there from 24-72 hours, depending on what happened. Thankfully, it was a pretty short stay. Sam is to eat bland foods for a week and avoid alcohol for at least two weeks. Additionally, a check up with his primary care doctor is on the books for next week. The good news is, it was a fairly quick visit to the hospital/ER and Sam is much better today. The bad news is, apparently after one gets pancreatitis, s/he is much more likely to get it again.

As I've stated before, I believe everything happens for a reason and it is all part of a bigger picture. What made me chuckle just a bit about all of this is that if Sam had actually started the job he was offered in San Francisco, rather than it being rescinded, we would have had no insurance (it wouldn't have gone into effect until July 1), and we could possibly have been paying for this visit for many years. Thankfully, we have medical insurance... but this is where the "bike for sale" part comes in to play.

Because we rarely (or in Sam's case, never) go to the doctor, we have to cover the costs of the deductible before anything will be covered by the insurance. Unfortunately for us, the deductible is a fairly sizable one which means we need to figure out how to cover this expense. Since bike shuffling has been taking place anyway, I've decided to sell off my very much loved Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen to help cover the costs of this emergency hospital visit. So, if you know of anyone who has been thinking about it, this could be the time to save a little dough and help us out of a financial pickle.

Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen for Sale
About the bike: This is a great bike for just about anything other than racing. It gets around easily and comfortably and is a solid machine built for the long haul. It would make a great commuter, light touring bike, city bike, and/or all-around fabulous bike. If you don't know much about it, info can be found here. *Please note that the frame being sold is in fact a darker color blue than what is shown in the photos through the link as it was manufactured in a different color when purchased. As you may have noticed while there, the frame/fork alone are selling new for $2300 (and complete bike builds are into the mid-$3k and up).  When I looked it over to take photos, I couldn't find any paint chips, etc. It is a used frame, so be aware that small imperfections may be visible if you were to go over it very carefully, but I noticed nothing of significance at all when looking over the bike (though there is some dirt, as it has been ridden). The bike has been well-cared for and never stored outside, as I intended to keep this bike for life. I have owned it less than a year now, and it has been a secondary bike so it has few miles on it.

Sugino triple crank (24, 36, 46)

What's included: The bike is being sold with frame/fork, headset, bottom bracket, handlebars, handlebar stem, wheels, tires (and tubes that are in them), derailleurs, rear cassette, brakes (and brake levers), shifters, seatpost, chain, crank, bottle cages, and cables. I can include a generic saddle (not the one pictured), if the buyer would like to have something to get him/her going.

What's NOT included: Saddle, pedals, any bags or electronic devices that may be pictured in other photos, and handlebar tape (only applicable if the bike is shipped as it's just been removed too many times to keep it in decent shape).

Soma New Xpress 650b tires

A bit more detailed info:
Frame: 47 cm (steel)
Top tube: 52 cm
Stand over: 73.5 cm
Crank: 170 Sugino XD2 triple (24, 36, 46 rings)
Rear cassette: 11-32
Tires: Soma New Xpress 38x650b (300 miles on them, at most)
Bottle cage spots: 3 (seat tube, down tube, and under side of down tube)
Wheels: 650b size (generic brand - see photos if you're looking for additional info or send me a note and I can attempt to get more information)
Handlebars: Nitto randonneur bars
Shifters: Shimano bar end, 3x8 (left is friction, right indexed)
Asking: $2,100 or best reasonable offer

I'm sure there are additional details that someone may want or be in need of, and if that is the case, please feel free to contact me at endlessvelolove {at} gmail {dot} com. I would very much like to sell this to someone in the area (Boulder/Denver) as I'd prefer not to deal with shipping the bicycle. However, if it ends up being sold to someone out of a reasonable meeting distance, please be aware that I will need to charge for shipping and professional packing. I've had too many issues in the past with problems in shipment and have decided it is the only way I will ship a bike. Charges will be actual (so I would need to get a quote for the individual) as I'm not looking to scam anyone out of money, but I also want the bicycle to make it in one piece without damage and it seems to work better through a bike shop. The buyer is probably looking at somewhere in the range of $200-250 (as a guess) for packing/shipping in the continental U.S. Any other questions, please feel free to drop me a note.

UPDATE: July 2013 - The Rivendell is sold. Thanks to all!! :)