Memories and Beausage

If it hasn't been made apparent from reading here yet, my Rivendell Sam Hillborne has been my go-to bike for some time now. It's the bike that has managed to survive my seemingly constant-revolving set of bicycles. There is something about this bike that has kept me attached. Whether that is the ease of use, familiarity, or some other yet-to-be-personally-acknowledged component to the bike, I'm not always certain.

I think the view from beneath the Hillborne may be better than what I get to see riding it.

In reality, I believe the initial investment was the motivation to continue to toil over getting this bike to work. No one wants to spend what feels like a small fortune, only to sell it off and start again. Goodness knows it's happened with even costlier bicycles in the fold though.

Today, even if I wanted to sell the Hillborne I would be quite reluctant to do so as it is no longer made in a size that would fit my height and proportions. I acknowledge that even Riv's former smallest size is still a bit large for me, but somehow over the years, we - the bike and I - have come to understand each other and rarely (unless taking it on a truly extended trip) do I take issue with it.

Over the last several months, I have not ridden this bike as much as I have in the past. It's had some issues that needed to be resolved and although certainly still rideable, I found myself choosing other bikes over this one. I told myself that over winter we would dismantle and reassemble the Hillborne in order to get all the minor issues resolved (plus, it was in desperate need of a thorough cleaning), but it always seemed to take a back seat, at least until one warmer weekend recently.

Having the bike dismantled brought back memories of putting it together for the first time (well, watching Sam and doing my best to offer assistance as needed). I remembered how excited I was to get this bike, having believed it was something we could never really afford to buy. It was an expenditure that I felt guilty about for years afterward, but knowing how much use has come from this bike, it's reached a point today that the cost seems a trivial detail -- which is not to diminish the amount spent by any means, but rather that I've just come to accept that the bike has earned its keep.

As the frame was hanging from our bike stand in its (mostly) disassembled state I ran my fingers over the paint. I have complained for some time about the ridiculously easy-to-chip paint, but as I stood moving my hands over the frame, I knew that each of the little pits of missing paint had a story. I joked at one point that simply breathing too hard near the frame would remove paint (which was only a very slight exaggeration), but I know where and how almost every one of the blemishes occurred.

I couldn't help but smile remembering summer bike valet duty a few years back and having another valet crew member knock the Hillborne over (accidentally, of course), resulting in what I refer to as twin chips on the frame. I recall Sam being livid about the incident, as well as my attempts to reassure him that everything would be fine. It was not the first chip on the frame, and it would not be the last. I wasn't pleased about having my bike knocked over, particularly as I was still highly protective of it, but I knew it wasn't the end of the world.

Then there was the time I tipped the bike over all on my own. I was attempting to side step the rear tire when instead I kicked it, sending the bike into a rocking fit. As I attempted to catch it from falling, I missed entirely and watched in slow motion as the bars escaped my grasp and the bike went to the ground. It was a strangely soft landing, catching on the same foot that had set the whole act in motion, but still resulted in a paint chip on the rear of the frame.

There are many other tales that illustrate the minor imperfections that exist today on the bike. Although the instances tore me up inside initially, it's easier today to view these as our story together - the tales that created our relationship. It is just a bike after all, and it could easily have been about any other; but there are moments together, pockets of time, that I share uniquely with this bicycle. The occasions are not necessarily about this specific bicycle, yet they are intertwined with it.

Close up, the damage is apparent, but from a distance the frame still appears shiny and new - at least when it's clean (a comparison that could be made to myself, no doubt). There is cable rub on the top tube that simply doesn't erase with a cleaning any longer, and spots where the formerly used fenders rubbed indentations on the interior side of the chainstays, just to name a couple flaws that have developed over the years.

Because I haven't shared a similar duration of time with other bikes I ride, we don't have the same quantity of stories - but we're getting there. The VO Campeur and I, for instance, find our relationship to be more than just passing ships in the night, having spent (hard as it is to believe) a year riding together now. That bike is starting to show its own small signs of beausage and we share stories like this one of getting caught in an onslaught of hail too. In time, I have no doubt that I'll have a very similar attachment to the Campeur.

As often as bikes seem to leave my grasp, I freely admit that I am decidedly more content to have those that stick around. There's a level of comfort that develops over time and through use that isn't quite the same on a new ride. Oh, I do love the invigoration and discovery of a new bike, but it's a different feeling to one of familiarity.

I know that there will likely always be trade-outs and additions taking place over the years with the bicycle herd, but to find a bike that just works - even when it isn't perfect on paper - is something special, and having the opportunity to share the scars and marks of the roads traveled makes for a beautiful history together.

The Hillborne is put back together now, cleaned up - for the most part - sporting some new parts and pieces that were worn from use. Other bits remain from its former iteration as well, exposing snippets of our travels and time together, badges of sorts that illustrate this machine has been loved and used, but never unappreciated. The paint imperfections could disappear with a fairly easy trip to a paint shop, but we haven't reached that point in our relationship quite yet. Those chips are telling our story and I'm not ready to let go of the visual reminders of our adventures together.

Do you prefer to leave imperfections from wear on your bicycle, or do you clean/paint/resolve them right away? What stories have you shared with your favorite bicycle? Do they keep you attached to the bike itself, or do you think the stories would be there regardless of the specific bicycle?

Bags, Baskets & Racks, Oh My!

I have a bit of an addiction to bicycle bags. Some people buy shoes, others collect jewelry, but my item of choice seems to be bags and baskets for my bikes. Maybe it's not so much of an addiction as an incessant hunt for the perfect bike-carrying contraptions, but either way, I seem to find myself trying a variety of styles and sizes out. So, when reader Kendra asked recently about my choice of bags on the Sam Hillborne, I couldn't help but smile a bit. The configuration of that bike has changed so many times and the racks, bags, and baskets are no exception, so it seems like as good a time as any to delve into this topic.

Pretty much any bicycle that hangs out for any length of time in our household seems to go through transitions. For me, this is just par for the course and I've learned to accept that I don't always know right away how I want a bike to be used or set up. Sometimes this necessitates a bag, basket or rack change too.

There are those who prefer to use panniers to carry their goods, and I've done it myself, but I have found that I am lazy about removing them, so when seasons change, or I want to use the bike as a road bike, rather than an errand bike, I'm carrying needless weight (not to mention getting the pannier dirty). For some, this isn't an issue, but I've simply chose over time to go in a different direction.

An example of a folding rear basket as illustrated on Sam's city bike.

I've even used folding "pannier baskets" on some bikes because they were a lot simpler for me to handle. They folded up nicely when not in use, and even though they were on the heavier side, it worked out fine on bikes that were used primarily for city uses, errand running and so on. In fact, Sam still has one of these on his city bike.

Initially, I rode the Hillborne with nothing on it. I wanted it stripped down as bare as possible. Then, very quickly a rear rack was added and soon decided that it wasn't enough, so a front one was installed as well.

The great thing about having two racks is that I always have a place to attach head and tail lights to the bike. Additionally, I could carry a bags of goods strapped on each of them. Panniers were easy to handle as well, but as mentioned above, I wasn't the best about removing them when not in use, or I'd forget to put them back on and end up somewhere without them.

This particular setup wasn't my favorite, and I always seemed to need to carry just a bit more than the configuration allowed. If I remembered panniers, it was pretty functional, but if not I was left holding bags and attempting to figure out how I was going to get everything home.

This round was a front rack to be able to strap something to the bike and on the rear was a Sackville SaddleSack in the x-small size.

Eventually, I turned to using a city-specific bike and pared things down on the Hillborne. I left the front rack in case I had need to carry something more than the rear bag could handle, and put on a saddlebag that was smaller, but not so small that I couldn't carry anything.

The Sackville SaddleSack was a nice compromise because it was large enough to carry more than just a tool and a pump, but not so large that it required the support of a rear rack.

Regularly, this bag carried a bike lock, a pump, tool, patches, a small towel, wallet, and still had room to spare. The bag itself, however, was a bit saggy with regular use and slowly started to droop. The more weight it had to hold, the saggier it became. The problem for me was that there wasn't much clearance between the rear tire and the bottom of the saddlebag once the sagging began.

Rivendell's Brand V saddlebag pictured here on another bike.

I tried a few different versions of similar bags. The one pictured above is Rivendell's vegan version of the SaddleSack bag, and I also tried out a couple that were picked up at a local REI.

All of the bags tried worked as intended, but I struggled to figure out the best set up for the Hillborne specifically.

This iteration had both front and rear Nitto racks with a Wald x-large front basket (zip-tied to the front rack) and on the rear was my Carradice Barley bag.

Lots of different saddlebags were tried at various points on the rear of the Hillborne. I've tried those that are quite small and hold only a tool, small pump and maybe an extra tube, and have gone all the way up to using the fairly large Carradice Barley bag.

Using a very small rear bag on this Hillborne isn't functional for me because it just doesn't hold enough, but using the very largest bag I own necessitates a rear rack, so if I remove the rear rack, I have to choose something a bit smaller.

At one point I had a large Wald basket on the rear of the bike (the very same pictured on the front above), and it's also obviously been on the front of the bike.

I like this arrangement because it allows me to carry up to two large grocery bags on the rear of the bike (or on the front, depending on the location of the basket). What I haven't liked in the past is that I couldn't get the basket far enough away from the saddle to keep from hitting me in the rear as I pedal. If the basket was on the front of the bike, it was frequently too heavy with its contents and caused the front to feel unwieldy or twitchy at times.

It seemed like a nice compromise to put the basket on the front and carry the large Carradice Barley bag on the rear of the bike. For me, this set up was probably one of the most functional when using the Hillborne as a city bike; however, the way that I used this bike was beginning to shift and pretty soon I changed the set up yet again.

Only carrying the front bag, the Sackville BarSack at this juncture.

I was riding the Hillborne more frequently on long rides throughout the area and having so many things on the bike was weighing it down. Between racks, bag and basket (including the usual contents of the saddlebag) I had added about 8-10 pounds to the bike. While I hadn't noticed it slowly growing in girth, when I found myself wanting to ride longer distances on this bike, I started thinking it was time to strip it down again.

I didn't want to completely eliminate a bag, but I also didn't want to have racks on the bike. I did want to be able to take my camera and lenses with me on rides sometimes, so I started to experiment with a front bag, rather than a saddlebag which brought the Sackville BarSack into my life.

This bag has been a really great one, I have to say. There are others comparable to it on the market, so it's not that it had to be this specific bag (I just happened to have a Rivendell gift certificate to use at the time). I appreciate the two side pockets. I frequently store keys, phone, chapstick, gum, and other similarly sized items there.

The top of the bag opens from the riders side toward the front wheel of the bike, so the contents can be easily reached while riding. In this area I store things like my wallet (I have a large wallet, so it doesn't fit in the side pockets), camera, bike lock, a sweater or extra layer, gloves, hat, food (if it's a really long ride), tissues, and so on. Of course, it's also plenty large to hold my camera and extra lenses.

Inside the main compartment there is also another zippered pocket that can carry other smaller items or keep items separated from the main compartment.

The front of the bag (the side facing out to the front wheel) has yet another zippered compartment for carrying additional items.

Additionally, the D-rings on the top of the bag are quite functional for using a map case if one is in need for directions along the way (such as for a brevet or other organized ride that may not be clearly marked). These rings also work well in a pinch to tie something to the top of the bag that doesn't way too much.

Another convenience of this bag is the detachable carrying strap included with purchase. I've used it myself as a kind of shoulder bag when I don't want to carry the individual items around with me after the bike is parked and locked, or if I just don't feel secure leaving the bag on the bike.

It's truly a functional bag. The only real down side I've found is that it requires the use of its own special "rack", which is definitely not the cheapest thing around (especially when combined with the cost of the bag). The bag itself is only intended to carry 3-4 pounds of weight, but I find that seems to be plenty for my needs. It is very sturdy though and I've loaded the bag up beyond its intended weight limit without issue (I don't do this frequently, but in a tight spot it's worked just fine).

One great aspect of this set up is that the bag and rack come off fairly easily, so if I want to use it on another bike, it isn't at all difficult to switch it out. I can also easily remove the bag alone and just leave the rack on (it just looks like bull horns sticking out of the front of the bike) if I don't want the added carrying convenience (or its added weight).

The current bag configuration: Carradice Zip Roll bag on the rear and a Sackville BarSack on the front.

At present, I have no racks on the Hillborne and instead have opted to just have bags. On the rear, I carry a Carradice Zip Roll bag, and on the front I have the Sackville BarSack. I don't know if it's my favorite set up, but it's definitely up in the top couple I've had on this bike.

Although I'm slowly adding back the weight I'd eliminated, it's really easy to remove either or both of these bags if needed.

Carradice Zip Roll saddlebag

The Carradice Zip Roll bag is also pretty convenient and allows me some wiggle room between what gets stored in the front versus the rear. It's large enough to carry my bike lock, a small towel, a tool, a patch kit, a pump, and so on. I also keep a strap stored here in case there's need to use it on a ride. In a pinch, I can also store my wallet here or an extra clothing layer or gloves.

This bag actually holds quite a bit. Despite looking packed in for this photo, I can still fit my large wallet, phone, bike lock, and other smaller items.

This bag is not nearly the size of the Barley bag mentioned above. For me, the Barley bag cannot hang on its own because of my saddle height, but rather requires the use of a rear rack to support it from underneath. Of course, the Barley is also able to carry substantially more, so it's something to keep in mind based on ones personal needs.

Visual comparison of three sizes of saddlebags: Carradice Barley, Carradice Zip Roll, Sackville SaddleSack

The zip roll bag, however, hangs nicely from the rear of my Brooks saddle. Even if it's loaded up, I have had no issues with it grazing the rear tire (though you can see in the photo above it is close to touching - within 0.5in/1.25cm - the fender).

In reality, a persons set up is going to be quite individualized. It would be impossible to provide the perfect setup for everyone because we all have different needs. I have no doubt that over time I'll go back to one of the configurations I've already used, and will probably try out others as well. The great thing about bags, baskets and racks is that they're fairly easy to both add and remove from a bicycle. There are also less expensive and more pricey options, allowing for individuals to choose dependent on his/her own requirements.

What sort of set up do you use on your transportation or city bike? Have you found that one way in particular works best for you? Do you use one bike for both transportation and sport? If so, how do you deal with transporting larger items by bike? Do you prefer to keep it loaded up and ready for carrying goods, or do you take your chances and keep your bike more bare bones to carry only minimal extra goods?

Finding Love Again: A Renewal with the Rivendell Sam Hillborne

For anyone who's been in a long-term relationship, most of us recognize that there is an ebb and flow when it comes to feelings. Unlike the ideas that are often taught to us (especially females) in our youth, relationships take work and it can be highly unrealistic to go into a partnership with another person expecting it to be (only the good parts of) a fairy tale. Rainy days happen. It's just a fact of life. Sometimes it's easy to feel madly in love with the other person, and at others it can be more of a sense of tolerating each other. We hope that the sunny days far outnumber the stormy ones, but we can't really count them until we are on the other side looking in the rearview mirror. As crazy as it may seem, I can actual find quite a few similarities between human relationships and the one I have with the Hillborne.

Recently, I had someone stumble across an old post about my Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen being for sale. She was wondering if I'd sold it, which rolled into a brief conversation about whether or not I still preferred the Sam Hillborne over the Homer. My response to her was something along the lines that if I had it to do over again, I'd probably have kept the Homer and sold the Hillborne, simply because the top tube is shorter on the Homer and I always seem to struggle with reach - particularly when trying to get the handlebars at a lower position. The Homer could easily have been built up in exactly the same way as the Hillborne, but would've allowed a bit more flexibility with positioning. This is the curse of being made shorter-than-average, and is never more true than when trying to find a good fit on a bicycle.

At the time of the sale, the only thing I could view the Homer fulfilling in the bike fold was my heavier road bike and because I had a road bike that was meeting my needs, the logical-to-me response for that moment was to sell off the Homer and keep the Hillborne. Had I thought it through, I could've built the Homer frame up in exactly the same way and had a shorter reach. But, alas, that idea didn't occur until many months after the sale.

I giggle a bit now looking at this photo and realizing that the brakes/hoods were in the wrong place completely... of course, I am sure I did this because I couldn't reach them if they were where they should've been.

The reminder of this situation put me into some deep thought about the Hillborne and I couldn't help but wonder if I really would have given it up in place of the Homer if I had it to do over again. I've had my Hillborne for over 4 years and it's been the only bike I've owned for any length of time. Most seem to come and go as I find (usually due to fit) reasons to send bikes on their way to a new owner. The funny thing is that even though the Homer had a more appropriate fit, I've grown used to the feel and fit of the Hillborne. Yes, it's larger, but it's almost as though my body has somehow adapted to it in some sense. While I still find that I struggle on longer distance rides on this bike (mainly due to the reach), and I question whether I, personally, could ever truly use it for even light touring because of the sizing, I find myself struggling with the thought of giving this bicycle up.

The idea of selling the Hillborne was brought up a second time in the not-too-distant past as I pondered the idea of selling it off to help fund other efforts. My initial response to the idea was to seriously consider it. I asked myself if it was a necessary bicycle in the fold and I came to the conclusion that I would be willing to give it up. During this time of reflection, I quickly found myself hesitating with the sale. I use this bike a lot and I've made some mistakes in the past selling a bike that I enjoyed, so instead, I decided it was time to play with the set up and see if I truly was ready to let it go. I wanted to ride it on some longer distances again. If I was able to do that and still wanted to give it up, I would let it go, but if I was unsure or hesitating, I would keep the Hillborne.

My biggest frustration with the Hillborne over the years has been my inability to use it with the handlebars in a lower position. No matter how short the handlebar stem, when I put it into a lower position, the reach is simply too far for me. Presently, I have the Hillborne set up in a lighter manner (meaning most of the extras -such as fenders, racks, huge bags, etc have been removed) so that I can use it for training on the roads. I find that there is a maximum lowering point for the handlebars though, after which I start having elbow pain, neck strain, and at times back pain. This was never an issue with the A. Homer Hilsen; however, I also recall feeling as though the Homer was almost too small (my feelings changed a bit as I got used to the Homer, but I do recall thinking that maybe it wouldn't work because of its smaller top tube at one point).

Wanting to attempt to find a comfortable position for my tests on the Hillborne, I located the point at which I could lower my body a bit for road rides without straining myself too much... and then, I rode. I rode so much that even after I received my much anticipated custom road bike, I continued to ride the Hillborne more frequently than the new bike. There were days when I simply wanted the feel of the Hillborne, and other times that I was really just trying to put mileage on it to test out its value in the bike fold. I started to find that I really wasn't much slower than on the road bike, so if I wasn't going for some sort of speed ride, why not take the Hillborne?

As I rode, it was hard not to think about all the transformation this bike has gone through. I expected a lot of it when it first came into my life, and in some sense, I recall being disappointed. Riding with drop bars was an impossibility, even though I attempted it several times. Saddles were changed almost too many times to count. Stems were exchanged as I attempted to fix reach issues. I couldn't decide what this bike was supposed to be for me and how it was supposed to fit in, but through it all, I kept riding, discovering the things that I loved and the things that I might change if it had been made specifically for me.

A couple of years ago, I gave up trying to use the Hillborne as a road bike. I decided to relegate it to more of a city-bike that could travel some dirt trails if needed. I loaded him up with racks, fenders, bags, and so on, creating a machine that often felt slower than it should have... but it worked. It allowed me to pull a trailer, to fetch groceries, to carry things that I might not on a road bike. Suddenly one day though, it just didn't seem an appropriate use for this bike any longer.

The idea of this heavy, slower bicycle was no longer appealing, but I realized I had done all of this to the bike. Lightening the load and switching its usefulness was just the rejuvenation I needed. It seemed in many ways like a new bike, but still had that familiar feel. The bumps don't hurt like they do on a lightweight bike. The wide tires are perfect to take it on dirt or gravel rides when the need or want arises. The magic has somehow returned in our relationship.

All at once, it was as though I had an epiphany. Throughout our time together, the things that I believed were the downfall of this bike, are actually the things that have kept it around. The fact that it can so easily transform from a road bike to a trail bike to a grocery-getter, that I can set it up in so many different ways, that I have this inexplicable desire to stare at it when I see it locked up against a bike rack, the reality that I honestly can't imagine my life without it... for these reasons and more, I know that this bike was meant to be with me. It has seen me through fatter days and slightly less-fat days, but it has always been exactly what I needed, sometimes without me even being aware of that reality.

Whether our relationship works because of the designer or because of its flexibility (or both), I will leave that up to someone else to determine. I think little has to do with the brand itself and more with the reality that I, for whatever reason, have always had the patience with this particular bicycle to work through our issues, and that hasn't always been the case with other bicycles. There was an immediate level of comfort - on an emotional level - with this bike, and I suppose that helped spur on the adaptations to help it not only stick around, but get so many miles of use.

Although I do still enjoy having a lighter weight road bike to use, and I can't say that I won't have something faster for road rides or a bike that's slower or heavier for tooling around town, there is something special about the connection I have with the Hillborne. Like a human relationship, we've shared good times and bad, we've had our fights and make-ups (okay, maybe I was the only one actually fighting), and we've each grown and/or changed over the years together. I know that I really love this bike though and am grateful to have a bicycle that I can always count on. It's taken time to understand what our relationship is and how it works best, but it was well worth the effort to arrive at this point.

Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen: Initial Thoughts/Review

As some may have gathered after the guest post recently from Sam, I have acquired another Rivendell bicycle.  I intended to wait a bit longer to post any sort of opinions or thoughts about the bike, but because the cat is out of the bag, so to speak, I thought I'd write some initial thoughts and will follow up at a later time as things change, and as I have more time to ride the bike. Please keep in mind that these are just some thoughts after having the bike for a somewhat short period of time (a couple of months), and I'm sure they will change as more riding takes place.

The A. Homer Hilsen made its way here a bit by happenstance. While I was browsing bicycles (as I often find myself), I came upon a discounted frame and honestly couldn't say no. Okay, I could have said no, and perhaps should have, but I didn't.  I almost felt as though I couldn't turn it away because it was the correct size, and I (as many do) have eyed this frame for some time, wondering what sort of differences I would find, if any, between the Sam Hillborne and the A. Homer Hilsen. I went into the purchase with the mindset that the Homer would end up being more of a faster ride, road bicycle, and the Hillborne would be the hauler, long distance, eventual touring kind of bike. With that in mind, I decided to keep the Homer stripped down, and reserve the fenders, racks, large bags, etc for the Hillborne (though racks can be put on both frames).

To provide some sizing comparison info for the two bikes I'm riding:

Sam Hillborne
Frame Size: 48cm
Stand Over: 74.9cm
Top Tube (effective): 54.5cm

A. Homer Hilsen
Frame size: 47cm
Stand Over: 73.5cm
Top Tube: 52cm

To obtain more info on sizes, geometry, etc, you can see Rivendell's size chart here. There's also a ton of information that can be read on the Rivendell website in regard to each frame, as well as numerous reviews to be found with a quick search of the web.

Initially, I was excited about the Homer's size because I've always felt that the Hillborne is just slightly large for me. What I found amusing, is that I've grown accustomed to this "large" feeling, and now it is simply comfortable, so when I first rode the Homer, I wasn't sure what to think. I started saying things like, "I feel cramped on this bike," and "Why are the handlebars so close?" The Homer was set up with the same size (same reach) stem as the Hillborne, but after a few rides, I was fairly certain it would be difficult to get used to the closeness. I believe part of this could be due to the pressure on my hands. Having the handlebars farther away helps me distribute weight to the rest of my body more easily, rather than resting it all on my wrists/hands (or at least, this has been my experience to date). After obtaining a longer reach handlebar stem, I felt much more at ease on this bike, though it has now become an issue of perhaps being too stretched. It's funny how a small change (50mm) can make a big difference.

A slightly off topic note on the handlebars:
The Homer was built up first with randonneur bars (from Nitto). I have wanted to try these and thought it would be a good opportunity to give this a go. I took the bike on a few rides with this set up, and ultimately found (as I have in the past with new bicycles), that I, personally, cannot seem to get a good working set up with any kind of drop bar. I really like the "hook" portion of these bars, as it feels like a more natural hand position (to me), but inevitably, after 10-15 miles, I find my hands and wrists to be in severe pain. So, off came the rando bars, and on went my old standby: the albatross bar. A few rides later, I started to think that maybe I should try the randonneur bars again (maybe I hadn't given them a fair shake), so they were put back on, and then subsequently removed when I came to my senses. I have to admit, I definitely have "drop bar envy," and it's difficult when I desperately want to make this type of handlebar work for me. I keep trying, so perhaps one day I'll find the right set up.

The Homer is most certainly a lighter bike than the Hillborne. Routinely, the Hillborne is pushing close to 40 lbs (if not more) by the time I get everything I need. In addition, the Hillborne frame is physically heavier, so even if they were set up exactly the same, the Hillborne would weigh more than the Homer. In its current set up, the Homer is around 26 lbs. Obviously, this is a significant amount of weight to lose on a bicycle... yet, I don't find that it adds to my speed. Where it does seem to make a difference is on hill climbs. While the actual speed I'm travelling doesn't seem to vary much, there is significantly less effort needed to climb with the Homer. Of course, if I were used to riding a 15 lb carbon frame, this might be a completely different story.

In more arbitrary terms, I find the Hillborne to be a stable and solid bicycle, and while I wouldn't say that the Homer is not solid or is unstable, I have yet to find the right balance on this bike quite yet. If I look at the history of edits with the Hillborne though (of which there were many), I know it is likely just  a matter of finding the right pieces to the puzzle to help this all come together. I have noted, however, that the Homer seems to ride a straighter line without steering. Meaning that if I were to take my hands off the handlebars on the Homer, it would pretty much steer itself straight ahead (assuming the road is level, of course), whereas the Hillborne, in my experience, requires a bit more handling to keep a straight line. Neither way is bothersome to me, but I've just found it interesting.

There are some minor annoyances to date with the Homer. One that stands out most to me is that the seat tube bottle cage mount is too high on the frame, and I cannot get a standard height bottle into it, so instead I use a short bottle (fortunately, we have many, many bottles sitting around). The Hillborne mount is lower down on the seat tube, and I'm not certain why the Homer has different positioning. A similar problem occurs on the mount under the down tube, though I expected this due to the small frame size.

I am still trying to determine exactly how to set up the Homer so it functions in the best possible manner.  Most of the parts were items sitting around, so they weren't specifically sought out for this frame, nor are they particularly exciting, but I will share them regardless. Currently, the bike is running with a Sugino XD2 crank (24/36/46), a 3x8 drive train (cassette is 11-32 teeth), Pari-Moto 650b x 38 tires (which, actually are kind of exciting, but I can share more on those later), an inexpensive wheel set picked up on e-Bay last year, and Shimano 8sp bar end shifters. The derailleurs are also nothing impressive - both are Shimano - the front is Sora, and the rear is an XT Deore. I have switched back and forth between the Brooks B-17 and the B-72 saddles a few times now, but I'm having difficulty finding one that works well. If I lower the handlebars, the B-17 works better, but with the stem raised higher, the B-72 is a closer fit (thought still not ideal).

Not being mechanically inclined, I'm hesitant to comment too much on the parts making up the whole; however, I will state that one advantage thus far I've experienced in the Homer vs Hillborne saga is the shifting. The 8 speed gearing on the Homer seems to shift much smoother than the 9 speed on the Hillborne. I don't know if possibly this has to do with the smaller frame sizes, and thus some agitation with the chain moving across more rings? Perhaps someone more informed/skilled can provide better details in regard to that matter.

I have yet to mention the looks of this bicycle, but it is in fact gorgeous. Perhaps I assume this goes without saying? People stop and stare, want to touch, ask if it's an old bike, and so on. If this bothers you, perhaps it's better to go in another direction - it's hard to keep people from touching it, frankly. In fact, I had it at farmer's market recently and it was definitely a topic of conversation (which included some caressing and touching of lugs/paint/handlebars/saddle/etc. I have made my peace with the idea that it's simply a bike that needs to be touched, and I understand that it's part of having a bike that's different from what most are riding.

Ultimately, this bike has already undergone a multitude of changes, and they will undoubtedly continue as I attempt to understand it better. I am happy to update about the Homer at a later time, as I'm sure some thoughts and opinons will change. Would I buy the Homer again? Yes, I believe I would, though I will be happy to have it settled into a more permanent state. If I had to choose between the A. Homer Hilsen and the Sam Hillborne, which would I pick? That may be a topic to tread upon lightly. I think I can more accurately state that if I were looking for a road bike to race with, I wouldn't choose either of these (but if you're looking at one of these, it likely isn't for road racing anyway), but if I were looking for an every day bike, a ride that can do distance and provide comfort, and/or a bicycle that works in many different set ups or variations, one of these two would definitely be on the list. Time will tell if one wins out over the other, but for now I am enjoying simply discovering the differences and similarities between the two.

{Part 2} Rivendell Betty Foy vs Sam Hillborne: Are They Interchangeable?

{If you would like to read the first post in this series, please click here}

After making the decision to buy the Betty Foy frame, I knew it would not be something we could build up immediately because the parts would more than double the cost of the bike, and it just wasn't in any way going to fit into the budget for awhile. Not horribly surprising, we had quite a few parts around the house that were for projects never completed, back up parts, wrong parts for other projects, and so on, so very little needed to be purchased to build up the complete bike. I suppose that is the "good" that comes from the never-ending bike search/builds, and also allowed for Betty to get built up quicker than I anticipated.

The infamous Betty Foy heart lugs

Before I get too far along in the process of sharing my opinion and/or comparison of the Betty and the Sam, I should point out that some size changes took place recently at Rivendell for the Betty Foy. She now comes in fewer sizes that are supposed to cover a wider range of riders' heights. I was a little unsure of what to do when I discovered that the newest shipments will come in 50cm, 55cm, and 60cm (for the record, the old sizes were 47cm, 52cm, 58cm, and 62cm), but after some discussion with the folks at Riv, I figured I would give the 50cm a go, particularly after my experience with the far too small 42cm Soma.
Quite honestly, the 52cm would likely have been just a tad large, and while it could be adjusted with stems and so on, I am actually grateful that I waited for the size in between the two former variations to actually commit to the purchase.

More of the Betty hearts

Part of my trepidation with the purchase of a Betty frame had to do with information I had read about the bikes, and the idea that it would ride and compare very similarly to the Sam Hillborne. Duplicate bikes isn't what I am after, but my curiosity simply got the best of me and I needed to know if I could truly sacrifice one for the other. My #1 reason for wanting the Betty was to have a frame that isn't a diamond shape. Particularly in the warmer months, I wear many more skirts/dresses and I wanted the option to wear them on my bike, especially when roaming around town. I know that some are capable of performing this task on a diamond frame, but I am not at all graceful and I know my limits, so having some kind of dip in the frame is a necessity unless I want to change before riding.

Side by side - Sam Hillborne and Betty Foy

The set up of each of these bikes is comparable, with the same or extremely similar components, however, there are differences. The Betty is an 8x3 (24 speed) and the Hillborne is a 9x3 (or 27 speed). To me, this is of little consequence as it doesn't affect my ability to get where I need to go, nor the speeds reachable on either bike. Betty has fenders, a rear rack, and the same handlebars (positioned the way they were intended or "right side up"), and the Hillborne has Grand Bois Hetre tires in cream, while the Betty has black Schwalbe Marathon's. The stems are different on each of these - the Hillborne has a Nitto stem, while the Betty has an Origin8 stem (more on that in a post at another time) that has a significantly greater reach than the Nitto. The saddle bags on each are different as well, and please note that the basket was just added to the Betty, so my thoughts are prior to that addition.

Betty and Sam - both gorgeous, but different

With that bit of background, I will say that while both bikes are comfortable and fun to ride, I find them to be quite dissimilar. Although the looks are undoubtedly Rivendell aesthetics, personally I could not imagine doing a long distance ride (let's say, greater than 15-20 miles) on the Betty, while I have completed many on the Hillborne. Take that information for what it is worth, particularly coming from a rather fussy rider, but there is definitely a different feel when changing from the Hillborne to the Betty or vice versa. I find the Betty to be more upright (not as upright as many European city bikes, but more so than the Hillborne), but while certainly usable for a longer distance ride, may cause discomfort to those more sensitive to positioning. While some might argue this sensation is due to lack of drop bars on the Betty, I will point out that I don't have drop bars on the Hillborne either, and have not experienced that feeling on that particular bike unless I have traveled some distance greater than would be a typical "long" ride for me, and that is due to my own wrist/hand sensitivities, I believe (though please feel free to argue otherwise, if you see it differently or think I am missing something in my thought process). I should also add that there are folks who own the Betty Foy and do use her as the long distance/road bike, as well as riding in the city with her, so while I think there are differences between the two models, it is also apparent to me that some find her perfectly capable and comfortable to take on longer rides. I wonder if this is just differences in rider comfort, size, set up of the bike, or simply that by comparison for any given individual, the Betty Foy may indeed ride like a road bike?

These two bikes are also equipped with the same saddle (although I've had the Hillborne Brooks B-72 laced in the past to help with spreading), so I don't think this is where the differences are coming into play. The reality is that they are simply different in my opinion, and even if one were to get each bike set up with the exact same components, it would be impossible for them to feel exactly the same, and improbable to feel/ride close to the same way. Is the Betty faster than most typical city bikes? I would say most certainly, but due to even very small changes in geometry, it simply feels different, and in my opinion, those differences make it more pleasant and more comfortable for me to use the Hillborne for longer and/or faster rides.

In many ways, I begin to feel as though I'm trying to find similarities in two completely different bikes, comparing an apple and an orange in some respects. Just as bikes from various manufacturers/designers are different, I have a difficult time understanding how these two bikes are interchangeable. While it is not an issue to me personally, I am curious as to how and why these are often viewed as equals, and even thought to be easily used for the same purposes. As I mentioned in the first of these posts, I was prepared to deal with the reality of possibly having two bikes that would ride the same, but I have yet to find that they could be used for the same riding tasks. I understand that I've only had them together to compare for a fairly brief time of a few months, but even prior to adding the heavier bag to the Betty, or the basket, the posture I use on her is simply different - not bad, but different. So, I am left to question whether I would be able to give the Hillborne up in exchange for the Betty, or vice versa.

It would be nearly impossible for me to know ultimately what will happen with these two bikes, but as it stands, it seems that they each have their own functionality, ride differently, and will work well for my personal purposes. So, for the time being I will ride them both and continue to evaluate whether they are interchangeable for me, or whether they can each hold their own spot in the bike fold.

Copy Cat: The New Raleigh Sports

I'm beginning to think I have no originality left in me at all. I'm not entirely sure how it happens, but I'm starting to see that it appears as though I'm constantly copying other bicyclists with their rides of choice. I swear, this is truly not the case.

It started with the Pashley Princess Sovereign. I had been longingly watching and reading about these bikes for some time before I actually took the plunge to buy one for myself. After all, it's not an investment that should be taken lightly. At the time, I never, ever, ever saw myself riding a road bike, and I was discovering that I was dealing with some unnecessary issues on my Electra bicycles (these were entirely personal body malfunction issues and not anything to do with the quality of Electra by any means). After lots of test riding and looking, I decided to sell my three Electra bicycles to be able to afford the Pashley that seemed ideal for my needs. I was so happy to get this bicycle and found myself riding anywhere within a reasonable distance. Reasonable distance was the key phrase as it turned out.

Pashley Princess Sovereign

I was becoming a bit disgruntled with not being able to go longer distances on my bicycle. Sure, physically I could have gone any distance I desired, but trips seemed to take an eternity and the weight of the bike was, at least somewhat, slowing me down. In the back of my mind I had secretly been wishing that I could ride a road bike, but with severe hand/wrist issues, I was fairly certain (due to past experiences of riding mountain bikes as road bikes) that this was never going to happen. Several months before I even started thinking about buying the Pashley I had come across the Rivendell Bicycle Works website and had browsed their selection of bikes, as well as looked through their many articles about the way most people ride. I've never thought of myself as "most people" though, so I put it out of my mind and went back to riding my fabulous Stuart. Sure, I had a road bike as a kid, but a lot has changed since I was ten. Every once in awhile, I'd be looking for something completely random and I'd end up reading about Rivendell bicycles. I started longing to have a touring road bike, but I didn't think there was anything road-style wise out there that would allow me to ride for more than a few miles without being in pain.

Sam Hillborne

Then one day it struck me: Why can't I ride a road bike? What is it that makes it physically impossible? I had read on some various bike forums that individuals who couldn't use drops often use flat bars or other bars, and so the wheels started turning. I went back to the idea of a Hillborne from Rivendell, but how would I come up with the money, and how on earth would I justify this expenditure? Ironically, just as I was in deep thought mode, I came upon a post on Lovely Bicycle about Velouria's newly built up Sam Hillborne. I'm not sure if one looks at it as the fates colliding, or as a strange coincidence, but it almost seemed as though things were coming together. Soon, I was starting my very own build with Sam (okay, so it was mostly Sam doing the building, and me picking a lot of pieces of the puzzle).

Sam building up the Hillborne

As if this little reliving of the past hasn't gone on long enough, I will get to the purpose of this long tale. It seems a new "copy" has made its way into my life. A Raleigh Sports ladies bicycle, ala S of Simply Bike has managed to find her way into our home. It's a 1972 (I'm told, though I will need to verify the information to be certain) Raleigh Sports model, in the oh so similar green color famous for that era of Raleigh bicycles. This bicycle will be the replacement for the Pashley (which has been sold, and a post on that matter is forthcoming) as my all around city bicycle. I met the sweetest older man who sold the bike to me, and who had bought this bicycle brand new for his now-83-year-old wife. She had been dealing with some issues with balance and decided that she wasn't comfortable riding it any longer.

Raleigh Sports in all her glory

While it does have several scratches on the frame, it really seems to be in fairly decent shape for a bicycle that's going on 40 years old.

Sample scratches on the Raleigh frame

I don't think I've seen such a clean chain, or hub on a bicycle of this age, well, ever. Pretty impressive, I thought. I was told by the owner, Bob, that he did spring time tune ups on this bicycle every year, which I think shows on the mechanical side of this ride.

Raleigh Sports very clean chain

Raleigh's quite shiny and clean hub

We went ahead and added the Brooks grips that were on the Pashley and the Brooks B67s saddle that was just sitting around, and I think they give it a nice look, without going over the top. There's also this fascinating little Raleigh emblem on the front of the handlebar stem.

Raleigh emblem on handlebar stem

I have absolutely no idea what its purpose is exactly, but it's kind of cute and I'm interested to figure out if it was merely decorative or had some actual purpose. Perhaps it was a basket hanger? I honestly don't know. The biggest issue will be that I need to get a rear rack and some sort of carrying device for groceries and such, as that is this bicycle's purpose. I have no doubt, however, that something suitable will be found in the near future. I look forward to taking it for a slightly longer ride than my test ride, and especially after adding the newer grips and saddle... if only this slushy snow would stop coming down.

Saddle Test

Does something seem wrong with this picture?

How about if I put a picture up from a different angle and crop in a bit more to see a certain section of my beloved Pepper Potts (Pashley Princess Sovereign) bicycle?

After posting the other day about my saddle issues on the Hillborne bicycle, I decided to put the Pashley saddle on the Hillborne to see how much difference it made.  It's a little strange to see Pepper in such a naked state, but rest assured, she won't be without saddle for long. While in class last night, Sam was kind enough to make the switch so that I could test it out today.

I have to admit, it's a little strange to see Pepper's saddle on Tony, but I think it works visually, so I was down for a test ride. Not surprisingly, the wider saddle made a world of difference in saddle comfort. I didn't go for a horribly long ride, as the wind has decided to try to kill us all with these 20-35 mph (or higher) winds for the last couple of days, but the ride quality was extremely improved over the narrower saddle.

I cannot believe what a difference it made. I know that the wider saddle is something that will be more comfortable because my handlebars are significantly higher than they 'should' be for a typical touring bicycle. I had zero pain in my sit bones, and I didn't feel any unnecessary rubbing on the sides of my legs/crotch area, which was one of my fears about a wider saddle.

Though the wind was beyond brutal, the sun was shining brightly, and I am happy to report that a wider saddle seems to be in my future for the Hillborne, and hey, if anyone happens to be in the market for a Champion Flyer S, I'm selling one for a decent deal!