Rivendell Bicycle Works — Local services in Walnut Creek

I want to start this review by stating I am not a bicycle expert in any way. I'm not looking to get into aluminum/carbon fiber bicycle racing. That's a completely different crowd and RBW makes this very clear in their literature (see 'Unracing'). I just wanted a quality bicycle that would last me for years to come and may even turn into an heirloom. A bike to commute to work on, to ride around town and get grocery/coffee and maybe even a little light touring. I rode bicycles around my neighborhood as a kid growing up with friends and it was such a great childhood memory. I just moved from Georgia to California and the first thing on my list to do was to secure a good bicycle.

Ever since a few bicycle friends back at home had introduced me to Rivendell BW, I had been lusting over their bikes online. I could instantly see that this wasn't a mass produced bicycle for the masses, but for people who cared about longevity and craftsmanship. I was a little taken back by the price, completely due to my ignorance of quality bicycles, but once you see the craftsmanship and process involved with these bikes, you realize every penny of your investment is well made.

I decided I wanted to visit the Walnut Creek shop and test ride a bike before blindly ordering online. I walked into the store and my senses were immediately filled with a campfire/pine tar scent. The store was decorated so well, with wood stumps, slick watches, cool apparel and even a section for finely made Swedish axes (which I purchased one!) I was greeted by Vince who has to be one of the nicest, welcoming people I've ever met. He completely walked me through what the company stood for and set up a Sam Hillbourne for me to test ride. I took the bike a few blocks down, jumped on a bike path and felt like I was riding on the Porsche/BMW 5series/Mercedes of bicycles. Everything was smooth, functional and pleasant to use on the bicycle. I was smiling ear to ear on this bicycle. When I came back to the shop, there was never any pressure to buy the bicycle, no sales pitches. I think this company knows they have a quality product and they don't have to oversell it; the quality speaks for itself. I had the chance to meet Grant Peterson (the owner) later that evening and he was such a great guy. We had a really pleasant chat about bicycles and vintage cameras.

I cannot express how cool, relevant and just bad ass in general this company and shop is. There is not an ounce of pretentiousness. Grant and his employees genuinely want to build an incredible product and share the joy of riding bicycles with everyone and their community. I highly recommend you drop by and say Hello and even take a bike for...

I was in the area today, and having browsed the Rivendell website enough times, I knew I wanted to see the bicycles and shop in person. I wasn't there to buy a bicycle, but just a few odds and ends I had been planning to pick up when the time was right. Grant and his staff made me feel comfortable right away. All I wanted was a set of bar end shifters, but Grant insisted I test ride a few of the bikes to get a feel for the various bar end shifters they offer. Grant took his time and explained the technology used in manufacturing the levers and wasn't at all in a rush to hurry me through, even though all I needed was shifters! It can feel awkward as a customer testing riding bicycles with no intention of buying one, but he insisted and I took the opportunity to ride a Riv bike. Sure, sending me out on a few test bikes was a good marketing strategy, because admittedly I now want a custom made frame, they make such wonderful bicycles. *update, I've built a custom bike since this review and have used the bar end shifters I purchased that day, but ended up installing them on the downtube braze-on posts instead. I'm pleased with how well they work, even on a 9-speed cassette. One thing I've discovered, to my surprise, is that a 10-speed chain seems to work better with these shifters and cassette combo. I've put almost 4000 miles on the shifters and haven't needed to even tighten the tensioning screw....

Love these people! Love my bike. Update: I'm about 6 months on with my new Rivendell Clem Smith. I have been a tough customer due to a rather unique injury to my right hand, and they have really worked with me on a custom braking solution. Also ran into some fairly common trouble with my seat post slipping, they have been working to solve the issue, knurling the seat post and changing the bolts. I just love the fact that these bike nerds really care about me having success on this bike. I'm sure I have a bit over 1K pretty easy miles on this machine, and it is really becoming mine. The Brooks saddle is starting to prove its potential, and the whole thing just feels sturdy and comfortable. They recently helped outfit me with feather light fenders, so I'm ready for winter. I can easily see me on this bike for 10-20 years! You can't compare this experience to owning other bikes. There are lots of bikes with great quality out there. But with Rivendell, I feel like part of a family, and I feel like I've made a friend more than I've...