The new rivendell configuration and the grant petersen effect

The New Rivendell Configuration and the Grant Petersen Effect

I don't think I posted anything about the new/old configuration of my Rivendell Allrounder.  One of my mainstay bikes since the late 90s, this bike still is eye-popping and looks close to new even though it has been ridden thousands of miles, including some pretty good loaded bike tours, over the years.  The current configuration includes a switch out of the bars and pedals and generally making it more early era mountain bikey.  The Deerhead shifter/derailleur setup is pretty blingy if not as crisp as the '93 XT setup I've been considering switching over to the bike.  The bars are the main difference and they just happen to fit the feel of this bike perfectly.  

The wonder of the bike has continued to be just how well it works as a jack of all trades, master of most, which I've written about before.  Consider it the thoughtful ways that Grant Petersen of Rivendell thought about bikes before fatter tires in "road" frames, and bikes versatile enough to handle pavement well and dirt, became the new normal.  Interestingly, I was recently pointed to an article on why we should be thankful for Petersen's input into the bike culture.  The reasons are interesting enough, but don't emphasize quite how much he was a beacon for steel, leather, and sensible bike designs when Rivendell first emerged in the 90s as a counter to the carbon road racing bikes that cool handle a 25mm tire at best and were pretty useless for anything other than smooth tarmac.  The article is here.  If you haven't visited Jitensha Studios in Berkeley mentioned in the article (sporadically open it seems) it is worth it.

Excerpt: 

A few months after Bridgestone Japan closed the San Leandro office that Petersen shared with 15 or so other kindred souls, Rivendell Bicycle Works was established in Petersen’s family room and garage. Waterford Precision Cycles, led by Richard Schwinn and Marc Muller, were contracted to build Rivendell framesets, with lugs and fork crown designed by Richard Sachs and cast by Long Shen, sparking a movement that snowballed with Don Walker’s North American Handmade Bicycle Show, and the public’s appreciation for gravel riding, leather saddles, and steel frames.