Cyclofiend.com: Rivendell Bicycle Works: PDF:

Rivendell began sparodically publishing their updates as pdf (Adobe "Portable Document File") format documents in the late "aughts". Beginning in 2010, it this trickle has become a steady stream, with interesting product updates, variants, previews and even a frame design course being distributed in this manner.

To my mind, it is reasonably difficult to go somewhere and find these, hence this page, which is an attempt to aggregate these pdf's into one place. As I am reasonably compulsive in terms of downloading and reading these things myself, I'm also mirroring them here. If you go to the Rivendell Bicycle Works website, you should be able to find them there. Generally, they appear first in the "Peeking through the Knothole" or "Rivendell News" columns, both of which do have their own RSS feed.

I actually find this pretty exciting, as it allows Grant and the gang to get the word out on new things pretty efficiently.

I may be missing a few pdf's here and there, so if you know of one which is not represented here (especially from 2010 - I do have others archived on the RBW page).

This page is divided into two sections - most easily visible are the pdf's in chronological order (with the newest ones positioned, in bloggish fashion, highest on this page. The other section is for the "Draw Your Bike Frame" exercise which Grant posted in August, 2010. These appear below the chronological listing - you can jump there by clicking here.


 

     
2/21/11

The "Grilver" Sam - Testing a new color on the twin-top tube Sam Hillborne. This one is even more special as it was made with a Waterford fork rather than the stock Taiwan-built one. Specially built up with a parts pick by Jay and offered via the website as a semi-custom "one of a kind" bicycle.

Specifics to the build are found in this pdf invoice, and the original "Knothole" post was 333.

The "Grilver" Sam
2/12/11

The Purple Rivendell Custom. As Grant put it in the "Knothole" post -

We've had a purple custom here for a while, and the owner just picked it up, and I got some pictures before he did that. It's an unusual build, but there's nothing odd about it, and it looks great. It's only the second custom we've done in this color in 16 years.

Whatever the reason, it's a mighty nice bicycle and an interesting build.

The Rivendell Purple Custom
2/4/11
"Return of the Sweater/Vest" - Announcement of the itchy/heavy tweedish sweaters and vests which have not been available through Rivendell for the past 6 years or so.
Derby Tweed Sweaters & Vests
12/20/10
The Rivendell "Mountain Mixte". Preview of custom-ordered mixte made for the mountains. Stellar build from Mark Nobilette, paint by Joe Bell and build up at the RBWHQ&L by Mark Abele. Also a short paragraph updating pricing and wait times for the Rivendell custom-order bike frames.
RBW  PDF - Mountain Mixte Build
10/20/10
Converting and mounting a Microshift barend shifter and derailleur (derailer).
RBW  PDF - Microshift Conversion and use
10/20/10
Tweed Bag Assortment with production versions.
RBW PDF - Tweedy Layout
10/3/10

Second prototype of the SOMA San Marcos model - a design by Rivendell. Also, gorgeous images of a fully built up Hunqapillar which belongs to a local customer.

RBW PDF - SOMA San Marcos and Hunquapillar
9/17/10
Matthew drops by on a tour.
RBW PDF - Matthew Drops By on a Bike Tour
9/17/10
Power ratchet detail and commentary.
RBW PDF - Detail of Power Ratchet System on Shifter
9/9/10
Introduction of the new versioni of the Rivendell Bombadil with full-length lateral downtube running from headtube to rear stays. Also, Return of the Splats, Part Three "The Reckoning" and some images of a steel replacement fork. (Note - this was also posted to the Cyclofiend Bombadil page.)
RBW PDF - Bombadil Spats and Carbonomas fork
9/8/10
New models of tweed bags. Preproduction samples. Also some beautiful TA chainrings mounted upon a gorgeous Sugino crank. And, a detail image and musings on the innards of the Silver Ratcheting shifter.
RBW PDF - Preproduction Samples of Tweed bags
8/30/10

Painted and glorious, splayed twin tube Rivendell Hunqapillar. Here's the one to email someone who wants to see what this bicycle is all about.

RBW PDF - Hunqapillar Final Flyer - painted frameset
8/28/10

Rivendell Hunqapillar final version. Unpainted but featuring the splayed top tubes.

Also some unboxing images of the "SampleOne" - the sample for the Simpleone - another derailleurless bike which will replace the Quickbeam. (Identical dimensions, crafted by a different builder.) Shows some possibilities for components.

RBW PDF - Hunqapillar model prepaint and Simpleone production sample
6/29/10
Yellow Poncho. Several views from front and side.
RBW PDF - Harry Wearin' the Poncho
6/2/10

Images of what happens to an A. Homer Hilsen when it is jettisoned from a vehicle while on the freeway and hit by 3 more cars. Also, Grant's X-Rays of his broken thumb. Splats return - this time in V2.0. And, finally, using Silver shifters with Paul Components "Thumbies" mounting pods.

RBW PDF - Broken Hilsen Frameset x-rays and paul thumbies
5/18/10
"How To Twine" An official, hand-drawn guide to wrapping your bar with twine and applying a clean and slick whip finish. (Also previously on this site were the specific steps of the whip finish shown in an early Reader.)
RBW PDF - How to Twine and Whip Finish
5/14/10
Roadeo build example. This one is build for speed in a reasonably "non-Riv" manner. Also in this is a update on the panniers with corrected samples.
RBW PDF - Roadeo Buildup and Panniers update
5/14/10
Roadeo build example. Fast and furious parts choice. Also, the introduction of the Splats - shoe covers guaranteed to be the next new styling thing.
RBW PDF - Roadeo Build and Splats shoe covers
5/7/10
Rope Swing & a Snake. Photos from an outing to the local mountain.
RBW PDF - Rope Swings and Snakes on Mt Diablo
5/3/10
Hunqapillar "splayed" twin tubes drawing.
Rivendell Hunqapillar design drawing
4/16/10
Pannier Notes. Preproduction samples of panniers with notes.
RBW PDF - Rivendell pannier preproduction samples and notes
4/14/10
"2nd Life Frames" Showing Renovelo frames going through initial steps of repair.
RBW PDF - Second Life Frameset repairs
4/14/10
"My Bike" - Grant's A. Homer Hilsen. An exercise for G.P. to learn the software has him annotating his Hilsen.
RBW PDF - Grants A Homer Hilsen annotated
3/15/10
Comparison of two Sugino crankset designs. Cospea/Alpina and XD2.
RBW PDF - Sugino Crankset comparison
3/10/10
Hunqapillar Demo Unpainted with parallel top tube design
RBW PDF - Hunqapillar early demo model introduction
2/24/10
"Bike of the Week" was a short-lived promotion in which one of the staff members would spec out a frameset which would then be offered for a special price via the website. This was a parallel top tubed Bombadil.
RBW PDF - Bike of the Week - Bombadil
2/8/10
The Hunqapillar flyer.
RBW PDF - The Original Hunqapillar Flyer
1/20/10
The simple, solid seatpost.
RBW PDF - Seatpost
     

How to Design a Bicycle Frame - Lessons by Grant Petersen

Preparing the Materials Step 1 - Draw the Wheel Centerline
Step 1 - Draw the Wheel Centerline
Step 2 - Establish the Drop Step 3 - Seat Tube Angle
Step  2 - Establish the Drop Step 3 - Seat Tube Angle
Step 4 - Chainstay Step 5 - Top Tube
Step 4 - Chainstay Step 5 - Top Tube
Step 6 - More Top Tube

Step 7 - More Top Tube

Step 6  - More Top Tube Step 7 - More Top Tube
A Quick Note on Fork Rake, Trail & Offset Step 9/10/11 - The Fork
Notes on Fork Rake and Trail Final Steps - Finishing with the Fork

 

 


last update: February 21, 2011 - Most recent additions are at the top of the page


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