The Rivendell Rambouillet was the first "production" model "By Rivendell Bicycle Works" after the Atlantis. From reading Rivendell Readers in that period, it seems that the idea had been nascent for a while, and it was in the Heron pricing increase/distribution shakeup that moved it to the front burner.

The Rambouillet is built for Rivendell at Toyo in Japan.

According to the Rambouillet flyer text, in 2001, RBW decided "to make a road bike that measured up in all areas where the typical road bike fell short. Specificially, it had to be:

- Comfortable. As soon as yu get on it and all day long.
- Versatile. Ridable in any weather and on any road surface - even some fire trails.
- Hand-built. By experienced and skilled frame craftsmen who are actually paid a fair wage.
- Lugged Steel. Because we believe that lugs make the best joins, and CrMo steel is the best frame material.
- Affordable. Maybe not to everybody, but at least to any bicycle rider who has a job and bicycle priorities."

The first batch of Rambouillets had a pearly-orange color with cream used in the headtube. Some of these models were constructed with the rear brake bridge slightly high in the spec range, and as such require care with brake selection.

There are currently two stock colors. The unique blue which was used on most of the Rambouillets following the orange run, and a deep forest green which was used right before the model "took a nap" in late 2007. There are examples of all three colors in the Gallery photos.

As of 2009, the Rambouillet does seem to be out of the production cycle (update 2010 - the Rambouillet has been discontinued). Though there may be a frameset here and there at a dealer (or maybe even at RBWHQ&L), the model is no longer listed on the Bicycle Models Page of the website. With the introduction of the A. Homer Hilsen with a bit more clearance for large tires, and the Roadeo, which reenergizes steel sportiness, there was probably a bit too much overlap to keep this active.

It should have occurred to me before this, but with respect to the Rambouillet, AASHTA* -

Sheldon Brown's Rambouillet Informational Page

Sheldon Brown's Personal Rambouillet

Rambouillets in the Current Classics Gallery:

#813 - Jason LePree's Rivendell Rambouillet
#728 - Mitch Graham's Rivendell Rambouillet
#723 - George Schick's Rivendell Rambouillet
#612 - Michael Hechmer's Rivendell Rambouillet
#570 - James Warren's Rivendell Rambouillet
#486 - Forrest Meyer's Rivendell Rambouillet
#454 - Dave Faller's Rivendell Rambouillet
#399 - Brian Sullivan's Rivendell Rambouillet
#385 - Brian Feltovich's Rivendell Rambouillet
#363 - Joe Collin's Rivendell Rambouillet
#358 - Angus Lemon's Rivendell Rambouillet
#357 - Glen Lamson's Rivendell Rambouillet
#340 - April's Rivendell Rambouillet
#335 - Bruce's Rivendell Rambouillet
#251 - Clive Standley's Rivendell Rambouillet
#250 - Dick Schoeller's Rivendell Rambouillet
#243 - Barry Devenny's Rivendell Rambouillet
#228 - Gino Zahnd's Rivendell Rambouillet
#188 - Ed Lee's Rivendell Rambouillet
#139 - Art Leyenberger's Rivendell Rambouillet
#130 - C Canter's Rivendell Rambouillet
#79 - Nick Marinelli's Rivendell Rambouillet
#62 - Joe Collins' Pinstriped Rambouillet frame & fender
#20 - Jim Van Orsdol's Rambouillet
#8 - George Kendrick's Blue Boo Yay

Rambouillet on the RBW site - The Rambouillet Color Flyer - Rambouillet Announcements in the Rivendell Reader - Rambouillet Serial Numbers - RBW Owner's Bunch Mailing List

*AASHTA - "As Always, Sheldon Has The Answer"

Via the RBW Owner's Bunch on Google Groups, I posted a question about what serial numbers fell where. As most know, the first Rambouillet run was a two-pass orange color. This was probably the most complex color found on a Rivendell "production" bicycle. The most common color began with the second run - a cheery, mid-tone blue. This is what is found on the color catalog. Finally, towards the end of the run, a small number of bicycles came painted in a deep green color. (Obviously, custom-ordered colors are exceptions to this. And, as an aside, I don't believe there was ever a Rambouillet done with a clear powdercoat finish.)

The information shows the serial number - a year purchased if stated and the owner's initials.

*S/N 219 is an outlier - may have been repainted?

In the RBW discussion, some folks were pondering how many Rambouillets were actually made, which made me wonder how many were made in each color. This information is based on responses to that thread. If you have a Rambouillet and care to share the color and serial number, please email me.

Here are other non-gallery images that some proud owners submitted with the info:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40738390@N08/4479756577/

From L. Bright:
"Just trying to sort the ranges:

Orange at the beginning.
RB0453 is Nick's orange Ram.

-1st Change- between 453 and 613
RB0613 is Jon's wife's blue Ram.
RB1017 is Steve's blue Ram.

-2nd Change- between 1017 and 1120
RB1120 is Michael's green Ram.
RM1207 is my green Ram.

Last Ram was... ?

(At least 1207 of them, if the numbering was indeed continuous.) Any numbers between 453 and 613, and between 1017 and 1120, will help narrow the color-changeovers (and any above 1207, for the total).

This flyer which appears above was included in orders during 2004 (I believe - the text references RBW as being "a 10 year old company"). It may have also been mailed directly. It has a full color glossy cover with black and white internal pages. Click here or on the image above to see the flyer. There are also higher resolution scans which can be accessed from each individual page.

Rivendell Reader #24 solidifies more of the features on the bike. One change was to widen the rear spacing to a "just-right" 132.5, which allowed the use of both road and mtb rear hubs. The 2.5mm change in width was pretty nominal, but a clever hack for this multi-use bicycle. It also shows the artwork which would become the Rambouillet headbadge. It can also be seen as the beginning of the quest for bigger tires on a road bike, a goal which was realized with the A Homer Hilsen. At this point (2001), it was dicey to get "standard" reach brakes. The Silver Sidepulls, with their monsterous reach of up to 73mm's, were not even a glint in the eye...

The third page shows the "new" fork crown which Rivendell had developed. Clearly, they wanted to use that crown, even though Toyo already had hardware for the planned builds.

Click on the pages to get a decent onscreen image.

Hi-rez scans of page 20, page 21 and page 28

ln Rivendell Reader #23, more specifics for the now-named "Rambouillet" are unveiled. The left hand page (RR#23, pg 40) has an in depth discussion about the model, as well as tentative specs. It makes the statement that the Rambouillet is the same as the earlier Rivendell LongLow. The early specs state that the fork crown will not be a Rivendell design and that the rear spacing will be 130mm. There would be shifting on both those points. There is also actually a question as to whether the bike would have a headbadge. The right hand page (RR#23, pg 41) has three small sidebars devoted to the Rambouillet, as well as a nice schematic for the Noodle bar. Click 'em to get something readable onscreen.

 
There is also a hi-rez scan of the left hand page here. More can be found by scrolling up.

 Back to the Cyclofiend.com RBW Page

- Rivendell Bicycle Model Pages -

A. Homer Hilsen	Bleriot	Quickbeam
Bombadil	Rambouillet	Romulus (& Redwood)
Atlantis

Company Info:
Rivendell Bicycle Works
P.O. Box 5289 Walnut Creek, CA 94596
T 800.345.3918/ 925.933.7304
F 877.269.5847