Rivendell Research -Sizing and my Charlie H. Gallop-

Hi, it’s Tani from BLUE LUG Kamiuma store.

I’ve written a blog about Rivendell’s new model called “Charlie H. Gallop”.

But, it was too long to write about the sizing, so I’m going to do some research around the sizing of Charlie H. Gallop.

I’d be happy if this helps you when considering the right size for you.
First of all, let’s think about the sizing. Umm, I looked like I was sick.

You can choose the right sized Rivendell from your PBH, not your height.

Please check the official video about it!

If you remember your PBH, then you can easily choose the right size.

（The recommended PBH is inside the red box.)

 

In addition to that, you can figure out the saddle height from PBH.

If you like it to be longer : PBH-11cm

If you like it to be shorter : PBH-13cm

I like it to be shorter because it’s easier for me to pedal, but it depends. My saddle height is 70cm (PBH83cm-13cm)
It’s just a guideline of course, and there can be 10cm difference between the people with the same PBH. I know there’re some exceptions and sometimes Grant choose the outsized one in purpose, but I recommend choosing the size in the way above. It makes your bike easier to ride and look nice.

 

The PBH range of Charlie H. Gallop is

Frame size
-49cm　: 74～83cm PBH / 72cm standover
-53cm　: 78〜87cm PBH / 76.5cm standover
-57cm　: 82～91cm PBH / 78.2cm standover
-61cm　: 86〜96.5cm PBH / 82.7cm standover

When you have a closer look, you mat notice that you can choose the two different sizing.

Charlie H. Gallop is designed as two different sizing would fit on most people.

For example, my PBH is 83cm, so that means I can ride both size 49 and size 53.
And I chose size 49. In short, I chose the smaller one from the two (I’ll talk about the reason later.).

The relationship between the physique and bike sizing.

The most important and first hurdle is “standover”.

We can choose our favorite size to a certain extent, but we cannot ride the one with larger standover than our inseam.

You’ll soon hit your crotch on the top tube when getting off the saddle.

 

Also, it ends up looking like ”squashed” with almost no showing seatpost and it has a huge effect on the appearance of the bike.

I know you may like the larger sized Rivendell bikes, but actually, they look cool with a combo of “larger sized frame and a appropriate seatpost exposure”, not just “larger frame”. (See the pictures you saved!)

 

But, it is just for diamond shaped frames. Some bikes like Charlie H. Gallop with lower top tube don’t have this “standover” issue, and you can ride the larger size than usual.

 

For example, I cannot ride size 54 Joe Appaloosa and size 54.5 a. Homer Hilsen, but I can ride Charlie H. Gallop in size 49 and 53.
(This is Grant’s Chrlie H. Gallop with maxedout build. This build has also cleared the “standover” issue.)

 

Let’s move on to the main theme. I’m going to consider which we should take from the two different right sizes.

I borrowed some sentences from Rivendell website.

・Most people can fits two sizes.

・With swept-back bars like Choco bar, both size would fit, but the larger one (which means the longer front center and wheelbase) rides nice and comfy.

・With a drop-bar, we recommend going it with the smaller one. We cannot say it would be comfy with a drop-bat for sure, but use shorter stem (50mm-60mm).

 

Well, handlebar is also one of the important factors when choosing the right size.

If you’d like to build it with a swept-back bar, you can choose the larger one from the two, and it makes your “large sized Rivendell” dream come true. That’s the Charlie H. Gallop.

 

Let’s get back on my bike. Upon checking these things, I chose the smaller one.

The reason is that I’d like to build it with “Albastache bar”  or “Noodle bar”. The important thing is that if it’d fall into my PBH range even if it’s the smaller one.

I need to grip a handlebar beyond the stem with a drop-bar, Albastache bar and Mastache bar. If I choose the larger one, the handlebar would be getting too far.

 

Since it rides nice and fast, I’d like to build it with those handlebars and I cannot get bikes any more, so I just replaced all the parts from the other bike (But, it took so long to decide the smaller one since I’d like to have the larger one with a swept-back bar too!).
Albastache bar and other parts have been replaced from my lovely A. Homer Hilsen.

Ah, I really love Homer. I’m so sorry, but I’ll build it again soon, so bye for now.

It doesn’t take so long to disassemble. I felt like crying. I’m sorry. I like your riding quality the best.

 

It’s super easy to replace the parts from Rivendell to another Rivendell. The parts are in almost the same standard and you’ll just need to change the stem extension and tire width. But, this Chrlie H. Gallop is a road bike, so the rear spacing is 130mm, not usual 135mm. It’s a bit troublesome. My wheel is of course for 135mm spacing,
but if you use Philwood hubs, you’re lucky. Philwood hubs can be converted into both 130mm and 135mm with different adapters.

It can be easily converted into 130mm just by replacing the adapter and shifting the center for 2.5mm.

 

The build has done, so let’s talk about the riding position and quality.
Charlie H. Gallop has slightly longer top tube than A. Homer Hilsen, but the handlebar comes closer due to more tilted head tube angle.

 

I’ve also replaced the stem, but I don’t feel any inconvenience for the distance to the handlebar. The handlebar is on the same place, but it feels the front wheel far way. I felt the same when I rode Platypus for the first time.
It rides and accelerates so smoothly and I’ve never felt like this on any other Rivendell, but A. Homer Hilsen. The biggest difference is the handling. A. Homer Hilsen feels like the front wheel is right under my body and a bit quick, but Charlie H. Gallop feels more mild.

 

Umm, this handling feel… I built it with a bag on the rear, but a front basket might be the best?

Oh, somebody just let me build the larger one with a long stem, Choco bar and WALD 137 basket.

I really wanna ride it. I think that rides really nice.
It has the same tire capacity as A. Homer Hilsen and it’s 42mm with fender, but I think 38mm is the maximum with fender.

42mm might be working, but I think there wouldn’t be enough clearance between the tire and fender.

I believe these cheap plastic fenders match Rivendell better than beautiful HONJO aluminum ones. I love HONJO fenders, but I think they look better on CRUST.

Since it has a pump peg, I put a frame pump here. But, I think I won’t go a long distance with this bike, so I’ll soon take it.

Charlie H. Gallop is introduced as “not a touring bike, the loads up to ten pounds”, so I just put a saddle bag on it.
Oh, I didn’t notice it, but it doesn’t have eyelets on the seat stays… It was the first time for a while to use these NITTO clip bands. I don’t like it. I want the stays stretch to the eyelets and they hurt my fingers when installing.

Chain stay protector made of excess bar tape, I’ve been applying a hemp cord for a long time (Actually, that’s my idea!), but I’m getting bored and nowadays I prefer to put only a bar tape simply.

And their original lug called “bubble lug”.

(The red line is for when I replace it on A. Homer Hilsen.)

There’re many brands which use existing lugs, but Grant is really unique and genius since he designs lugs from scratch, stock them and using them to make new bikes with the ideal riding quality.

I’m so sorry that my build is not what they originally intended, but I do recommend you going smaller ones if you’d like a drop-bar or Albastache bar, and a flat bar like Will.
If you’d like to build it with a swept-back bar, just go larger ones. You can feel the great flexibility of the large frame.

It’s been 4 years for the development of Charlie H. Gallop. This is the picture which we can know how it’s done.
The early prototype was like this. This round top tube. This looks cool as well. Umm, he is genius. And I noticed “This is a Road Bike” description, so its concept hasn’t changed from this stage. Maybe, this made me build it with Albastache bar.

 

This is just my guess, but when I ordered a HUNTER bike, I’ve heard that thin or butted tubings are not for round top tube since it has to be bent, so it might be straight to make it more lightweight.

It might be a strength issue like Will talked about in the YouTube video when we visited their HQ, or it might take too much cost to make like Susie. I don’t know the truth, but it’s fun to imagine like this. (It’s been changed since they complete the production of the “bubble lug” and they’d like to use it.)
Including this Grant’s purple prototype, some of the round top Charlie H. Gallop have been manufactured and rides somewhere in the US.

 

Thank you for reading this long blog post.