NEW About Rivendell™ Bicycle Works
About us, short version.
The long version below is old, but except for a few people who've gone and many new who are here in their place, it's still true. But here's a short version:
Founded in late 1994. First sale, January 4, 1995, and it was a dixie cup of beeswax.
We're counterculture. We don't LIKE the current modern bicyle culture and it's focus on competition, speed, racing worship, admiring those who riskily and crazily on trails, and the more insidioius trends of adding unnecessary and frankly ugly motor- and electronic- and electric technology to bicycles and calling them better, advanced. By default, this demeans simple, efficient, mechanical bicycles.
We think a bicycle should last 50 years, replacing only the high-wear parts as they wear out. But the frame and fork should not just last 50 years, but be safe the whole time. This means NO Carbon. It can mean titanium, but to us here is means CrMo steel—a relatively ancient (since 1934 or so?) frame material that, in terms of safety, durability, repairability, and recyclability, is, even objectively, the best frame material in the world.
We like mechanical bikes that are easy to understand, easy to repair or replace and less likely to need either (compared to electric/electronic parts), and even more important, engage you in the operation of your bike. It's fun to operate mechanical things. That's why people play musical instruments and use hand-tools and even still read paper books and newspapers.
We are small enough that we don't have to follow trends. We don't have to even KNOW the market, because we don't pay any attention to it. We make the kinds of bikes we grew up with and still like, but they're not dinosaurs. Our frame designs are quite advanced. We work with major component manufacturers to create the kinds of beautiful, easy, mechanical components that are rock-solid reliable. (Our component brand is SILVER). It's likely that by 2035 more than half of the bicycle sold and being ridden will be electric and electronic. About 1/4 are, already. We will never go there.
Other quick facts: We have 12 employees. We don't use AI and during open hours we don't have a recording machine. Every year we give 1.75 percent of sales to a handful of selected individuals and charities. We sell 1,800 bicycles a year, about 1 in every 20,000 sold in the U.S.. We have dealers in Japan, England, France, Canada, China, Germany, and Indonesia. In the U.S. we have about 10 dealers, who buy anywhere from five to thirty bikes from us per year.
We have 10 models, with lots of functional overlap. Our site has lots of information:
www.rivbike.com
And you can always call (8000 345-3918.
Hours are California time M-F 8 to 5; Sat 10 to 4.
Best to call then. Our message box is usually full, and, to be honest, we don't often check it.
Mailing and physical address:
2040 North Main Street No. 19
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
USA
Leather, Lugs & Wool
We've been bucking trends with lugged steel bicycle frames, wool cycling clothes, cotton bike luggage and leather saddles ever since 1994. In an industry that introduces revolutionary technological advances every season, we've stuck to what works and have flown the flags of safety, comfort and lasting value for over twenty-six years now. These things don't get old, even when technology does. Rivendell bikes are designed to be used hard and handed down for generations of riders. And behind the fancy paint you'll find a commitment to quality, supply-chain responsibility, and a healthy work environment for our staff. Give us a call sometime or visit us in Walnut Creek, California.
- Grant Petersen, Owner
More info:
Rivendell and The Lord of the Rings and the names of the characters, items and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC, and are used under license by Rivendell Bicycle Works. All other trademarks and trade names used here belong to Rivendell Bicycle Works. All rights reserved.