Rivendell Sam Hillborne: Floor Model Test-Ride at Harris Cyclery

{edited to add:  There is now also a full review of this bicycle, written after 6 months of ownership}

As mentioned previously, I received a Rivendell Sam Hillborne frame for the holidays. It was a joint gift from several parties, purchased for me at Harris Cyclery. Here are all the beautiful Rivendell frames that were hanging at Harris at the time (Atlantis, orange Hillborne, and green Hillborne). The one on the right became mine. I was extremely excited to get the last green frame in my size: They are being replaced by the orange, but that gorgeous green was the colour I wanted.

Some of you expressed surprise that I got a diamond frame and not the Betty Foy. For a number of (very nitpicky) reasons, the Betty is just not the right bicycle for me - which is why I am getting a custom mixte in the first place. So if I were to get a new frame at all, I specifically wanted something I did not yet have and would probably never have gotten for myself: a diamond frame that I could fit with drop bars and use for sporty, long-distance rides. My experiment with drop bars on my vintage Motobecane did not work out last summer, but I do miss them. The one thing Rivendell bikes are known for, is comfortable geometry, making the Hillborne perfect for trying to conquer drop bars again. So that was the rationale behind this frame. Receiving a frame rather than a "finished" bicycle does put financial responsibility on me to come up with the funds for parts. But I think that's great, as building up the bike will keep me obsessed/entertained for months.

This is the built-up Harris floor model in the same size as the frame I got: 52cm, with 650B wheels. It is fitted with gorgeous red Grand Bois Hetre tires (650B x 42mm), Nitto Moustache handlebars, and a Brooks B17 saddle. I will probably fit mine with the white version of these tires and with Nitto Noodle bars, as well as add some fenders. I liked the feel of the Tektro cantilever brakes that Harris put on this bike, so will get those for mine as well.

Before deciding on the Hillborne frame, I took the floor model for a short ride. It was freezing that day and the ground was covered with patches of snow, which created interesting test-ride conditions. But this was not the first time I had test-ridden the Hillborne; I have tried both him and Betty earlier in the Fall.

As you can see, I have been perfecting my leg-swing technique and no longer have too much of a problem mounting diamond-frames. (I was actually kind of proud that I could do this in a floor-length parka!)

There are many things that attracted me to the Hillborne, but what truly swept me off my feet was its amazingly comfortable geometry. The bicycle is remarkably stable, and even with the Moustache bars on the floor model being set too far out for me, I felt comfortable riding it in traffic. And the 71.5 degree seat tube angle is slack enough to allow me to keep my leg almost entirely extended while being able to reach the ground with a toe - Splendid!

The proportions of the 52cm Hillborne frame suit me exceptionally well. This is a notable contrast to the Betty Foy, whose 52cm frame is much too small for me. (This, and several other discrepancies between Betty and Sam make me question Rivendell's description of them as being basically the same bike.)

The Moustache bars on the floor model were handsome, but after trying them a few times over the past several months I do not think they are for me. I feel that they present the same challenges as drop bars, but without the benefit of offering as many hand positions. So I think I will stick with the plan to get drop bars.

These are such nice looking handlebars though, and I know that some people, like Alan at ecovelo, are very happy with them - so it is a matter of personal preference.

This pretty much concludes my Hillborne test ride report. I like the way Harris builds up their floor models and will only make a few changes when I build up mine. One important one, is that I plan to get a dynamo hub (Shimano Alfine) for the front wheel, which should be exciting. I am looking forward to riding my own version of this bicycle in Spring.