Our First Rivendell Custom Build: Susie W. Longbolts aka Wolbis Slugstone

Rivendell Bikes  at Ottawa Bike and Trail

One of our long-standing shop goals has been to carry Rivendell bicycles. Their reputation for timeless design, steel frames, and high-quality components aligns perfectly with our love for unique and hard-to-find bikes. As a small-town shop, we’re always looking for special products that give cyclists a reason to visit us. In 2024, we were thrilled to make it official—we became an authorized Rivendell dealer.

Our first Rivendell build was the Susie W. Longbolts, also known as the Wolbis Slugstone. We carefully built up the frame with a mix of Rivendell Silver parts and favorite components from IRD, Sim Works, and Yokozuna. The result is a bike that highlights Rivendell’s classic design while showcasing the attention to detail that makes these builds so special.

This Rivendell Susie Longbolts even caught the attention of The Radavist, where it was featured as a Reader’s Ride. You can check out the article here: Rivendell Susie Longbolts on The Radavist.

As an authorized Rivendell dealer, we’re excited to help more riders discover these incredible bikes. If you’ve been looking for a Rivendell frame or a complete build, stop by Ottawa Bike and Trail or contact us to learn more.

Build Highlights

One of the standout details of this build is the wheel and tire setup. We chose green Sim Works Homage tires, made by Panaracer, which pair beautifully with the frame and green brake levers. The tires are set up tubeless with Muc-Off anodized valve stems and mounted on Velocity Blunt 35 silver rims—a setup we’ve trusted on many builds for both durability and performance, especially with rim brakes.

Speaking of brakes, maybe my favorite find for this build is the IRD Cafam brakes. They made a special run of these with Green handles. I have always loved the feel of these brakes and the extra spash of color really makes me happy.

It's he details that make a bike special. Rivendell applied these musical instruments to highlight the extraordinarly long chain-stays. We used a bit of turquoise brake cable to add a pop of color in the rear. 

Being a Rivendell dealer also means that we have access to their incredible Silver parts. Here we've used the Silver 2x crankset with 38/24 chainrings.

One of my favorite parts of this build is the brake lever and shifter combination. These IRD Cafam brake levers, in limited edition green, not only look cool, but they have a very good feel. The Rivendell Silver friction shifters also provide a very solid analog feel. They remind me of the winder lever on an old film camera. This isn't a feeling you can get from modern shifter designs.  

Complete Build Specs:

Handlebars: Bosco Bull Moose by Nitto

Crankset: Rivendell Silver 38/24 2x

Wheels: Velocity Blunt 35 Rims - Velocity Hubs

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore 9-speed rear derailleur

Front Derailleur: Shimano Altus 3x9

Tires: Sim Works “The Homage” 650b x 55mm 

Stems: Muc-Off annodized in sea foam green

Brake Levers: IRD Cafam in Green

Shifters: Rivendell Silver

Seatpost: IRD Wayback

Saddle: Brooks B17 Softened Leather

Brakes: Yokozuna V-Brakes