Thomas's Rivendell Appaloosa Build

Thomas was one of our first customers to pre-order a Rivendell Appaloosa. Thomas has a respectable collection of bikes already, but he wanted something he could cruise on and also use as a canvas for a few parts he'd been thinking about for a while. That's really what a Rivendell custom build is: a chance get creative and build a bike that suits your specific idea of the perfect bike.

Thomas lives in Indiana, so most of the planning happened over the phone — we had several conversations about geometry, components, and what the bike was actually going to be used for. Eventually he drove up to Ottawa to pick it up, and that visit turned into a memorable afternoon hanging out with a new friend.

One of the centerpiece decisions was the SimWorks Standalone rims in bronze. Thomas had spotted them on another build and felt they'd be perfect against the Appaloosa's lime olive finish — and he was right. The problem was they were sold out at SimWorks. Rather than settle for something else, Thomas tracked down a set in Japan and had them shipped over. There was a tariff charge he hadn't anticipated, which stung a little, but when you see those rims on the bike, you understand why it was worth the extra trouble. They're the kind of detail that makes people stop and look.

When Thomas arrived in Ottawa, we spent time on the final fit and adjustments — the small things that separate a bike that's right from a bike that's exactly right. We also got out for a ride on the Flint Hills Trail, which was a great way to confirm that the bike was perfect.

We're already looking forward to building a bike for Thomas's wife. That's one of the best parts of these custom Rivendell builds — the bikes are great, but the people behind them are even better.

Here's a look at the components that went into this Rivendell Joe Appaloosa build:

1. Brooks B17 Standard Saddle - Steel
2. SimWorks Stainless Outer Cable for Shift
3. Purist Ottawa Bike And Trail Water Bottle - Kansas Design
4. Rivendell Joe Appaloosa Frameset
5. Rivendell Silver Crankset low/low double steel 38x24 with guard
6. Shimano Deore M6000 CS-HG50 Cassette - 10 Speed 11-36t
7. Paul Component Motolite V-Brake
8. Rivendell Silver Hubs Quick Release
   
9. Paul Love Levers Brake Levers (Pair)
10. Rivendell OM-1 Rear Derailleur (reverse action)
11. Nitto Stem - Nitto 90-190
12. Wolf Tooth Tubeless Valve Stem Kit - 44mm Gold
13. SimWorks Ramble Handlebar (Colden Pliers collaboration)
14. Nitto Seatpost S83
15. Rivendell Silver Shifter 2x Set with Thumb Mounts
16. KMC e10 eBike Chain - 10 Speed 136 Links Silver
17. SimWorks Stainless Outer Cable for Brake