Jan and Seattle Randonneurs
There has been a lot of debate in the steel bike internets about Grant Petersen and Jan Heine, which one is “right” about bike design, and various merits of their writings. I have been following both since 2008, when I moved back to Seattle and started commuting again in earnest. Now I should express full disclosure that I’m a Rivendell owner (obvious from my posts), but I have also ridden a few low trail bikes like the Rawland rSogn and VO Polyvalent with and without front loads. OK – not an expert by any means, and I certainly won’t try to resolve this debate here…
I see Grant and Jan as modern writers akin to sports/hobby guys such as those I read as a youth growing up in the Midwest. Back in my formative days, I was very interested in hunting and voraciously read all there was to read in the journals of the time. I still hunting as a romantic, meditative soul-soup activity that recharges me from time in the rat race, but I also get this from bike riding, randonneuring, and build/mechanic work.
Grant is sort of a Jack O’Connor (writer for Outdoor Life) who has great stories, and likes classic bikes that are designed in a certain way. His bikes use steel, lugs, oversized tubing, mid-trail geometry, large tires, leather saddles, and upright bars and riding positions. He likes bikes that are fun to ride everyday, and useful for a wide range of folks. He especially fits those that are on the larger or smaller size physically, and really tries to keep his designs consistent for his riders whether they are 6’6″ or 4’10”. He puts a lot of character (and characters) in his writing, and talks about other loves like cameras, fitness, and camping overnights.
Jan does a great job of appealing to the more technical or race oriented riders, and his love of the romance of the randonneur and the long rides fuel his efforts in soulful stories that inspire people like me to try endurance cycling (whether we should or not). Kind of an Elmer Keith who comes at things from a different angle but goes into it a bit more heavy on the “science”. He designs components, like Keith (who designed bullets and magnum handgun cartridges). His style is, in my opinion, more authoritative or perhaps parental which can put folks off when he pisses on someone’s dream bike, but I believe he tries to be fair, and just has an opinion he really believes to be true.
What I really like about both of these guys is that they work hard to put out a lot of interesting content, they both run successful businesses that rely on the reputation of their word, and they aren’t afraid to express themselves. I hope they continue to inspire bikers for a long time to come!
Cycle Seattle 
I’d be interested to know your take on the differences between the bikes: Rivendell, Rawland, and Polyvent. More specifically, do you find the “conventional wisdom” concerning trail and how it affects handling to be accurate?
Or is it more a matter of how one rides, how he loads a bike, and personal preference?
I know we all get used to what we ride, and sometimes mounting a different steed feels weird, unnatural, and wrong. Until we ride the steed for some time….
I was tempted by the Rawland, but in the end, the Hunqapillar was so damn nice, and I couldn’t really “feel” a discernable advantage of the lower trail on the Rawland. I also saw a disadvantage of adding a third wheel size to my bike arsenal. The Rivendells are seriously great in design and build quality – and they are beautiful! The Rawland is a nice bike, as is the Polyvalent. I would just ride them and see which one speaks to you. If you are a “function before form” person, you may find the Rawland or Poly suitable.
As far as “conventional wisdom” goes, I generally toss that and try to see what I feel. My gut when I rode the rSogn was that it felt a lot like my A. Homer Hilsen. I didn’t feel much difference with the lower trail or the standard size tubing. Same on the Polyvalent. I rode both with a front load. Until I get over 10 pounds of load on the front, I don’t have much problem with flop or steering – it tends to dampen steering and make the bike more stable. All the bikes handle a front load just fine. I put load on the front of my Homer and Hunqapillar, as well as an older Miyata mountain bike with even higher trail. Perhaps I’m used to, and compensate for, the trail.
Find a decent bike shop and ride some. Or go on a brevet and ask someone if you can ride their low-trail bike (if there are any – no guarantee). If you’re in Seattle, Free Range Cycles has some Rawlands still. Ride it slowly up a hill, and see if you notice a difference…