I have the opportunity to potentially purchase one of these bikes in the near future. The Rivendell ($1200) is a dream bike of mine. The Surly ($900) seems the most practical. The Bridgestone ($600) is the least expensive but still has some of that old school magic that the Rivendell does, and I love the purple. The Surly is the cleanest. I'm mainly looking for a steel touring bike that I can commute to work with and explore with in my free time. Options for racks and fenders are important. I want something that I can keep for a long time. I like that the Surly can accommodate larger tires, but it's the most common out of the three.
I don't have all the specs for each, but what I have is below.
The Rivendell has Ultegra front and rear derailleurs with velocity rims with Rene Herse Bob Jon Pass 700×35 tires, 3×9 friction shifting, Velo Orange triple cranks and Nitro stem and handlebars.
The Surly has a Deore XT rear derailleur, 11 speed, Rival shifters, TRP brakes, and Rune gravel bars.
The Bridgestone has original seat and rear wheel (with matching rim to build matching front wheel), 105 derailleurs, Nitto Albatross handlebars, and Nitto Dirt Drop stem.
Honestly, I'd be happy with either of them, and they all have pros and cons. Obviously, when II test ride them the comfort factor with be the most important determining factor. Just curious what you all think.
by osmosisparrot