Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

All Mixte Up: Rivendell Rosco Bubbe

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

One of Rivendell’s less-well-known models, Rosco Bubbe, still garners enough reverence to sell out each short production run. Photographer Josh Estey managed to nab this one for himself, after a persistent chase and built it up in a most individual way.

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

Josh’s career as one of the world’s top humanitarian relief and development documentary photographers takes him to many far-out locations around the world, capturing the beauty, life, and light that resonates from desperate situations.

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

Now a resident of Jakarta, with his work taking him also to LA, he’s been cycling for transport since 2003. If you used to trawl Fixed Gear Gallery back in the day, you might have seen his films about riding fixed through Africa. He even started a specialty coffee bike business from the back of his Surly Big Dummy.

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

Grant Petersen’s philosophies made a big impact on Josh, and on a pilgrimage to RivBike HQ in Walnut Creek, California, came across Roman’s own Rosco Bubbe. Josh recalls: “After some cajoling Roman granted me permission to take his bike out for a spin. I immediately knew that if Rivendell ever did another round of this small batch bike, I’d scoop one up.”

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

Josh’s Rosco Bubbe is a self-confessed Franken-Bike in all its glory. “It’s geared as a fixed gear for smooth sailing around the streets of LA. While the flop (and inner chainring) is a freewheel perfectly matched for single tracks or the fire roads of the Angeles National Brush Land. Yes, it’s all measured out with the 52/19 and 46/24 have the same exact chain line.”

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

Rangga Panji of Pancalen Cycles in South Jakarta built the wheels and did the math on the gear ratios. The cockpit is a Nitto stem and Choco Bars, the pedals are Compass Rinko MKS Always Pedals, and Compass also supplied the SwitchBack Hill tires.

Rivendell Rossco Bubbe

Josh swears by the Cetma 7-rail rack: “This thing has been with me over 10 years and has traveled around the world. Shout out to Lane for building an indestructible product. Small people can sit on it, and panniers can be fit under it. Go get yourself one, you won’t regret it.”

Do yourself a favor and browse Josh’s Instagram to fully appreciate his skills and purpose.

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Rivendell Rossco Bubbe