ULTRA-Romantic Atlantean Honeymoon Cruz Ship

Words by Benedict J. Poppi Kuuhl (@Ultraromance)
All photos by @nutmegcountry, except 2 bike photos by @rivbike

I have a lot of bikes, and most of them are pretty redundant. They are all mostly for touring and are rusty, olde, hacked, and only work if I ride them. “Oh the front mech won’t work? just kick it a little,” stuff like that. My Atlantis is no exception. I say all the mechanicals and creeks are just reminders that it’s time to stop and have a snack, and/or hang the hammock and take a nap. That being said, it’s still a ripper when it needs to be.

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The Atlantis is a timeless classic that spans the interstellar canyon between the guy who rides to work in a reflective suit lit up like a christmass tree, to the guy who goes to weddings in Shimano SPD sandalls. Ok…so not that big of a divide. But it’s a handsome bike with a tried and true design that’s about as old as Boyz II Men’s 2nd studio album.

This build is my light touring set up with front and rear Carradice Camper long flappers and 3 bottle cages. its good for the mixed new england single track and rutted carriage roads we tour on around here.

It also blends in well with the quaint scenery and 400 year old homesteads we regularly ding our brass bells at as we pedal through the pastoral yankee candle nutmeg scented countryside of my home state.

The aesthetics of olde new england are a brimming consideration in regards to all my builds, and admittedly might not work quite as well in other parts of the country… but here, we like our tubes lugged and our cotton waxed as our bikini lines.

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Build List

• Frame: Rivendell Atlantis 64cm
• Rear Hub: Velocity
• Front Hub: SP-PD-8
• Wheels: Velocity Atlas 32 H laced by the Wheel Dept.
• Cranks: Some weird 30-46 super maxy rando cranks 180mm
• Chain: KMC X10 SL GOLD
• Rear Mech: Shimano XTR M-900
• Front Mech: Shimano Ultegra
• Tires: 2.2 Shwalbe Racing Ralphs
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano UN-72
• Brakes: Mafac retro cantis with Mafac levers
• Headset: Shimano Ultegra
• Handlebar: Soma Portola
• Stem: Easton Nitto Tallux 100 mm
• Saddle: Brooks B17
• Seatpost: Shimano Dura Ace
• Pedals: Blackspire Big Slim MKII
• Front Rack: Nitto Mini
• Rear Rack: Carradice Bagman Support, heavily supported by straps

For more Ultraromance, follow his always entertaining Instagram feed; for more on Benedict’s backstory, check this article in Bicycling Magazine.