09/29/2026
The Rivendell Bicycle Works π₯Ά Clem Smith Jr. is an excellent bicycle for riding on trails.
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Seems kind of like a real basic statement there, but I guess thatβs the point.
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Strip away the motor, the pivots, the patented link technology, the suspension fork and shock (that havenβt seen their hourly service intervals and are probably already outdated), beep boop shifting, beep boop office chair seatpost, the weird body armor, and whatever else is sold to you, and you just have a bicycle. A simple machine. A simple machine that you can use to go ride places, take your dog with you even.
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Sure, you arenβt doing road gaps on this thing, but last time I checked, Evel Knievel was dead in the dirt. Humans werenβt meant to fly, history has kinda proved this. Cue the blooper reel.
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After riding the Clem around as a daily commuter for 7 years, I decided to mix it up and put this bike into a more trail specific direction. I pulled off the fenders, the big roll-cage front rack, and threw on some wider Tosco bars and some plump 2.4s (the Vittoria Mezcal tire is one of our favorites).
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A whole new bike was unlocked by just moving a few parts around! Itβs kind of sweet knowing that a whole other bike was just waiting under the surface like that.
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Iβll say it, this bike rips. It brings joy and confidence on rough and bumpy singletrack, a pleasure on duff and winding ribbons of dirt too.
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We have a few Clems en route to us, most are spoken for, but weβll have 55.5cm here for you to poke at later this week.
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Thanks for readin
and thanks for keeping us open.
-XO
Kevin Kleb Klebson and Benny BooBoo -Golden Pliers Staff Members