The Joe Appaloosa is as good an all-around bike as we make. It’s 100 percent perfect for 90 percent of the riding you’re likely to do, and 90 percent perfect for the other ten percent. Ideal for tires between 1.5-inches and 2.2-inches .
I/Grant have ridden it on the roughest, boulder trails of Mt. Tamalpais, on the soft-soiled and leafy trails in the redwood forests overlooking the ocean way north of here, on the fire-roady local trails of Shell Ridge and Briones park, and on thousands of commute miles and Trader Joe’s runs. All with the same smoothish treaded 1.75-inch tires and wide-range gearing. When I wear those out, I’ll go a bit fatter.
The Appaloosa has equal amounts of everything we like about bicycles. As versatile and all-around useful as you could ask for, with beautiful, unique-to-Rivendell lugs, crown, and graphics.
Frame Specification:
- 650b wheels in size 46 and 51cm
- 700c wheels in sizes 54cm and up
- Cantilever or V brakes. Get V-brakes
- 26.8mm seat post, not included. We have some made by Kalloy here or NITTO here.
- 135mm rear spacing
- Shimano cartridge bb 113 x 68 installed
- 1" threaded fork - FSA headset installed
- If you're using cantis, OK, but you'll need front + rear cable hangers
RIDER + LOAD Limit (guess): 300lb
PBH ranges here:
- 46cm: 77 to 81cm
- 51cm: 80 to 84cm
- 54cm: 84 to 88 cm
- 57cm: 87 to 91cm
- 60cm: 90 to 96cm
Full geometry chart as of June 2026, here.
FramePlumper sizes:
- 46cm - Medium
- 51cm - Medium
- 54cm - Medium for a easy fit, large for a tight fit
- 57cm - Ditto above
- 60cm - Large
APPALOOSA TRIVIA
In certain circles there's heated debate as to whether the Appaloosa breed came to the U.S. from Spain or Asia. If it was Spain, it happened in the late 1400s, the first of about 70 decades of unfortunate events for Indigenous people.
In this country, the Appaloosa’s original home is the land around the Palouse River in Washington and Idaho. (“A Palouse horse” sounds, not coincidentally, like “Appaloosa.”) They were famously bred by the Nez Perce tribe, and are identifiable at a glance from near or far: Their hooves are always striped vertically. Their coats are spotted. Their lips are spotted, too. And they’re the only breed that shows the whites of its eyes, and not just the iris, when at rest. Appaloosas are smart, calm, hard-working, and easily trained. Who wouldn’t want those qualities in a horse?
Because of its association with Native Americans, we’re donating $50 from every frame sold to The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. They have the lowest per-capita income (about $7,800) of any reservation, and highest incidence of drug-and-alcohol addiction. Most tragically, it has a high rate of child sexual abuse. The $50 goes directly to the Children’s Justice Center is the group that fights that and helps children recover. It has 1.5 full-timers (Arlana and Larry), and a college student intern. It is terribly underfunded, and the $5,000 or so we’ll send them from Appaloosa sales is a major windfall to them. For more:
The Oglala Lakota Indians/native Americans were the main tribe in Custer’s Last Stand in 1876, and the victims of slaughter at Wounded Knee in 1890. So, an especially historic reservation, and the poorest one in existence. Your Appaloosa purchase will help them.
Shipping Bikes and Frames
- Frames Shipping: $87 +/- to lower 48 states.
- Bike Shipping: $250 +/- to lower 48
- International is more complicated - call or email. We don't send full bikes internationally, just frames and parts.
You can always arrange to pick up your bike here in Walnut Creek, California. California pickups and deliveries pay California sales tax.
Cancellations:
Please be sure that you want the frame before adding it to the cart. Cancellations incur a 10% restocking fee, regardless of whether the frames are here or not.
Contact Us
- Call (800) 345 3918 or (925) 933 7304
- Monday-Friday 9am-3pm