Tom Ritchey welded up his first bicycle in his parent’s garage more than 50 years ago when he was only 15 years old. Since then, he has continued riding, researching, designing, and building legendary bicycle frames and components that have inspired generations of cyclists to experience great rides, influenced legions within the bicycle industry, and won countless championships.
Almost from the start, Tom would point whatever bike he was riding towards the end of the tarmac to wherever that would lead. Along with his mentor Jobst Brandt and an ever-changing cast of riding friends, Tom would ride endless paths, trails, and dirt roads on all-day adventures.
Those rides nearly 50 years ago (and ever since) directly influence the bikes we ride today, such as the Ritchey Outback— an icon in the gritty world of gravel and adventure bikes.
To celebrate Ritchey’s 50th anniversary and Tom’s enduring and influential spirit of off-road adventure, the 50th Anniversary Outback proudly sports a Half Moon Blue paint scheme – an amazingly beautiful light blue to deep blue fade that truly moves the soul.
The special edition outback frameset retains everything the bike is known for. It sports several practical and adaptable features, offering riders the ability to chase epic ride experiences beyond the end of the road and the end of the day.
Rack and fender mounts help to keep things dry and expand the load-carrying capacity for longer bikepacking adventures, while clearance for 700c x 44mm or 650b x 2.0in tires opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
The frame accepts flat-mount disc calipers, and the all-carbon fiber Ritchey Adventure Fork with multi-purpose mounts on the legs gives you more places to stow the supplies you gather at the last cafe.
What can we say about Ritchey’s steel frames? Remember this custom Ritchey Swiss Cross Disc we built? Still, one of the most comfortable and engaging frames I’ve ridden in years. Each frame is TIG-welded with proprietary triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing. Therefore, the Outback delivers the legendary Ritchey ride quality that’s resilient over the harshest terrain and delightfully responsive when you want to open it up.
Ritchey 50th Anniversary Outback Specifications
Frame
- Material: heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubing – TIG welded
- Rack and fender mounts
- WCS headset included (upper IS42/28.6 – 16mm stack height | lower IS42/30)
- 142mm spacing (12mm alloy thru-axle included)
- Replaceable stainless-steel derailleur hanger
- 27.2mm seat tube with integrated seat collar (max torque setting: 6Nm)
- Bottom bracket: 68mm – English threaded
- Can accommodate 1X or 2X chainrings
- Bottle mounts: 3
Fork
- New Ritchey Carbon Adventure Fork with multi-purpose rack and fender mounts
- 1-1/8″ straight steerer with integrated 45-degree crown race
- Steerer length300mm
- Fork length390mm
- Axle-crown393mm
- Rake/Offset50mm
- 100mm spacing (12mm alloy thru-axle included)
- Fork max payload3kg per side
- 30mm maximum spacers below stem
- Wheel and tire compatibility
- 700 x 48mm or 650 x 2.0in (depending on tire/rim manufacturer)
- Frame max spacing 58mm
- Fork max spacing 60mm
Brake Compatibility
- Flat-mount brakes front and rear 140mm (160mm max – adaptors available separately)
Details
- Sizes XS / S / M / L / XL
- Frame weight 2,175g (size L – w/o thru-axle)
- Fork weight 445g (with uncut steerer / not including axle)
That Swiss Cross from 2017 was a real beauty. It inspired my current build which based on the Swiss Cross frameset that superseded that one.