Ritchey Road Logic
Taking on some circuit and criterium-style races, the bike was comfortable in all but the sharpest of hairpins. In medium-fast and fast corners, the bike is stable and easy to manage with the lightest of grips. In very slow speed corners the frame is slightly harder to lean over and was more difficult to turn in than a pure crit-bike. The bottom bracket is also slightly lower than my usual race bike, so pedal grinds through the corners were more frequent. Once the bike was travelling in a straight line it was lively and quick, allowing for easy maneuvering in the field and quick movements up and down the line when accelerating out of the saddle. The head tube is a perfect length, allowing the rider who prefers an aggressive, low criterium position to get a nice tuck when using a 10 degree stem.
Out on the hilly circuits and road races, the bike is even more at home. Although the frame is slightly heavier than a similarly spec’ed carbon or titanium model, much of that is masked by a lively ride feel. I found I could ride comfortably in or out of the saddle without feeling like I was carrying significant surplus weight around.
There’s another significant benefit to a steel frame on race day, particularly for the lower categories: crash damage resistance. There’s always a risk that crashes will result in significant damage to both the riders body and more importantly their bike (anytime a fallen racer doesn’t ask after their bike, the crash is serious). Steel frames are more resilient than their carbon or aluminium brethren and when they are bent, can be straightened by any framebuilder with a frame table. With frame repairs on carbon bikes costing hundreds of pounds and aluminium bikes usually irreparable, this is a significant benefit for the new racer.
Final Thoughts
I was stopped in Richmond Park reviewing my music list before starting a set of intervals when a lady on a hybrid stopped and commented on how nice my bike looked. She thought it was “traditional but cool”. Over the following weeks this sentiment was repeated by racers in a local vets race, my children’s school teacher, and other riders in the park. The classic lines and subtle paint scheme stand out among the highly decaled and swoopy carbon bikes racing around London. If you want to be noticed, buy a steel bike!
It’s great to be different, but which rider is this bike made for? The Ritchey’s stable handling, plentiful tire clearance and durable construction suggest a perfect sportive bike, but the long top tube, short head tube, and springy response suggest brilliant race bike. After riding it for several weeks, I’ve decided the answer is “Yes”. For weekend runs with the mates the bike can be ridden for hours with no hand or rear end numbness, yet can still win the friendly sprint to the bus stop finish line. When the numbers are pinned on, the extra weight of the bike is barely noticeable while the well-thought out geometry makes the bike predictable and easy to ride in anything other than the tightest of criterium circuits. If you’re looking at a titanium bike but don’t quite have the coin, the Ritchey is a well-priced alternative for both the weekend rider and the up and coming racer.
[rps-include blog=127.0.0.1 post=30120]
Ritchey Road Logic frameset RRP £950-00 / $1299-95
1 Response
[…] Ritchey Road Logic […]