After a few years, Ritchey updated the Ascent’s geometry, shortening the chainstays and creating steeper head and seat angles. Going back to 1985, Ritchey released the Ascent, which replaced the Timber Wolf as the company’s entry-level off -road bicycle. Almost 40 years later, Ritchey continues to lead by example, instilling the “relentless innovation” mantra at Ritchey Designs, striving to improve and perfect the products we all love to push to the limits on a daily basis. Eventually, as more and more of the pro peloton made the switch from steel to aluminum bicycles, Ritchey shifted his focus to working with other companies (such as Shimano) designing specific components, creating what we know today as Ritchey Designs. Once that partnership dissolved in the early ‘80s, Ritchey rebuilt the brand into Ritchey Bikes. Soon after, a partnership formed between Tom Ritchey, Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher to produce the first production mountain bikes. Ritchey has a long history, starting with production road frames made for Palo Alto, a Bay Area bike shop in 1974. Most cycling enthusiasts, regardless of which bike-nerd level they have achieved, are familiar enough to know that the Ritchey brand is of a finer quality. This steel-framed beauty relegates both one-trick ponies and niche categories. It’s exactly what a bike should be: a do-all, go-anywhere means for adventure. The answer to that freedom is none other than the Ritchey Break-Away Ascent. I want my equipment to be up for anything it may encounter, including plenty of rough terrain. If I see that sweet little doubletrack path through the green space, I want the ability to take it without hesitation. I want to escape the busy roads as quickly as I can, leaving careless drivers far behind. I want to be able to jump on my bike and go as I please. The Ritchey Break-Away Ascent – One Heck of a Bike Regardless of the destination, the points between A and B will provide an adventure themselves with endless possibilities, assuming your bike is up to the task. Perhaps your route rolls on by a park with some dirt paths or maybe even some singletrack. Maybe there is no set route, and each intersection allows for that last-second decision with only the falling sun as our guide. Having a travel bike that is easy to manage, with a forgiving, fun ride ensures a fantastic travel experience.We all enjoy a good escape on peaceful back roads where dilapidated farmhouses often outnumber the passing cars. When you travel around the world you come across roads with rough pavement, packed dirt, cobblestones, and even some smooth pavement or concrete. Though the geometry has gotten more forgiving, the same ride qualities are here, truly representative of the best feature that steel road bikes promise. When Tom Ritchey developed the Break-Away system for convenient travel, those Road Logic characteristics had to shine through despite the coupled design, and it sure did. The lateral stiffness was there, but not a huge priority, as there was a springy feeling that contributed a fluid propulsion and pedal response. The geometry and ride had to be responsive and properly balanced for rider weight distribution and ideal handling. Ritchey’s famous Road Logic frameset established standards for performance steel road bikes.
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