interview with Ritchey on steel, gravel, wide tires and "innovation"

[Aaron Thomas]

In light of Grant's recent Blug post, which mentioned the influence of Tom Ritchey, this interview just published on Road Bike Review may be of interest to the list:

http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/2013-predictions-tom-ritchey-of-ritchey-design

I particularly liked his quip that the bike industry, which "innovated" away from clearances to run larger tires, is in some ways "'innovating' back to where we started." 

—Aaron

[Tom Goodmann]

Really great; how down-to-earth he sounds.  Thanks for sharing.

[Deacon Patrick]

Thanks for sharing. A little over a year ago, when I began looking at what bike to get, I'd been running barefoot or in moccasins for nearly three years. The shoe industry is doing much the same thing -- discovering the value of the simpler way of doing things and the price we unwittingly pay for things that get in the way of proper function (of the pneumatic tire, the foot, whatever).

That is a huge part of what attracted me to Grant and Riv. -- so much so I bought a bike I'd never ridden, after not riding a bike for over a decade (I had a Greenspeed trike for a few years, but that only worked on paved roads and was pretty limiting).

We need more retrogrouches! Grin

With abandon,

Patrick

[Tim McNamara]

I have a Ritchey Road "Classic" fillet brazed bike.  I bought it used after a decade or more on Italian road bike, Reparto Corsa Bianchis and the like.  The Ritchey handles and responds better than any of those bikes.  Over the years I have re-simplified it with down tube shifters, single pivot brakes, friction shifting, etc.  It weighs less than it did with Campy Chorus Ergo and, with 25s instead of 19-23 wide tires, it's a versatile all-day-long bike.

The problem comes when going for a ride... Ritchey?  All-Rounder?  The 3 speed I designed and built?  Such terrible choices to have to make!  I can only ride one a a time.

Ritchey's building philosophy came in part from years of Jobst rides in the Santa Cruz mountains on fire roads, long climbs, hike-a-bikes, etc.  Simple and strong gets you there and back again more often than not.  I think that there is a slideshow video on YouTube from a number of years of those rides posted by Ray Hosler.

Tim

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[cyclotourist]

Thanks Aaron, a very good read.

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Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

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"Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it." -Mark Twain

[hsmitham]

Aaron thanks for a great read. I've always liked Tom Richey. I also agree with his thought that bikes are coming full circle back to wider tires and lots of innovations are just trends. Just recently mountain bikes were going with 29er's now I hear their going with 650b wheels? Pretty soon we'll be back to 26" wheels. 

Best,

Hugh

Sunland, CA

[Mike Schiller]

 Hugh, the very 1st MTB's that Ritchey made were orignally 650b. http://www.flickr.com/photos/slonie/8008516231/in/faves-37347002@N05/

So we've come full circle. 

Off topic... but 29ers are here to stay for taller riders. The big wheels roll much better off road.  26" MTBs will gradually fade away except for kids's bikes.

~mike

[Cyclofiend Jim]

Thanks for the pointer, Aaron!  Always worth ruminating on his thoughts and observations.

I got a laugh out loud moment with "The argument for disc brakes is incompatible with the argument for lighter bikes and wheels."

- J

[Ron Mc]

I like the billboard comment on the carbon frames...

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

 I don't think of 25 mm tires as fat. And I only think of 35 mm tires as fat when I'm comparing them to 25 mm tires. For my riding, tires start at 40-50 mm and go up from there. I have ridden 25 mm tires considerable distances on gravel, but I certainly didn't think it was an optimal situation. I am THRILLED to have so many high quality bike choices these days that diverge from road-racing bikes and bleeding-edge MTB technology in favor of "real world" riding (as that term applies to me). That was not the case 10 years ago, which is what led me to RBW.

[Brian Campbell]

My lugged, touring Ritchey. It was built (not for me!) when I was in 5th grade. Still works great. I'm 45 now. Maybe he knows something.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/001-3.jpg

[Mike Schiller]

I guess I believe what he says. Sure the other guys were riding coaster brake Schwinns with 26" tires before that. So was I as a teen in the 70's in SoCal. Of course we just were out riding dirt  roads...no Repack.

~mike

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 10:40:44 AM UTC-8, Daniel wrote:

I have huge respect for Tom Ritchey, am intrigued by the Woodsies, but I don't believe the first MTBs built by Rtichey were 650B.

 

There's a good discussion on it here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/650b-27-5/tom-ritcheys-1st-mtb-1977-650b-814782.html#post9753648

 

Remember: a lot of the Repack racers were building upon their experience with and knowledge of 26" (559) Schwinns.

 

Daniel

Yorba Linda, CA

[Jim M.]

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 10:40:44 AM UTC-8, Daniel wrote:

I have huge respect for Tom Ritchey, am intrigued by the Woodsies, but I don't believe the first MTBs built by Rtichey were 650B.

Have you seen the video by Jay Ritchey:  http://vimeo.com/47207697

Tom says he was building a 650B before Joe Breeze and Gary Fisher approached him. 

[Shoji Takahashi]

Nice interview of Ritchey. I'll have to set aside time for the video. 

Ritchey pops up in RRs every now and again-- clearly an influence to GP and the industry. I'm interested to see how Ritchey's prediction of "simplification" plays out. I see more 1-by-X's around, and SS, and fixies. (Maybe b/c I'm in an urban environment? or flatter land area?) Appaloosa/Mystery bike's 1-by-X (or stick-by-X?). 

Then again, I checked out the SRAM XX1 Ritchey mentioned, having no idea about these modern groups, and... wow $425 for an 11-speed cassette! (XX1 chain's $58.)

[Tom Goodmann]

elegant, that Ritchey tourer!

On Tue, Mar 5, 2013 at 9:30 PM, Brian Campbell <bdcamp...@gmail.com> wrote:

My lugged, touring Ritchey. It was built (not for me!) when I was in 5th grade. Still works great. I'm 45 now. Maybe he knows something.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/001-3.jpg

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[Brian Campbell]

Thanks! Funny though, a touring bike that barely fits 30mm tires!

[Christopher Murray]

Wait a second..... Tom Ritchey... Jay Ritchey....

Is TR JR's father?!?!?!?!?!? That is what the 'tubes say. Shocking!

Awesome TR video on JR's site- Jay Bird Films.

Cheers!
cm

[Daniel]

Yeah, I enjoyed that film.

 

This might be a difference in semantics, but I understood the bike he built for John Finley Scott (RIP!) to be a Woodsie (with flat bars). And the Woodsies weren't mountain bikes. Had they been mountain bikes, we wouldn't credit the Repack Riders with inventing the mountain bike, right?

 

I can't find the link at the moment, but the NAHBS site made mention of the Woodsie Ritchey built for JFS as a precursor to the mountain bike (i.e. not a mountain bike).

 

Potatoe, puh-ta-toe...I'd love blast down Mt. Tam on one whatever it was.

 

Daniel

Yorba Linda, CA