Game changer (Ritchey content)

[kb11]

Another beautiful Ritchey!!!

Here's some info that may clarify things

I have talked Grayson Bain , one of the original founders of Rocky Mountain about my 1985 lugged Ritchey and this is what he had to say :

Tom Ritchey went to Japan in 1981 to explore the Shimano and Sugino Mountain Touring gearsets and brakes. He also met with Tange to make the new Ritchey designed mountain bike tubesets for his bikes.

Again Tom went to Japan in 1982 to solidify plans for the first Ritchey frames and complete bikes made outside of California. Through TR, Rocky Mountain bicycles was introduced to the Japanese factories of Toyo for TIG welding and National Panasonic for the lugged frames. On this trip, he brought along Jacob Heilbron, manager of Rocky Mountain Bicycles and Pippin Osbourne manager of West Point Cycles. When Jacob came back we put into place a plan to import 3 new bike models for manufacturing in Japan under the Ritchey name. The new Tig'd mountain bikes for Canada arrived in late 1985 and were called Enduro (Lugged), Comp and Team Comp (Tig'd) for the Canadian models.

Most all of the Canada bikes I've seen didn't have a model name on them including mine.
The same Tig'd bikes were sent to the US and called the Ascent. Same frames, just different components and paint.

After speaking to TR, he confirmed that the lugged Ritcheys' were just a Canadian model only but he designed all the overseas bikes. The partnership between TR and RM was so they could order enough bikes after the Ritchey/Fisher/Kelly breakup. The '86 Ritchey Ultra was a totally different Tig'd frame, geometry was same as the handmade Ritchey Team Comps and made from Tange Prestige.

 

[ringo]

kb11

Thank you for taking the time to write up your post. Given that I can't just pop down the library and pick up a book on TR, we have to take our chances with the uncertainty of the World Wide Web!

Your write up hits the spot as it is obvious you were lucky enough to be around that scene back in the day.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Nice build Philip, great job on the paintwork.

I also don't understand why anyone would allude to information they have about something but then keep it to themselves rather than share it. Why bother posting in the first place :?

Because Hollister either is a) a moron who like to cause arguments for no good reason, b) a know it all with a superiority complex or c) doesn't actually know.

I have a feeling it's all 3. ;-)

 

[hollister]

A and B would be good bets

 

[Ductape]

kb11

Thank you for taking the time to write up your post. Given that I can't just pop down the library and pick up a book on TR, we have to take our chances with the uncertainty of the World Wide Web!

Your write up hits the spot as it is obvious you were lucky enough to be around that scene back in the day.

I think you hit it right on the money. "uncertainty of the world wide web". I am curious about early Ritchey's and tend to spend some of my free time surfing the web seeing what I can find on the topic. Everything that is there has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Hollister was quite successful in suggesting the future reader simply take into consideration what is written in this thread, while still pleasantly commenting on the unique paint this bike offers. For this he is blasted.

Beautiful paint. Good for you to take the time to touch it up. Being a purist, I am not stoked about the bikes parts selection, but sometimes it is good just to build a rider and this is a good frame to do it with. I know I did the same with an Aspen Several years ago and loved taking it out. The Rocky Mountain/Ritchey connection is an interesting part of early MTB history.

 

[cherrybomb]

Well I like it

Not sure what all the fuss was about really. :xmas-wink:

 

[RockiMtn]

Nice bike. No comment from me about it's heritage as I know not about Ritchey. However I did help forward one of these a few years back to another RBUK member with the exact same paint as a favour. At first glance I almost thought it was one in the same. But reading the details, I'm guessing it isn't.

 

[sinnerman]

Another beautiful Ritchey!!!

Here's some info that may clarify things

I have talked Grayson Bain , one of the original founders of Rocky Mountain about my 1985 lugged Ritchey and this is what he had to say :

Tom Ritchey went to Japan in 1981 to explore the Shimano and Sugino Mountain Touring gearsets and brakes. He also met with Tange to make the new Ritchey designed mountain bike tubesets for his bikes.

Again Tom went to Japan in 1982 to solidify plans for the first Ritchey frames and complete bikes made outside of California. Through TR, Rocky Mountain bicycles was introduced to the Japanese factories of Toyo for TIG welding and National Panasonic for the lugged frames. On this trip, he brought along Jacob Heilbron, manager of Rocky Mountain Bicycles and Pippin Osbourne manager of West Point Cycles. When Jacob came back we put into place a plan to import 3 new bike models for manufacturing in Japan under the Ritchey name. The new Tig'd mountain bikes for Canada arrived in late 1985 and were called Enduro (Lugged), Comp and Team Comp (Tig'd) for the Canadian models.

Most all of the Canada bikes I've seen didn't have a model name on them including mine.
The same Tig'd bikes were sent to the US and called the Ascent. Same frames, just different components and paint.

After speaking to TR, he confirmed that the lugged Ritcheys' were just a Canadian model only but he designed all the overseas bikes. The partnership between TR and RM was so they could order enough bikes after the Ritchey/Fisher/Kelly breakup. The '86 Ritchey Ultra was a totally different Tig'd frame, geometry was same as the handmade Ritchey Team Comps and made from Tange Prestige.

Great info, thanks for sharing....

 

[rismtb]

Re: game changer

The real game changer was the amount of coin stuffed into the pockets of Grayson Bain as he was given the free reign to build and sell as many tig and lugged Ritchey's as the Canadian could buy. I am convinced TR had no idea how many Canadian Toyo and Panasonic frames were made and sold . I do know that the Ascent was the US model with the ubrake and the Canadian model was called Ascente with f&R canti's. Regardless ser #'s can usually pinpoint year made. I believe this to be a for USA Ascent with the ubrake. Many made their way up here

 

[rismtb]

Re: game changer

The real game changer was the amount of coin stuffed into the pockets of Grayson Bain as he was given the free reign to build and sell as many tig and lugged Ritchey's as the Canadian could buy. I am convinced TR had no idea how many Canadian Toyo and Panasonic frames were made and sold . I do know that the Ascent was the US model with the ubrake and the Canadian model was called Ascente with f&R canti's. Regardless ser #'s can usually pinpoint year made. I believe this to be a for USA Ascent with the ubrake. Many made their way up here