A while ago I got hold of this frameset here on this great forum and I've very slowly been collecting parts and ideas on how to build up this beautiful bike. I've always wanted a classic Ritchey mountainbike, but as you know good ones are quite hard to find. And even if they are for sale, importing them into my country would cost an arm and a leg. I think I was just lucky this one showed up. I bought it from a Ritchey collector in the EU who had it repainted in my favourite colour and kept it unbuild waiting for the right moment. I think the P22 Team is for me the most desirable one and having one with the matching fork makes me very happy. I noticed it is listed on the wonderful Ritchey mountainbike database, even with a picture in its original colours.
My plan is to build it up with classic silver and black Ritchey components and a Deore XT groupset. I really thought Ritchey parts were relatively easy to obtain but in these Covid times everything has just become more scarce and for sure more expensive. Retro bike parts seem to be the new bitcoin. Anyway, I managed to get some mint XT thumbies and mechs. A hardly used Ritchey set of cranks with the logos still intact. Silver coloured Ritchey bar and stem, new Ritchey grips, a new Ritchey headset and a new Ritchey bracket that I hope is the right length for this frame and crank. I found a saddle and a seatpost as well, getting these in a mint condition is slightly more difficult, but I think these will do. I keep an eye out for a better set though.
I spent a bit more than planned on a new set of Megabite WCS tyres that I hope look awesome on this bike, but I've not managed to get the right Wheelset they should go on. Ideally, Ritchey Vantage Pro rims on XT/Ultegra hubs is what I am after. If anyone has a set available, I'd be very happy to hear.
Altogether, it's a slow build. Sourcing the right parts takes most time.
My plan is to build it up with classic silver and black Ritchey components and a Deore XT groupset. I really thought Ritchey parts were relatively easy to obtain but in these Covid times everything has just become more scarce and for sure more expensive. Retro bike parts seem to be the new bitcoin. Anyway, I managed to get some mint XT thumbies and mechs. A hardly used Ritchey set of cranks with the logos still intact. Silver coloured Ritchey bar and stem, new Ritchey grips, a new Ritchey headset and a new Ritchey bracket that I hope is the right length for this frame and crank. I found a saddle and a seatpost as well, getting these in a mint condition is slightly more difficult, but I think these will do. I keep an eye out for a better set though.
I spent a bit more than planned on a new set of Megabite WCS tyres that I hope look awesome on this bike, but I've not managed to get the right Wheelset they should go on. Ideally, Ritchey Vantage Pro rims on XT/Ultegra hubs is what I am after. If anyone has a set available, I'd be very happy to hear.
Altogether, it's a slow build. Sourcing the right parts takes most time.
