Ritchey Outback: Gravel classic since 2018 - now with an update

Tom Ritchey, mountain bike pioneer and frame building legend from Californiarecognised early on that gravel bikes would become a species of their own in the bike cosmos and launched the Outback model back in 2018. The steel-frame gravel bike is now a classic in its own right and, according to the company, Ritchey's best-selling model. Reason enough for an update, which the US bike manufacturer is now presenting. In addition to numerous changes in detail, the new XXL frame size for people over 1.88 metres tall is a key innovation.

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Ritchey Outback with dropper seatpost

Other new features include internally routed guides for the cables of an optional dropper seatpost and a dynamo system, which allows the Ritchey Outback to be upgraded to a versatile commuter bike. Ritchey is also launching two new colour variants for the Outback, Aurora and Winter Sage.

The Outback is made from proprietary, heat-treated and triple-butted Logic steel tubes; the revised carbon fork has threaded eyelets for attaching bags or mudguards. This makes the Outback the perfect basis for a versatile gravel, bikepacking, adventure and commuter bike. The base price is 1599 euros.

Technical specifications of the Ritchey Outback frameset

Frame

• Material: Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tube
• Bottom bracket shell: 68 mm BSA thread
• Rear wheel mount: 12 x 142 mm thru axle
• Tyre clearance: 58 mm
• Brake mount: Flatmount for 140 mm discs (max. 160 mm)
• Seat post diameter: 27.2 mm
• Seat clamp: Integrated, max. 6 Nm tightening torque
• Bottle holder eyelets: 3
• Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Colours: Aurora, Winter Sage
• Frame: 2,175 g (size L, without thru axle)
• Fork: 445 g (with unshortened steerer tube, without thru axle)

Fork

• Material: Carbon
• Shank diameter: 1 1/8 inch
• Shank length: 300 mm
• Installation height: 393 mm
• Feed: 50 mm
• Tyre clearance: 60 mm
• Maximum load: 3 kg per fork leg

Compatibility

• Tyres: 700c up to 48 mm or 650b up to 2.0 inches
• Single chainrings: 36 to 46 teeth
• Double chainrings: 46/30 to 50/34 teeth
• Chainline: 49 mm