For whatever reason, a lot of road cyclists are start to rediscover mountain biking. For the older rider in your household that wants a retro look in a mountain bike with up to date technology, the Ritchey ULTRA hardtail ($999) may be the thing.
If there’s one thing Tom Ritchey knows, it’s dirt. When he first designed the Ultra he knew it would appeal to riders who demand specific ride characteristics and trail slaying only he could deliver- and that was in the 80’s! Good design withstands the test of time, and the latest iteration of the Ultra is a prime example.
Like its predecessor from 30 years ago the new Ultra occupies a unique ride space, appealing to cross-country riders looking to get rowdy and go big to enduro riders lusting for some all-mountain shredding.
Designed around a 120mm travel fork and super stable Boost 148 spacing, much of the fun is in the versatility of wheel choice. Throw on some 29s for some trail-smashing XC riding, or saddle up some 27.5+ for some serious no-holds-barred shredding.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
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Current Bike Quiver:
Bird Bikes Zero 29 29″ hardtail mountain bike
Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
Kona Kilauea vintage 26″ mountain bike
Niner RLT9 700c road/gravel bike
Specialized Stumpjumper vintage 26″ mountain bike
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