We weren’t supposed to post this for another few days, but bikes happened to hit dealers sooner than planned, so here is some news on the new Ritchey Outback 2.
As with the current trend in the industry, adventure cycling (gravel, Audax, bike packing, whatever it means to you) is continuing to grow into a larger chunk of the market. It’s nothing new as adventure seekers have been around for as long a chain has connected a crankset to the rear wheel. More brands are adding the category into their product lines, but for Tom Ritchey, it’s been a way of life. The master frame builder regularly rides about 10,000 miles a year, most of which is off-road.
Ritchey started with their already popular Outback steel frame and updated it with more functionality for the current market. The new frame continues on with the full steel construction using their proprietary triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel tubes and TIG welding construction, keeping with the buttery-smooth ride that Ritchey steel frames are known for. A third water bottle mount under the downtube and mounts for racks and fenders have been added front and rear to boost the Outback’s bike packing credentials. The bike is ready for 650b or 700c wheels and has clearance for 51mm and 48mm tires respectively. The flat mount standard is also used front and rear, allowing road disc brakes to be used.
The new Ritchey Adventure carbon fork now includes side fork mounts for additional portage options and increases clearance from 58mm to 60mm inside. Adding to the versatility, the fork can handle 12mm or 15mm thru-axles.
The Outback 2 is available as a frameset for $1399 in their eye-catching Guacamole colorway in five sizes from XS to XL. It can be run 1x (36-46t) or 2x (46/33, 46/36, or 50/34) with the addition of a 28.6mm clamp-on front derailleur. A 27.2mm seatpost is used and fits into a seat clamp integrated into the only lug you will find on the bike, a design touch I appreciate going back to the original steel frame I raced on as a kid. The bottom bracket uses a traditional 68mm English thread bottom bracket, making it easy to find one if you are in the middle of nowhere. Cable routing is all external, also keeping things simple in case mid-ride maintenance is needed.
When you are ready to build up the bike, don’t forget about Ritchey’s components. Depending on how wild you want to go with handlebar flare, you can go with the Kyote, Venturemax XL, Venturemax, or the Butano. Stems, seat posts, and saddles all come over from the road offerings, and Ritchey has you covered with their XC pedals. The Apex 38 full carbon wheelset provides some lighter options for wheels, and they have plenty of tires available to meet your needs. All of their products are offered in various trim levels to meet your budget. We currently have the Butano and a full Ritchey build on a custom gravel build for review, including the Apex 38 wheelset and Alpine JB tires. So far so good, but keep an eye out for a full review of the Ritchey products in the future.
At 2074g for the frame, fork, thru-axles and hanger in XL, the Outback 2 isn’t going to be your all-out race bike for climbing mountains or winning sprints, but that’s not what it is for. This is going to be your hard-working pack mule, your go anywhere, do anything bike.
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
Discover more from Bike World News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.