Test: The component manufacturer Ritchey has deep roots in mountain biking and has always offered steel frames for different disciplines - including the Ritchey Outback, which is tailor-made for gravel long-distance riders.
Tom Ritchey is one of the founding fathers of mountain biking, but he is also a racing cyclist. Its brand of components is well known; not everyone knows, however, that Ritchey is a frame builder by training. He has always relied primarily on steel, and the fact that a gravel bike made of this material is in the program fits perfectly with the history of the company between road and off-road. The basic idea of gravelling finds a successful expression in the outback, as the bike is rock-solid and functional. Lightweight construction is not an issue here, but the slim steel frame is almost indestructible, versatile and easy to set up and maintain thanks to external cables and lines.
Completely different from the Crosser
Ritchey's "Swiss Cross" cyclocross frame, which Thomas Frischknecht rode to second place at the Cyclocross World Championships in 1997 and is still available today, is legendary, with either disc brakes or cantilever mounts. A cross bike has to be handy and manoeuvrable, and numerous manufacturers adopt the appropriate geometry for their gravel bikes. However, Ritchey makes a very precise distinction between cross and gravel. The riding position on the Outback is a bit more compact and the gravel frame has a noticeable sloping shape, but the differences in the steering geometry are even more noticeable. The rear end is remarkably long and the steering angle is significantly flatter than on the Crosser. The Graveller also has various threaded holes that are missing on the competition bike. Full-fledged mudguards and a standard luggage rack can be attached, as well as brackets on the fork, each of which can be loaded with three kilos. And of course the gravel bike offers significantly more tire freedom: 28 inch tires fit 48 mm wide tires, as well as 650B rollers up to two inches.
Visually, the cables and lines that are laid completely on the outside, as you know them from the classic crosser, take some getting used to. Of course it could also be done differently, at least in the top and down tube, but on the other hand the assembly of brakes and gears is of course a lot easier. Also unusual is the extremely strongly angled carbon handlebar with a full 36° flare, the upper link of which is slightly bent towards the driver. Gripped at the bottom, it offers a lot of control on the trail and also offers space for wide handlebar bags; like all components on the test bike, it is of course only an example - Ritchey does not offer complete bikes, only frame sets.
| frame | Ritchey Logic triple butted steel |
| suspension fork | Ritchey Carbon Adventure Fork |
| Wheels | Ritchey WCS Zeta Disc |
| Tubes | Ritchey WCS Speedmax |
| derailleur | Shimano GRX RX-810 |
| Gear levers | Shimano GRX RX-600 |
| Crank | Raxis Zayante Carbon 40T. |
| Front derailleur | |
| Brake | Shimano GRX |
| Seat post | Ritchey WCS link |
| Saddle | Ritchey WCS Streem |
| Stem | Ritchey WCS Toyon |
| Links | Ritchey WCS Carbon Venturemax |
The construction with Shimano GRX 1×11 and noble practice carbon crank is rather sporty; the full 42 mm wide tires offer plenty of traction and can be ridden tubeless like the rims. With a rim width of 21 mm, the WCS wheel set is not ideal for gravel riding. Ritchey's WCS Trail Wheels with an inner width of 25 mm would be better.
Smooth running for trail and travel
The steering geometry described already gives an idea that the Outback is designed as a smooth-running long-distance bike. It feels stiff and accelerates well, but is more forgiving than agile. These are the right properties for tours with luggage, and trail riders also benefit from the high level of directional stability. All in all, the Ritchey can be considered a sporty variant of the classic randonneur, the touring racing bike - when it comes to purely sporty riding, the Ritchey Swiss Cross is the better choice. Both are timeless classics.
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