This turns on Ritchey’s excellent WCS drop-in headset with coated bearing races for improved corrosion resistance. As a benefit to this, the carbon tube walls are quite thick and seem more capable of withstanding constant travel abuse than more lightweight chassis.īundled with the frame is Ritchey’s new full-carbon WCS Gravel fork, which features a straight 1 1/8in steerer, 47mm rake, a 383mm axle-to-crown length, 12mm thru-axle dropouts, and plenty of space for 40c rubber. The aesthetic of the tube shapes is closer to that of a steel frame, and certainly not the oversized look one would usually associate with a modern premium carbon frame. The aluminium is predominately used at junction and frame connection points, where carbon alone wouldn’t play well in this application.

With aluminium lugs and carbon tubes, the frame itself is somewhat of a carbon fibre hybrid. There’s also a cover for the crankset made of sturdier materials, and another to separate the wheels from the frame parts.

The padding is very thin, however, so it’s meant more to preserve the paint than prevent structural damage. The included padding certainly adds to the packing experience, with felt-lined padding (Velcro equipped) provided to wrap all the frame tubes. Inside, there are retention straps and a number of storage pockets for small items, such as tools, pedals, and lights. It’s zippered on one side, with a steel plate reinforcement for wheel axles on the opposite side. Popular among the travel bike crowd, the soft-sided case features a rigid base and semi-rigid edges. Most notable is the travel case (also sold separately for US$300) and specific frame padding. That’s a tool box on the left for size comparison. Box for a single wheel on the left, Ritchey Break-Away case in the middle and a Thule RoundTrip case on the right, The case is small enough to fit into the boot of an SUV sideways… Or be stored in a cupboard. Put next to a regular bike travel case (Thule RoundTrip), the Ritchey Break-Away is discreet. The Ritchey Outback Carbon Break-Away is sold only as a frameset, but it includes a number of dedicated accessories to make traveling with it as easy as possible. Up top, the built-in seatpost collar serves double duty as it also clamps the upper seat tube stub in place inside the end of the top tube. The down tube sections have tapered male and female ends to aid in alignment, and are held together with a simple metal clamp. Unlike the threaded S&S couplers used by many custom builders, the Break-Away system allows more freedom of material choice while being lighter, too.īreak-Away frames split at the top tube and seat tube junction, and again at the bottom of the down tube, near the bottom bracket. Purpose: Gravel bike with travel coupler feature|| Highlight: Whole bike packs into wheel-box sized travel case|| Material: Carbon with aluminium joints|| Brake type: Disc brake (mechanical)|| Key details: Threaded bottom bracket, external cable routing, 1 1/8” straight steerer, 27.2mm seatpost.|| Price: US$3,150 / €3,199 / AU$N/A (frameset only, including travel case) What it is, and what’s includedĭespite the niche market, Ritchey have long-offered a range of production travel framesets with the patented Break-Away design. If you’re keen on the steel Outback, take this review with a grain of salt. While both are designed for going beyond where the tarmac ends, a quick look at the geometry charts proves the material isn’t the only difference. Whether you’re seeking a new gravel ride, interested in a versatile travel bike, or just intrigued by such a niche offering, this just might suit your needs.īefore you get reading, though, it’s worth noting that Ritchey have two new Outback models available: the teal-coloured steel version, and the carbon Break-Away reviewed here. That’s exactly what the Ritchey Outback Carbon Break-Away frameset promises, and tech writer Dave Rome has spent the past few months riding gravel and tarmac on one – with a little traveling in between – to see if those promises hold true. How do you like the sound of a do-it-all gravel bike, one that leans a little towards the performance end of the spectrum, but still collapses to fit inside an inconspicuous case that won’t raise eyebrows at the airline check-in counter? Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!

Ritchey break away carbon