A couple years ago, Ritchey introduced their Wet White color across a wide range of their components. Now, there’s new Wet Red and Classic (below) finishes
The Wet Red finish is more akin to a powder coat than paint, and Ritchey says it’ll be very durable. It’ll be available in the WCS Logic II alloy handlebar, WCS 4-Axis Stem and WCS alloy one bolt post. For the Classic finish, it’ll be on the 4-Axis stem, Pro level handlebar and WCS 2-bolt post.
Besides paint, there’s a new handlebar, mountain bike tires and deep section carbon road wheels. Check out the rest, including new colors for their Breakaway road and cyclocross travel bikes, after the break…
Yes, there are new colors, this isn’t one of them. This is Ritchey’s display to show that the Breakaway frame, which can be raced as a ‘cross bike because it’s so strong despite the coupling and pivot that allow it to fold in half to fit in a normal (if oversized) suitcase, can be built up really light. This one’s in at 15.34lbs with pedals.
New paint colors for steel Breakaway road and ‘cross bikes are white, above, and black (below). The white on both matches their Wet White components.
Ritchey’s new WCS Sheild mountain bike tire (top) was shown as a prototype at Sea Otter. It’s a 2.1 low profile tire with their Vector Force Analysis tread patterning with high knob density. Niño Schurter races on this tire. Weight is about 530g. $49.99.
The new Z-Max Grip 2.0 tire (bottom) borrows from their popular Z-Max line and gives it taller, wider spaced knobs with a softer compound. It’s designed for “severe” conditions. $49.99.
Before explaining the new wheels, Ritchey’s marketing guy Sean explained the Trifecta spoke lacing and selection, which adds in a bit more vertical compliance to wheels, more important with stiffer carbon rims. It uses a thinner gauge center spoke with thicker outer spokes in the Tri-grouping of spokes:
It’s used on the new WCS Apex 88 tubular wheels. Their construction uses a special fluid to pressurize and mold the inside of the rim. It solidifies during the molding process, then melts and come out. The result is a more even pressure during molding and no bladder left inside. That saves weight and Ritchey claims makes the wheels more durable because the layup and resin is evenly pressurized and distributed.
They use standard Sapim CX Ray spokes with external brass nipples, which makes them easily serviceable without having to unglue the tire. Weight is about 1,750g and they’ll retail for $1,800 $1,700 per pair. Available in December.
Lastly, there’s a new Evo Curve handlebar shapes with a 3 degree sweep at the top, 73mm reach and 131mm drop, plus a slightly flattened top. It’s available in alloy WCS or Pro level bars.
