Ritchey’s even quick to develop his 27.5″ / 650B platforms, first showing a tandem 650B breakaway folding bike at NAHBS this year, and now unveiling the P-275 steel hardtail.
The frame looks similar to the P-29er but has several key differences. Tom Ritchey being Tom Ritchey, all tubing profiles and geometry were noodled with to get the ride just right for the mid-sized wheels.
And, because they can develop the bike as a system with all of the components from their warehouse, making it stiff where it needs to be while still keeping the lively ride that steel is known for.
The 650B carbon fork, wheels and tires all had to be developed to go with the bike.
Fork is full carbon (including QR dropouts) and comes in at 615g with a straight steerer. Retail on its own will be $499, and they may add a tapered model next year. Wheels are the alloy Vantage II and are tubeless ready with tubeless run strips pre-installed and valve stems included. Inside width is 20mm. Wheelset weight is claimed at. 1587g with standard QR rear and 15mm thru axle. Tires will be available in WCS level only for the Shield tread pattern in a 27.5×2.1. Weight is 533g.
These items should be available in November.
They’ll include their QR axle to run them in QR forks.
The seatstays were able to remain thin for compliance since they didn’t new to be reinforced to handle braking loads. The bend is to clear the caliper.
Ritchey didn’t have a flood of demand for the sliding dropouts of the P-29er, shown at bottom, so they made this one for geared drivetrains only. Dropout isn’t replaceable since “it isn’t as big of a deal on a steel bike.” Having owned an old steel Bianchi hardtail, I can say that you can bend a steel hanger back into shape many, many times without issue.
It uses their integrated headtube with completely hidden lower bearings.
17″ complete bike weight with their new WCS Paradigm pedals is 21lb 3oz. Frame will be available in odd sizing from 15″ through 21″. Retail will be $1,100 for the frame, no framesets or complete bikes are offered.
Visual comparison of the P-29er’s sliding dropouts (foreground).
