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Prototype Ritchey Timberwolf Long Travel Hardtail Mountain Bike Spotted

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Prototype Ritchey Timberwolf long travel hardtail mountain bike
Photo: Ritchey Logic Facebook Page.

Looks like Ritchey’s expanding their steel mountain bike collection with the new Timberwolf. It’s not the first time it’s been spotted, and we’ve pieced together a few details from comments here and there. Word is it’s designed for a 140mm fork, which means it must get a tapered headtube…and from the looks of these pics, it’s a beauty of one, too!

Other early information includes a 67º head angle / 71.5º seat angle, 180mm rear rotor post mounts, 30.9 seat post and  QR/12×142 convertible dropouts. The pic above shows it on the trail with 27.5×2.35 tires, so it’s got clearance and it’s 650B. This pic and the next popped up on their Facebook Page over the past couple days, but then an anonymous tipster spotted it headed out for a ride, giving us a much closer look at the bike…

Prototype Ritchey Timberwolf long travel hardtail mountain bike

Note the very smoothly curved headtube, among the prettiest we’ve ever seen. It was introduced with the updated P650b and P29er shown at Eurobike.

Prototype Ritchey Timberwolf long travel hardtail mountain bike

Tube shapes are similar to the P29, with a slightly curved downtube to improve tire clearance under full fork compression.

Prototype Ritchey Timberwolf long travel hardtail mountain bike

Since it’s a prototype, we’re not sure if the top-and-bottom cable routing along the top tube will make it through to production. Either way, good to see they’re making accommodations for front and rear derailleurs, rear brake and a dropper seatpost.

Prototype Ritchey Timberwolf long travel hardtail mountain bike

Getting dual dropouts is a good move, particularly for a bike aimed at the bigger hit crowd since most wheels made to take that abuse are coming with thru axle setups outta  the box. If we had to guess, this thing could pop up in final form at NAHBS in February. More as we get it!

RitcheyLogic.com

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AdventuresAnonymous
AdventuresAnonymous
9 years ago

I’d rather have that Black Cat… Todd makes some amazing bikes. That is a pretty head tube on the Ritchey, though.

Mike
Mike
9 years ago

I’m with AA, the Black Cat has my attention (nothing against the Ritchey as it looks like a rad bike too)

herp'a'derp
herp'a'derp
9 years ago

I know that trail! Its in Water Dog Park Belmont Ca.

California Condor
California Condor
9 years ago

if you do an image search, the timberwolf was shown off extensively at Eurobike. Love the color.

been thinking of getting a 27.5 bike, would the head tube angle and fork length make this thing climb like a drunk turtle?

Mr. P
9 years ago

@California Condor, those geo numbers will steepen up when you are on the bike and the fork is sagged an inch or two. Climbing is not a problem, I used to race a slacker hardtail, and when these slack hard tails are pointed down with the seatpost down, they are fast and fun.

P

reverend dick
reverend dick
9 years ago

Yep. I see that Black Cat Bicycle.

jorge
jorge
9 years ago

Dang, if this comes out at a good price, my wallet is going to get lighter. Just the specs I’m looking for.

Stevie
Stevie
9 years ago

Great to see Tom Ritchey is building bikes in USA again and will be at NAHBS! I thought they were all Asia built for some reason.

Massage Blocks
9 years ago

so much better than the red/white/blue p-650b

Charlie Best
Charlie Best
9 years ago

Want….

this….

Chris L
Chris L
9 years ago

Not my cup of tea but pretty cool to seem Ritchey bring back the Timberwolf name! For you newbies out there the Timberwolf was a Ritchey model way back in the early-mid eighties.

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

that bar position is jacked on the blk bike

bennett shane
9 years ago

Stevie – All *production* Ritchey frames are tig’d in Asia, thus the sub $1000 price tag. The ones you see at NAHBS are brazed by hand by Tom, thus qualifying them for the show. Brilliant marketing strategy, but the production frames don’t quite match the intricate NAHBS frames, so a little confusing/misleading/surprising when you see one in person. Still a great bike for the money, though.

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