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Ritchey packs up new folding Carbon Break-Away Outback gravel adventure bike

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Ritchey almost slipped this Break-Away Outback past us, as it didn’t make it to Eurobike in person. But while we had a chance again to get a couple of mixed-surface rides in on the steel framed Outback with Tom, they also have a newer carbon version of the do-it-all gravel adventure bike that uses Ritchey’s own downtube & seat cluster couplers to break the bike down and pack it in a suitcase for travel.

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback gravel travel bike

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset complete build
courtesy Ritchey

Owning steel & titanium cross & mountain bikes myself with S&S couplers to achieve the same ease-of-travel goal, I always lamented the fact that it was hard to get an all-around carbon travel bike. Sure Ritchey makes a Break-Away carbon road bike…

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset seat cluster seatpost clamp

But if I’m traveling with a bike I want the freedom to ride any surface I can encounter. And the Outback platform seems like a perfect starting place for that.

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset soft travel case included

We’ve been chasing Ritchey to get some more info on the new bike. And while they don’t have a photo of the bike packed in its case yet, we do have the full details.

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset geometry

The bike gets the identical adapted gravel geometry based on the steel bike and comes in the same five size range from XS-XL.

Update: It seems that Ritchey has not yet updated their website with the proper geometry table. Our Ritchey contact has confirmed that the data we are showing here is the actual geo for the bike, which uses a measurably more aggressive (read: long & low) fit with slightly steeper angles and higher BB than the steel bike. They are working to update the website with the data we have.

Break-Away details

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset keyed clamp

At a claimed 2.01kg for a large complete frameset (frame, fork & axles) it is almost the same weight as the steel bike without the couplers bonded onto the carbon toptube, seattube & mono-seatstay. (The large Steel bike with frame, fork & axles claims 2.17kg.)

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset coupler lugs

That’s also only 200g more than the Break-Away road setup, even with the move to disc brakes, thru-axles, and big clearance for 40mm tires.

Break-Away Carbon Outback frameset tech details

 

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset

The Outback Break-Away is available only as a frameset for $3150/3200€ (including the soft travel case & cable splitters.) Build it up into whatever adventure bike you need. It uses a standard 68mm threaded BB, a 27.2 seatpost, and includes a removable braze-on front derailleur mount for clean 1x or 2x drivetrains.

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset rear axle

Cable routing is all external to simplify packing the bike down. For derailleur cables you can use Ritchey’s in-line cable splitters. Ritchey would typically build the disc brake bike up with mechanical calipers so you can put splitters in the brake cable as well (and there is downtube & under chainstay routing for that.)

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset bottom bracket routing

But they have also included hose guides for routing hydraulic brakes along the top of the chainstay that work with either reusable guide clips or zip ties for one time use.

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset new fork

At first it looked like the carbon Break-Away bike would share the same gravel fork as the steel Outback. But the carbon bike actually gets the  newer standard of flat mount brakes front & rear meaning it is another new fork. No official word yet if or when any of these new forks will be available separately, but Ritchey has been known to offer premium 1 1/8″ full carbon forks available in the past. So we’re hoping to see the WCS Outback fork offered as well.

Ritchey Break-Away Carbon Outback carbon break-away coupler carbon folding travel gravel adventure bike frameset trail

The new carbon Outback Break-Away frameset is making its way out to Ritchey’s distribution channels as well type, and actually already available in the US in some places. In Europe this new carbon travel version should both begin shipping out to buyers by mid October 2017, when the steel Outback will be hitting the dirt as well.

RitcheyLogic.com

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38 Comments
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matt
matt
6 years ago

ultimate

MICHAEL C WAGNER
MICHAEL C WAGNER
6 years ago

This seems like a great travel solution. Not sure of the long-term durability of this over steel though.

Mike
Mike
5 years ago

Michael, don’t worry about carbon durability. Reputable manufacturers have it figured out. Among my stable of bikes is an old Trek 2300 road bike, vintage 1989, and it has been flawless. Carbon designers know how to protect the structural carbon underneath a protective wrap. If it wasn’t durable for a frame, then why would so many “old school” steel and aluminum bikes come equipped with carbon forks? One of the most critical, highly stressed structural component made from carbon. It’s not like you’re going to do lift-served downhill racing with this bike.

The reality is that any gravel scratches or incidental crash/impact won’t affect anything but the finish. A severe crash that would render a carbon part unsafe would also destroy a metal part. There are exceptions of course. Off brand Chinese junk carbon floods the internet. You should be smart enough to avoid them. Bad seam designs, drilled rims, sloppy layups, heavy weight full of epoxy — that’s easy to spot and avoid. So don’t pay top dollar for a well designed Ritchey and then cheap out with a garbage wheelset.

Specific to the Ritchey Carbon Breakaway models: the joints are lugged so the carbon is not prone to pinching and clamping forces. The damping of the svelte tubing diameters Ritchey uses is very good, appropriate for a travel bike not a ridig racing machine. Ride one and you will see how much better a material carbon is compared to steel or aluminum frame materials for both riding and porting around on your travels. The one caveat might be that titanium is a very impressive material but it’s pricier than carbon. Sadly, Ritchey no longer makes a Breakaway titanium frame.

JBikes
JBikes
6 years ago

Ritchey Logic Folding Carbon Break-Away Outback Gravel Adventure Bikepacking Travel Thru-Axle Bike

got a ring to it yeah?

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
6 years ago

I’m in love! Packable and with a threaded bottom bracket. Hallelujah!!!!!!!

Morten knudsen
Morten knudsen
6 years ago

I will fall in love with the steel outbaack if it ever coms out in a breakaway version

Matt
Matt
6 years ago

It seems like an “adventure” bike (lord, save us from the bike industry) should travel in a case that can collapse and be carried on the bike. Otherwise, you clearly need storage, meaning a schedule and access to the rest of society, so why not just rent a bike at that point? I’m fine with it as another thing to own, and selling the idea of adventure is easy, but come on, how is this not another toy for people who need all their things with them all the time? I know I’m probably way off, and I’m genuinely curious how to actually use this product for “adventure”.

Fritz
Fritz
6 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Matt, the use case for a folding bike that fits in a check-on sized piece of luggage implies that access to the rest of society. Build the bike at the airport and leave the bag at the bag check. Leave the case at home if traveling to your adventure by means that don’t require Break-Away packability. If you only ‘adventure’ from your front door then don’t even look at this bike.

Enter-net
Enter-net
6 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Great point. Prolly one that’s difficult to address…

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
6 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Disagree. I think the platform is “adventure” because that just happens to be the most versatile platform for a bike. A few years ago when I was a single guy and spent every other week on the road for work I really wanted a breakaway cross as it would allow me to do road rides during the evenings/Saturday mornings but also could be useable at home as a cross bike as I already had a good road bike. I think the is an extra travel bike for someone who travels frequently not a gravel bike for those who want to cross continents in perpetual solitude.

Ed Ng
Ed Ng
6 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Depends on your sensitivity to bike fit, as well as your ability to fit the bikes available on rental. Being under 5’2″ tall, my wife has yet to find a single shop that has small enough road bikes for her to rent. Additionally, I’ve never personally gotten a rental road bike that is fitted as well as my own, professionally fitted road bike. By owning your own travel bike, you avoid the pitfalls of an improperly fit road bike (which are many and potentially severe, especially if you’re doing really long rides on your travels).

-Ed

Johnny
Johnny
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Ng

Check out http://www.rodbikes.com for the best steel framed, possibly ultra light (if that’s what you want) bikes on the road. 20 “stock” sizes and the ability to do custom “whatever you want” braze-ons, geometry, sizes, etc.

JustSomeGuy
JustSomeGuy
6 years ago

I have a steel Break-Away road which is a excellent bike, but it has endured enough abuse by baggage handlers that I also question packing a carbon frame. Also the price is a bit steep. So how about a steel Outback Break-Away? Hook us up Tom!

Enter-net
Enter-net
6 years ago

Dumb question: hydro housing runs external? (Can’t tell in the photos)

Enter-net
Enter-net
6 years ago
Reply to  Enter-net

Nerr-mind, opted to read the copy

JG
JG
6 years ago

Isn’t there a coupler for hydraulic lines available?

Tom in MN
Tom in MN
6 years ago
Reply to  JG

Trp claims to have one, but I can’t find it on their website.

Fro
Fro
6 years ago
Reply to  JG

isn’t that exactly what the SRAM Connectamajig is?

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
6 years ago
Reply to  Fro

Believe so. I was under the impression you can use it 10times between bleeding. Which is fine as long as you’re not running sram/Avid brakes.

PabloE432
PabloE432
6 years ago

Hi Cory, Thanks for getting this out so fast!

VeloKitty
VeloKitty
6 years ago

I love the very low stack height and aggressive geometry!
What is exact frameset weight for the carbon fiber and steel versions? “2 kg” doesn’t seem very exact. It seems like a custom titanium bike with S&S couplers might be lighter for about the same price.

Eds. They actually quote 2010g for the new carbon frameset and 217og for the steel frameset.

PabloE432
PabloE432
6 years ago
Reply to  VeloKitty

Why can’t bike rumor editors reply in the comments like everyone else?

PabloE432
PabloE432
6 years ago
Reply to  Cory Benson

No it really doesn’t. Context is lost: who is writing it and when it was written. The way the staff responds in comments is inconsistent. You have threaded comments, it has zero advantages over just writing a comment. What it does show is that you guys are willing to editorialize comments in a way that is just plain strange on the web.

mudroock
mudroock
6 years ago

Something is wrong with the stack figures. They are way lower than I’m used to seeing. I own a Trek Crockett now, and have had many other cross bikes (One One, Salsa, Fort) and a common stack for a Medium/56cm is 580 or so (not for the Fort, which was old school Euro geo with high BB). And you would think an adventure bike would have a taller stack than a crosser to begin with.

Eugene Chan
6 years ago
Reply to  mudroock

Yeah, uh, these Bikerumor listed stack and reach combinations are more aggressive than even an H1 Domane or an Argon 18 Gallium Pro…the two longest, lowest bikes on the World Tour.

Eds. Have a look at our update above. But it seems for now that the more aggressive numbers are correct.

Dinger
Dinger
6 years ago
Reply to  mudroock

The guys I know who ride these run their stems positive rise. The frame’s headtube is short to make the bike smaller overall and more packable. Negative rise stems are for vanity. They serve no functional purpose.

Kev
Kev
6 years ago

Geometry posted on Ritchey’s website is totally different than what’s listed here.

Eds. Have a look at our update above.

Tom in MN
Tom in MN
6 years ago

As someone who rides a large frame I’ve always wondered how to know if my bike will fit in a travel case. This neatly solves that problem as the case comes with the frame.

VeloKitty
VeloKitty
6 years ago

> The bike gets the identical gravel geometry of the steel bike

Not according to the geometry charts on the Ritchey website. The steel and carbon fiber versions have different geometries.

Eds. Yep, it seems that is correct. Have a look at our update above.

Kartikeya Panwar
Kartikeya Panwar
6 years ago
Reply to  VeloKitty

Agreed. I just spent an hour on the Ritchey website yesterday being thoroughly confused by the geo changes between the steel and carbon bike. With a higher BB, this actually seems to be a carbon Swiss Cross rather than a carbon Outback. Hopefully Cory or someone from Ritchey can shed some light on this. Would seriously consider this if the BB is lower.

Eds. Have a look at our update above. Ritchey has verified that our numbers here are correct, with the carbon bike being more of an aggressive fit/geo.

Kartikeya Panwar
Kartikeya Panwar
6 years ago

Thanks for the update guys! I don’t know how i feel about this geometry. Looks a little too aggressive even for someone like me who is looking for a relatively aggressive gravel bike. On an aside, any clue if Ritchey plans to make a break away version of the steel Outback?

Kev
Kev
6 years ago

Beautiful frame but way too aggressive and racer-x for me too. Spending my money elsewhere. Look at NDVR. It’s Ti, folding, and moderate geometry. Only reason I didn’t buy the NDVR is that it’s electric compatible only. No stops for cables. Or you can buy the frame you really like or even the steel Outback and shop around for frame builders that can do S&S coupler conversions.

Kartikeya Panwar
Kartikeya Panwar
6 years ago

Thanks for the suggestion mate! I did check out NDVR but a decent Ti frame is right now way out of my budget and I think i will be more than happy with a decent steel frame i think. Problem with retrofitting S&S couplers is that I am in India and getting anything that is not Trek, Giant or Spesh is next to impossible so getting someone with the expertise is well, almost certainly, impossible 🙁

Douglas Schwab
Douglas Schwab
6 years ago

I can buy an Airnimal, from Cambridge England, OR Moulton TSR that will fit in a standard Delsey/ Samsonite hard case with room for ride gear. Airlines are making trouble for cyclists and solutions exist. If this move exists, why is their not bigger take up on existing solutions?

VeloKitty
VeloKitty
6 years ago

The geometry is perfect for me. If it’s too aggressive for you, simply don’t cut the steerer tube and run your stem upside down.

Cal C
6 years ago

No size 60 or 62?

salmondude
6 years ago
Reply to  Cal C

XL=size 60 or 62, depending on your frame of reference.

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