Your Ritchey Break-Away Thoughts, Please

[bikingshearer]

I am seriously thinking about getting a Ritchey Break-Away frame to make it easier (make that popssible) to bring a bike along on upcoming trips. I have two main areas I'd like to hear feedback about:

(1) How does it ride compared to your regular bikes; and

(2) I'm a big boy - 6'3" abnd 270lbs - and would be riding a 60cm, the biggest Ritchey makes. That's a little small (I'm usually on 62-64cm) but doable for my purposes with a long seat post and the right stem set-up. Am I just too big, weight-wise, for a Break-Away? All my regular bikes are steel, including 531, SLX, and mysterious mixes chosen by the maestros who made them, and I have no problems with them.

Any thoughts or experiences you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

[weisan]

Shearer-pal, I might be able to answer question (1) as my custom-built Taylor comes with breakaway coupling. I can tell you the coupling does not affect the ride negatively one bit...in fact, it's invisible, meaning it really does not affect the ride one way or the other. You won't feel the difference. Now having said that, I ride a 54-56 size bike. You are a giant by my standard. I am not sure how that plays out. So to the no2 question, my advice is to email ritchey and ask them directly the same questions you posed here. If my recent positive experience with their customer service is any indication, I think they will be upfront with you.

I love the convenience of the coupling for traveling, that's why I got it build into my bike. But I actually broke it down only once to fly to the d2r2 event from Texas. The other times when I flew with it, it was in a AirCaddy with requires minimal breakdown so I just kept the frame all together.

Ritchey customer line: rd_info_line@ritcheylogic.com

[Kirk007]

An S&S coupled bike I'd say is fine. When I was considering travel bikes, it was one knowledgable persons opinion, that the coupling mechanism on the Ritchey wasn't as robust and could prove to be problematic. Now that was years ago and obviously the design is still in production so his opinion may not be panning out. I think you need to ride one if you can to see if you can make the fitting work and how it feels underneath you.

I've had a couple S&S coupled bikes though and they are great.

Finally, if you are looking at all options, I should mention Bike Friday. The good: cool company, good product, easy to travel with, really nice as a casual bike. I had a pocket pro though, and at 6 3 I couldn't get comfortable with it on really big climbs and descents. Putting big guys at top of a long seat tube over top little wheels - well - it wasn't my cup of tea.

[Louis]

How about putting some S & S couplers on one of your current bikes?

Edit: I see Kirk beat me to it.

[Ken Robb]

bike friday?

[witcombusa]

I ride a 60cm Ritchey BA Cross. It rides fantastic, just like any non coupled bike would!

I do not believe your weight would be any problem for the frameset. Just don't be fitting her up with lightweight components built for a 160# rider

Great do all bike and travelling companion. No worries

[thwart]

I don't know about the 270 lbs part… that'll stress most frames, probably.

But my Breakaway rides just as well as most of the bikes I own. Since that's the case, I keep it built up and use it for local rides when I want a triple drivetrain.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bikingshearer

I am seriously thinking about getting a Ritchey Break-Away frame to make it easier (make that popssible) to bring a bike along on upcoming trips. I have two main areas I'd like to hear feedback about:

(1) How does it ride compared to your regular bikes; and

(2) I'm a big boy - 6'3" abnd 270lbs - and would be riding a 60cm, the biggest Ritchey makes. That's a little small (I'm usually on 62-64cm) but doable for my purposes with a long seat post and the right stem set-up. Am I just too big, weight-wise, for a Break-Away? All my regular bikes are steel, including 531, SLX, and mysterious mixes chosen by the maestros who made them, and I have no problems with them.

Any thoughts or experiences you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

1) rides like a nice steel or Ti frame..you don't even know it's a break-apart frame. I rode a borrowed one on a trip to SF..rode it 3 days and really loved it. No noise, no loosening, and I'm .1 off ton.

2) just don't know but give Ritchey a call and ask..

http://ritcheylogic.com/content/about-us/contact-us

[old fat man]

Very happy with mine (60cm cross version like Whitcomb's). I don't baby it, though I do often put a baby in the child seat

It's a great riding, diverse frameset. I'm 180, but with my 35lb son and his seat and rack, I'd guess we're into the 225+ range. Never any problems. They are so affordable compared to a retro-fit or a new coupled bike too.

[tiretrax]

I test rode one back to back with a S&S coupled bike years ago and, although I'm not quite as big as you (6'@", 210 lbs), it felt too flexy to me. I will buy or convert a bike to S&S at some point.

[RonW87]

6'3" tall and 165lbs. I've used my 60cm breakaway road bike on a bunch of trips.

The good: Never been dinged for bike fees on airlines. Feels comfortable and like a "normal" bike.

The less good: Still takes me a while to break it down and built it up each time; probably a good hour. (However, not sure it would be that much longer than breaking down or building up a normal bike for travel.) And I echo the above poster; even under my 165lbs. the bike feels flexy compared to my other bikes, whether carbon, steel or alu (but not enough to be a deal-breaker). I fear that, given the OP's weight, it might not work.

I hate paying the bike fees when I travel so the breakaway still beats bringing a regular bike. The issue is whether it beats renting a bike at the destination. For me, yes, but less of a slam dunk.

Ron

[dawgie]

I've got a Ritchey BA Cross in size 58 and haven't noticed any flex at all. I weigh about 170 lbs. I love this bike. It is extremely versatile and rides really nice. I've used mine for commuting, light touring and trail riding. I haven't broken it down for travel/transport and not looking forward to it, but that could be an issue with any travel bike.

My frame was a little creaky at first but not after my LBS made some adjustments. The cable splitters used to rattle against the frame, so I surrounded them with plastic tubing and that solved the problem. Last time I rode it on a trail, the cable splitter along the top tube came disconnected while riding and I was lucky that the cables didn't get tangled in wheels, chain or derailleurs. It was a simple matter to reconnect it, but I will start checking that in the future before riding.

[spacemen3]

I've been really pleased with mine. No creaking and it rides nicely. I don't even notice that it's a travel bike.

[rugbysecondrow]

Originally Posted by bikingshearer

I am seriously thinking about getting a Ritchey Break-Away frame to make it easier (make that popssible) to bring a bike along on upcoming trips. I have two main areas I'd like to hear feedback about:

(1) How does it ride compared to your regular bikes; and

(2) I'm a big boy - 6'3" abnd 270lbs - and would be riding a 60cm, the biggest Ritchey makes. That's a little small (I'm usually on 62-64cm) but doable for my purposes with a long seat post and the right stem set-up. Am I just too big, weight-wise, for a Break-Away? All my regular bikes are steel, including 531, SLX, and mysterious mixes chosen by the maestros who made them, and I have no problems with them.

Any thoughts or experiences you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

I had the bike when I was a bit bigger (235#) and I am 6'2" and it was convenient, but I opted for a Surly Travelers Check instead. Frankly, I didn't like the geometry of the larger frame as it seemed to make compromises for the purpose of getting it to fit in the case. It just never felt right for me. I don't remember exactly what those are now as I am going off of recollection. I had no issue with the system feeling less stable, but I didn't care for the way the frame ends met and could easily chip or ding one another. That is more of a preference issue.

We have three S and S bikes in the home now, I like the contact points are the couplers and there is no paint to ding or dent. Granted, this is a travel bike, so it will get damage to some degree, but it should be minimized.

Anyway, for the money, I like the Travelers Check. It is built on the CrossCheck platform, which is a proven and great tool.

Cheers!

Paul

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by spacemen3

I've been really pleased with mine. No creaking and it rides nicely. I don't even notice that it's a travel bike.

Nice house. Custom or remodeled from something else?