Submitted by
Greg
a Cross-Country Rider
from Brooklyn,NY Date Reviewed: November 23, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Hermosa Creek (Durango)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Stiff enough, but flexy enough too.
Weaknesses:
Not really the lightest multi-thousand dollar bike around.
Similar Products Used:
Quite a few including S-works, Breezer, Manitou HT, Ibis, etc.
Bike Setup:
Custom Judy SL, XT-XTR, Race-face crank and riser bar, Mavic with IRC rubber
Bottom Line:
This is my absolute favorite bike around. Quick acceleration, carves like a beast with a good fork setup. Handles like it is part of your body.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Birk Larsen
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bozeman, MT Date Reviewed: August 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Montana
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Crazy Light. Climbs like a mountain goat. Bike just wants to go fast, even in town. Handles like a German sports car. Hey, Its steel.
Weaknesses:
Kind of sketchy on the faster downhills.
Similar Products Used:
Too many high-end bikes to list (I am a wrench).
Bike Setup:
1998 Ritchey Project-20 (Silver)with SID. Full XT-XTR Components. Ritchey Pro Logic pedals (SID Blue). Ritchey WCS Pro Handlebars. Salsa Arc-DeTri-Omph (SID Blue). Marin Grips. Ritchey OCR WCS Wheels.
Bottom Line:
After my first Ritchey (a 93 or 94 P-23) I knew that my next ride would be another Ritchey. After working in a shop and racing for over six years, the best ride I could find was the Ritchey. Nothing else can compete with the feel or ride.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Celso Rodriguez
a cross-country rider
from Newark, DE USA Date Reviewed: January 20, 1999
Bottom Line:
From what I heard the '99 P-20 is nearly identical to the '98 P-21. Needless to say I am the proud owner of a flawless P-21. The only problem I had was with the acquisition of the bike. It took me 5 ... yes 5 ... weeks to get my hands on the bike after the initial order was placed with the Ritchey factory in Cali. They kind of gave me the run around (annoying). Go this bike mad cheap though. $1400 complete. Sooper-dooper light and the steel eliminates the family jewels and ass OUCH associated with aluminum. The bike was spec'd with quality. And the Team Panel paint job which is mad fly was requested. However, the bike looks like Ritchey marketing tool. Brake booster is necessary due to the extreme flex provided by WCS tubing. Not as responsive as the scar on my left arm and hand would have liked. The rims were hella weak ... so they were dissed for a set of Mavic 517s. 2X9 just wasn't my cup of tea so I opted for the sweet shiftiness of 3X8 XT. If you can swing another deal with the Ritchey folk that will not put you in the poor house then buy a Ritchey (steel).
$ 3425.00
