Originally Posted by
Repack Rider
Tom Ritchey got started in the mountain bike game in 1979, when he "advanced" nine new frames to Gary Fisher. Gary in turn enlisted me in the effort, and we became "
MountainBikes," operating out of a rented garage.
This is one of the nine bikes. It was sold to a firefighter who kept it in immaculate condition. Two years ago it was stolen.
Because I pay attention to Internet discussions of Ritchey bikes, I picked up on a post where a guy saw a Ritchey on EBay and because it had no SN#, he wondered whether it was authentic. It was my friend's bike, I alerted him, and he and the police arrived just ahead of the FedX truck that would have picked it up to ship to Belgium.
Charlie,
Thanks so much for the story and the photos. It is soooo very nice when the thieves get beaten. And that bike IS a true beauty!
My 1981 was stolen from my Bangkok flat, and I'm still pissed about it. I ordered it from you in the spring-summer of 1981. You shipped it to me in Thailand. That bike remains my all-time favorite, although I do love the sports touring road bike for different reasons. The '84 is an attempt to replace the missing '81, but it doesn't quite do it. I'd bonded too tightly with the '81. sigh.
Cheers,
Owen