Ritchey: Icon & Pioneer

Alex Stieda, the first North American to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, visits the legendary Tom Ritchey to learn more about his life, his inventions, and his legacy. In 1976, Tom Ritchey and his friends made history by bringing the mountain bike to the masses. Ritchey’s ingenuity, inspired by the sprawling North Californian wilderness, forged countless innovations in framebuilding and componentry. On top of his pioneering design and engineering, Tom’s accomplishments include starting one of the most successful MTB racing teams in history, signing Thomas Frischknecht in the 1990s who went on to win 18 World Cup rounds, and secure 15 World Championship medals. The components Ritchey designed continue to be relied on by today’s world class racers like Nino Schurter and Kate Courtney. Ritchey even launched a charitable campaign in Rwanda in the early 2000s to develop economic development through the bicycle.