Market: 1984 was the birth of the Ritchey Timberwolf - it was the first mountain bike ever penned by Tom Ritchey and will be relaunched in 2016, more than 30 years later. The Ritchey Timberwolf 2016 is a 650b steel hardtail with a geometry designed for pure trail fun for 140mm suspension forks.
The 2016 Ritchey Timberwolf comes in a striking but not too gaudy orange. The slim steel frame with the unmistakable Ritchey design language was welded for the trails of this planet. A 140mm suspension fork belongs in the tapered head tube, which gives the Timberwolf a static steering angle of 67° - according to experience, the sweet spot for all-round all-mountain use and fun uphill and downhill.
Ritchey's choice of steel is no big surprise, but on a trail hardtail like the Timberwolf it offers enormous advantages over aluminum or carbon: Steel has a natural flex compared to the two mentioned - admittedly lighter - counterparts, which gives the steel frame a noticeable effect Plus comfort - it's no coincidence that the few manufacturers who have all-mountain hardtails like the Timberwolf in their range also mainly use steel.
Apart from the classic frame material, the new Ritchey Timberwolf has arrived right in the year 2016: an internal cable routing for dropper posts is on board as well as the tapered head tube already mentioned and a thru axle in the rear. The fact that Ritchey stays more classic elsewhere is worth mentioning at this point: The bottom bracket is not pressed, but screwed on using the classic BSA thread - this makes assembly and maintenance easier and prevents problems with squeaky press-fit bearings. Apart from the seat post, the lines and cables that run exclusively externally will also welcome many potential buyers.
Sounds almost too good to be true? We think so too. The Ritchey Timberwolf 2016 looks like a lot of fun, offers great geometry, useful features and a classic, simple look. However, there is one big catch: At €1.295 for the frame, the bike is likely to fall through the financial grid for many.