Ritchey Outback Gravel Bike Review

I bought my Ritchey in May 2022 and I have been in love ever since!

I have been a roadie for a few years now and in 2021 I tested out some different gravel bikes from Eat Sleep Cycle to try something a little different. I had a lot of fun, it was certainly different to the road bike and gravel tested my bike skills.

I was looking for a gravel bike that gave me comfort and trust on the descends while also being fast on compact gravel paths. After doing some research, I found that the Ritchey Outback was suiting my needs.

I opted for Gravel DTSwiss GR1800 wheels with Rene Herse 48mm tyres. This gives me a lot of confidence on the bike, knowing that I can roll over unknown terrain and descend without losing control. For the groupset I chose SRAM Force XLPR 1X with a 40 front chainring and 10/44 rear cassette. It helps me up the climbs and still gives me enough gearing for the fast sections.

What I really love is that you can fit all the components branded from Ritchey itself, making the bike look neat.

I’ve taken my Ritchey on a number of bike backing trips thanks to the numerous multi-purpose mounts along the frame and fork, allowing me to fit different bike-packing bags as needed.

Every time I get on the bike, I am amazed at how comfortable and fast it is. With the sunset colour scheme and the way it is customised for me, I will be riding this bike for many years!