The Break-Away® is a conventional size and style, steel road bike that disassembles in minutes and fits neatly inside a 23 x 66 x 73.5cm (9 x 26 x 29”), travel bag. Ritchey’s exclusive, investment cast lugs and patent-pending, cromoly compression coupling are the keys to this new design. The lugs securely grip the seatpost in two places and join the upper portion of main triangle to the rear. On the downtube, nearly at the bottom bracket shell, the compression coupling forms the lower connection for the front and rear triangles. The coupler clamps unobtrusively around small flanges on the downtube. This system adds less than 100 grams to the bike. Break-Away frames are built with custom heat treated Ritchey tubing. Complete bikes are being offered with a combination of Ritchey Pro / Shimano Ultegra® components.
Strengths: Full-sized bike that handles and rides great! Can be taken apart and packed in a bag in just 10-20 min. Cross frame allows for wide selection of tires. Soft-sided bag works fine. Smooth, stable ride, good enough for racing on!
Weaknesses: steel frame is a bit heavier than aluminum/carbon. Bike not as "twitchy" due to cross geometry, longer wheelbase. I can imagine frame being scratched up after many trips in the bag.
Bottom Line:
this review is for Ritchey Breakaway Steel Cross (Cyclocross) 2011 model (White/Burgundy). I bought frame (58 cm) and built it up myself with older Ultegra/105 components.
The bike works really great! Disassembly and assembly is fairly straightforward, but takes some time to figure out the proper order of things, as does packing. I can pack/unpack the bike in about 10 minutes now, but more careful, slow assembly takes closer to 20 min.
I am not sure why so many people comment on the flex of the frame (I do not notice ANY - at all, I am 165 lbs), or problems with packing. I use soft sided Ritchey case that comes with a bike, and packing works just fine. One does NOT need to take remove brake calipers, cranks, or deflate tires. Wheels do NOT get out of true after each packing/unpacking, in my experience so far.
For packing, follow these simple steps:
1. Remove wheels and skewers
2. Remove pedals
3. Remove handlebar (at the stem faceplate)
4. disconnect cables at cable connecting points and disconnect cable from front brake.
5. "break" the frame into two pieces
6. Pack everything: take straps out, rear wheel first (cassette side down against steel plate, do not deflate), front wheel offset to the side, Ritchey provided cover in between and on top. Shoes and clothes go into corners. Rear triangle next, derailleur side towards the bottom of the case; front triangle with fork/stem/brake attached (turned 180 deg.), then handlebar, plus helmet and all tools, pedals, skewers etc. Relatively easy. Total weight of the bag is as low as 42 lbs, but I have gone as high as 49 lbs if you pack extra clothes, pump, tools etc. Don't pack water bottles in the bag as this gets the bag red-flagged by TSA for screening. Bring an extra few screws for handlebar and seatpost, don't pack CO2 cartridges - bring frame or mini pump instead.
Bike handles very nicely - it's more stable and not as twitchy due to cross geometry, and is 1-2 lbs heavier than similarly equipped crabon bike I own, but it doesn't make much difference. I have put 700x35 cyclocross tires that allow me to ride most trails - and I suspect one can go as high as 700x40 with no problems, plenty of clearance left.
Similar Products Used: n/a (folding bikes are not in the same league, ride-quality wise).
Bike Setup: Ritchey Breakaway Steel Cross (Cyclocross) 2011 model, with 105/Ultegra components. Tested with Mavic Aksium and Easton EA70 SLX wheels, as well as 700x23 road racing and 700x35 cyclocross tires.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Larry Holman
a Recreational Rider
from
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2011
Strengths: Easy to travel with. Easy to maintain. Easy to put together and take apart. A good quality bike that you can take anywhere.
Weaknesses: The case, as others have elequently put it, sucks. I see that there is a new one you can purchase now that looks better. I modified my case. I put a thin piece of plywood on the bottom and installed 4 wheels so that I don't need to support it. It just rolls along all by itself. The handle recently pulled out and so I added large washers to support it. I may have to buy a new case soon but I won't like only having two back wheels like the new ones have cause you still have to support it with one hand like many hard case shells, which I didn't like on my full size travel box. Hopefully Richey has improved this aspect of a very well designed product overall.
Bottom Line:
I travel several times a year and prior to this bike was charged $50 per segment to take my bike along. I used a very ackward hard case in the past with my Lightspeed Classic, which I loved but it was a pain. It is set up with Ultegra triple and all Richy components. The bike is easy to pack if you are patient but the frame and components can be damaged if you are not diligent about protecting it with extra foam etc. You don't need to be a mechanic to put it together and I've never had to true my wheels as others have stated. Maybe just a little adjustment but nothing major. The coupling at the bottom braket is an excellent simple design and I see very little flex. I've had absolutely no problems with it. I'm intrigued with the description of a different packing style than Richey suggests. I might try it next trip. Great bike.
Weaknesses: My only complaint is the carrying bag. I've used the bag for several years and taken my bike to Italy and many places in the US. It slightly exceeds normal bag dimensions but I've never been charged by the airline. However, I have had to have philosophical discussion with baggage agents about whether the sum of the pieces of a bike is a 'bike' and therefore should be charged as sports equipment. After talking to the manager we agreed that only the dimensions should matter and when they measured it I guess it was close enough that they let it slide. Anyway, the lesson I've learned is to say it's a trade show display, or anything besides a bike, and you won't be bothered. Unfortunately, while it's done its job the bag is currently on it's death bed. The zipper has broken; the plastic structural elements have snapped; and the fabric has worn through in several areas partially due to the fact that with no more structural support it it can't be wheeled without sagging. The bag is good for a year at the most. Plus it doesn't really protect the bike. I have bent derailleur hangers and untrue wheels to prove. I'm currently looking to replace it with a hard case.
Strengths: If you like to tour or do something other than sit in a hotel room on business trips.
Weaknesses: They are rather pricy, hard to find... the steel model was back-ordered 3 months, so I bought Ti which was in stock. No regrets there.
Bottom Line:
I have the ti cross bike and it's the best bike I've ever owned. I've taken it on several trips and love the fact that there hasn't been an airline that has had any clue I was shipping a big. I'm a big guy, 230 lbs, but the frame feels as solid and responsive as any I've felt. I can tour quickly down a country road, and take an intense mountain bike trail through a national park.
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