Sea Otter, Sea Otter, Sea Otter

Damn, wish I was going! Everyone’s stuffing my inbox with all sorts of news and invites.

I’ll start with Ritchey:

SAN CARLOS, Calif. – April 9, 2008 – Bicycle component company Ritchey Design announced today it will showcase the two newest framesets in the Break-Away line of bicycles at the Sea Otter Classic, April 17-20 in Monterey, Calif. Ritchey will be located in booth #728 by team parking in the event sponsor area.The two newest models, the steel single speed road and full titanium mountain framesets, continue to round out the Break-Away line which now offers four road, two cross and one mountain bike models. When fully assembled, these bikes match the performance standards of non-travel bikes.

“Ritchey has seen an enormous increase in the demand for and popularity of adventure travel and Break-Away bicycles and framesets,” said Steve Parke, general manager and vice president of marketing for Syncros. “When disassembled, these bikes fit in a 9x27x30 inch travel case, making it an easy fit with airline check in procedures or the back of a compact rental car. Regardless of the model, there is no excuse for leaving your bike at home and not getting a ride in while on a business trip or vacation.”

In addition to the latest Break-Away models, Ritchey will also have the following new components on display:

WCS 4 Axis Stem

• 3D-Net forged, 2014 aluminum alloy for lightweight durability and improved strength-to-weight ratio

• Specially-designed 4-bolt faceplate controls flex and distributes clamping forces across a larger area

• Available in the NEW wet white finish

• Used by HealthNet presented by Maxxis and Tibco Women’s Race Team

WCS Echelon Road Pedal

• Forged alloy, low-profile body and chrome-moly axle results in a lightweight, power transfer efficient pedal

• Tension adjustable, nylon/carbon claw provides ease of pedal entry and exit

Carbon Drop Style TT Base Bar

• Full carbon, 3K Carbon bar provides durability with minimal additional weight

• Non-slip sand textured clip-on clamping areas for lower torque clamp security and wear

• Compatible with most clip-on bars, provides multiple set up options to conform to any riders’ needs

WCS Handlebars with Unidirectional Finish (originally launched at Taipei Cycle Show)

• Produced maximum durability during fatigue testing

• Provides more uniform look than carbon ply

• Available for mountain and road bikes

WCS Carbon Logic II Road Bars

• Unique drop and reach dimensions for each width of bar

• Benefits hand position for brake lever access and high speed descents

• Uses Ritchey’s Fit Logic design philosophy for custom bike fitting

Z Max Premonition Mountain Bike Tire

• New square block tread pattern designed to increase tire grip while shedding mud well

• Designed with Ritchey VFA (Vector Force Analysis) for optimal knob orientation

For more detailed information about the Ritchey products on display at the Sea Otter Classic, please contact Chip Smith at 801.523.3730 or csmith@soarcomm.com.

With its retail partners, Ritchey co-sponsors more than 150 grassroots teams across the United States and Canada, some of whom will be in attendance at the Sea Otter Classic. For a complete list of attending athletes and a schedule of booth appearances, please contact Chip Smith at 801.523.3730 or csmith@soarcomm.com.

About Ritchey Design, Inc.
Northern California-based Ritchey Design was founded by road racer, mountain bike pioneer and product innovator Tom Ritchey in 1974. The company is well-known for its technical merits through attention to detail during the product design phase, resulting in high-quality, reasonably priced road and mountain bike components. Under its Fit Logic philosophy, Ritchey Design offers a wide range of “cockpit” components (handlebars, stems and seatposts) that help riders custom fit their bikes for a more efficient and comfortable. Ritchey Design also offers a complete line of innovative products ranging from headsets to tires for professional racers and the serious weekend rider, as well as its line of “Break-Away” travel bicycles for traveling cyclists. For more information about Ritchey Design, please visit www.ritcheylogic.com.

About Fit Logic
Fit Logic is the term Ritchey uses to describe its philosophy that a bike appropriately fitted to a rider logically results in a better cycling experience in terms of comfort, bike handling and rider performance. Ritchey’s “cockpit” road and mountain bike product line includes handlebars, stems and seatposts each of which are available in different sizes and materials to help custom fit cycling enthusiasts to the bike of their choice.