Single test 2017: Ritchey Break-Away - Racer with cult status: Ritchey Break-Away on test

"Oh, how I wish I had my racing bike with me right now!" Has this thought ever crossed your mind - on a business trip or family holiday - because the opportunity for a bike ride would have been just right? Unfortunately, you can't take your racing bike with you everywhere, it's simply too big for that. The enterprising inventor, mountain bike pioneer and now globally successful component manufacturer Tom Ritchey has been offering a patented solution to this problem for several years with the Break-Away model. Although it doesn't fit in a trouser pocket either, the frame, which can be split into two parts, reduces the pack size to around a third of a normal bike pannier. This means that the racer not only fits easily into the boot of a small car, but can also be carried as normal luggage on the train or at the airport without a special surcharge. After a classic, welded steel frame and a rare and expensive titanium version with a carbon rear triangle in the previous models, the Break-Away arrived in the modern era in 2015 - as the latest member of the family, the divisible speedster is now available with a modern carbon frame.

Unrivalled normality

It is the only carbon frame in the Ritchey range and symbolises a philosophy that only includes products with a certain degree of innovation in the portfolio. Tom Ritchey does not make "me-too products". You will also search in vain for comparable competitor models to the Break-Away - at least as a series product. At first glance, the racer appears quite inconspicuous: classic proportions and round tubes characterise the frame, with only the slightly curved seat stays for more suspension comfort standing out. The geometry, handling and all components are also as you would expect from other road bikes; the Ritchey has no nervous mini-wheels, unusual gear ratios or strange frame shapes, as other folding and demountable bikes have. It rides like a normal road bike. The riding position is sporty and the steering behaviour is neutral, which should suit the tastes of most road cyclists.

The disassembly principle is identical to that of its predecessors and is as impressively simple as it is functional. The two frame parts are joined together at two points: At the down tube just above the bottom bracket with a form-fit steel clamp, and at the seat clamp with the post itself as a connecting bolt. The drivetrain therefore remains complete and does not need to be touched, only the shift cables and the rear brake cable are separated without tools using simple screw connectors. A practical and robust trolley case is also supplied. The handlebar/stem combination and the pedals still need to be removed so that the bike fits into the slim box measuring approximately 70 x 80 x 20 centimetres. The disassembly or assembly only requires a mini tool and takes less than five minutes
takes less than five minutes for experienced riders. The actual packing - various protective covers are included - only takes a little more time.

However, even the most modern break-away should not be expected to be a state-of-the-art carbon racer. The lugged construction is considered outdated in terms of production technology, but is practical for the demountable racer; the divisible construction forces the classic round tube design. 1,500 grams is rather heavy for a carbon frame under normal circumstances, but to ensure that the whole thing lasts, various metal parts reinforce the frame. The joints on the down tube and the seat sleeve, for example, are made of aluminium, so that even brute force cannot cause any damage during assembly. The bottom bracket with the tube connections is made of steel. The tubes themselves are also designed to be particularly pressure-resistant so that there are no nasty surprises when unpacking. At 370 grams, the carbon fork proves that Ritchey can do lightweight construction; the complete bike weight of 7.1 kilos shows that a competitively light racer can be built from this frameset. The fear that the divisibility of the frame could affect the riding stability of the bike is unfounded. The steering head is sufficiently stiff and the bike is stable even at high speeds. The small weakness in the bottom bracket will only be felt by strong sprinters, but is unlikely to bother leisure cyclists. And probably very few people would want to compete in high-level races on a Break-Away.

Added value with a surcharge

The advantage of the small pack size does not come with any disadvantages - but you do have to pay a lot of money for it. Ritchey charges € 3,199 for the frame set including fork and pannier. Our test bike is an exemplary build from the German importer Cosmic Sports with Shimano's Dura-Ace drivetrain and - of course - many parts from the Ritchey component shelf; it should cost well over € 6,000. This could be counteracted with more favourable equipment, but the Break-Away will not be a bargain. On the other hand, simply having your road bike with you at the next opportunity is ultimately priceless.

PLUS practical disassembly principle easy handling solid, practical transport case sufficiently stable on the road no special components
MINUS Only available as a frame set, comparatively expensive

OVERALL GRADE 2.0

Price 3,199 Euro (frame set with case)
Weight of complete wheel 7.1 kilos

Info www.ritcheylogic.com

Weight frame/fork/steering bearing* 1,508/367/74 grammes
Frame sizes** XS, S, M, L, XL
Seat/top tube/head tube 545/570/170 mm Stack/Reach/STR*** 578/394 mm/1.47
Drive/gearshift/brakes Shimano Dura-Ace (50/34 t., BSA)
Wheels/tyres (weights) Ritchey Apex WCS/Ritchey Race Slick WCS 25C (f./h. 1,031/1,416 grams)

MEASURED VALUES & INDIVIDUAL NOTES****
Weight of complete wheel 7.1 Kilo: 2.0
Steering head stiffness 88 Nm/°: 2.0
Lateral stiffness fork 45 N/mm: 2.3
Bottom bracket stiffness 47 N/mm3,3
Seatpost spring stiffness 168 N/mm: 2.0
Spring rate fork 86 N/mm: 3.7

* Weighed weights.
** Manufacturer's test size bold.
*** Stack/reach projected vertical/horizontal dimension from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube; STR (stack to reach) 1.36 means a very stretched, 1.60 an upright riding position.
**** Individual grades, which are weighted differently in the overall grade, are only partially printed for reasons of space. The grades are calculated with all decimal places up to the final grade; however, for the sake of clarity, all grades are shown with rounded decimal places.