Break-Away Today

Ritchey Break-Away Cross 1x9

2008-05-07T16:10:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to show you pictures of my Ritchey Breakaway 'Cross with her lovely new 1x9 drivetrain. So far it's work like a charm and I love all the Ritchey bits, including the Zero-Dish rear wheel. Thanks for your great customer service and, of course, your great bikes!

Regards,
Seth

Rough Riding in the LA Times

2008-03-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

"I love my Breakaway: it's seen duty from Ironman Triathlons
to dirt road epics and everything in between!" - Chris

I am deeply honored to have been featured in a special Health section of the LA Times right after the New Year. I made a point of riding my road bike on one of my favorite fire roads above Brentwood for the photo shoot, which was on December 13, 2007.

Chris Kostman

Click here to read an excerpt from the article.
Note Chris' bike of choice for his LA Times photo shoot.

Break-Away Owner Travel Tips

2007-12-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

Looking back, it’s hard to imagine life without my Ritchey Break-Away. As a manager in a high-tech firm, I’ve dragged it literally around the world and to 3 continents in the 3+ years I’ve owned it. It’s made my hectic business travel schedule tolerable —heck, even enjoyable – and I’ve ridden in places I never even knew existed. I’ll never forget some of the experiences I’ve had on my Ritchey: exploring narrow mountain roads on Japan’s Kyushu Island, riding a century through the former East Germany, watching the sun set from atop Mount Hamilton, CA, blasting through traffic in Tokyo and Los Angeles, even placing 3rd in an early-season road race in Oregon. It’s logged well over 125,000 airline miles and who knows how many road miles, and after 3 years and lots of abuse I’m still using the original case (though I am going to get the frame repainted this winter- the baggage handlers have not been kind!). I’ve gotten plenty of curious stares from the clerks at the baggage counter, but never once have I had to pay extra to check the luggage.

I must admit that I was skeptical when I first ordered the Break-Away. I didn’t really believe that a “travel bike” could be as much fun as the higher end race bikes I was used to riding. I was wrong. It’s a joy to ride and climbs as well as it descends. It’s plenty stiff- I’ve raced and sprinted on it. But it’s also comfortable enough to ride all day.

Building the bike up is really easy. Packing and unpacking it took a little getting used to, but after a trip or two I had the whole process dialed in and found that the effort to pack, unpack, and drag the suitcase around was more than offset by the riding opportunities I gained. Here are some hints I’ve learned along the way:

When packing the bike, I never leave the Shimano shifter levers in their detensioned state (I just shift “up” a couple clicks after decoupling the shifter cables). I found this makes the cables less susceptible to getting damaged inside the shifters when in transit.
I always wrap the frame tubes in protective foam. Get some of the stuff plumbers use to insulate pipes and cut it to fit. The bike stays looking new a bit longer this way.
I place a large sheet of cardboard (with two holes in it for the hubs) between the wheels. This keeps the wheels/spokes from scraping each other.
I purchased a large duffle on wheels as a companion to the Ritchey suitcase. I put the handlebars, cycling clothes, helmets, and business clothes in the duffle, and the rest of the bike in the suitcase. I have found the wheels stay true when the suitcase is less heavily loaded.
I covered the corners and bottom of the travel case with “Shoe Goo”- it is tough as nails yet flexible. I also frequently inspect the case for places that show wear due to rubbing from the baggage handling equipment and apply “Shoe Goo” liberally to those places. “Aqua Seal” also works well. This will dramatically increase the lifetime of your travel case.
I always carry two extra shifter and brake cables and a spare coupling in the travel case. I’ve never needed the coupling but the cables have some in handy.
Always carry a (hand) tire pump. Some airports make you deflate your tires, others may confiscate your compressed air cartridges.
Always lube your chain before you leave your house: my “White Lightning” chain lube has been confiscated a couple times.
I installed larger washers under the handle of my travel case in order to prevent the handles from pulling off. (I had a very early version of the case and I bet you already fixed this.)

I love my Break-Away bike!

2007-12-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Ritchey,

I just wanted to tell you guys at Ritchey how much I love my Break-Away bike! With a travel schedule of about 40% of the time, I find myself looking forward to business trips more then ever. I've owned a Break-Away for several years and I could not have won numerous Masters Nationals titles without this bike.

I even leave early so I can ride with friends around the country or when I travel to Spain for my wine importing business. The benefits go beyond not being required to pay airline fees, maintaining fitness, & scenic riding. I can put my bike together in about 10 minutes and be out the door in less time then it would take to find a gym and ride some out of date exercise bicycle. I've even done some training races on it.

Thanks,

Michael Hutchinson

Break-Away and the Colle di Finestre

2007-10-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Check out these photos of the BAB and the Colle di Finestre. This is a brute of a climb - 5500' in 11 miles for an average grade of 9.2%! This was the final climb of the Giro in 2005 where Savodelli and DiLuca slugged it out (note the marker in the photo). Oh yeah, the last 5 miles of this climb are dirt (see photo!).

~ Bruce Hildenbrand

Bruce in the Alps - Summer '07

2007-10-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

I am attaching a couple of photos of my first day in the Alps (6-passes, 9500' of climbing in 60 miles). The Col de l'Arpettaz is a 4000' ascent mostly in the 9-10% range. In the 4000' up and down the other side, I saw one(1) car!

The Break-Away is killer!

Cheers,

~ Bruce Hildenbrand

...can't imagine my traveling life without it!

2007-10-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

As a domestic flight crew member for American Airlines I get the opportunity to travel all over the country with my Break-Away bike. Given my unique position I am able to take the bike on the plane with me and stow it in the overhead bin. In the previous blog (Vol. 12) I have pictures of how I carry it and stow it. I have also traveled on my own time with my Break-Away and had to check it at the counter as a regular passenger. The wonderful thing about traveling with my BA is that it can be checked without paying the extra baggage fee that is associated with flying with a full size road bike travel case. It looks like a large roll-aboard bag or suitcase, so no questions are asked. It has always met the requirements of standard baggage check-in.

I love the simplicity of putting the bike together for a ride. Many times I work 12-14 hour days, and when I finally get to my hotel room it is nice to assemble it quickly and go out for a spin. It is a great way to put the days' work out of my mind and enjoy whatever city I am laying over in. I have always hesitated about getting any sort of "folding bike" or "travel bike", but after the Break-Away came along I was determined to get one. Being a former U.S. National Cycling Team Member I am spoiled when it comes to ride quality and feel. This is the only traveling bike out there on the market that met my high standards. It has the feel, responsiveness and "look" that I desire in a road bike; I can't rave enough about it.

I have had the Break-Away for almost a year and a half now and can't imagine my traveling life without it!

Ride with Eddy

2007-09-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Gerry Fuller, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University had a rare chance to participate in the Eddy Merckx team re-union ride beginning in Herentals Belgium. Gerry is astride his brand new Ti-Carbon Break Away on the far left. The man on the far right needs no introduction.

Ritchey Bikes in Italy

2007-06-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of our recent cycling trip to Italy. The 4 Ritchey cross-bikes that we purchased through you and Dan Kervick at ROSCA, were perfect for our Italy trip. We were staying in a "bike hotel" for one week on the Adriatic coast, and then cycled over to Tuscany, where we stayed for one week in a villa in the Chianti region. We generated lots of interest among the other cyclists at the bike hotel when they saw the utility of the Ritchey cross frames. We were able to do fast road rides with the group, then load up the bikes at the end of the week with panniers and trailers for our trip to Tuscany. After 1000km on the Ritcheys in Italy, we can confidently say that they are well designed and constructed frames that will serve us well for many more years of riding and touring.

Thanks, S. "Griz" Grzebiniak

New Ritchey Break-Away Assembly, Disassembly & Packing Videos

2007-05-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

Check out the new Ritchey Break-Away bike instructional videos at ritcheylogic.com. Easy to follow assembly and disassembly instructions as well as all the hot-tips for easy packing into your Break-Away travel bag.

Available in QuickTime, Windows Media and iPod compatible formats so you can take it with you when you travel.

Enjoy!

Bruce Hildenbrand's Mauna Kea ride

2007-05-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

The rain pounding down in torrents all night long made it difficult to sleep, but when the gray dawn broke, there was only one thing on my mind. Hilo sits at sea level on the eastern shore of the big island of Hawaii. The extinct volcano of Mauna Kea towers over the port city at 13,700 feet. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it depends on your perspective, a paved road ascends to the Visitors Center at 9200' before loose, steep dirt and the altitude makes road biking less an adventure and more survival.

With the Visitors Center as my goal and the rains clouds parting, I set off from Hilo wondering just what lay ahead on the 34-mile, 9200 foot climb. Luckily for me, I had my trusty Ritchey titanium/ carbon fiber BreakAway bike so, if anything was going to break down it was going to be the rider and not the bike.

Following Saddle Road for the first 28 miles, I climbed to 6500 feet through fields of volcanic lava whose illuvial fans provided a stair-stepped path. The rhythm of the road was simple, 1/4 mile at 3-5% followed by a short 2-400 foot section of 11-13%. And so on, and so on and so on.

A right turn onto Mauna Kea Observatory Access Road signaled the final 2700 feet of climbing. Riding new climbs can provide a unique and exciting experience, but when my cyclometer confirmed the first steep section was 12%, I had a premonition that there might be more suffering to come. The last four miles climb about 2200' with long sections of 12-16% and as
predicted, it was my body and not the BreakAway bike that started to crack.

Arriving at the Visitors Center was a welcome relief. I would like to think that I had conquered the climb, but to quote the legendary Warren Harding on his first ascent of Yosemite's El Capitan, "I seem to remember that the mountain was in much better shape than me."

~ Bruce Hildenbrand

Vol 12: Break-Away Carry-On?

2006-12-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

Chris, our friend who is an American Airlines flight attendant and avid road racer sought permission to bring his steel BA bike on his flight routes minus the case in order to pass the security screeners without the hassle/mystery of a BA travel bag.

His resourceful style was embraced by American and to date he has not had any troubles with security screening at the various airports he rotates through.

American agreed to let Chris serve up these pictures to us and for us to post them on our Website and BA Blog areas as a creative solution for bike travel.

Chris is unique in that he works for the airlines and so therefore does not pay for luggage transit. The average BA user should not try this as the generic nature of the case offers up the opportunity to bring the bike along without the requisite airline fee. Ritchey makes no guarantees with regard to airline policy and charges for luggage.

We celebrate Chris' enterprising spirit as a can do guy who will not be denied access to his daily ride, a common quality among BA users.

Stowe away in over head compartment.

Off to train...

Photo: Michael Ward in the hills above Nice, France

2006-12-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Vol. 11, No. 2 - Preventative Maintenance Tips

2006-08-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

Owning a Ritchey Break-Away is an awesome responsibility. The care and maintenance of any bicycle is important, and especially so with our patented locking compression coupling system. The downtube clamp, much like your seat tube clamp, needs to be proactively checked for tightness and ample lubrication to prevent loosening or binding. A good rule of thumb for every threaded piece: maintain some type of lubrication (lithium or bicycle-specific grease) on the threaded portion. The lower clamp is especially susceptible to water, grit and debris due to its proximity to the ground and front wheel. Double-check the tightness of the lower clamp bolt before every ride, especially after you've reassembled your Break-Away. If you're uncomfortable with this responsibility, please visit an authorized Ritchey dealer.

For more information, go to the Break-Away Assembly & Disassembly page. Click here for full video demonstrations from Tom.

Vol. 10, No. 2 - Bruce's Break-Away Adventures.

2006-08-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

FOT Bruce Hildenbrand, muscling up the Brasstown Bald climb on his Ritchey Break-Away, a 24% grade knee-buster during the Tour of Georgia in preparation for the Tour de France. Photo: Barbra Byington.

Bruce's titanium/carbon Ritchey Break-Away, resting after its 12% grade climb up the Col d'Izoard. Photo: Bruce hisself.

The month of July means only one thing to a serious cyclist, and that's the Tour de France. So, I put on all my hats: cycling guide, journalist, photographer and fan and headed off to Le Grand Boucle.

No offense to the "roullers" of the pro peloton but, I tend to avoid the flatter Tour stages like the plague, choosing instead to grunt and growl up a climb or two, rather than try to fake interest while awaiting the field sprinters to finally put their noses into the wind in the last few meters. Mont Ventoux is one of the truly legendary climbs of the Tour. It's the one ascent that Lance never conquered, a fact he acknowledged was a noticeable hole in his palmares. From Bedoin, on the south, the route climbs 5,300 feet in 12 miles, with the initial six miles averaging a staggering nine to 10 percent grade. A memorial, one mile from the top, commemorates the death of British cyclist Tom Simpson, who collapsed and died from the heat during the 1967 Tour.

With daytime temperatures hovering in the mid-`90s it was critical that our ride up the "Giant of Provence" begin early. I'd like to think that I conquered Mont Ventoux, but as I crested the top I seem to remember that the mountain appeared to be in much better shape then I. No biggie. It was a total classic, as was the 5,000-foot descent down the north side to Maulucene. My titnium/carbon Ritchey Break-Away can certainly climb, but almost as important, it's rock solid on high-speed, technical descents.

Our rendevous with the big show came on the stage from Gap to Alpe d'Huez. The bicycle touring company, Velo Echappe, had VIP status for this critical alpine stage, and it was my job to help guide its clients up what can most likely be called the Super Bowl of cycling. Riding the Alpe is memorable, but cycling up its 21 numbered switchbacks on race day is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The eight-mile climb becomes a virtual tailgate party from bottom to top. You almost forget the pain as you cycle past one crazy spectacle after another.

We leapfrogged the Tour as it headed north through the Alps. Sneaking in such notable climbs as the Semnoz and Col de la Forclaz near Annecy. The Champs de Elysees was, as usual, unforgettable with the speed and beauty of the pro peloton at its finest. I got an invite to the Phonak post-tour party. I could tell you all that happened, but after my fourth or fifth glass of champagne things got a bit fuzzy. It's difficult and sad to see Floyd Landis involved in a doping matter. He is a rider of true grit and determination and I hope he can prove his innocence.

So, another July and another Tour. My Ritchey Break-Away performed flawlessly, as usual, something I wish could be said of its rider! The climbs of France provide a worthy challenge for all cycling enthusiasts. Sometimes you get a chance to share the road with the pros!

~ Bruce Hildenbrand

Vol. 9, No. 2 - Hej from Sweden!

2006-08-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from a fantastic two week vacation in France with my new Ritchey Break-Away. France is wonderful regardless, but the Ritchey made the experience even more special. I spent the first week riding the area around Menton, including the famous Col de la Madone (the view from up there was incredible). The second week was spent in the alps. I saw Landis fly into the finish in Morzine nearly six minutes ahead of Sastre. All in all I had a great time.

~ Hans Stoops

Vol. 8, No. 2 - Offroad Adventure Riding

2006-07-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

Where CAN'T You BreakAway?

Tom's been known to take his road bike offroad Jobst Brandt-style now and then, and lately TR's prototype Ritchey Break-Away MTB has scrubbed its tires on all sorts of terrain.

Moab, Utah - April 2006.

Rwanda - December 2005.

Vol. 7, No. 2 - Stephen Thomas Breaks Away to France

2006-07-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

"Although it's been a couple of years now, my favorite Break-Away adventure was definitely the summer of 2004. At the insistence of my (then) 7-year-old daughter, who was and still is a huge Lance fan, we decided to splurge and spend our summer vacation in France. Most of
the two weeks were spent throughout Europe, but we made sure that our itinerary intersected with the Tour in two places--Paris and Alpe d'Huez. In the alps we stayed in a very small ski station on a nearby mountain that, conveniently, had cable car access (with a transfer or two) to the summit of Alpe d'Huez.

"Two days before the Alpe d'Huez time trial, I rode off early in the morning. It was cool enough for a jacket, especially on the speedy descent from our mountain village. Once through Bourg d'Oisans, however, the pace slowed, the temperature increased, and the jacket came off. I was actually riding Alpe d'Huez! The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Even two days before the stage, the roadside from the base to the summit was completely covered with camper vans. Fans lined the roadside shouting encouragement to the steady stream of cyclists moving slowly up the mountain and, much more rapidly, back down. Even amateur rock bands were performing, though my German was not up to deciphering the lyrics.

"About an hour after starting, I was at the summit, where a cycling celebration was in full swing. After enjoying the festivities for a few moments, it was time to head back. Careful study of Michelin maps revealed an alternate return route that did not require fighting the crowds of other riders traveling back down to Bourg d'Oisans. Once off the main route, it was once again time to test my descending ability against the Break-Away. The bike won, as the Break-Away is as good going downhill fast as it is going uphill slowly.

"That ride was the only time the Break-Away came out of its travel case for the entire two weeks, but was well worth the effort of bringing it along. I can't imagine any cycling experience that can top it."

~ Stephen Thomas

Vol. 6, No. 2 - TR Breaking Away to Europe

2006-07-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

European Splendor - Breaking Away

Tom spent two weeks in Europe, first in Praque and the Czech Republic to meet some new Ritchey distributors, then in Switzerland to get in some "thinking on the bike" (where Tom does his best brainstorming and problem solving) before joining Ritchey ambassador Thomas Frischnecht for the 6th Annual Frischi's Challenge in St. Moritz.

Vol. 5, No. 2 - TR Sends Off Boyer At RAAM.

2006-06-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Tom's close friend and road racing legend Jonathan Boyer won the Enduro solo division of the 2006 Race Across America, beating the likes of ultra-marathoners Tinker Juarez and Kenny Souza. Boyer, 50, crossed the finish line in Atlantic City, NJ in 10 days, 52 minutes for an average speed of 12.63 mph across 3,042 miles. The RAAM began on Sunday, June 11 in Oceanside, CA. Boyer was the first American to compete in the Tour de France (1981), and also won the 1985 RAAM at the peak of his professional racing career. Boyer helped publicize the launch of Project Rwanda by sporting the website domain name on his helmet throughout the race.

Tom and his marketing crew, Pete Van Nuys and Gary Boulanger, joined Boyer and nearly 200 other cyclists in a neutral 15-mile ride to the start line on the outskirts of town. Ultra-marathoner Chris Kostman rode with the Ritchey group astride his Ritchey Break-Away. TR and Boulanger flew to John Wayne Airport in Pal Scott's Cessna the day before, with TR's titanium Break-Away stored comfortably in the back.

No. 4, Vol. 2 - Swiss Army Bike?

2006-06-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Idaho-based FOT (Friend of Tom) rider Tom Knudson thought way out of the box when he took his Ritchey Break-Away all around Europe last year, while still enjoying his BMW GS1150. In fact, with a little ingenuity, Tom was able to combine both pleasures for a doubly good trip! Inspired?

No. 3, Vol 2 - Scott Speed: Formula 1 Ritchey Rider!

2006-06-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

California native Scott Speed, 23, is America's sole representative on the grueling but lucrative Formula 1 racing circuit. Speed races for Team Red Bull, and his rookie year is proving to be awesome so far.

Commandeering a race car takes ultra endurance, and Speed relies on his Ritchey Ti Break-Away to keep him fit between qualifying heats, sponsor commitments, media conferences and practice laps. Usually Speed can be seen hammering out the miles on his Break-Away on the track itself. Formula 1 fans: keep your eye on Scott Speed!

No. 2, Vol 2 - Catching Up With TR and Blake

2006-02-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

TR with members of the Rwanda National Cycling Team - December 2005

Tom Ritchey is a man on the move. Rarely a day goes by when Tom doesn't ride his Break-Away bicycle. The past few months have been a whirlwind for him, having ridden his prototype Break-Away titanium soft-tail in Rwanda, his ultra-lightweight steel Break-Away road bike with the HealthNet Presented By Maxxis cycling team in Solvang, CA, and regularly munching up the mileage around his local stomping grounds in Woodside and Jenner, CA.

TR and the wooden bike

Rwanda by Mountain Bike
In December 2005, TR and a small group of like-minded MTB friends ventured to Rwanda for a "little MTB tour" of the plush African country just .7 degrees below the equator. Tom was asked to tour the country, meet the Rwandan National Cycling Team, and explore ways to put his passion for the bicycle and his connections in the bike industry to good use. Click here for the complete blog of TR's Rwandan Experience.

The helicopter gang (TR's the skinny guy with the sunglasses)

HealthNet Pro Cycling Team Training Camp: Rolling With TR and the HealthNet Team

By Bruce Hildenbrand

As the King Air banked sharply for landing at the San Luis Obispo airport on January 18, I tried to remember that our plucky pilot, Scott, had a long and successful career racing superbikes and Moto GP. Compared to decision making on two wheels at 180-plus mph, landing a twin-engine light plane had to be a piece of cake. Sure enough like a true professional Scott laid the bird gently on the tarmac and day one of our trip to the Health Net Pro Cycling Team camp was almost at a close.

TR @ SLO, January 2006

Earlier that morning, Tom Ritchey and I had left our respective homes in the Silicon Valley and had ridden our Break-Away road bikes 90 miles to the seaside community of Monterey. Tom is always planning unique and memorable adventures and this was no exception. Pilot Scott met us at the Monterey International Airport in the late afternoon and within the hour we were riding our bikes down the runaway in SLO, off to the downtown area in search of accommodations for the night.

A leisurely 85-mile ride south, on the next day, delivered us to Buelton, the site of the 2006 Health Net Pro Cycling Team pre-season training camp. Ritchey Design is providing handlebars, stems and time trial bars to America's most successful domestic professional team in 2005, and the coming weekend was a chance for the riders and support staff to meet Tom, plus Ritchey Design’s Steve Parke and Ming Tan. Representatives from the other team's suppliers and sponsors such as Cannondale, Rudy Project, Maxxis and Reynolds, also attended.

The following morning, Tom introduced his latest componentry to the squad. In typical fashion, Ritchey spoke from the heart about what his company was all about and how he and his employees had developed the components which adorn bikes of all shapes and sizes world-wide.

Nate O'Neill and TR, January 2006

The last order of business was the much-anticipated “Sponsor Ride” in which the team takes the unsuspecting suppliers out for a little slice of "Welcome to My World". We rolled in and out and through the country side for a couple of hours with Gord Fraser, Scott Moninger, Nathan O'Neill, Tim Johnson, Greg Henderson and the rest of the Health Net team, our hosts matching our pedal strokes when we all knew they could drop us in a heartbeat and without breaking much of a sweat! But, that's not what the ride was all about. Nothing beats bonding on the bike. Relationships begun on two wheels seem to last longer than those made at the conference table. Here's hoping that Team HealthNet has successful 2006 season!

Bruce and TR, January 2006

~ Bruce Hildenbrand is a freelance cyclojournalist based in Mountain View, CA.

Blake Haak, East Palo Alto, CA - September 2004

Travelogue of Blake Haak: San Francisco to Chile – 10 Months, 13 Countries, 11,000 miles

Blake Haak, 35, set out on September 22, 2004 from East Palo Alto in northern California for a “little southern bicycle adventure” that took him 10 months and 11,613 miles on his Break-Away road bike. One of Blake’s “highlights,” literally, was reaching a pass of 14,715 feet between Bolivia and Chile. We catch up with Blake crossing onto foreign soil after his 945 U.S. miles. Enjoy!

Phase 1 - Mexico
Time spent: 10/15/04 - 12/16/04
Odometer: 946 – 3,915 miles
After riding my way down the California coast, I experienced the incredible beaches of Mexico, with crystal blue water and amazingly clean sand. The people in Mexico are very accommodating to bicycle tourists and really like to show their approval with a honk, thumbs up or a whistle. The riding is very safe on the paved freeways and often I was the only one on them.

Phase 2 - Guatemala
Time spent: 12/16/04 - 1/7/05
Odometer: 3,915 – 4,185 miles
The beaches weren’t as nice, and the water was more turbulent, which took some of the fun out of my snorkeling. The roads were downright dangerous to ride because of the rude drivers, lack of shoulders and no white lines.

Phase 3 - El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua
Time spent: 1/1/05 - 1/7/05
Odometer: 4,185 – 4,477 miles
I almost immediately noticed the number of men wearing guns in public, just like they did in the Old West. Another surprise was the U.S. dollar was their currency.

Honduras
Time spent: 1/7/05 - 1/10/05
Odometer: 4,477 – 4,637 miles
A very poor country that was mostly farmland; all I noticed was how everyone farmed and just lived off the land.

Nicaragua
Time spent: 1/10/05 -1/21/05
Odometer: 4,637 – 4,904 miles
The poorest of the countries I visited; everything was extremely cheap. Mostly farm land with farmers and cows.

Phase 4 - Costa Rica
Time spent: 1/21/05 - 1/29/05
Odometer: 4,904 – 5,304 miles
Known as the “Switzerland of Central America,” it did have its pristine roads and wide variety of chocolate. The people were very nice and the jungles and animal life was amazing. The sweet song of hummingbirds was just incredible. My favorite portion of this stretch of my journey was leaving San Jose and climbing out of the city into the forest. The next day I descended almost 100 miles down a mountain, one of two of my longest descents on this trip.

Phase 5 - Panama
Time spent: 1/29/05 - 2/8/05
Odometer: 5,304 – 5,637 miles
Panama also uses the U.S. dollar as well as their own coins that are of equal size and color to ours. The scenery wasn’t as inspiring as the people; Colon is the most rundown city I’ve ever seen. The most beautiful part of Panama is the San Blas Islands, a chain of tropical isles along the Atlantic coast.

Phase 6 – Darian Gap
Time spent: 2/8/05 – 2/14/05 (7 days at sea)
Mileage traveled: @ 200 miles
I spent seven days at sea that were supposed to take three, on a contraband boat that was packed with 10 paramilitaries and 10 stowaways. A storm forced us to stay in the San Blas Islands. Lucky for me I made friends with the natives; unlucky for me the rest of the crew did not. This was an extremely challenging part of my trip in every respect – I could sell the rights to a movie producer!

Phase 7 - Colombia
Time spent: 2/14/05 - 4/1/05
Odometer: 5,637 – 7,107 miles
Colombia was the most beautiful country by far. Although it’s not entirely tapped for its vast natural resources it still suffers from bad press. Colombia has worked hard to improve its reputation of a life-threatening country to visit. The government’s military personnel are highly visible, ensuring the safety of the people. The militant guerillas are turning themselves in and the paramilitary are going back to unorganized petty crimes. Columbia is almost completely untouched from Western influence, and has kept its import taxes high while keeping business from coming into the country. This has its pluses and minuses but makes for an interesting experience. I met Reto and Paul who I traveled with for some time: our first day together was a doozey when we all got food poisoning.

Phase 8 – Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia
Ecuador
Time spent: 4/1/05 - 4/25/05
Odometer: 7,107 – 7,844 miles
My favorite city was Otavalo, just a few minutes north of Quito where the Indians are very successful in the tourist industry. Ecuadorians reinvest their money back into their businesses, and work hard to make their country an extremely friendly and wonderful place to visit.

Peru
Time spent: 4/25/05 - 6/16/05
Odometer: 7,844 – 9,930 miles
Spent almost two months in Peru; I especially loved the city of Huaraz for its mountain hikes and Machu Pichu, outside of Cuzco, for its wonderfully restored city.

Bolivia
Time spent: 6/16/05 - 6/22/05
Odometer: 9,930 – 10,224 miles
The mountains of Bolivia are amazing! The people are nice and friendly and the Boliviano went a long way to making me feel welcome and safe. It was easy spending money in La Paz – everything’s so cheap! Not the prettiest city, though.

Phase 9 - Chile
Time spent: 6/22/05 - 7/7/05
Odometer: 10,224 – 11,613 miles
Things were a bit rushed here as I raced to my finish. My longest day consisted of 182 miles of pure desert. The coolest thing I saw were the fossils in the Calderian dessert. Caldera has one of the largest fossils areas in the world due to a huge turning of the tides years ago.

Post Ride – Argentina and Uraguay
My parents met me in Argentina and we had one week of vacation in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aries is a beautiful city, truly influenced by Europe.

Uraguay
Spent one day in Colonia; took the Hovercraft from Buenos Aries. After 11,000 miles of two-wheeled adventure, it was nothing to get excited about really. I was just happy to safely end my journey.

No. 1, Vol. 1 - Care to Break-Away today?

2005-11-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

Most cyclists agree that the best way to see the world is from their saddle. But the big question one needs to ask is "how does a cyclist actually see the world if traveling with a bike is so cost-prohibitive and complicated?" The answer is having a high-performance bike that not only delivers a fantastic ride, but also travels with ease with a design specifically intended for travel. The Ritchey Break-Away® is just such a bike.

Tom Ritchey developed this concept for several reasons. First, he travels frequently, and frequently rides about 10,000 miles a year. He's also a pilot, so naturally Tom wanted to bring his bicycle with him on his adventures. Once Tom determined a structurally-sound and aesthetically-pleasing design, he tested it for several thousand miles on multiple trips before he brought the Ritchey Break-Away® to market. Since the 2003 launch, Tom has introduced a steel cyclocross model, a titanium and carbon road model, and a titanium cyclocross model as well.

Check back often as we report on Tom's Break-Away® travel adventures, as well as reports from other Break-Away® owners. Care to Break-Away today?

~ The Scribe