What can you tell me about Ritchey tubed Ballistic bikes???

[Jimmy oldskool]

I've just picked up a Ritchey tubed and stickered up frame that the seller believes is a Ballistic?




It's a lovely looking, high quality little frame and with the right components (this will be a parts bin special ) , should make a nice light and springy trail smasher I hope!

So what can anyone tell me about Ballistic?

Who were they?
Where were they made?
Were they any good?
What was the year range that they were built?

I know they were a bit obscure but some of you gurus should be able to help?

Cheers

Jimmy

 

[mk one]

Quite common bitd. Budget frames but made from quality tubesets offered in either Ritchey Prestige or Tange Prestige and stickered up for different shops/companies. They rode really well and despite their price were in my opinion at least better frames than a lot of the more expensive options at the time. Cant think at the moment which shop sold these but I'm sure someone will be along who can. Plenty of threads on here over the years about them an similar frames.

 

[mk one]

Here is a thread of mine I recently got rid of, it has a link on the second page to more detail of Ballistic/Merlin frames.

Sold - Ritchey Logic Prestige tubed frame

Digging through the garage I found this, been meaning to do something with it for years, never have, so decided to pass it on to someone that needs a frame to build themselves a bike. As the title, it is made of Tange Ritchey Logic Prestige tubes, nice frame, cant remember the make now, plenty...

www.retrobike.co.uk

 

[Jimmy oldskool]

It's just arrived and is really lovely!

Questioning what to do with the decals...Does anyone have any clear pics of the Ballistic decals that I can pass on to Gil?

 

[Jimmy oldskool]

....Also, would I be a complete one in the pants if I just replaced the current blue Ritchey decals with other Black Ritchey decals???