New parts for my Ritchey SoftTail- which way to go?

[Vitorzip]

It´s time to disassemble the bike and start searching for the right parts...

To those who haven´t seen, this is the frame i´m talking about -

I was thinking of getting some Ritchey cantis (on the way now), and searching for some more parts for a replica of Frisky or Djernis.

The thing is, if i build a replica, i probably wont ride it on the trails (too much used to disk brakes and bling bling forks and recent stuff), so it will be something like a collector´s bike. The frame is in mint condition, so it would be a great item to keep. That´s door number 1...

The other way is to throw away everything i don´t need (Pace fork,X9, for example), and search for a 1" Judy to swap lowers from a Sid, get some nice hubs with 9 speed cassete and a decent recent mech (Sram X0), twister shifters, V-Brakes (or keep the Ritchey cantis, they are good stopers), keep the Syncros Revolution but with 9spd chainrings, and make an steel softail with nowadays top parts, a bike that can make some 2008 rigs get envious... to make some miles...

... something like this...

So, what would you do?

Build a classic replica, knowing that it was going to be used to ride to the beach and to the cafe on a sunny day, or build an hi-end mtb with some parts of today´s market, with one of the best old-style steel frames ever made, to kick some butts on a few miles ride?

Is it correct to mount recent parts on a frame like this? or is it a crime?
But, should a frame like this be stored in a garage like a replica, instead of getting some good recent parts and keep riding on the trails? Is that a crime also?

Tell me what you think. I really need help on this...

Thank´s.

 

[Mr. Zero]

Definitely door #2. If all you're gonna do is pretty it up and look at it then it might as well belong to someone else (and at their expense). What good is having a Ritchey if you never let yourself appreciate what it's really capable of!? Ritcheys are fairly unique in their fit and geometry. It'd be a shame not to get a solid sense of your bike's ride qualities.

I know there are varying views on the subject in this forum, but I feel it's a waste to have a thing with potential for great utility that goes unused.

Plus, Ritcheys look cooler with some dirt on 'em! :twisted:

 

[Sithlord]

Ritchey 21

Oh! Vitorzip, you lucky, lucky so and so, I love the 21, its beautiful !! ....

Jealous is not the word, I would sell everything I had (nearly) for one of these in the right size...Your a lucky man...



If you ever want to sell it and its my size give me a shout.. No seriously give me shout..










'I bought some Armageddon cheese today, and it said on the packet. 'Best Before End'

 

[ededwards]

That's a lovely looking frame so I'd say build it however you like as long as you ride it which from your description above means 'Door 2'.

 

[al]

Hi there,

I had a Ritchey st for a few years and built it up age specific kit.

I also ran it with an allsop softride stem. This set up made for a very nice trail bike but was more suited to longer day rides as it was the smoothest riding bike you could imagine.

IMHO a frame like this deserves to be kitted with parts of the day.
And needs to be ridden hard but with respect.

Good luck to which ever way you choose. Its always nice to have a problem like yours.

Cheers,Al

 

[P20]

My personal choice would be SIDs or Judy SLs, silver Ritchey kit(cranks and wheels, etc) I would probably put Avid v-brakes on it to get the most out of it. It would definetly be a rider for me

 

[cchris2lou]

Build a replica and ride it . just a bit slower .

 

[Agency_Scum]

Build it as a replica, ride it like it's got disc brakes. door 3.

 

[Vitorzip]

...

After all this time i haven´t completly decided what to do. Based on that this pic, i think do like the Crossmax wheels and white Sid, but i wanted to stick with the Ritchey cantis and levers, so this seems a odd mix of components. It´s been hard to find the perfect fork, i´m thinking of a Judy XC or SL painted in white, so i can have canti brace, White Sram 9.0sl (not old, not new :? ) and full WCS components, probably black.

But, 2 months later, i´m still confused...

 

[al]

Hi,

Well it looks like your having a hard time! This will only make things worse i think. I have just bought a Ritchey 2x9 wcs gear set up which is going on my Sunn exact disc.

I think this would make a great set up with a plasma rear mech maybe. You would need an OCR wheel build to accomodate the extra rear ti cog supplied but it would look the NUTS! Sram 9.0 hubs,9.0 front mech and topped off with WCS finishing kit. Sounds like a winner to me.

Colour coded rock shox judy xc would compliment well.

Or you could do as most do and ignore the ramblings of an old fart like myself the choice is yours!

Much respect. Cheers,Al