RICHEY components have won the world's biggest cycling races, including the UCI World Championships, the Tour de France and the Olympics. It all started in a simple garage in Palo Alto, California with Tom Ritchie. His passion for cycling began at the age of 11 when his father taught him to build wheels and repair tubular tires. Using this technology, Ritchie started a small business repairing tubulars as a way to raise money to buy his first road bike, the Raleigh Supercorsa. At 14, Richie joined the Belmont Bicycle Club and began racing. Shortly thereafter, I repaired the broken Cinelli myself and replaced the frame. Around this time, his father also taught him how to braze, and he began repairing bicycle frames for local racers. Learning to repair and replace other racers' damaged tubes gave Ritchie the confidence and technique he needed to build his first racing frame. He felt the need to build a bike that was affordable, lighter, and faster, so he decided to build a frame for himself. I bought a tubeset and lugs for $21 from Hugh Enox, a local builder at the time, built my first frame in 1972 and raced it that year. With this frame he won many junior races and titles, and then Tom won the Senior Prestige Road Trophy and BAR (Best All-Around Rider) in 1973 and 1974 on his own bike as a junior. won. These feats led Richie to become known as the "Senior Slayer", beating out top California riders (many of whom were considered America's best riders at the time) and former Olympians.
And so the legend began.
And so the legend began.
