Tom Ritchey began building frames under his own name in 1973 and built his first mountain bike in 1978, according to Ritchey. From 1979 to 1983 he, Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly traded as Ritchey MountainBikes, which Ritchey calls the first business to sell only mountain bikes. He was inducted into the first Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1988.
Key facts
- Founded
- 1973: Tom Ritchey's first frames under his name
Ritchey models
Years show the earliest and latest evidence found so far, not exact production dates.
Mountain bike
- MountainBike (Ritchey MountainBikes)Tom Ritchey, Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly formed Ritchey MountainBikes in 1979, which Ritchey calls the first business to sell only mountain bikes.1979–1982
- UltraThe TIG-welded Ritchey Ultra made its debut in 1988, according to Ritchey.1988
- P20Thomas Frischknecht won silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics on a Ritchey P20, according to Ritchey.1996
Cyclo-cross
Sources for this brand
Last updated 19 October 2026. Every fact on this page comes from one of these.