# Richey "Nitamium" frame- anyone know anything about it?



## hu-man (Jan 13, 2004)

Possibly have access to a very nice looking Tom Richey frame made of "Nitanium". What is it? Is it some wonder metal or just a catchy name? I have looked at Richeylogic site. The frame - just a frame with bottom brachet - is locked with 2 U locks to the bike rack at the local supermarket, and has been for weeks! How would i get the locks off? They are not Kryptonite brand. The bike is probably stolen so I would have to check that out.


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## Lord Humongous (Jan 12, 2004)

*NiTi*

The Rithcey NiTi tubeset was designed around a fairly high tensile strength without heat treating so that the welds would not lose very much strength. Ritchey's line on the NiTi tubes was that they retain 98% of their original tensile strength after welding. It's not quite an air hardening steel, but it is the next best thing short of brazing.
I had a Specialized built up with the Ritchey NiTi tubing and it was quite nice, stiff, strong, resilient: sort of like a steel frame. Oh wait, it was a steel frame. Nevermind.


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## ~martini~ (Dec 20, 2003)

Is it really a ritchey? Could be a specailized rockhopper. I know a few years back they were made with the NiTi stuff. Should be a nice frame regardless! I'd go snap that thing right up. Take a bic pen with ya. IIRC, all locks with the circle type key are susceptable to the bic method.


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## FUD (Jan 24, 2004)

*rockahoppa*

I agree, maybe a rockhopper unless it says its a ritchey. the rockhoppers had a ritchey niti sticker on the seat tube, said specialized everyewhere else. those made nice ss's. great frame, whatever you do with it, I always liked the rockhopper geometry. "Nitanium is Cromoly alloyed with Niobium and Titanium, creating a tubeset that has the great durability of steel, with the light weight of aluminum", says the big red S.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

In regards to taking the locks off. You better make sure it isn't someones... karma is a beotch.

I encountered a bike that was locked up for a long time. No front wheel. Rust on the bars. Definitely abandoned.

On the cheaper locks, take a nice weight hammer and hit the crap out of the actual locked part. Where one side inserts into the other, and actually locks. Should be easy. 

But, be careful, I did that and hit the top tube and now it has a nice big dent in it. Though, I never actually rode that bike. I stripped it and forgot about it, and now it is definitely Mr. Mc RUSTY. Karma?


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## Ebo (Dec 30, 2003)

I have a 98 Stumpy NiTi frame. Just the stuff you speak of. I have it set up rigid and geared. Sweet frame and still have never seen another one like it. Being a "Stumpy" that is. Real nice Ritchey dropouts and very good welds.


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## kenavery7 (May 18, 2004)

Ebo said:


> I have a 98 Stumpy NiTi frame. Just the stuff you speak of. I have it set up rigid and geared. Sweet frame and still have never seen another one like it. Being a "Stumpy" that is. Real nice Ritchey dropouts and very good welds.


My bet is that they put more Ni into their alloy, to make it resemble stainless steel.

Is there any truth to this?


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## KeatonR (Nov 14, 2004)

Awesome frame, if it's the Ritchey NiTi. Check the dropouts for a "TR" -- my Ritchey Swiss Cross has those.


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## garethw (Apr 20, 2004)

*Tr?*



KeatonR said:


> Awesome frame, if it's the Ritchey NiTi. Check the dropouts for a "TR" -- my Ritchey Swiss Cross has those.


i've got a Niti 98 rockhopper, fully rigid ss and its a blast.
its got ritchey drop outs, but what is a TR?


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## TR (Jan 12, 2004)

I am.
But I think he means the Tom Ritchey initials that most Ritchey components have.


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## KeatonR (Nov 14, 2004)

Yes, sorry -- the TR stands for Thomas Ritchey. It's on the dropouts of my Swiss Cross and I'm assuming based on that that it's on all his frames. I could be wrong. 

I really wanted a Ritchey NiTi frame, but just couldn't justify the $999 retail price considering that that price is for the frame only ... Have since settled for a complete mountain bike that cost less than that.


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## Ebo (Dec 30, 2003)

The NiTi Stumpy I have has the TR on the dropouts and a Ritchey Pro Logic tubing sticker on it. Paid $175 brand new with a matching rigid fork. From what I can tell, it is basically the Ritchey frame distributed by Specialized for the Euro market in 1998. Bought it in 99 from a small LBS in El Sobrante,CA.


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## andrewthorne (Feb 26, 2004)

*I've been riding one for three years....*



hu-man said:


> Possibly have access to a very nice looking Tom Richey frame made of "Nitanium". What is it? Is it some wonder metal or just a catchy name? I have looked at Richeylogic site. The frame - just a frame with bottom brachet - is locked with 2 U locks to the bike rack at the local supermarket, and has been for weeks! How would i get the locks off? They are not Kryptonite brand. The bike is probably stolen so I would have to check that out.


... as my primary geared bike. Nice light steel bike. They're sized a little funny, so go up an inch from a "normal" bike. And be aware that the first couple years of production used 1" headtubes. And that when they went to 1.125, they still didn't change the geometry much, so either track down a short travel fork, or go rigid. Mine handles beautifully with a Dimension disk fork.

Cheers,

-Andrew


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