The Phantom

I just rode my Phantom for the first time this weekend. Been building it up for the last couple of months and I just couldn't forget the “FUN AND GLORY” that my water bottle has written on it. Maybe it is because I was looking down all the time amazed of how all the parts were working all together while I was doing a regular ride to the top of hill outside Mexico City but with much less effort and indeed enjoying the ride probably as it was my first climb. I was truly amazed of the Geometry of the bike. Was kind of worried if I would need a M or S size (I am 1.75m height). Ended up with M and think was the best choice I could have done. My built has SRAM Froce AXS and HED Ardennes wheels. Just superb!

Bought this bike to replace my 20 year old Ti Eddy Merck. Living in northeastern VT, I wanted something as an alternative to my gravel bike, that could handle the broken pavement and gravel roads here. I needed clearance for 32 mm tires, hydro disc brakes, and a quality steel frame. I got all that and more! This bike rides like a dream. Amazing road feel, good power transfer, and corners and descends like a demon! The attention to detail and build quality are real attention grabbers, too. Ritte customer service is outstanding. After my frame was damaged in shipping, Elijah handled it with the utmost professionalism and satisfaction. He even threw in some stainless steel cages and Ritte bottles before shipping back to me. It is clear their focus is providing the best experience and product possible for the customer. FYI, I'm 5'8", 30" inseam, and the size small Phantom frame fits perfectly.

How did they do that? Uhhh, they tell you right in the description, Tom Kellogg + Reynolds 735! The Phantom is a joy in every condition I've thrown at it in my first 12 months / 7,000miles of ownership; from 60mph descents to ripping through twisty suburban neighborhood streets, and 150 mile single day asphalt/gravel/single track adventures on my second set of rims with 32mm gravel tires. Aesthetically the Phantom is the perfect combo of classic steel (small diameter tubes) and clean factory paint scheme mated with modern day tech of beautiful tapered head tube, slick internal routing, and solid never squeak T47 bottom bracket. Throw a set of Enve SES 45AR's and Sram AXS groupset on it and you've got all the aero you need (yes, it does deserve a premium build). Buy this bike and ride the sh!t out of it!!!

This bike. Fast on the road, comfy on chipseal, holds confidence on sketchy gravel descents, I'm not sure there's much more you could ask of a single bike. The Phantom has given me so much joy this year. Not to mention the amazing Ritte crew who were awesome helping with the build, and went above and beyond to make sure all the details were right.

i have a few bikes in the arsenal but my phantom was my most ridden in 2020 by a long shot. hard to imagine this past year of lockdown without the freedom this bike provided. huge thanks to elijah, alex, and kevin for everything!