The Snob

I ordered my first Ritte (Satyr) about three years ago. The experience and service from Elijah were remarkable. And…Steel is real ya’ll! I road any group ride on the road or gravel and could challenge the best. It truly is a Swiss Army knife of bikes. Fast forward a few years, and when looking for a new road bike, there was no other choice for me but another metal frame. This time, however, I wanted to experience Ti. Enter the Snob. Again, the service and attention to details were unmatched by Elijah and Ritte. You could go pay more somewhere else, but I don’t think you will achieve any better craftsmanship or service IMO. I searched. My Snob has Chris King headset, bb, and hubs with Enve wheels and cockpit. It is somehow so buttery smooth I can ride for half a day no problem but also snappy enough to sprint anyone on any group ride throw down. Do yourself a favor and look at a Ritte for your next bike. You will not regret it.

Since 2011, I’d been happily shredding friend and foe alike on my Ritte Bosberg (the o.g. of the Ritte stable) and couldn't find a good reason to forsake its “erotic geometry” and sweet Belgian tri-color styling in exchange for a comparable contemporary disc-brake road racer. Until, The Snob. This will be my riding machine for the next decade, at least. Riding over the sometimes uneven, potholed roads of New York’s Catskills, this bike absorbs it all with incredible comfort, stability, and the kind of style only Ritte can deliver.

I looked at a few other custom ti builders before I contacted Ritte, but it was really the only choice for me. The level of customer service that Elijah delivered is unsurpassed in my 25+ years of cycling. His attention to detail and depth of knowledge helped me create a custom frame design that fits me like a glove, a custom paint scheme that was executed to perfection, and finished it off with an amazing build with Di2, Enve, and Rotor components. I was in awe on newbikeday, and the riding since then has only confirmed what a performance machine this is. It’s certainly not a pure climbing bike, but on rolling hills (which is pretty much what you get in the Catskills), it’s punchy and responsive. And, like the Bosberg, this bike turns heads wherever it goes.

A final word on Elijah’s customer service… when I snapped a chain after only a few hundred miles, he immediately shipped me a new one AND a new Di2 derailleur that suffered collateral damage – no questions asked. If you’re ready to invest in a bike, this is the one.

Having very happily ridden the Ace for several years, I knew I wanted another Ritte when it came time for a new ride, but I wanted to move back to metal, preferably Ti. Reached out to Elijah at the start of 2022 about the possibility of Ritte making the Steel Phantom in titanium. Timing couldn't have been better. A few months later I took possession of my new Snob Ti. Wow! The ride - agile, comfortable, confident. The bike transitions from tarmac to gravel with ease, making it an all purpose bike with more style than other carbon brands. Did I mention gorgeous? I had the frame bead blasted to give it that classic Ti look and to contrast the polished look of Ritte logo on the head tube and downtube. Also the welds are beautiful, and the overall finishing is superb. This is a lifetime frame! Throughout the build process, Elijah could not have been more accommodative, quick to respond to questions to make sure the frame and build were exactly what I wanted. Don't sleep! Get yourself a Snob!