RITCHEY Garden City Frameset - Scarlet

Garden City: less is more, without limitations

Garden City is built around the idea that the freedom of cycling can be distilled into a single gear: simplicity, immediacy and control. Designed as a single speed / fixed gear frameset, it goes beyond the concept of a traditional track bike. Depending on how it is built, it can serve as a track bike, an urban commuter or a minimalist training bike.

It is a modern, open platform that leaves full freedom to the rider, without prescribing a single use case.

Frame: Ritchey Logic steel and functional details

The frame is made from triple-butted Ritchey Logic steel, heat-treated and TIG welded, developed according to Tom Ritchey’s specifications. It is protected with an EPD Coat treatment for corrosion resistance.

The straight 1-1/8" head tube is designed for reliability and precision. The seatpost diameter is 27.2 mm, with an integrated seat collar (maximum recommended torque: 6 Nm). The frame features two bottle cage mounts, extending its usability beyond pure track applications.

Key standards and specifications

• Bottom bracket: 68 mm, English threaded (BSA)

• Rear dropouts: horizontal, 120 mm, bolt-on (chain tensioning for single speed / fixed)

• Bottle cage mounts: 2

• Maximum chainring size: 55T

• Chainline: 39 mm (39.4 mm for Shimano Dura-Ace Track)

• Headset included: Ritchey WCS

  • Upper: IS42/28.6 (16 mm stack height)

  • Lower: IS42/30

Included fork: carbon, road-oriented design

The frameset includes the Ritchey Comp Carbon Road Fork with a straight 1-1/8" steerer. Declared specifications are:

• Steerer length: 300 mm

• Axle-to-crown: 367 mm

• Rake / Offset: 45 mm

• Maximum spacers below stem: 30 mm

The front wheel uses a standard quick release system.

Tire compatibility: what “28c” really means

Ritchey declares tire clearance up to 700x28c, noting that actual clearance depends on tire and rim manufacturer.

Reference dimensions are:

• Frame spacing: 38 mm

• Fork spacing: 35 mm

In practical terms, maintaining a coherent and trouble-free setup requires choosing tires and rims with realistic measured widths and always considering actual mounted dimensions.

Geometry and size selection: compact and responsive

Garden City is designed for dynamic riding. Key geometry features include:

• Chainstay length: 395 mm (all sizes)

• Bottom bracket drop: 55 mm

• Fork rake: 45 mm

Reach and stack increase progressively across sizes (for example, reach: 391 / 398 / 406 / 415 mm and stack: 509 / 534 / 565 / 594 mm from size S to XL), maintaining a compact, responsive feel suitable for both track-focused and more relaxed urban builds.

Claimed weights

• Frame: 1,950 g (size L)

• Fork: 562 g (uncut steerer)

Intended use

Garden City is suited to riders looking for a clean, modern single speed / fixed gear platform with genuine versatility. Brake mounts and bottle cage mounts make it more practical for daily urban use compared to many pure track frames. It is a frameset designed for those who want to build an essential, coherent and durable bike without being confined to a single riding scenario.