Steel framesets occupy a specific corner of the cycling market where ride quality matters more than gram-counting and longevity outweighs trend-chasing. The Ritchey Ascent Frameset represents Tom Ritchey's contemporary interpretation of what a steel gravel bike should be—triple-butted Logic II tubing shaped through decades of frame building experience, designed for riders who want a bike that handles loaded touring, daily commuting, and weekend gravel exploration without demanding a dedicated machine for each purpose.

The geometry splits the difference between responsive handling and all-day stability. A 71-degree head tube angle paired with 50mm of fork rake delivers steering that tracks predictably through loose corners without feeling nervous on technical descents. The 425mm chainstays provide heel clearance for panniers while maintaining enough stiffness for efficient pedaling. Ritchey designed the Ascent around 700c wheels with clearance for 45mm tires, giving you room to run proper gravel rubber without the compromises that come from cramming oversized tires into a frame designed for something smaller.

The Logic II steel tubing uses triple-butted construction that places material where stress concentrates and removes it where weight can be saved. This isn't heavy-wall straight-gauge tubing dressed up with nice paint—the butting profile reflects the specific loads a gravel frameset encounters, from the leverage forces at the head tube to the pedaling loads at the bottom bracket. The carbon fiber Ritchey fork handles front-end duties with a tapered steerer that interfaces with modern headset standards while maintaining the compliance characteristics that make steel frames comfortable over rough terrain.... Read More