The Ritchey Garden City x Blue Lug track frame has been released. Yes, that Ritchey. I think this is a really interesting product, one that’s special not only for the current cycling world but, of course, for us as well.

Our staff members who are big Ritchey fans have provided a detailed explanation of the Garden City, so please be sure to check it out.

When I heard that Ritchey was releasing this track frame, it all made sense. I realized this was a product that simply couldn’t have been created without that person.

As long-time cyclists probably already know, Mr. Fergus Tanaka, who is currently the product manager at Ritchey.

Not only he’s known as the product manager of Ritchey, he’s also known as one of the iconic ex-bike messenger in SF and a track bike enthusiast. I’d like to write a bit about him, Ritchey and some stories of Fergus as a fan of Fergus and a person who used be a bike messenger around the same time as him.

I started my career as a messenger about 25 years ago, in 2001. I did deliveries on a road bike for just one year, but, perhaps influenced by the veteran messengers around me, I managed to get a track bike for a bargain price, and from then on, I spent every day making deliveries on that track bike.

Toward the end of my time as a messenger, I had the opportunity to work for a company, one of many in Tokyo, that brought together a group of professionals who made deliveries on track bikes. I’ll never forget that time. It was filled with tears, laughter, accidents, a sense of accomplishment, and even moments when I’d make a wrong delivery, get a call from the office over the radio, and completely lose it.

I was so busy everyday.

I rode a lot of distance on my track bike, whether it was raining, blazing hot, snowing and even in storms. I still can’t believe the fact I managed to survive, but I guess that’s what it means to be young. I also got a lot of help from my friends.

Back before smartphones became widespread, couriers would hold a map in one hand, wear a walkie-talkie attached to their messenger bag, and personally deliver the items requested by clients. It was very old-school.

But I feel that being a messenger is a truly one-of-a-kind profession. It’s driving today’s bike culture, and I think it’s precisely because of this messenger culture that we’ve been able to get this far. The era before track bikes became popular was the most exciting.

And during that same period, Fergus Tanaka was also active as a messenger across the ocean. I think the first time I heard his name was from a messenger at the same company while I was still working there.

That colleague of mine was a bike messenger who had even won the CMWC (Cycle Messenger World Championship), and he had also placed highly at the NACCC (North American Cycle Courier Championships), North America’s largest bike messenger event, held in 2006. I still remember receiving an SFBMA (San Francisco Bike Messenger Association) patch from him as a souvenir.

I believe Fergus was also involved with the SFBMA at the time, and I think he was the one who gave my buddy that patch, if my memory serves me correctly.

I unfortunately lost two of the patches…I’m so sorry.

After that, I stopped working as a messenger and joined Blue Lug. I’d occasionally see him in various cycling magazines, and the first time I saw him, I think he was wearing a Suntour jersey in the magazine… though I don’t really remember clearly.

Judging from the magazines from that time, he looked a fit and looked like a quiet and chill person. He might have had a thing for slightly older bikes and parts. I’m pretty sure the bike he was riding had Suntour Superbe hubs on it.

Back then, I’d often come across Suntour Superbe hubs and buy them here and there, so I can’t help but feel a sense of familiarity with them.

Since his name includes “Tanaka,” I figured he must be half Japanese.
I hadn’t actually met him at the time, so of course, that was just my impression.

After joining Blue Lug, I unfortunately sold all my Suntour parts at a swap meet. I seriously regret my decision.

I first met him at the registration venue in Shibuya when CMWC Tokyo was held in 2009. He rode up alone on a Raleigh track bike, quickly completed his registration, and rode off alone somewhere. He looked so badass.

Blue Lug had a booth at CMWC Tokyo, and I still remember when he came by the booth all by himself. At the time, Blue Lug had released a special-order all-green version of the “Zaffiro” from Virroria Tires, and we were selling them at the CMWC booth. He stopped by the booth then and bought a few of those tires.

I remember him saying something like; “I love green parts.” and something like; “I’m gonna put the tires on the front because I don’t wanna waste them.” What a charming fella.

I got to see him ride at the Delivery Race, too, and I was impressed by his refined riding style. He pedaled powerfully yet efficiently, without any wasted motion. Back when he visited Japan for Bike Lore in 2024, he also rode super well and won a race.

I think I might just like his personality. I think we have a few things in common, but it’s really his unique vibe and character that stand out. I’m also really happy that he’s still active as a manager at Ritchey, and the fact that we’re collaborating with Ritchey to produce a frame… that’s truly amazing.

I imagine it’s under Ritchey’s supervision, but he’s drawn on his years of experience riding track bikes to infuse his own identity into this Ritchey track frame. It features 28c tire clearance that embodies the “messenger spirit”.

Even now that wider tires are the norm,  it’s like he’s saying that if you’re riding a track bike, it’s definitely more fun with narrower tires and I totally agree.

It’s made me want to ride one again for the first time in a while…

Also, I’ve often seen pictures of old Ritchey bikes myself, and the vintage “Ritchey Made” frames, all featuring fillet brazing are absolutely beautiful.

They transcend the realm of bicycle frames and look like works of art.

But since bikes are meant to be ridden by people and needs to be durable, this fillet brazing, which allows for flexible angle adjustments, might have been the right choice after all.

I actually requested this fillet brazing when I ordered my Hunter Cycles cross frame a while back, because I used to love old Ritchey frames.

 

I think even the renowned frame builders on the West Coast had a huge respect for Ritchey. I think the fact that Ritchey parts were frequently used on show bikes at the late NAHBS (North American Handmade Bicycle Show) was proof of that.

Looking at the frames created by West Coast frame builders, I noticed many were clearly inspired by Ritchey, so I suppose Ritchey will always be a truly special presence, no matter the era. I think this applies to everything: when you first set out to do something, you don’t know which way is up or down. You have to keep going, repeating failures, searching for the right answer, and moving forward while believing in your own vision. I can’t help but feel that’s a truly scary and difficult thing to do.

I can’t help but think that Tom Ritchey’s passion for bicycles was many times, perhaps even dozens of times, greater than that of other manufacturers. Looking back now, it’s also fascinating that he’s been collaborating with Japanese manufacturers to produce parts under the Ritchey brand for so long.

 

After all, Tom used Suntour components, and he built his bike using parts from Japanese manufacturers like Nitto, Sugino, Dia-Compe, and MKS Pedals, among others. It makes perfect sense that Ritchey who has always trusted Japanese parts manufacturers, chose Japanese manufacturers that possessed the best technology both then and now.

 

 

He used the best parts for the best frames. I’m sure there were plenty of parts available locally in the U.S. at the time, but he wasn’t satisfied with that. He went overseas to have the very best parts custom-made and installed them on the bikes he built. His passion was on a whole different level.

As a Blue Lug staff member and a cyclist, I feel deep respect and am truly delighted that someone I admire so much and a brand I love so much have released this Garden City track frame as a 20th-anniversary model just for us.

I’ve gone on and on here, rambling incoherently about my thoughts on Fergus and Ritchey, but I apologize if I’ve been presumptuous or made any mistakes. I’ll continue to keep an eye on Ritchey products and new releases with great anticipation, while dreaming of the day when I can collaborate with Ritchey on another exciting project.

I’d love to see the green-colored parts and frames produced by Fergus someday, too!

Thank you for reading this long post.
See you next time.

– Aze