Most post-'84 bike models can be identified using the serial number. In most cases there is a single letter in the serial number that signifies the model. The most notable exception to this is the "P" series frame. (more info)

Earlier frames are more difficult to identify. During the first few years of production there were not specific models available - only the MountainBike - however, bikes can differ greatly. In 1982 "production" bikes began to be offered. This differed from previous models in that frames and their components were delivered to a "set spec" that was not varied, at a reduced price. (Shops may have swapped parts out before delivery, so bikes may not have always been exactly as listed.)

To determine models of early bikes, consult the summary of the features and components for the 1980-1984 bikes.

The Earliest Frames   Orig. Owner Year Bike Description   Tom Ritchey 1979 the first Ritchey mountain frame   Alan Bonds 1979 one of the first 12 "R" Frames One frame style was offered through 1982, although custom features could be added. The majority of the serial numbers appear to be "final digit of year", "R", and then a frame number.   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description new 5/6 1R0077 1981 21 Everest   1R0079 1981 22 Everest   1R0087 1981 23 Everest   1R0089 1981 22 Everest   1R0091 1981 21 Everest   1R199 1981 22 Ritchey   2R004 1982 23 Everest new 3/10 2R016 1982 21.5 McKinley   2R017 1982   Everest   2R044 1982 21 Everest new 5/6 2R119 1982 23 Tamalpais   2R149 1982 21 Sierra Other early Frames Yet to classify these in any way.   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   none 1981 21 Ritchey   none 1981 22.5 Ritchey   30P 1982? 23 Mt Tam (?)   3 54 1982-3 23 Everest   2Pd 1982 23 McKinley (?)   185 1982 20 McKinley   253 1984 23 Mount Tam   1500R 1980-2 22-23 Ritchey (?)   0 0 8 0 1984 19 Everest - Fisher "A" Frames Sometime in '83 the Annapurna model starting using this serial number designation. Prior to this, "C" model frames had the same features as the Annapurna (although no mention of the model name is made until the '85 catalog).   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   24A1 1983 24 Ritchey   21A15 1983-4 21 Ritchey   2A4 1985 22 Annapurna   1A25 1985 21 Annapurna   A12 1986 22 Annapurna "B" Frames The "B" frames came out of the "Mountain Bikes II" frameset, the slightly less nice version of the Ritchey Mountain Bike frame. Originally called the Mt Tam in '83, it was replaced by the TimberWolf in '84. The TimberComp was the same frame with slighlty nicer components and roller-cam brakes. The Commando was the same frame with camo paint and black components.   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   2B102 1982 21.5 McKinley   218B10 1983 21     23B28 1983 23 Mount Tam   20B42 1983 20 Mount Tam   21B51 1983 21 Everest   20B67 1983 20 Commando   9B23 1985 19 Timber Wolf   0B27 1985 20 Timber Wolf   1B48 1985 21 Timber Wolf   3B48 1985 23 Timberline   8B53 1985 18 Timber Wolf   8B57 1985 18 Timber Comp   8B134 1986 18 Timber Comp   0B136 1985 20 Timber Comp   8B138 1986 18 Timber Comp   1B168 1984-5 21 Timber Wolf   8B169 1987 18 Timber Comp   unknown 1984-5 20 Timber Wolf   8B176 1985 18 Timber Comp   1B190 1985 21 Commando   9B190 1985 19 Timber Wolf   8B199 1988 18 Timber Comp   8B203 1988 18 Timber Comp   1B227 1985 21 Timber Comp   0B248 1984 20 Commando   B260 1985 19 Timber Comp   9B261 1985 19 Timber Wolf   0B278 1985 20 Timber Comp   1B291 1985 21 Commando   9B371 1985-6 19 Timber Comp   0B484 1986 20   9B317 1987 19 Timber Comp   1B324 1986 21 Timber Comp   9B329 1987 19 Timber Comp   9B399 1988 19 Timber Comp   1B414 1988 21 Timber Comp   unknown 1988 19 Timber Wolf   08602 1986 20 Commando   1B478 1989 21 Timber Comp   8B216 1990 18 Timber Comp "C" Frames Introduced in '83 as the Competition model, replaced in '84 by the TeamComp, and again in '87 by the SuperComp. The SuperComp was made from Tange Prestige, and the previous models were Columbus steel. Also, early Annapurna frames seem to get this designation. "C" frames were introduced in '83 with the Competition model, which was replaced by the TeamComp in '84, and later by the SuperComp in '86.   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   21C2 1982-3 21 Annapurna   21C9 1983 21 Annapurna   21C11 1983 21 Annapurna   SC11 1984 22 Competition - Fisher   8C9 1984 18 Team Comp   0C14 1985 20 Team Comp   1C17 1985 21 Team Comp   0C31 1985 20 Competition   1C50 1985 21 Team Comp   1C64 1985 21 Team Comp   0C78 1985 20 Team Comp   9C80 1986 19 Super Comp   1C85 1986 21 Team Comp   9C87 1987 19 Super Comp   7C6 1988 18 Super Comp   8080 ? 19 Super Comp   9C142 1989 19 Super Comp   9077 1987 18 Super Comp   90106 1987 19 Super Comp   10195 1987 21 Super Comp   00243 1988 20 Super Comp   unknown 1988 22 Super Comp   10134 1989 21 Super Comp   90155 1989 18 Super Comp new 3/10 1C108 ?? 21 Timber Comp

Ascent / Ascent Comp / Aspen These bikes were the first Japanese bikes imported by Ritchey.   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   5K00141 1985 18 Ascent   737 1987 Ascent   A5G00088 1985 20 Ascent   A5G00135 1985 ? Ascent   A6A00251 1986 20.5 Ascent   6I00106 1986 16.5 Ascent   5L0038 1986 19.5 Ascent   5L00079 1986 19 Ascent   unknown 1987 21 Ascent   unknown 1985 19 Ascent Comp   6A282 1986 18 Ascent Comp   unknown 1988 18 Ascent Comp   2A572 1989 17 Ascent Comp   3A946 1989 21 Ascent Comp   unknown 1990 17.5 Ascent Comp   035 1990's Ascent Comp new 5/6 A5L00154 1986 20 Aspen   A6F00248 1986 17.5 Aspen   A6A00499 1987 18 Aspen   A6A00478   20 Aspen "P" Series   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   p05 1989-90 20 P-23 Team   8P5 1990 18 P-23 Team   8p11 1990? 20 P-23   1P19 1992 20 P-22 Team   308 1990 20 P-23   328 1990? 19 ?   390 1989-90 18 P-23   409 1989 17 P-23 updated 1/29 444 1990 19 P-23   473 1990-91 17 P-23   680 1990 20 Timber Comp   731 1990 19 P-23   813 ? 20 P-23   1873 1989-90 18 P-23   unknown 1989-90 18 P-23   P430 91-92 17 P-22   1583 1992-4 19 P-22   8179 1991-2 19 P-22   9009 1992 15 P-22   unknown 1992 18 P-22   8P22 1992 18 P-22 Team   8P31 ? 18 P-22 Team   P002 199? 18 P-21   7P39 1993 17 P-21   9P73 1993 19 P-21   9P82 199? 19 P-21   8P85 1993 18 P-21   P555 ? 19 P-21 (?)   P590 1993 18 P-21   1P34 1994 21 P-21 Team   0P59 ? 20 P-21 Team   P21 157 ? 15 P-21   1609 1993? 22 P-20   8207 ? 17 P-20 (?)   unknown 1996? 20 P-20   P0260 1997 18 P-20 new 5/6 P20 362 1998 17 P-20   0152 ? 19 P-23 Comp new 5/6 P484 1995 17 Crazy Pete   P673   19 Comp   P0151 2002 18 Comp Ultras   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   A6F00206 1987 19.5 Ultra   A7C0058 1987 16 Ultra   3U056 1987   Ultra   0U355 1989 20 Ultra   0U379 1989 17 Ultra   7U103 1990 18 Ultra Other   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   30032 1988 17.5 Outback   E 3 1992 19 Everest   1E8 1990's 21 Everest (?)   9E8 1992 19 Everest   T1140 1995? 19 Soft Tail   SOFT 88 1997 17 Soft Tail   0249 1998 20 Soft Tail   SOFT 0354 1997 17 Soft Tail   S0P 0379   17 Soft Tail   P0069   17 Plexus   PL20 0409 2000 19 Plexus   NT21 1004 2001 21 NiTi new 5/6 NT18 1108 2003 18 NiTi Lugged Frames *   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description   4HO81881 1984   lugged Ritchey   6D00168 1986 18.5 lugged Ritchey   6H1399 1986 19 lugged Ritchey * More info on Ritchey lugged frames. Road and 'Cross Bikes   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description new 3/10 ROAD 0017 1997 54 Road Logic   RL58 D108 2001? 58 Road Logic new 5/6 RC54 1006 ? 54 Road Classic   SC 0144 1997? 58 Swiss Cross   SC 0913 2000? 58 Swiss Cross Tandems   Serial Number Year Size Bike Description new 3/10 none 1978 large Tandem   T170 1987 20/18 Skyliner