At age 11, Ritchey's father taught Tom Jr. to build his wheels and repair tubular tires. Ritchey started a small business repairing tires to earn money to buy his first road bike, a Raleigh Super Course. When he was 14, Ritchey joined the Belmont Bicycle Club (BBC) and began racing. Shortly after this, he upgraded his bike to a frame he repaired himself, a broken Cinelli "B." His father taught him how to braze around this time, and he started repairing bicycle frames for local racers.