vickster
Legendary Member
Hence maybe... I know that many Millenials are in their 30s
Ribble CGR Ti
- Thread starter Juan Kog
- Start date
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zelatorinuae
Member
I'm now on the same 'search' journey. I'll be returning to UK (Yorkshire) in a few months after many years in far sunnier climes. The Ribble Ti bikes are up there at the top of my short shortlist. I'm now leaning to the CGR rather than the Endurance. Reasons - will give me more wheel & especially tyre options particularly with mudguards (think will be essential, & not only when I'm out with others) plus the geometry seems to be more relaxed and towards the Endurance end that I want. Won't be doing any races, will do some sportives and fancy getting into Audax. I'm not an old guy but as Ive turned 60 gotta accept a few changes ! The CGR ti with 105/ ultegra 50/44 and prob 11-32/34 35+ tyres for the darker, grottier weather and iffy roads and another wheel/tyre set for weekend club runs seems to be a good option.
I've looked at all those mentioned in this stream but keep coming back to CGR TI. I'll still have my beautiful Italian mistress (Colnago) for the fine days and events
What did you finally get? Anybody else have thoughts.?
OP
OP
Juan Kog
permanently grumpy
This is embarrassing, although the CGR Ti with the same build you favour is still very firmly first choice,
I haven’t actually got round to buying one . I’m blaming the virus . I realise I could make an internet purchase , but I want to visit a Ribble showroom before committing .
Tom B
Guru
- Location
- Lancashire
Likewise. A colleague has bought one of the none ti 700c versions of the CGR for which there was a waiting list. He's pretty chuffed with it. I've always said Ti will be my retirement bike. But the CGR Ti might be my next all purpose bike after Ive finished with kiddiebike seats and the likes.
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Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
Tom B
Guru
- Location
- Lancashire
Dont let that put you off I've used both and much prefer the hydros. They're almost fit and forgot. Speak with Ribble see of they'll supply it with brakes of your choosing or without.
Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
Thanks I will, the wife is talking about a trip to Bluewater this year at some point, I can drop in there and speak with them.
vickster
Legendary Member
I have a Sabbath AR1 from Spa with Spyres...if you're ever passing SW London-ish, you're welcome to take a look (it's SRAM rather than Shimano though)
I looked at / test rode them all, the AR1 offered me best bang for buck in the spec I wanted (all the others Enigma, Reilly, Van Nic, J Guillem would all have been at least a grand more and all had some sort of compromise, mostly mounting points). The JG Orient was a very close second despite the cost difference, gorgeous
Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
OK Thanks Vikster.
Like you said cost has to be factored as the Spa bikes are really nicely priced, the 3 main ones I looked at are the Reilly, Ribble and Spa, Ribble mainly as I already own one and it's fantastic, Reilly as it was local, and Spa for the awesome pricing.
cougie uk
Guru
If you're looking at Ti - check out the Planet X offerings too.
Spitfire, Hurricane, Tempest.
Clearances on the Tempest are huge. You can get properly chunky tyres and full mudguards on with no bother. And I think it's a 1x on the site but they will do a double chainset if you ask.
Spitfire, Hurricane, Tempest.
Clearances on the Tempest are huge. You can get properly chunky tyres and full mudguards on with no bother. And I think it's a 1x on the site but they will do a double chainset if you ask.
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
One option which hasn't been mentioned is the Kinesis Tripster ATRV3, titanium frameset, which I took delivery of December 2020. From a very brief look prices are similar but I confess I have not done a detailed comparison.
I bought mine with three uses in mind; winter bike, gravel bike and occasional tourer. She certainly ticks the boxes for winter and gravel riding, I've yet to go on a tour. I run mine with Schwalbe G-One All-round tyres which let me ride comfortably at 18-19 on road and up to 22-23 at a push. On gravel they give all the grip I've needed so far!
It's a great bike which I really enjoy riding. I was surprised by the overall weight. I didn't look closely enough at this and expected the bike to be lighter. Not something I fret about, just a minor surprise.
Kinesis ATRV3
I bought mine with three uses in mind; winter bike, gravel bike and occasional tourer. She certainly ticks the boxes for winter and gravel riding, I've yet to go on a tour. I run mine with Schwalbe G-One All-round tyres which let me ride comfortably at 18-19 on road and up to 22-23 at a push. On gravel they give all the grip I've needed so far!
It's a great bike which I really enjoy riding. I was surprised by the overall weight. I didn't look closely enough at this and expected the bike to be lighter. Not something I fret about, just a minor surprise.
Kinesis ATRV3
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PedallingNowhereSlowly
Active Member
I took delivery of a Ribble CGR Ti Pro in February. It's probably time for an initial review.
.
To put this in perspective, I used to be a very fit cyclist and cover easily over 4,000 miles a year - mainly commuting with the odd longer ride thrown in. In 2012 I stopped cyclng, save for the odd ride. In summation it is important to bear in mind I've gotten older, fatter and slower. I've got back in the saddle regularly - at least once a week - over the last 6 months, building up to some 50 mile days on my 90s gas pipe hybrid.
My current maximal effort is estimated to be around 200 Watts and my VO2 max is 42. Take these statistics with a pinch of salt though - I don't have a bike with a power meter. Just a smart watch which has probably plucked these numbers out of thin air. Oh and I'm a smidge over 80kg; probably 20kg heavier than I used to be.
I used to have an Airborne Valkyrie with Shimano 105, set up as an Audax bike. The new bike was bought as the spiritual successor to that Valkyrie. It's indended to be an all-year round road bike, comfortable enough for days in the saddle. It's setup with Road Tyres (28mm Continental 'Silver Label'). The bike comes with the Ultegra Di2 group set and Mavic Cosmic SL 45 carbon wheels.
I ordered the bike in January 2024. It was delivered 6 weeks later - as predicted at the time the order was placed. The bike's RRP is now a stonking £5,299. At that time I placed my order, the bike had an RRP of £4,995 with a discount to £3,995 in the sale. I added a tyre upgrade and SKS mudguards bringing the price up to a hair over £4,100. When the bike arrived, I was initially impressed. All I had to do was unwrap it and attach the handlebars. A small toolkit is provided.
The bike turned out to be very well setup with no over-tightened bolts. I bought some extra chains and set about removing the factory grease from all of them and immersively waxing them. On replacing the chain that was on the bike, I discovered there was a problem. Every time I'd apply a handful of back brake, I'd end up with the dreaded rotor rub. I re-addjusted it and re-tested several times. No two ways about it, something was wrong with the rear calliper mount.
I emailed Ribble customer services. A mechanic came out to try and rectify the fault the following Monday. He wasn't able to, so he took the bike back with him to Ribble HQ. Early the next week, the bike was re-delivered and the fault was fixed. The calliper mount was refaced and the rotor replaced. Apparently the problem was down to the way the weld was applied (excess). Ribble customer services said that it's the only one they've had returned with this fault and they don't usually have problems with the calliper mounts. Needless to say, the customer service was absolutely excellent and based on that alone, I'd buy another Ribble - if only I could afford to.
I added RawFlap mudflaps to the mudguards, installed a Topeak Super Tourist DX MTX rack and an 8 litre Topeak MTX Trunk Bag to sit on top of the rack. This means I can carry or store extra layers, snacks, first aid kit and obligatory spares for rides lasting a day or more - with the option of adding panniers for more storage if needed. It does also mean, that this isn't the lightest weight setup.
It's taken me a while to get around to riding the bike on account of the attrocious weather and many local roads being consistently flooded. Now that things are drying up a bit, I've got a couple of 20 mile rides in on this new set of wheels and the initial impressions are very good.
On the first proper outing, I set a speed record despite picking out a route that took me over Cannock Chase with a long arduous and moderately steep climb in the middle of it. That ride was mostly in zone 5. I took it easier for the second ride with most the effort split equally between zone 4 and zone 5. This ride also include a substantial climb towards the end of it and I still averaged something north of what I'm used to getting.
Early indications are that this bike gets the balance between pace and comfort somewhere near perfect. I do feel like I could ride it all day without tiring too much from 'road buzz' or vibration. On normal asphalt surfaces it is very smooth and even on surfaced dressed roads it still manages to be smooth. On degraded surfaces ... well, the bike can't work miracles but there's some noticeable and welcome improvement over the older alu bike I was riding for a couple of months early last autumn (a 2013 Wilier Montegrappa). And it certainly feels a bit better than the old Valkyrie - probably in a very small proportion thanks to the butted frame and in larger proportion thanks to the wider tyres and lower tyre pressures.
The bike also seems a bit stiffer, where it counts, than the old Valkyrie. I didn't notice any significant flex grinding up hills so the comfort has not come at the price of turning the bike into a wet noodle. And I can accelerate the bike fairly swiftly away from traffic lights at the first sign of a green light without too much trouble and repeatedly without getting too tired.
The geometery is very relaxed and stable - even more so than the Valkyrie. I've done a number of descents now exceeding 50 kph and even at those speeds the handling is very reassuring. The electronic shifting is really very smooth, efficient and accurate. The shift buttons do take a little getting used to. It's also much easier to shift and brake at the same time. And speaking of brakes - those too are excellent. They do certainly give some more confidence over rim brakes when descending.
The 45mm section wheels do roll very nicely (using inner tubes - not sure I've the patience for cleaning up old dried sealant!) but, as we seem to have more windy days over breezey days, I'm wondering whether that 45mm profile is perhaps a bit too much. I've been slightly unnerved a couple of times by gusts of wind cutting across the bike. I will give it time and see if it's something I get used to. I suspect I'm getting some benefit from the aerodynamic properties of the wheels, even if the rest of the setup is not aero - especially given this bike is easily 4-5 kph faster than the gas pipe hybrid - even with more climbing.
The only other niggle I have is the gearing - I think it's probably a little too high for me right now. We've got 50/34t chain rings and an 11-34t cassette. I believe it's possible to go for a larger range cassette with an extension to the derailleur cage. I'm not going to tweak the gearing as yet because I think once I've got a bit fitter and shed some more kilograms, it will be about right for the type of riding I want to do - which is mainly for improving my fitness. And I love a challenging climb anways.
As an aside, I do miss having a triple up front on account you can be less mindful of your chainline relative to a doube.
At £4k, I'm very pleased with the bike. At £5.3k - I'm sure it's still a great contender but you'd have to have very very deep pockets. ( - as opposed to just very deep ones!)
If it wasn't for the opportunistic discount, I'd have probably gone with one of the lesser specced Shimano 105 versions.
.
To put this in perspective, I used to be a very fit cyclist and cover easily over 4,000 miles a year - mainly commuting with the odd longer ride thrown in. In 2012 I stopped cyclng, save for the odd ride. In summation it is important to bear in mind I've gotten older, fatter and slower. I've got back in the saddle regularly - at least once a week - over the last 6 months, building up to some 50 mile days on my 90s gas pipe hybrid.
My current maximal effort is estimated to be around 200 Watts and my VO2 max is 42. Take these statistics with a pinch of salt though - I don't have a bike with a power meter. Just a smart watch which has probably plucked these numbers out of thin air. Oh and I'm a smidge over 80kg; probably 20kg heavier than I used to be.
I used to have an Airborne Valkyrie with Shimano 105, set up as an Audax bike. The new bike was bought as the spiritual successor to that Valkyrie. It's indended to be an all-year round road bike, comfortable enough for days in the saddle. It's setup with Road Tyres (28mm Continental 'Silver Label'). The bike comes with the Ultegra Di2 group set and Mavic Cosmic SL 45 carbon wheels.
I ordered the bike in January 2024. It was delivered 6 weeks later - as predicted at the time the order was placed. The bike's RRP is now a stonking £5,299. At that time I placed my order, the bike had an RRP of £4,995 with a discount to £3,995 in the sale. I added a tyre upgrade and SKS mudguards bringing the price up to a hair over £4,100. When the bike arrived, I was initially impressed. All I had to do was unwrap it and attach the handlebars. A small toolkit is provided.
The bike turned out to be very well setup with no over-tightened bolts. I bought some extra chains and set about removing the factory grease from all of them and immersively waxing them. On replacing the chain that was on the bike, I discovered there was a problem. Every time I'd apply a handful of back brake, I'd end up with the dreaded rotor rub. I re-addjusted it and re-tested several times. No two ways about it, something was wrong with the rear calliper mount.
I emailed Ribble customer services. A mechanic came out to try and rectify the fault the following Monday. He wasn't able to, so he took the bike back with him to Ribble HQ. Early the next week, the bike was re-delivered and the fault was fixed. The calliper mount was refaced and the rotor replaced. Apparently the problem was down to the way the weld was applied (excess). Ribble customer services said that it's the only one they've had returned with this fault and they don't usually have problems with the calliper mounts. Needless to say, the customer service was absolutely excellent and based on that alone, I'd buy another Ribble - if only I could afford to.
I added RawFlap mudflaps to the mudguards, installed a Topeak Super Tourist DX MTX rack and an 8 litre Topeak MTX Trunk Bag to sit on top of the rack. This means I can carry or store extra layers, snacks, first aid kit and obligatory spares for rides lasting a day or more - with the option of adding panniers for more storage if needed. It does also mean, that this isn't the lightest weight setup.
It's taken me a while to get around to riding the bike on account of the attrocious weather and many local roads being consistently flooded. Now that things are drying up a bit, I've got a couple of 20 mile rides in on this new set of wheels and the initial impressions are very good.
On the first proper outing, I set a speed record despite picking out a route that took me over Cannock Chase with a long arduous and moderately steep climb in the middle of it. That ride was mostly in zone 5. I took it easier for the second ride with most the effort split equally between zone 4 and zone 5. This ride also include a substantial climb towards the end of it and I still averaged something north of what I'm used to getting.
Early indications are that this bike gets the balance between pace and comfort somewhere near perfect. I do feel like I could ride it all day without tiring too much from 'road buzz' or vibration. On normal asphalt surfaces it is very smooth and even on surfaced dressed roads it still manages to be smooth. On degraded surfaces ... well, the bike can't work miracles but there's some noticeable and welcome improvement over the older alu bike I was riding for a couple of months early last autumn (a 2013 Wilier Montegrappa). And it certainly feels a bit better than the old Valkyrie - probably in a very small proportion thanks to the butted frame and in larger proportion thanks to the wider tyres and lower tyre pressures.
The bike also seems a bit stiffer, where it counts, than the old Valkyrie. I didn't notice any significant flex grinding up hills so the comfort has not come at the price of turning the bike into a wet noodle. And I can accelerate the bike fairly swiftly away from traffic lights at the first sign of a green light without too much trouble and repeatedly without getting too tired.
The geometery is very relaxed and stable - even more so than the Valkyrie. I've done a number of descents now exceeding 50 kph and even at those speeds the handling is very reassuring. The electronic shifting is really very smooth, efficient and accurate. The shift buttons do take a little getting used to. It's also much easier to shift and brake at the same time. And speaking of brakes - those too are excellent. They do certainly give some more confidence over rim brakes when descending.
The 45mm section wheels do roll very nicely (using inner tubes - not sure I've the patience for cleaning up old dried sealant!) but, as we seem to have more windy days over breezey days, I'm wondering whether that 45mm profile is perhaps a bit too much. I've been slightly unnerved a couple of times by gusts of wind cutting across the bike. I will give it time and see if it's something I get used to. I suspect I'm getting some benefit from the aerodynamic properties of the wheels, even if the rest of the setup is not aero - especially given this bike is easily 4-5 kph faster than the gas pipe hybrid - even with more climbing.
The only other niggle I have is the gearing - I think it's probably a little too high for me right now. We've got 50/34t chain rings and an 11-34t cassette. I believe it's possible to go for a larger range cassette with an extension to the derailleur cage. I'm not going to tweak the gearing as yet because I think once I've got a bit fitter and shed some more kilograms, it will be about right for the type of riding I want to do - which is mainly for improving my fitness. And I love a challenging climb anways.
As an aside, I do miss having a triple up front on account you can be less mindful of your chainline relative to a doube.
At £4k, I'm very pleased with the bike. At £5.3k - I'm sure it's still a great contender but you'd have to have very very deep pockets. ( - as opposed to just very deep ones!)
If it wasn't for the opportunistic discount, I'd have probably gone with one of the lesser specced Shimano 105 versions.
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