What frame is this?

[jonathon41uk]

Hi

Just bought a Ribble frame and forks from ebay but not sure which one it is as I cannot find it on their website.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....7398923&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_949

Thanks
Jonathon

 

[Hacienda71]

It is clearly a track frame from the rear dropouts. Looks relatively new i.e. less than 10 years old. The older ones dont have the website on the chainstay. It is not their current frame though.

 

[jonathon41uk]

Oh damn. I bought it to use my current road bike components on e.g. chainset, cassette,wheels. I take it these won't work if it's a track bike.

Jonathon

 

[Hacienda71]

It looks like it has been used as a fixed on the road rather than the track as it has been fitted with a front brake, but it would be difficult to convert it to a geared road bike as you dont have a rear hanger for the rear mech and you would need to see if you could get a front mech to fit and various other bits and pieces. You can certainly ride as a fixed or SS like the previous chap, can't see from the pics if there is a mount for a rear brake which you would need for a single speed to be legal on road. There are a lot of fixie riders on the forum who swear by them as being more efficient and better at building up rider stamina than geared, so try it out and if it doesn't work for you put the wheels, chain and bars on and sell as a fixie you should recover the cost, it is almost a complete bike.

 

[Hacienda71]

Just thought of another issue the rear dropout spacing will not be the same as a road bike so will probably not take a wheel with a cassette.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Just thought of another issue the rear dropout spacing will not be the same as a road bike so will probably not take a wheel with a cassette.

The rear drop out spacing should be 120mm, for a cassette you will need 130mm spacing, It has the guides under the top tube for a cable so it looks like it will take a back brake. Mind you the more I look at it the more something Doesn't look right, but I can't figure out why. Whats the fitting on the down tube just behind the headset? Can't figure out what it is from the pictures.

 

[Hacienda71]

Now you mention it there seems to be a braze on in the right position for a rear mech cable on the chain stay, but with no mech hanger and track drop outs. Very odd.

 

[Zoiders]

It's might be a TT frame not a track frame, they use track ends to make the rear triangle shorter and get the close clearance to aero seat tube, my steel non aero fixed is the same and it also has a brazed on hanger.

It's possible yours originally came with a bolt on hanger of some form as well.

Check the spacing as it might well be 130mm and not 120mm.

 

[Hacienda71]

It's might be a TT frame not a track frame, they use track ends to make the rear triangle shorter and get the close clearance to aero seat tube, my steel non aero fixed is the same and it also has a brazed on hanger.

It's possible yours originally came with a bolt on hanger of some form as well.

Check the spacing as it might well be 130mm and not 120mm.

You could be right, makes sense and not too disimilar to this

 

[raindog]

Yes, that looks like a TT frame - is the hanger hidden on the photo? I took this pic at the Paris-Nice TT of a HTC bike's rear end.

Click to enlarge.

 

[jonathon41uk]

Hi
Thanks for the replies guys. If it is a TT frame then it should allow me to put a front mech on but I can't see where it would fit because of the aero shape unless I need a specific type of front mech. Excuse my lack of knowledge.

Jonathon

 

[Zoiders]

It very likely doesn't take a front mech at all just a rear.

I wouldn't go down the gears route I would build it as a fixed gear, the track ends are long enough for it.

 

[amaferanga]

Pretty sure that's a Ribble TT frame. In which case there should be no issue with fitting a rear mech (might need to buy a hanger) and front mech (looks like it takes a braze-on mech - there's something in the right place, but I can't see from the photo for sure).

EDIT: Here's a similar frame showing it should take a braze-on front mech:

 

[fossyant]

Deffo Rible TT frame. Looks like you'll be looking for a new dropout on the drive side, as the ebay pic looks like it's been taken off (fixie conversion looking at the bar stem).

 

[jonathon41uk]

Hi
Frame arrived just like the one in the pic above. Yes you are right the rear hanger is missing and Ribble say they haven't got one. Any ideas where I might get one from as I really like the frame.

jon