Ribble - how good?

FSR_XC

I know I should stop looking at different bikes & settle for the one I want, but . . . . . .

I came across Ribble cycles last night. Wanting an entry level cycle, I didn't think looking at getting one built would ever be an option.

I went through the options and got this spec:
7005 frame
Campag Xenon gears with 11-25 cassette, 34/50 Chainring.
ITM Carbon forks
Campag Khamsin Gold Clincher wheels
Deda Big Piega Handlebars
ITM forged lite SO Stem (although I like the Deda Kol Handlebar Stem)
San Marco SKN (C40) Saddle
CSN Alloy Seatpost
Vittoria Zaffiro Rigid Tyre (blue/black just to cusomise it more)

Grand total: £518.70

And if I go for Sora gearing, I can knock £26 off that!

So:
Are they any good?
With the choices available, would could I choose better kit (want to keep to £550)?
Has anyone got a Ribble?
Any comments on my choices?

I know there are no pedals - they do Shimano MT520's for £16.95. I know, but I have a mtb too.
£555.65 inc pedals & delivery!!!!

For anyone interested the link is:
www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.asp

Smokin Joe

I have had the frame for two years, excellent value for money & well built. The paint is a bit soft and chips more easily than on more expensive frames, but as the colour is a bit plain anyway it will be a good excuse for a bling respray next year.

woodford2barbican

A colleague of mine commutes on a Ribble winter frame and he never complains about it...

piedwagtail91

i live close to the shop and loads of clubmates have ribbles from winter to top of the range. all are happy with them.

FSR_XC

Thanks for the replies, looks like the company is very reputable, with a good product.

Any advice on the spec I've thought of?

peanut

With Khamsins (nice wheelset) you don't have much choice. You can't get them with a Shimano freehub so its campag STI 9 or 10 speed ?
pity cos Sora 9 speed is available for £150.00 on ebay for the complete groupset which is a steal.
There are ways of making shimano campag work together but it ain't easy.
:roll:

probably best to go with 10spd mirage or veloce Ergo

FSR_XC

So I take it the following option would be better:

Fulcrum Racing 7 Wheels
or
Shimano Pair Wheels R550 (105) Black Clincher
with a
Shimano Tiagra 4500 9spd Double Groupset

Tiagra & R550 wheels make it £533.70

But if I use Sora 8spd - £472.75

Far too many choices when you get to spec a bike yourself!

rdaviesb

Ribbles are competent, perfectly adequate, but not exciting frames. I've ridden the 7005 Winter frame for 2 years; fantastic value for money.

John.T

Have a look at the Ribble winter bikes here. The frame is very good value for money and rides well. I have used one since last winter. The complete bikes are almost unbeatable for value.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/list2.asp?D=X&Cat=RIBBLE

arranandy

I've got the 7005 frame with the Alpina carbon fork as the basis of my winter bike. Good bike, fairly stiff without being uncomfortable. But as an earlier poster said the paint finish seems to chip and mark quite easily

redddraggon

Ribble bikes are undoubtedly good especially if you close to the shop, but you have as bad luck as me and buy a bike mail order and stuff fails early (under warranty) you have the problem of sending it back anything go wrong.

I was definitely going to get a focus off Wiggle because it was such good value, but after my recent experience with bikes, I have decided to pay a little extra and get a different bike from an LBS (and get 3 free services in the first year).

Monty Dog

Ribble's reputation has certainly improved in the last few years, since they moved their mail-order operations away from the shop in Preston to Bamber Bridge. Trouble is, you go into the shop and find they don't have half the stuff in stock you'd expect and aren't very good at getting stuff from their warehouse to the shop. Like others have said, they offer good value but obviously the saving may need to be considered against the faff if anything goes wrong. You'll still find a bit of inverted snobbery about Ribble, but I know some 'big brand' bikes to break far more frequently.

HungryCol

FSR_XC wrote:

So I take it the following option would be better:

Fulcrum Racing 7 Wheels
or
Shimano Pair Wheels R550 (105) Black Clincher
with a
Shimano Tiagra 4500 9spd Double Groupset

Tiagra & R550 wheels make it £533.70

But if I use Sora 8spd - £472.75

Far too many choices when you get to spec a bike yourself!

Definitely go for the Tiagra & R550 combo over the F7's. You'll have a mighty fine entry level bike.

Mettan

What's the RIbble 7005 Winter frame and Alpina Carbon forks like weight wise? (£130 deal on, currently ) - (I've looked at the specs and they're a big improvement on what I've got, weight-wise - just wondering day-to-day usage) - has anyone done a 10 mile TT on the Ribble Winter frame? - what are they like?

I'm going to be upgrading my heavy budget roadie frame and forks in the next few months and the Ribble/Alpina looks like excellent value and competent build-quality.

If you bought the frame/forks and headset from RIbble would they fit them together? - do they charge?

alfablue

I think Tiagra is def worth the extra over the Sora. Sora is fine for what it is but they have a seperate thumb lever for downshifting (or is it upshifting?) which some find tricky to operate on the drops, whereas Tiagra has a better design with the second lever behind the brake lever (same as 105, Ultegra etc) that is possibly a bit easier to use (I know plenty of people are happy with Sora, though).

Tiagra:


Sora:

acorn_user

I would definitely go for Campag over Sora. I find that Sora does not stay in adjustment that well. I have not used new Tiagra, so cannot really comment there. I will say that I much prefer Campag Ergo shifters and cannot brake well with Shimano.

It would help to ride both, but coming from mtb trigger shifters, Ergos are an easier swap.

Would also suggest Campag or Fulcrum wheels over Shimano. One downside is that some tyres appear to be hard to mount though.

Xenon is an excellent group btw.

John.T

I found the Ribble to be suprisingly light after the steel Olmo it replaced. I would be happy to race on it if I did not have a Trek 5.2 for that. I do find I am riding the Ribble much more than I did the Olmo and not just because the weather seems to have got worse.