Ribble Winter/Audax Bike

davelakers
davelakers Posts: 762
edited August 2008 in Workshop
Just picked up mine today. What a great little bike. I went for the bottom end Mirage 10 speed groupset model and bought it 3 months earlier than planned due to our wonderful "summer" weather. Took it for a 20 mile spin this evening and felt a bit uncomfortable at first, It has a racier geometry than my Roubaix. So half way round I flipped the stem and it made a huge difference.

Once I get used to the Campag hoods/shifters (uurrrgghhhhh.......) we will have many happy miles together I think!!

Comments

  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    mine was delivered yesterday!

    probably do the club run on sunday on it 8)
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • Rob Sallnow
    Rob Sallnow Posts: 6,279
    Saw one a month or so ago at the railway station....spent most of the time looking to see how the mudguards had fitted in between the Mirage calipers and the tyres.
    I'd rather walk than use Shimano
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    I've got the frame built up with Veloce/06 centaur bits, shame my left Veloce shifter just died has been sent off to get repaired.
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  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    Rob Sallnow wrote:
    spent most of the time looking to see how the mudguards had fitted in between the Mirage calipers and the tyres.

    I think the technical term is "snug" :)
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    The ergo set up is fine, you'll get used to it don't worry. Does feel a bit strange going back to Shimano but it's all good.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    agreed - I went the other way - relegated my Shimano equipped Trek Pilot to winter bike status and put campag carbon on my roubaix when I built it up (bought it as a frame and built it up)

    I now want to change the trek to campag!!

    looking for some decent deals on the mirage groupset now that it is discontinued and then then get some ventos and I'll be sorted.
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    I had to flip the stem too, the front end is lower than my wilier otherwise! I'll give it a good run tomorrow - hopefully it'll rain, thats why I bought the damn thing!!

    rib.jpg
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • bill57
    bill57 Posts: 454
    Do you think you could have gone a size bigger there?
  • pots
    pots Posts: 109
    hi
    i am looking at purchasing one of these bikes .my road bike has a 56cm cc top tube (horizontal).so what size would anyone recommend as i beleive ribble size their bikes differently
    thanks
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    bill57 wrote:
    Do you think you could have gone a size bigger there?

    The problem is that Ribble Winter frames have a really short headtube and a really long top tube.

    I've got a 50cm with 55cm TT and something like a 10 or 11cm headtube, headtube length is fine for me, but the TT is slightly too long, but it's fine with a 9cm stem.
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  • bill57
    bill57 Posts: 454
    Firstly, not my place to criticize - it's a personal choice after all. It's just that, with the need for the flipped stem, with an inch of spacers, it looks like a size up would be more comfortable. I take the point about top tube length, but from what I can see here

    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/FrameGeometry.asp

    the next size up would only have a 1cm longer top tube (I'm guessing that's a 54cm)which could be accomodated by a slightly shorter stem if necessary. But then of course I'm imagining ME on the bike - whereas some are long in the trunk, others long in the leg.

    The bikes/frames do seem a bargain, esp. at their discounted price, but the fact that they can only take 23mm tyres knocked them off my winter shopping list.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    bill57 wrote:
    The bikes/frames do seem a bargain, esp. at their discounted price, but the fact that they can only take 23mm tyres knocked them off my winter shopping list.

    I've got 25mm tyres and mudguards, quite a few people have I think.
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  • davelakers
    davelakers Posts: 762
    DSCF1370.jpg

    Still dont like the shifters.....................
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    davelakers wrote:
    Still dont like the shifters.....................

    Could it be the horrendous angle you have them at?

    Mine are like this:

    2572098805_63d9c2f199.jpg
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  • davelakers
    davelakers Posts: 762
    redddraggon wrote:
    davelakers wrote:
    Still dont like the shifters.....................

    Could it be the horrendous angle you have them at?

    Mine are like this:

    2572098805_63d9c2f199.jpg

    Nah, they are just horrible. The bars in the most comfortable position for me!!!
  • bill57
    bill57 Posts: 454
    Now you see Reddraggon's looke fine to me - it's all in proportion. I just have this thing that flipped stem = frame too small. Especially when there's a pile of spacers under it.

    Thanks for the 25mm tyre info, I was just going by the Ribble site, where they say:

    "Frame includes mudguard eyes. Designed to accept tyres upto 700x23mm."
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    bill57 wrote:
    Now you see Reddraggon's looke fine to me - it's all in proportion. I just have this thing that flipped stem = frame too small. Especially when there's a pile of spacers under it.

    Thanks for the 25mm tyre info, I was just going by the Ribble site, where they say:

    "Frame includes mudguard eyes. Designed to accept tyres upto 700x23mm."

    My bars are a bit lower than that now :D

    Ribble are a bit misleading about the tyres, but my 25s went on fine.
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  • Lagavulin
    Lagavulin Posts: 1,688
    I quite fancied one of these (yellow :oops:). It'd likely replace my Allez which is a size to big - though I've slung a 90mm stem on to make it more acceptable. One of the day staff at work commutes on one and if my bus is early I have a gander at it. Looks very functional but some of the welds on it look worse than my Hardrock. :shock:
    2010 Cannondale CAAD 9
    2008 Wilier Izoard
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    bill57 wrote:
    Do you think you could have gone a size bigger there?


    I wanted a 57cm t-tube, I bought a 57cm t-tube. did 50 miles on it today, lovely bike for the money.
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • bill57
    bill57 Posts: 454
    As I said, how we set our bikes up is very personal. Glad you like it, how was the wind for you today?
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    bill57 wrote:
    As I said, how we set our bikes up is very personal. Glad you like it, how was the wind for you today?

    at the moment I've set it up the same as the wiler, but as the wilier is still very much a work in progress there's no saying the ribble will stay like that either!

    wind wasn't so bad early on but got quite gusty around midday!
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    Lagavulin wrote:
    I quite fancied one of these (yellow :oops:). It'd likely replace my Allez which is a size to big - though I've slung a 90mm stem on to make it more acceptable. One of the day staff at work commutes on one and if my bus is early I have a gander at it. Looks very functional but some of the welds on it look worse than my Hardrock. :shock:

    in fairness though (at your weld quality comment) - it is a £110 frame...
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    Ribble don't publish the length of the head tubes do they? They look low, so I guess a lot of people end up with lots of spacers or flipped stems to get the right bar height (or drop from the saddle).

    Beware just lowering the handlebars as you can end up only ever able to ride on the hoods because the drops are just too far down :shock:
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Just ordered mine - 50cm Blue with forks and headset - £135.16 - very reasonable :D Was considering the Racelight T or even a Pro-lite Cuneo - bang for buck am hapy with the Ribble though. My existing Roadie's got a 57cm TopTube which is too big - 5'10 - 5'11 (short stem seat forward to compensate) so the 50cm 55 TopTube Ribble should be an improvement. Should be quite a bit lighter than my exisitng frame aswell - all good. Now for the 8-day wait :?
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Just got mine built - good quality, reasonable weight and stiffness - using 4 spacers on top of the headtube - body's in a better position over cranks re my previous frame - Alpina forks seem competent enough - well worth the money - would reccommend - fast delivery from Ribble also (makes a change).

    Like the look of the Ribble Deda SC61.10A (Horizontal TT) Road for a next frame, though :D
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Mettan wrote:
    Just got mine built - good quality, reasonable weight and stiffness - using 4 spacers on top of the headtube - body's in a better position over cranks re my previous frame - Alpina forks seem competent enough - well worth the money - would reccommend - fast delivery from Ribble also (makes a change).

    Like the look of the Ribble Deda SC61.10A (Horizontal TT) Road for a next frame, though :D

    Pictures? Or it didn't happen :wink:
    I like bikes...

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  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    redddraggon wrote:
    Mettan wrote:
    Just got mine built - good quality, reasonable weight and stiffness - using 4 spacers on top of the headtube - body's in a better position over cranks re my previous frame - Alpina forks seem competent enough - well worth the money - would reccommend - fast delivery from Ribble also (makes a change).

    Like the look of the Ribble Deda SC61.10A (Horizontal TT) Road for a next frame, though :D

    Pictures? Or it didn't happen :wink:

    Pictures below........ :D

    http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3969 ... setrr5.jpg

    And some scruffy R550's, Rubino Pro's and the 4550 Compact chainset :P - did a 57km / 936 ft / 1:39 spin this morning - nice enough, although a bit creaky, but it will settle in.

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