Ribble Scandium

Mettan
Mettan Posts: 2,103
edited October 2008 in Workshop
Anyone ride a Ribble Scandium or a any Scandium bike? - they seem very light, considering the cost (Ribble ones) - RIbble Scandiums seem to be around 1 kilogram weight for 300 quid - are they stiff (around the bottom bracket)? are they too good to be true? - reliability? - any drawbacks?

Thanks.

Comments

  • Lucky Luke
    Lucky Luke Posts: 402
    I've had mine for 3 yrs now . Looking to upgrade to a carbon frame in the near future so will be looking to sell . It's a 54 (56 in other makes) horizontal in white with ITM Millenium forks . PM me if you're interested .
    Luke
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    IIRC scandium alloy bikes are even stiffer than an equivalent plain aluminium alloy one, hence they can be pretty uncomfortable.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • chriskempton
    chriskempton Posts: 1,245
    DON'T believe Ribble frame weights! I bought a winter frame that had a quoted weight ot 1450g, put it on the scales.....1920g (in 52cm).

    If you buy it and it weighs "around 1kg" I'll buy a hat specifically for the purposes of eating it.
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    ride_whenever wrote:
    IIRC scandium alloy bikes are even stiffer than an equivalent plain aluminium alloy one, hence they can be pretty uncomfortable.
    So only 0.09mm deflection in the frame rather than the 0.1mm you get normally? Yep I can see how that could make it really uncomfortable.

    (interestingly, I'm sure I've also seen comments that Scandium alloy frames are more comfortable than other alu alloys :roll: )
  • fluff.
    fluff. Posts: 771
    My summer bike is scandium alloy, getting on 5 years old now and still going strong.
    it's stiff but not in a jarring sense, more a lack of flex around the bb.
    Positives: light (890grams minus forks for mine), & corners very well (it's like driving a sportcar around after using my winter cheapo alu framed thing).
    Negatives: The tubing is very thin in places, and could easily crush, with that in mind I would never take it on a plane.
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    My Scandium frame is three years old and it is the best I have ever owned, I wouldn't hesitate to get another. As for comfort, there is no such thing as an uncomfortable frame. If you suffer jarring on a bike either your position is all wrong or you are using crap tyres or saddle.
  • Ramanujan
    Ramanujan Posts: 352
    chriskempton wrote:
    DON'T believe Ribble frame weights! I bought a winter frame that had a quoted weight ot 1450g, put it on the scales.....1920g (in 52cm).

    If you buy it and it weighs "around 1kg" I'll buy a hat specifically for the purposes of eating it.

    I have a Ribble Scandium SC61.10A 56cm.
    It's quoted weight is 1050g.
    The actual weight is 1370g, so be warned.
    the weights on their web site are optomistic
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    My small size Ribble is 1250grms. Not ridden it much but i really like it. Built it as a TT bike but haven't done them lately. Seems very nice though.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Thanks all -

    Chris - yeah, my Ribble Winter frame feels somewhat heavier than the quoted 1650g (it's actually heavier than the frame I replaced, sadly).

    Ramanujan - thanks, looks like they are heavier than quoted. What does your Ribble perform like - does it feel light/responsive, a pleasure to ride etc, etc - just trying to gauge how these frames compare to basic Alu frames and carbon frames. Am thinking of upgrading my existing Ribble Winter frame to something considerably lighter. Hoping that the BB area is stiffer again (looks the same design though).
  • Ramanujan
    Ramanujan Posts: 352
    Ramanujan - thanks, looks like they are heavier than quoted. What does your Ribble perform like - does it feel light/responsive, a pleasure to ride etc, etc - just trying to gauge how these frames compare to basic Alu frames and carbon frames. Am thinking of upgrading my existing Ribble Winter frame to something considerably lighter. Hoping that the BB area is stiffer again (looks the same design though).

    When I bought it I was over the moon with it.
    But now I've had it 2 years or so, I'm a little less impressed.
    The build quality is very average. Finishing is very basic .
    It rides ok, but then so does my 20 year old steel frame.
    I've never had a decent frame, so I can't really tell you objectivly how good or bad it is.
    One thing I can say is that I had this rather vague rattling noise that started about a year ago.
    I oiled and fettled with things for several months and still it wouldn't go away.
    Then i started to replace parts:
    headsets, wheels, forks BBs....It cost me a fortune.
    Then I became convinced there was a crack in the frame, but i couldn't find it.
    Then by change I found that if i oiled the cable bosses, the noise went away for a few days.
    Getting sick of this, I took all the cables off and with great difficulty, unscrewed the cable bossess (2 gear and 2 brake) and levered them off the frame.
    I then epoxed them back on .
    Problem solved.
    Basically it was shoddy workmanship.

    Although I like to save a buck as much as the next man, I don't think I would buy a Ribble frame again.
    I'd rather fork out the extra and get a well finished frame.

    Having said all that, I have put a lot of miles into the frame.
    I've commuted on it for 2 years on London roads in the winter and done 2 full years road racing on it with several crashes, so it;s taken some punishment.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Well with all due respect, Ribble frames, or some of them, are cheap for a reason.

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