Is the Ribble 'Ribelle' the same frame as the Gran Fondo

chris1001
chris1001 Posts: 58
edited October 2010 in Road buying advice
I've read several posts on here that claim that these 2 frames are the same, however there is a £100 price difference, and I've read (although not confirmed) that the Ribelle is a lighter frame (ex. forks) bu approx 100g. Just wondered if anyone can offer up any more information, I've tried ringing Ribble for the past 2 days and just get a voicemail message, no reply to emails either for the past week so I guess they are busy. I prefer the paint job on the GF but if its the 100g heavier than the Ribelle then I can sacrifice the good looks.

Cheers

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    The Ribelle frame is made by Deda whereas the Gran Fondo frame comes from a different source - both Far East. Try comparing the products on the Deda website with the Pedalforce RS2 - which I understand is the same frame as the GranFondo:

    http://www.pedalforce.com/online/produc ... ts_id=8420

    http://www.dedacciai.net/eng-frame-cycl ... ibelle.php

    Looking at the geometry tables indicates that these are different
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • chris1001
    chris1001 Posts: 58
    Cheers, however I think that the Pedalforce RS2 is closer to the Ribble 'Sportive'
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Monty Dog wrote:
    The Ribelle frame is made by Deda whereas the Gran Fondo frame comes from a different source - both Far East. Try comparing the products on the Deda website with the Pedalforce RS2 - which I understand is the same frame as the GranFondo:

    http://www.pedalforce.com/online/produc ... ts_id=8420

    http://www.dedacciai.net/eng-frame-cycl ... ibelle.php

    Looking at the geometry tables indicates that these are different

    The Gran Fondo is made by Dedaccai too. At least it is according to the seat stays! Mind you, the seat stays say it is made of 'Carbon Fiber' (since when was Ribble American?!) and the frame also claims to have been 'Crafted in Italy'. Somehow, I suspect the nearest to Italy the frame has been was on its way through the Med in the hold of a ship.......

    The Sportive is made by Pedalforce.

    The weight of the GF is apparently down to fat tubing and alloy fork steerer. Maybe worth checking the Ribelle fork spec on the Ribble site.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • chris1001
    chris1001 Posts: 58
    Cheers, so the GF is not just a Ribelle with a fancy paint job, thicker tubes suggest a different construction, the Ribelle is 12K carbon so I'm guessing that the GF is 3K?
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    chris1001 wrote:
    Cheers, so the GF is not just a Ribelle with a fancy paint job, thicker tubes suggest a different construction, the Ribelle is 12K carbon so I'm guessing that the GF is 3K?

    I think the original Gran Fondo was a rebadged Ribelle (which is a bit long in the tooth now) but the latest ones are possibly slightly different. The old Condor Barracchi (sic) was the same Deda frame. The weight seems to be in the forks which have an alloy steerer.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • acidstrato
    acidstrato Posts: 945
    MatHammond wrote:
    chris1001 wrote:
    Cheers, so the GF is not just a Ribelle with a fancy paint job, thicker tubes suggest a different construction, the Ribelle is 12K carbon so I'm guessing that the GF is 3K?

    I think the original Gran Fondo was a rebadged Ribelle (which is a bit long in the tooth now) but the latest ones are possibly slightly different. The old Condor Barracchi (sic) was the same Deda frame. The weight seems to be in the forks which have an alloy steerer.


    Ding! we have a winner!


    BTW 12k/3k refers to the size of the weave...nothing to do thickness or quality
    Crafted in Italy apparantly
  • chris1001
    chris1001 Posts: 58
    There is supposed to be about a 100g difference in frame weight, and at least 200g between the 'matched' GF fork and several Deda alternatives. Still not sure as to why one frame is £100 more than the other though if these are suppsoed to be the same thing! If only Ribble would answer their phone!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    chris1001 wrote:
    There is supposed to be about a 100g difference in frame weight, and at least 200g between the 'matched' GF fork and several Deda alternatives. Still not sure as to why one frame is £100 more than the other though if these are suppsoed to be the same thing! If only Ribble would answer their phone!

    I suspect they are mostly the same. The geometry and weight of the frames is identical (according to the bikebuilder, both are 1200gms but the Ribelle weighs less elsewhere!!). The fork for the Ribelle is not listed but the nearest is the Black Force 12k - but that has no weight given but it does have a carbon steerer. But it might be the wrong fork :lol: .

    Also, there is actually no weave on the Gran Fondo - the carbon fibre is all unidirectional. The Ribelle is listed as 12k weave.

    So, possible benefits of the Ribelle are 12k weave rather than Unidirectional (no real advantage either way I'd have thought), possibility of a carbon steerer which might save a couple of hundred grams, more interesting but possibly uglier paint job on the Ribelle, equal or lighter frame weight depending on where you look. That might be worth £130 to you!

    It's probably best not to worry too much about it!!!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • chris1001
    chris1001 Posts: 58
    Eventually got an email response from Ribble, they advised that the Nero RC was the better frame of the lot, however I ended up going for the Planet X Nanolight high modulas, a few quid more but much better customer service. Think Ribble are, or were, short staffed, didnt answer their phone all week!
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    chris1001 wrote:
    Cheers, however I think that the Pedalforce RS2 is closer to the Ribble 'Sportive'

    Indeed, the RS2 = the Sportive.

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