Ribble Gran Fondo

Richa1181

Like most of the bikes on here it's still a work in progress. I built this up from a Trek 1.5, replaced every single part on that then bought this frame from Ribble and ported all the parts across. I've got some black Schwalbe Ultremo's to go on it and just need a white carbon seatpost and some new pedals and she'll be complete!



Didn't want to fill the page so there are some more/bigger pictures here if you're interested:

http://holmeschapelcc.co.uk/granfondo.html

JD_76

Looking nice, out of interest what size frame is it and how tall are you?

Richa1181

Thanks

It's a 54cm frame. I'm 5'11" and usually ride a 56 but with the sloping top tube I had to go one smaller

JD_76

Richa1181 wrote:

Thanks

It's a 54cm frame. I'm 5'11" and usually ride a 56 but with the sloping top tube I had to go one smaller

Ok cool, is that the large size then?

Only reson im asking is I have the Large (which i think is the 54) and am 5'10" - I have had it in my head that the frame is too big for me as my seat is quite a bit lower than yours, however the reach is fine.

I have Michelin Pro3 Race tyres on mine in black and think they suit the bike well + they roll.

Richa1181

Had to check check my Ribble orders because I didn't actually know! It's a large.. What length stem do you have on yours? If the reach is fine I really wouldn't worry too much about how your saddle height looks. Do you have short legs/long torso? I think I'm the opposite, the saddle height is good but I'd ideally have a longer and lower stem, but it really wouldn't be very comfortable. Done a fair bit of tweaking with stem's, steerer tube trimming and seatpost changes and this is pretty much perfect for all day comfort now.

Do you have any pictures of yours? I've just re-taken mine as my phone camera quality was terrible so you can see it better now

JD_76

Your right I do have short legs and a long body, my stem is 100mm deda quattro. I find the bike comfy to ride so I should just get over the fact that the seat is low'ish.

What length stem is on yours?

The bars were 44cm wide and I changed these to 42cm, but to be honest cant really tell the difference, the 42's match the width of my shoulders better than the 44's.

Found a link to an old thread with some pics:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12723488&highlight=

Richa1181

Everybody wants a race bike with a massively high saddle and bars on the ground but if you can't ride it for more than 15 minutes without crying there's not much point eh!

I've got a 90mm FSA stem on mine and I always ride hands on hoods so had to bring the saddle forwards to compensate for my shorter torso. New seatpost is next on the list so will just get one without setback I think..

What sort of riding do you normally do on yours?

JD_76

Most of my riding is just going out and enjoying 30-50 mile routes around the hills in north wales, horseshoe pass, moel famau and sometimes down towards Chester if I fancy a flat run.

I do comute to work three times a week - 7miles each way.

I do ride in five or so sportives throughout the year which I love, first one this year is the cheshire cat at the end of March.

Richa1181

I'll be doing the Cheshire Cat again this year. Really enjoyed it last year so I'm hoping I can get enough training in to do the 100miler this time round as I've not done a great deal of distance riding over the winter (again!)

Were you on last years Cheshire Cat? It may have even been your Gran Fondo I was looking at in the Holmes Chapel feed station that made me want to buy mine!

JD_76

Not guilty your honor, I missed it last year as was on holliday.

Might see you on this years though, im going for the 100mile route - will need to ramp up the distance training soon, prob do 50 mile route to Corwen and back on Sunday and then build on that going forward.

Cycling to work helps as its all uphill on the way home so even though its only 7miles its a good little work out.

rolf_f

Richa1181 wrote:

Had to check check my Ribble orders because I didn't actually know! It's a large.. What length stem do you have on yours? If the reach is fine I really wouldn't worry too much about how your saddle height looks. Do you have short legs/long torso? I think I'm the opposite, the saddle height is good but I'd ideally have a longer and lower stem, but it really wouldn't be very comfortable.

+1 on this. I'm long in the leg so my GF gives me a fairly racy position - see pic in this thread for height of saddle over seat post: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... gran+fondo

Richa1181

Have you signed up already? I'm aiming for the 100 mile but leaving off signing up for a while because at the minute I'm only good for about 40-50 miles with hills. Will have to see how it goes over the next 5 weeks but I'm hoping I can get there..

I like the roads around Corwen, I've done Wrexham-Bala a few times, good training ground you've got there!

Richa1181

You've got a few extra spacers under the stem there Rolf, get them chopped out for full on attack position!

JD_76

Richa1181 wrote:

Have you signed up already? I'm aiming for the 100 mile but leaving off signing up for a while because at the minute I'm only good for about 40-50 miles with hills. Will have to see how it goes over the next 5 weeks but I'm hoping I can get there..

I like the roads around Corwen, I've done Wrexham-Bala a few times, good training ground you've got there!

Not signed up yet, when i did my first 100miler the furthest id ridden solo before hand was 75miles, I find on the day in a sportive the trick is to find a group you like the pace of and stick with them, that way your drafting and saving energy unlike when your riding solo.

I think you could do 100miles, just eat before you are hungry and stay in a group and you will be fine.

rolf_f

Richa1181 wrote:

You've got a few extra spacers under the stem there Rolf, get them chopped out for full on attack position!

Lol! I'm pretty full on attack already! Might wip those ones out if I try a TT!

R8JimBob88

Very nice! I'm going to get one of these soon. Probably with the 105 kit. Ive noticed yours has straight forks where the pics on the ribble sight shows bent ones?

R8JimBob88

Errr actually it might be my bent eyes... ignore me!

JD_76

R8JimBob88 wrote:

Errr actually it might be my bent eyes... ignore me!

Your not going mad JB, last years GF has bent forks and this years has straight.

Richa1181

I've seen a few fork variations on this bike to be honest, the one I was looking at before I bought it had more aero forks, looked like the forks off the Scuro but in the Gran Fondo paint scheme. I guess you just get what you're given when it comes to it

G U Y

Hey guys. Just wanted to bring this old thread back in the hope that the OP could give me a bit of advice. I've pretty much decided on a Gran Fondo and am currently waiting for my c2w voucher to come through before I actually order.

I will of course be speaking ribble for advice but I'm just a tad under 6ft (am in proportion) and have a sizing decision to make. I currently ride a 56cm 2010 specialised allez elite which is completely standard. This is my reference point as I find it pretty comfortable. However, the relaxed nature fo the GF is what has me interested.

I thought I would need a xl frame (56) as measurements wise I seem to be in-between sizes however, this thread seems to suggest that a 54 would serve me much better??

My next question is about bars and stems. I generally always ride on the bars or hoods and my current position gives me a bit of back trouble anywhere north of 40 miles or so. Looking at the specialised website it suggest the 2010 allez elite has 42cm bars and a 100mm stem. As result I'm thinking about upping the bars to a 44 and leaving the stem length at 100mm on a Gran Fondo.

I know nothing can replace actually sitting in the bike and trying it but Preston is a long way away! Just trying to get some feedback from existing owners but any advice would be most appreciated....

Richa1181

Hi Guy,

You'll probably find that a 54 would suit you quite well. My old Trek was a 56 and a perfect fit, I think the top tube was 55.5 which is the same as the 54cm Fondo. I'm only half an inch shy of 6ft myself and have found that even with a 90mm stem my saddle is mounted as far forward as it will go due to the seat tube angle so I'm considering even swapping out for a seatpost that has no setback. It's been a great bike for me and I even found it comfortable after doing 112 miles at Flat out in the Fens last year. I have nothing bad to say about it, but would advise going one size smaller than you usually would Hope this helps..

G U Y

Thanks that's most helpful. DOne some proper measurements this morning an I'm exactly 6ft with an 84cm inside leg. The calculation on the ribble website (inside leg x 0.64 for a sloping top tube) also suggests I would need a 54. Ribble like to confuse the issue with the summary table though. Suggesting that 54 is good from 5.9 to 6ft an a 56 from 6ft!

I guess the whole 'if you're between sizes go for the smaller' applies here. My allez has a 56.5 top tube an the 56cm ribble GF top tube is 57. If anything I feel a bit too stretched out now so the last thing I need is longer. The 55cm top tube of the 54GF should give me just what I'm looking for. In theory......

Thanks for listening to me whittering on! Decisions, decisions!

itboffin

If it helps i'm 5'9" ~ 10" on a good day all my bikes apart from the Ribble carbon (52cm) are 56cm they all feel just fine and i've had a professional bike fitting on my 56cm Trek.

That said when I sit on my Ribble sportive I do feel at times that it could do with being 1cm bigger but seeing as the sizes go 52 - 55 I thought it would be better to be slightly smaller and extend the seatpost & stem rather than have that riding a gate feeling.

I also have a 56cm Ribble Alu winter which did at first feel too big :?

Both are very comfortable for all day riding.

G U Y

Thanks bud. Good to hear as many voices of experience as possible. Something I've done now is had a good measure of my current bike as it seems it's the Allez that's causing me the confusion! Although it's 56cm bike, there isn't one part of it that's 56cm! Top tube is 56.5 and seat tube is 53! As a result it looks like the 54cm gran fondo measurements are extremely similar to what to already have!
If I keep my stem length the same as I have now then the shorter top tube of the gran fondo will give the the more relaxed position I'm looking for.

Interestingly I've found that my Specialized has 175mm cranks on it when the website states that the 56 should have 172.5. Could explain some knee pain I've been getting on longer rides...

So I'm decided. 54cm gran fondo with 100mm stem and 172.5 cranks. Got there in the end! Thanks guys!

JD_76

Hi Guy, im 5'-10" tall and have the 54" frame, if i had my time again id have gone for the Medium.

Id say the 54" will be the size for you, the 54" fits me just fine but I have the stem slammed to the head tube to get the bars low enough.

I made the error as when the sportive and GF first came out people made the assumption the frames were the same, but they are so very not. To be fair Ribble did paint up a few sportive frames in GF colours before the new GF frame came allong so thats where the confusion stemed from.

Great bike to ride and very comfy on long stints due to the tall head tube, it flys up the hills as well - the only thing that lets it down from a weight perspective is the alloy steerer tube in the forks - but for the £ you cant complain.

Shameless pic of mine here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=16917175#16917175

itboffin

Shameless photo ops ? yes please

In Alp's mode


Now with short low stem and garmin, oh and different wheels.

G U Y

Thanks guys. Really appreciate the input. Just waiting for my voucher to come through but I'll probably be ordering tomorrow. The best news is that the 54cm frame is in stock!