To RIBBLE or not to RIBBLE?

LondonMTB
LondonMTB Posts: 79
edited December 2011 in Road buying advice
Right, I've been umm-ing and ah-ing for ages. I thought I'd decided on what bike to get - the Ribble 7005 Audax, for road rides, touring (with racks full of camping gear), general all-year riding, something pretty hardy but more road-friendly than my poor mountain-bike...

But now I'm not sure. Unless I try a Ribble frame out for size/fit (or one with same geo?), I don't want to take the risk of spending £600+ on a bike that doesn't fit. And I'm way down South, so would rather spend money on components than on travelling up to Ribble to test frames out...The frame size calculator on Ribble's website comes out with gobbledygook (61 frame for a 5'7" female with long legs??!!), and the Ribble guy who emailed me reckoned I need a 52' frame, which seems a bit small?

So....either I manage to try a Ribble out for size/fit (ANYONE IN THE SOUTH-EAST GOT A 52 OR 54 RIBBLE FRAME I CAN TRY????), or I start looking again at other sturdy road bikes or cyclocross bikes...(But I'm getting so impatient!)

Any suggestions? Anyone in South-East London/North-West Kent got a 52 or 54 Ribble frame I can try??!!

Comments

  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    LondonMTB wrote:

    Any suggestions? Anyone in South-East London/North-West Kent got a Ribble I can sit on??!!

    Ooh lordy
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • LondonMTB
    LondonMTB Posts: 79
    ooooohhhhh noooo! That sounds WRONG...
  • rickwiggans
    rickwiggans Posts: 416
    For info, My wife is 5' 8" with 32" inseam (ie meaured to the floor). She has a 54cm Ribble winter bike, which fits fine.
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  • LondonMTB
    LondonMTB Posts: 79
    Thanks for your tips, very useful!
  • thespanishadam
    thespanishadam Posts: 341
    I thought i responded to this...

    Not a woman but I am 5ft9, not the longest legs in the world. I had the 52cm c-c, which when I measured it came up 56cm c-t.

    I recently purchased a new bike, which equates to 52c-c again (and this was fitted properly). The only thing you need to bare in mind with the Ribble bike is the top tube comes up quite long. So if you are on the border of 2 sizes and are quite flexible, take the smaller of the two.

    I hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more.
  • b16 b3n
    b16 b3n Posts: 301
    I would go for the 52cm frame. Ive been given buying advice of Ribble for years and they have been pretty accurate and tbh. :D
    " GET BACK CROC "

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