Ribble Audax Winter Training Bike - Sizing question

aloadofpants

Hi
I'm about to push the "buy" button on a Ribble Winter Audax, but still deciding between a 50cm or 48cm. Both have horizontal top-tubes, but I am unable to get hold of the geometry for a 48cm frame size or standover heights for any of the sizes (have contacted Ribble already...).

I'm not the tallest cyclist (5ft 4). I was properly fitted a few years back, so understand geometry, hand, seat leg positions etc. and trying to replicate my main bike. The head and seat angles of the Ribble Audax 50cm are identical, but Ribble are unable to confirm the geometry of the 48cm frame. So, I'm more inclined for the 50cm but need to check the standover height before I go for it. I currently have no problems riding a classic horizontal top-tube fixed gear bike so high bottom bracket, with a seatube of 49cm c-c. The standover measurement from the ground to the top of the toptube measures 75cm and I am fine with this.

Does anyone out there own a 48cm or 50cm Ribble Winter Audax bike and know what the standover heights and actual measurements are so I can choose the correct size? Thank you!

BigLights

I've literally 10 minutes ago just pressed the 'go' button on exactly the same bike, but in a 58cm (I'm 6ft and have a 54cm Ribble Gran Fondo which is perfect). I can't help you with your frame size though. Having said that, they do have the geometry on their website - if you go to the Bikebuilder bit, just under the frame size selectin there is a 'frame geometry' section you can click on.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbg/road- ... type=RIBMO might work as a link.

aloadofpants

Thanks BigLights
Yep - checked that already. The geometry chart only goes down to 50cm and doesn't have standover height unfortuantely.. Hope you enjoy the bike!

aloadofpants

bump.. help anyone?... )

vertigoscene

I'm about 5'5 so have similar issues to you.

Having spoken to a fair few people on this subject, the consensus is that the most important measurement is not the seat tube, or the standover height, but the horizontal (effective) top tube length - this will help dictate the reach to the handlebars - too long and you might find it uncomfortable for longer rides and cause lower back pain (it does for me).

How long this needs to be for you I guess will depend on the length of your arms, torso etc, but for me its about 515mm - I've been measured for a bespoke bike by Sabbath bikes some time ago.

Hope this helps.

bmxboy10

is it not worth waiting for the new steel version?

BigLights

There's a new one? Wow...where do I find out about this? I still have a (short) time to cancel my order as it's got to work its way through our company cyclescheme gatekeepers first.

ricwilliams

i got my winter ribble last week. its a 50cm frame. what do you need measuring?

bmxboy10

also check out the charge bikes on wiggle, steel frame, full guards, very very cheap!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-filter-mid-2012/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-filter-hi-2012/

aloadofpants

ricwilliams wrote:

i got my winter ribble last week. its a 50cm frame. what do you need measuring?

Hi ricwilliams, you could hold all the answers for me.. thank you for your offer of help. I'm basically looking for the standover measurement from the ground to the top of the toptube (about mid-way along). If the measurement is 75cm or less then I'm ok, if it's over then its gonna HURT and a smaller frame size for me.

Also would you mind checking if there is a proper chainstay bridge near the bottom bracket to attach the sks mudguards securely to the frame. I saw a blue ribble today with no guards and no chainstay and was wondering how they secure the end to the bike? Zip ties?
Thanks again for your help.. I'm ready for a new bike...

ricwilliams

aloadofpants wrote:

ricwilliams wrote:

i got my winter ribble last week. its a 50cm frame. what do you need measuring?

Hi ricwilliams, you could hold all the answers for me.. thank you for your offer of help. I'm basically looking for the standover measurement from the ground to the top of the toptube (about mid-way along). If the measurement is 75cm or less then I'm ok, if it's over then its gonna HURT and a smaller frame size for me.

Also would you mind checking if there is a proper chainstay bridge near the bottom bracket to attach the sks mudguards securely to the frame. I saw a blue ribble today with no guards and no chainstay and was wondering how they secure the end to the bike? Zip ties?
Thanks again for your help.. I'm ready for a new bike...

hi

i can do a measure this weekend. 50cm is pretty small you should be fine.

not sure about the guards i didnt really pay attention so i shall have to look at that too.

drlodge

vertigoscene wrote:

Having spoken to a fair few people on this subject, the consensus is that the most important measurement is not the seat tube, or the standover height, but the horizontal (effective) top tube length

+1 forget stand over height as its meaningless. Find a bike that fits you, measure the effective top tube length and then find the frame geometry/size that is closest - minor adjustments can be made by changing the stem but only by 1cm increments and within a small range e.g. 80-130mm

ridley2010

I reckon you'd be fine on a 50cm, i was in the other week and they were going the sizes. The 50cm goes down to 5"3' on their charts.

aloadofpants

ricwilliams wrote:

aloadofpants wrote:

ricwilliams wrote:

i got my winter ribble last week. its a 50cm frame. what do you need measuring?

Hi ricwilliams, you could hold all the answers for me.. thank you for your offer of help. I'm basically looking for the standover measurement from the ground to the top of the toptube (about mid-way along). If the measurement is 75cm or less then I'm ok, if it's over then its gonna HURT and a smaller frame size for me.

Also would you mind checking if there is a proper chainstay bridge near the bottom bracket to attach the sks mudguards securely to the frame. I saw a blue ribble today with no guards and no chainstay and was wondering how they secure the end to the bike? Zip ties?
Thanks again for your help.. I'm ready for a new bike...

hi

i can do a measure this weekend. 50cm is pretty small you should be fine.

not sure about the guards i didnt really pay attention so i shall have to look at that too.

Thanks - much appreciated!

aloadofpants

drlodge wrote:

vertigoscene wrote:

Having spoken to a fair few people on this subject, the consensus is that the most important measurement is not the seat tube, or the standover height, but the horizontal (effective) top tube length

+1 forget stand over height as its meaningless. Find a bike that fits you, measure the effective top tube length and then find the frame geometry/size that is closest - minor adjustments can be made by changing the stem but only by 1cm increments and within a small range e.g. 80-130mm

The standover height is not meaningless for me - please hear me out..

Completely agree with both of you regarding the effective top-tube. I was fitted by Brian Rourke a few years ago after years of knee pain, and I've had the perfect fit since. With the Ribble Winter Audax, I'm basically trying to replicate the positions exactly The seat angle of 74 degrees is the same on both frames and therefore my seat position and pedal positions identical both with a 20mm setback on the seatpost.

I'm currently fitted with a 510mm toptube and 90mm stem. The Ribble has a top-tube of 530mm, so I will have to go for a 70mm stem to get the correct hand position. Not ideal, as handling will be different though the bonus will be less toeoverlap. Unfortunately Ribble cannot provide me with the geometry for the 48cm frame, so I cannot check the Seat/Head Angles and effective toptube.

My current rourkie is compact geometry - the Ribble is horizontal traditional geometry and so will have a different standover height. I would like to have another kid one day - this why the standover height is important for me.

aloadofpants

Found this link on another forum.. it's a pic of a 50cm Ribble that I'm still trying to find the standover height dimension for:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brettoliver/6898717156/


I thought ribble winter bikes had horizontal top tubes, but this picture shows its slightly sloping. Can anyone with a 50cm sized bike confirm if it is actually semi-compact on the smaller size contrary to the larger sizes?
thanks.

sturmey

Optical illusion they have a horizontal top tube

ricwilliams

hi mate

stand over height was 76cm ish from about the middle of the top tube and there is a chainstay bridge which the guard is attached too.

i had to measure this whilst holding the bike steady etc so its not gonna be 100% accurate.

on another note im really enjoying this bike

hope this helps

aloadofpants

ricwilliams wrote:

hi mate

stand over height was 76cm ish from about the middle of the top tube and there is a chainstay bridge which the guard is attached too.

i had to measure this whilst holding the bike steady etc so its not gonna be 100% accurate.

on another note im really enjoying this bike

hope this helps

Hi ricwilliams
Thank you for taking the time out to measure your bike for me - your help is much appreciated.
All things considered now, I think i'll go for the 48cm frame, which should be the best fit for me overall.
Cheers again.