Ribble Audax (Finished)

Twelly

After my Allez was stolen last month I starting shopping around for new bikes and stumbled across Ribble's clearance frame list. Picked up a 60cm 7005 Audax frame for £60 - almost half price because of this...

Crazy.. I could have paid full price and not noticed a blemish like this.
Together with the Tusk carbon fork and headset, I paid £153. Bargain.

Bought a full Sram Apex groupset in white from Merlin.

Started fitting some bits tonight (saddle/seatpost is temporary!:



I need a bigger hex key before I can get the chainset on. First time fitting an external BB so it's a bit of a learning curve, no doubt I will balls up at some point..

I have some 30mm Shimano R501 wheels on order from Germany, should be here by the end of this week.

All that's left to buy is handlebar + stem, tyres + tubes, pedals, handlebar tape and a saddle/seatpost that isn't orange!

Twelly

Suggestions on handlebar tape/saddle/tyre colour welcome!

philwint

TwellySmat wrote:

Suggestions on handlebar tape/saddle/tyre colour welcome!

Blue or black

Looks a fun project.

tommo7567

Gotta be black tape, or blue at a push....with a black seat too

Twelly

Even with the white groupset and wheels?.. I was favouring white saddle and tape with black tyres but having second thoughts now

philwint

I can't see any mention of wheel or groupset colour in The Rules

Rule #8 // Saddles, bars, and tires shall be carefully matched.3
Valid options are:

Match the saddle to the bars and the tires to black; or

Match the bars to the color of the frame at the top of the head tube and the saddle to the color of the frame at the top of the seat tube and the tires to the color where they come closest to the frame; or

Match the saddle and the bars to the frame decals; or

Black, black, black

declan1

Looks great so far!

Could you please let us know how you get on with those wheels? I was looking at getting some but can't find any reviews for the 30mm ones...

RubbishCyclist

That looks great!

Twelly

declan1 wrote:

Looks great so far!

Could you please let us know how you get on with those wheels? I was looking at getting some but can't find any reviews for the 30mm ones...

I bought some Shimano RS10's for my Allez and they were great for the money (before it was stolen!). so I hope these will be a similar standard (being Shimano and a similar price)

tommo7567

TwellySmat wrote:

Even with the white groupset and wheels?.. I was favouring white saddle and tape with black tyres but having second thoughts now

I can't imagine mine with white tape and saddle, but then it is my wet weather bike so the tape would soon be grey/brown

Try blue...?

Twelly

Update: wheels arrived, steerer cut, spacers + stem on.

Flexisurfer

Really nice that. If you put guards on a white saddle will survive and as long as you keep your gloves clean the the tape will too

Twelly

Flexisurfer wrote:

Really nice that. If you put guards on a white saddle will survive and as long as you keep your gloves clean the the tape will too

Funny you should say that.. I was browsing the Crud website earlier... Will have to wait until next month if I add anything else. I am pleased with how its coming along, white bar tape is on order so Ill see how that goes with the white Spoon. the saddle is borrowed from an MTB though so will eventually be buying something for this bike.

Twelly

All finished for now - saddle and seat post will change next month but for now it's done.

Rode it to my CC meeting last night and I'm impressed. It is so much nicer to ride and faster than my Allez, even with my lardy, unfit arse riding it. The Sram groupset is so much nicer than the old 2300 8spd kit I had on the Spesh, it's in a different league. I really prefer the double tap system to the Shimano set up with the thumb button and brake lever. Wheels are heavy but they spin well and it rolls nicely. It's definitely a more relaxed frame than the Allez - more comfortable and it soaks up the bumps better but doesn't feel as stiff when out of the saddle - wheels might be contributing to this though.

I'm chuffed with how it rides for a cheap build, the frame is a steal and is still good value at full price.

Pictures:









OCP pic will be up at the weekend when I can get it out in the daylight!

Twelly

Sorry, spec:

Frame: Ribble 7005 Audax
Forks: Tusk carbon
Bars: FSA Gossamer 420mm
Stem: Raceface XC - All I had lying about
Headset: Ribble hidden
Bar Tape: Deda white

Front Brake Lever: Sram Apex White
Front Caliper: Sram Apex White
Rear Brake Lever: Sram Apex White
Rear Caliper: Sram Apex White

Shifters: Sram Apex White
Cables: Sram
Front Mech: Sram Apex White
Rear Mech: Sram Apex White

Seat: Charge Spoon for the moment
Seat Post: Superstar Inline
Seat Post Clamp: Ribble Superleggera

Cranks: Sram Apex White
Chainring(s): Sram Apex White 50/39
Chain: Sram PC-something-or-other
Cassette: Sram 11-25
Pedals: Shimano R540
Bottom Bracket: Sram Apex White

Wheels: Shimano R500 30mm
Tubes: Cheap one I had at the bottom of my spares box
Tires: Vittoria Zaffiro 23mm


Accessories: Bottle cage - cheap silver thing

Weight: If the manufacturers of everything are telling the truth - <9kg but we all know they tell a fair few porkies... Feels more like 10kg - will weigh it soon.

Other info:

Twelly

50+ miles today, very happy with it.

RideOnTime

nice one...

RubbishCyclist

I really like this! I think i'll be doing the same sort of build for a winter/commuter bike. I kinda think it would look better with a black seatpost though.....just my opinion though, your bike

Twelly

RubbishCyclist wrote:

I really like this! I think i'll be doing the same sort of build for a winter/commuter bike. I kinda think it would look better with a black seatpost though.....just my opinion though, your bike

Black seat post on its way! Well, carbon.

Finally got round to weighing it - 10.10kg - bit lardy but it is a large frame and the tyres and tubes were very cheap and heavy. Have now swapped for some lighter Conti tubes and Ultremo ZX tyres and the bike now weighs just 9.44kg

Carbon post on its way and I have some Superstar Superfly skewers somewhere which should bring the weight down to 9.1-9.2.

Looking at some RS80's for the summer which will bring it down to 8.5ish kg.

Will post pics once all the new bits are on.

thiscocks

You saved the best part of 600g with new tyres? What were the last ones made from, lead?

Nice bike btw!

zx6man

I dont normally like those ribble frames, but the white on the bike does a great job, I like it :-)

Twelly

thiscocks wrote:

You saved the best part of 600g with new tyres? What were the last ones made from, lead?

Nice bike btw!

Sorry, only just seen this..

I had some very cheap Vittoria Zaffiro's on to start which were over 340g each, The Ultremos are 205g each and I also swapped the very cheap, old tubes (100-120g each) for some Conti tubes which are 60gish. The old tubes and tyres are now on an old set of wheels so I have a mucky weather set. So yeah, lots of weight saved just on rubber!

So old tyre/tube set up was just under 1kg, now down to just over 500g. (that 10.1kg to 9.4kg change also included some slightly different skewers)

Anyhoo. Update time.

Winter boots:

Old Alexrims wheelset from my stolen Allez
Vitoria Zaffiro's
Shimano skewers
Crud Roadracer MkII
Sram PG1050 12-25 Cassette

Summer sandals:


Shimano R500's
Schwalbe Ultremo ZX
Conti Race tubes
Ultegra 12-25 Cassette

I have added an exotic carbon seatpost - hopefully a bit more absorbent and also 150g lighter
Exotic Al stem - Was actually cheaper and lighter than their carbon offerings, matches the post and also brings the bars back 20mm as I was feeling a little stretched.
Ti/Carbon skewers


Bike now weighs 9.2kg with summer wheels, 9.9kg with winter wheels and guards.

jordan_217

Nice build. Some nice pics too. Enjoy


Edit: much nicer with the new seat post!

Twelly

Just been for a spin around Southsea with a wheel change between loops.
Ride 1 (winter wheels + mudguards): 6.3 miles - 21:51 (Avg 17.3mph)
Ride 2 (summer wheels, no mudguards): 6.3 miles - 20:38 (Avg 18.3 mph)

Now I have scientific data to justify my spending when my girlfriend asks why I couldn't afford to buy her an easter egg

Pictures...

Accidently took this on the wrong setting but.... looks quite good in black/grey, might have it sprayed up when I can be arsed.



New rear light 'Moon Comet'. its a very light light (35g apparently) and believe me when I say it's bright...like burn your retinas bright. £22 off Amazon.

James Q

Lovely build, and that rear light looks awesome!

Twelly

It was highly recommended in a couple of mags and it hasnt failed to impress. USB charging, about 5 hours on a mid setting from one charge and when you want to turn it up, I cant stress enough how bright it is. If any cars hit me it will be because of temporary blindness.

Twelly

Up in Yorkshire visiting family this weekend, took the bike. Managed to get out for a hilly 40 miles this morning
Stopped at 'Dales Bike Centre' (very nice place with superb lemon drizzle cake..) and the owner told me we had just ridden part of stage 1 of next years TDF! The section in question is the long descent heading NW into Grinton - what a road. Its epic. Will be back next year to camp at DBC and watch the pros go up

notlongnow

Nice build hows the shimano wheels they look nice

Twelly

They are fine for what I paid. I use them for TT's shod with Ultremos. They also have lighter tubes and a lighter cassette fitted so they are definately more spritely than my other set. I can tell the difference with the slightly deeper rim - even when they had cheap tyres on them the bike felt smoother and less effort at speed.
Bottom line is they are a budget wheel that rolls well and looks good. Not bad for £90. Cant comment on quality as I have only done about 150mi on them

RideOnTime

b o n k s.

Twelly

RideOnTime wrote:

b o n k s.

?