Help! Can't decide - Ribble vs Cinelli

secretsam

Do I get the Wiggle New Sportive Racing
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbd/road-track-bike/ribble-new-sportive-racing?part=BB13RIBNEWSPORTIVE&sub=conf_BBRC&bike=1 (probably with 105)

Or the Cinelli Saetta Sprint?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cinelli-saetta-sprint-veloce-2012/

Never used Campag but always wanted it, but the Cinelli only has a little of it! Probably better frame on the Cinelli, super compact shape fits my weird 173 tall 79 inseam frame better...but VFM is probably with the Ribble and I've sat on one!

Thoughts please

ricwilliams

cinelli

luv2ride

ricwilliams wrote:

cinelli

This...

smoggysteve

Go sit on a Cinelli before you make a decision. But you need to decide which is more important, style or value.

secretsam

SmoggySteve wrote:

Go sit on a Cinelli before you make a decision. But you need to decide which is more important, style or value.

I take it that's a vote for the Ribble?

I want stylish value!

smoggysteve

SecretSam wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

Go sit on a Cinelli before you make a decision. But you need to decide which is more important, style or value.

I take it that's a vote for the Ribble?

I want stylish value!

You think a Ribble is more stylish than a Cinelli?? Really!!!!

Don't be fooled by the Ribble pic. Any bike can look cool with a set of fat Boras on it. And just because they may be Italian designed they are about as Italian as Heinz spaghetti. Yes the Cinelli may be made in a sweatshop in China by 9 yr olds or something but its ultimately more stylish.

secretsam

To be honest, I just want the best bike for me, a fat weekend warrior

One that fits and makes me feel good riding it

smoggysteve

Then thats why I would suggest you try both or maybe even a slection of other bikes you had not previously considered.

bmxboy10

Hi - Fat weekend warrior here with a Cinelli Saetta 105 in Blue.

Best bike I have ever had and that includes a Van Nic Ti.

FFS just get it before they sell out! If you really hate it then return it to wiggle, it will cost you £20 and Wiggle will even sort out the collection for you but I bet if you get one and its the right size it wont be going back. Life is to short my friend Look at it this way, the Cinelli frame retails for a grand on its own! What is the Ribble frame worth?

rolf_f

solboy10 wrote:

Hi - Fat weekend warrior here with a Cinelli Saetta 105 in Blue.

Best bike I have ever had and that includes a Van Nic Ti.

FFS just get it before they sell out! If you really hate it then return it to wiggle, it will cost you £20 and Wiggle will even sort out the collection for you but I bet if you get one and its the right size it wont be going back. Life is to short my friend Look at it this way, the Cinelli frame retails for a grand on its own! What is the Ribble frame worth?

This I think - and I'm a Ribble owner! That is a serious discount and the Ribble frame is worth £500 or so. The Miche parts on the Cinelli are the less important parts of the groupset and one day you can replace them with Campag if you want. Mind you, if you want Campag so much, why spec the Ribble with 105?!

fortyone

You've got better a better selection of components with the Ribble; for example, you can choose the stem length, handlebar size, saddle, pedals, wheels etc. I wouldn't buy a bike where I didn't have the choice, particularly the size, of components.

smoggysteve

fortyone wrote:

You've got better a better selection of components with the Ribble; for example, you can choose the stem length, handlebar size, saddle, pedals, wheels etc. I wouldn't buy a bike where I didn't have the choice, particularly the size, of components.

Generally speaking, most bikes on the market have generally the correct size components for the frame size already on them so you more often than not get the length/size you need. Ribble let you choose items but then costs can go up and they stop being the bargain they first appear.

fortyone

Smoggy Steve - disagree entirely with you on this - it is also possible that the brakes are fitted the non desired way. I have always had my front brake on the left lever, whereas most prebuilts have them the other way around. I always like to ride with 172.5 cranks but there are usually no choices for this measurement. One cyclist I know had a short headtube to the frame, and ended up replacing the stem with a 45 degree one for comfort. One thing that very few prebuilts give is the choice of chainrings. There are plenty of cyclists who have said that they would change something that isn't to their liking, but just put up with it the way it is. From this, you can probably tell that I build my own bike, which is very rewarding in itself.

smoggysteve

fortyone wrote:

Smoggy Steve - disagree entirely with you on this - it is also possible that the brakes are fitted the non desired way. I have always had my front brake on the left lever, whereas most prebuilts have them the other way around. I always like to ride with 172.5 cranks but there are usually no choices for this measurement. One cyclist I know had a short headtube to the frame, and ended up replacing the stem with a 45 degree one for comfort. One thing that very few prebuilts give is the choice of chainrings. There are plenty of cyclists who have said that they would change something that isn't to their liking, but just put up with it the way it is. From this, you can probably tell that I build my own bike, which is very rewarding in itself.

I did say MOST bikes. Not everyone is the same but the manufacturers seem to get it right more often than not. As far as brake cables, its a 5 minute job to change them over. IF the biggest brands really thought this was a big issue dont you think they would do something about it? It s a niche thing, Sure many brands who sell online can do it but alot of the time they do it to entice you into buying a slightly more expensive alternative to the standard item.

secretsam

Rolf F wrote:

if you want Campag so much, why spec the Ribble with 105?!

LOL. Didn't really think that one through? My existing bikes are all Shimano; but I fancy trying Campag. I tried speccing the Ribble with Veloce and it was £100+ cheaper than 105 - IIRC it's just as good - only different

Dilemma...I'm tempted to go for the Cinelli for the frame...which I know is tip top, C+ tested it with Athena on it and loved it

rolf_f

SmoggySteve wrote:

fortyone wrote:

You've got better a better selection of components with the Ribble; for example, you can choose the stem length, handlebar size, saddle, pedals, wheels etc. I wouldn't buy a bike where I didn't have the choice, particularly the size, of components.

Generally speaking, most bikes on the market have generally the correct size components for the frame size already on them so you more often than not get the length/size you need. Ribble let you choose items but then costs can go up and they stop being the bargain they first appear.

That's really an argument to say that there is no point in anyone having a bike fit! It certainly is a nice factor with Ribble that when you spec a bike it is built for you and quite likely to be unique. You can't say that about the Cinelli. Cranks probably will work out correctly, bars and stem less likely. You can of course replace these but then you are back into the same issue that you complain about things becoming less of a bargain with Ribble.

smoggysteve

I don't disagree, ribble are good value for money. But I wonder what percentage of people actually get that bargain and how many end up putting an extra load of kit on it to make it better which would be as standard on a lot of other makes? The gran fondo for example - less than 1000 starting price but with sora and wheels made from steel girders. Stick I decent groupsets on it and suddenly it's about the same as any other bike in its class. I just think the ability to pick and choose a stem or crank arm length glazes over that fact slightly.

rolf_f

SmoggySteve wrote:

I don't disagree, ribble are good value for money. But I wonder what percentage of people actually get that bargain and how many end up putting an extra load of kit on it to make it better which would be as standard on a lot of other makes? The gran fondo for example - less than 1000 starting price but with sora and wheels made from steel girders. Stick I decent groupsets on it and suddenly it's about the same as any other bike in its class. I just think the ability to pick and choose a stem or crank arm length glazes over that fact slightly.

It varies a bit. Lately, I think I'd agree with you to some extent - in the past it has been rather different. For example, the cost of upgrading the wheels to Khamsins used to be £28 which was a good deal - now it's more like £50. My GF came out to £1200 with Campag Centaur (when Centaur was good!) and Khamsins and I think that was a very good deal. Now I think it is trickier to work out where the bargains are but I think they are still there and not just at the bottom end. Is Sora that bad anyway? If speccing Campag, there is now no real point in choosing anything other than Veloce anyway unless you are going for Chorus which takes the bike into a whole new level anyway. So £50 extra for the decent wheels rather than £30 is an irritation but doesn't devalue the deal so much.

secretsam

Anyway, back to my dilemma

iPete

What was the dilemma again, what credit card to put the Cinelli on?

chilling

I thought the dilemma was whether he wanted the red one or the blue one.

I've thought it through now, of course he want's the red one, it's quicker.

passout

My head would say its fairly close (& that the Ribble is great value) but my heart would say the Cinelli.

Cinelli in Red.

smidsy

Ribble.

That Cinelli has pesky Campag groupset. Just can't get on with that.

GGBiker

smidsy wrote:

Ribble.

That Cinelli has pesky Campag groupset. Just can't get on with that.

How ironic, your avatar appears to be modelled on a Campagnolo wheel.

Btw Campagnolo is awesome, don't let this put you off.

smoggysteve

GGBiker wrote:

smidsy wrote:

Ribble.

That Cinelli has pesky Campag groupset. Just can't get on with that.

How ironic, your avatar appears to be modelled on a Campagnolo wheel.

Btw Campagnolo is awesome, don't let this put you off.

+1

Campagnolo especially Chorus upwards are amazing. The sureness of the gear changes cannot be bettered by anything Shimano or Sram can offer.

smidsy

It is the ergonomics of the hoods/levers that I do not like.

My club logo is my club logo, nothing ironic about it.

secretsam

passout wrote:

My head would say its fairly close (& that the Ribble is great value) but my heart would say the Cinelli.

Cinelli in Red.

I'd better learn to pronounce "Cinelli" properly, I guess...

And I got the one in Rosso