British model Ribble has just lately launched a glut of Allroad bikes, with two carbon fashions and an e-bike. This Allroad Ti is the fourth to affix the lineup and is constituted of, yep, titanium. It’s a very good-looking bike, with its silver body and darkish elements giving it a easy however good aesthetic.
Titanium has lengthy been a well-liked materials for constructing frames. It was once seen as metal’s posher cousin for its mixture of full of life and forgiving trip qualities, lighter weight, and sturdiness. Ribble has had a lot success through the years with titanium fashions, so it is no shock that it has taken the geometry of the brand new carbon Allroad SL R and re-engineered it within the surprise metallic.
Ribble Allroad Ti Professional construct with Shimano Ultegra Di2
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
The Allroad Ti is offered in 4 builds, utilizing Ribble’s acquainted monikers of Sport, Fanatic, Professional and Hero. Sport is the entry-level choice, at a really affordable (for titanium) £3,499 with a Shimano 105 mechanical groupset while Fanatic provides 105 Di2 for £4,099. Professional and Hero use Ultegra Di2 and Dura-Ace Di2 respectively with value tags of £5,499 and £7,999 – all properly delineated and comprehensible as a spread. Ribble’s claimed weights run from 9.91kg for the Sport to eight.7kg for the Hero, all in measurement medium while the body alone is 1.7kg and the fork 470g. The take a look at bike was the Professional degree, Ultegra-equipped mannequin at 9.35kg.
Ribble Allroad Ti Professional in its pure surroundings on quiet lanes
(Picture credit score: Andy Jones)
On the level of buy, both on-line or in-store, there are a number of selections to make relating to wheel, saddle and handlebar selection however the advised spec ranges largely make sense and supply respectable worth cash within the present market.
Relaxed, all-road geometry and extensive tyre clearances imply that the Allroad Ti isn’t aimed toward racers or Strava KOM chasers, quite it’s for riders who worth the power to not fear about poor highway surfaces, potholes, grassy lanes and even gravel trails. Riders who head out the door with out essentially having a plan, route or time restrict and who similar to the thought of having the ability to cycle on a wide range of surfaces with none worries. Given the present state of the highway community within the UK and far of Europe, this description covers just about each highway aside from motorways!
Building
The Allroad Ti’s level of distinction isn’t its 3AL-2.5V titanium development, however quite the 3D-printed sections of titanium which have been used across the head tube and on the high of the seat tube. These sculpted, smoothed-off areas give the bike the look of carbon with no apparent welds and really un-tube-like shapes. The 3D-printed elements are TIG welded to the tubes with none seen welding patterns, though the junctions aren’t fairly seamless as there are slight however discernible steps within the body the place the sections be part of.
3D-printed seta tube junction
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
There are extra usual-looking titanium welds on the backside bracket, rear dropouts and seat tube/seatstays junction while the threaded backside bracket might be welcomed by house mechanics. The fork is constituted of carbon and is notably extensive and modern-looking, barely harking back to the fork on the Hope monitor bike
The geometry holds few surprises, with fairly regulation numbers for an endurance/all-road bike; 415mm chainstays, 73° head tube and 73.5° seat tube. Nonetheless, the stack and attain are on the upper and longer facet at 587.6mm and 391mm respectively, however nothing too controversial.
There are some regular welds and a threaded backside bracket
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
As befits a motorbike of this sort, claimed tyre clearance is spectacular at 38mm, though all fashions ship with extra versatile 32mm rubber. Which means even when you make the most of the built-in mudguard mounts there must be loads of area for tyres over 30mm extensive with out worrying about them getting clogged up with mud or grass.
Clearance for 38mm tyres and built-in mounts for full-length mudguards
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
The Professional mannequin is kitted out with full Shimano Ultegra Di2, no sneaky chainset substitutions right here, and the 11-34 cassette and 50/34 chainrings present suitably low gears for tackling steep hills or lengthy days with out concern. The wheels are carbon Mavic Cosmic S 42 shod with tubeless-ready 32mm Pirelli P Zero Highway TLR (true to measurement on the Mavic rims) – each of those elements are stable performers and it’s good to see that Ribble has specced branded merchandise right here. Equally, the saddle is a Selle Italia SLR Increase, so that you aren’t getting short-changed anyplace, which underlines the bike’s worth.
Thus far, so regular. Nonetheless, the space-age-looking UB-2 carbon handlebar is unquestionably not what one would look forward to finding on a titanium all-road bike, even one with 3D-printed elements. Borrowing closely from the design of the handlebar on their Extremely race bikes, albeit in a two-piece quite than one-piece format, the bars are extremely sculpted to cut back wind resistance with deep facet sections and wake-inducing tops. Moreover, the Ultegra shifters are bolted immediately into the handlebars quite than hooked up utilizing a band as is regular and solely the drops have bar tape on them. Cabling is inner within the bars and body however runs externally beneath the stem for simpler spannering.
UB-2 handlebars are very aero, however do not swimsuit the character of the bike
(Picture credit score: Tim Russon)
The Journey
Sitting astride the bike for the primary time, I used to be struck by how lengthy it felt, and the peak of the entrance finish. As somebody who often rides a 130mm stem alone bikes, I’m used to different bikes feeling a bit brief, nevertheless, the Ribble got here with a 120mm stem, and mixed with the 36cm extensive on the hoods bars, the place might have felt fairly aggressive aside from the truth that the 180mm head tube (measurement massive) lifted the entrance finish a good bit.
My first couple of rides on the Allroad Ti had been solo affairs across the lanes of Derbyshire, the place the cossetting trip high quality was instantly obvious. Despite the fact that the Pirelli tyres weren’t arrange tubeless and usually are not their most supple providing, the body was clearly doing a rattling fantastic job of muting the numerous cracks, holes and bumps of the tarmac. Using bikes like this it’s at all times noticeable how a lot much less focus is required by way of line selection; there may be far much less requirement to keep away from each little imperfection than when using a race bike because the bigger tyres and compliant body take in a lot extra of the bumps. After all, over shorter rides, it doesn’t matter a lot however on lengthy days within the saddle, the distinction actually does add as much as much less total fatigue.
No want to fret about poor surfaces on the Ribble Allroad Ti Professional
(Picture credit score: Andy Jones)
It was good to be pootling alongside the highway after which dip off onto a disused railway with none worries, thus spending a beautiful few traffic-free miles on the Monsal Path mid-ride. After all, you would do that on many bikes, however the mixture of powerful, paintless titanium body, extensive tyres and cozy trip made it totally pain-free; that is the very essence of an all-road bike – tremendously elevated freedom.
I additionally used the Allroad Ti on my weekly membership runs and right here I discovered that it (and I) struggled a bit. It’s unfair to anticipate it to combine it with Cervelo S5s, Canyon Aeroads and Pinarello Dogmas, nevertheless it did really feel each little bit of its 9.5kgs as I attempted to kick on up steep rises and longer hills; I’ve little question that its energy switch lags behind the carbon race bikes too, as is barely to be anticipated given its broader remit. This isn’t its pure area, so it may well’t be criticised too closely for it – if it is advisable to sustain with the massive boys then the Ribble Extremely SL R can be a much better selection.
Over in Mallorca for a number of regular days, issues bought so much higher once more – the Allroad Ti sailed alongside the quiet again roads and lumpy lanes on longer rides while additionally drawing a number of admiring feedback and questions at cafe stops. The low gearing proved splendid for an amiable ascent of Sa Calobra and the Ultegra brakes had been incredible when descending. The body’s stability and planted really feel made for a calming trip whichever means the highway pointed.
Basic titanium seems with a contemporary twist
(Picture credit score: Andy Jones)
My bum wasn’t fully at one with the saddle on rides of greater than a few hours, however that’s simply private choice and simply modified both on the level of buy or afterwards. The aero bars weren’t splendid both, because the untaped, extraordinarily extensive tops weren’t a very snug place to carry onto while climbing or cruising. They’re clearly designed to assist the rider obtain a slim, low place while hammering alongside at race tempo they usually did certainly work very nicely for that however had been much less appropriate for gentler using. Moreover, except you personal a GoPro-compatible entrance gentle that may sit beneath the pc mount, it is extremely arduous to seek out anyplace to connect a lightweight due to the bars’ non-standard form.
Personally, I might save £350 by speccing the far more standard-looking Stage Alloy handlebar and spending that saving on upgrading the wheels to the lighter Zipp 303 Firecrests out there from Ribble. I believe that this swap would swimsuit the bike higher and probably assist it trip extra calmly too. Don’t get me improper, I appreciated the lengthy, slim place and form of the UB-2 bars and would definitely contemplate them on a racier machine, however I don’t assume that they greatest served this bike’s said objective. Equally, while there may be nothing improper with the equipped Mavics, at over 1,600g they aren’t the lightest choice and the couple of hundred grams weight saving on supply by swapping to the Zipps is a worthwhile trade in my view. The 303 Firecrest rim can also be 4mm wider than the Cosmic S internally, so would assist any tyre to open out extra for larger quantity and suppleness.
Worth and conclusions
I’ve just lately ridden three bikes which can be nominally labelled ‘all-road’ – the Pinarello Dogma X, the Cervelo Caledonia-5 and this Ribble Allroad Ti. The Ribble is the least costly of the three by far, probably the most ‘all-road’ and comfiest. However it is usually the heaviest and least full of life.
Ribble’s personal carbon Allroad SL R Professional shares all the identical elements and geometry with the Allroad Ti Professional and undercuts it by £900 and over 1kg, so you need to be fully satisfied of the advantages {that a} titanium body can supply to decide on the metallic choice. Nonetheless, if you’re out there for an all-day, all-road titanium bike then the £5,499 price ticket for an Ultegra Di2 outfitted, 3D printed body with carbon wheels doesn’t sound unreasonable in any respect.
Made for exploring quiet lanes and trails
(Picture credit score: Andy Jones)
Specification
Ribble Allroad Ti Professional
- Body and fork: 3AL-2.5V titanium with 3D-printed titanium and carbon fork
- Backside Bracket: T47 68mm Shimano 24mm threaded
- Groupset: Shimano R8100 Ultegra Di2 12-speed
- Cassette: CS-R8101 Ultegra 12-speed HG 11-34T
- Chainset: FC-R8100 Ultegra 12-speed 50-34T
- Brake rotors: RTMT800 CL 160mm
- Wheelset: Mavic Cosmic S 42 Disc Carbon tubeless-ready
- Tyres: P Zero Highway TLR Black 700x32mm
- Handlebar: Ribble UB-2 Carbon
- Stem: Ribble RS-2
- Saddle: Selle Italia SL R Increase
- Claimed weight for measurement M: 9.35kg
- Precise weight for measurement L: 9.5kg
