Thinking of changing my frame – 2007 Allez Comp with carbon seat stays etc to a Ribble Sportive Carbon frame. Was ghoing to order it last night but Mr Doubty came calling. It has a more upright position for the loner rides I occasionally do – mostly winter and I commute currently on my Allez. Am I just upgrading/changing for teh sake of it or will I notice a difference?

I intend to transfer my 105 groupset to it but need a new seatpost, collar and front mech (about extra £50). Thew dillema continues…. 😯

how much are the ribble frames?

This is £365 + £80 Fork:

My Allez (was a double) was £1200 RRP 3 years ago if that helps. The fully built Sportive is around the same price (special with 105 groupset).

Ooops – the Allez is the 06' model but bought in end of 07' sorry :

the ribble may actualy be stiffer, specialized weren't renowned for their stiff back ends, although I've never ridden either bike so thats based purely on reputation and what I read when looking at similar bikes.

I'm waiting for ribble to bring out a bike that looks as good as the sportive with a shorter HT (i'm felxible enough to enjoy a short HT and propper drops)

From the reviews I've read (this isn't first hand experience!) the ribble gets very very good reviews, and that seems like a very reasonable price for the frame and fork. I ride a full carbon road bike and it's so much more shock absorbing than full alu i've ridden in the past. I've never ridden an alu front/carbon back before though, so can't compare them 🙁

you'll almost undoubtedly notice a difference, esp. with different gemoetry, but whether that's a difference for the better or worse is one probably only you will decide! Do you feel the need for a more upright position? You could experiment with shorter, higher rise stems on the spesh to check that sort of position is what you are after. 15 quid on a stem is a much cheaper way of playing than 450 on a frame!!

sounds like i'm making a sweeping statement there that carbon is more compliant than alu… arg, not what i meant as a generalisation as it depends on various designs etc, but I would have thought the ribble is designed to be fairly shock and vibration absorbent as it's a sportive type bike rather than out and out racer.

I think I was also wanting a change of scene – I expect it would be stiffer and a higher upright position. Also the cage mount bolt spins in the frame and has a bolt in it – sawed off so cant mount a second cage without drilling and retapping and soldering etc – The sportive frame looks nice and maybe give me a bit of a lift in the winter having a nice carbon bike. Also give me my next building project 😉

I just think I need to justify the money as this bike works fine really but wanted a softer ride, stiffer for the hill sprints etc and a more upright position 🙂

then i think you should by it 🙂

YEY – Thanks CP 😉

I've not ridden an Allez but have ridden quite a few aluminium and carbon back-end road bikes over the years. Got my Sportive last friday and have done a couple of 4 hour rides plus a couple of 2 hour rides. Feels stiff as anyting when out of the saddle on steep climbs or sprinting, but also feels very comfortable, not harsh in anyway. I don't want to start spouting complete bolllocks but it does feel 'compliant'. I love mine anyway.

Cheers MFWAW – just what I wanted to hear 😉

@myfatherwasawolf – do you know if the fork somes with a bung or expander – I guess not if you got a fully built bike!

Well I tightend the headset up the other day and took the topcap off for a quick look, it had some kind of machined aluminium thing in it which I assumed was an expanding device of some description. The reason I knew the f/mech size (your last post) was that the Centaur equipped bike came with a crappy veloce braze on mech with adaptor. Which looked a bit naff.

sounds like an expander – I guess it won't come with it as a frameset only – think I might have to get one but I'll wait and see – I got 2 hope head doctors so I think I might use one of those if necc – cheers myfatherwasawolf – Did you notice I said "I guess it won't come with it" – yes I have bought it – I'll keep the old frame and see – if not I can sell it as nearly new!

You won't regret it. And it's cp's fault if you do!

My new Ribble Sportive frame was delivered yesterday; unfortunately to my neighbours who were then out all last night :|. Hopefully I'll have time to build it at the weekend and report how it compares to my Genesis Vapour (aluminium CX / winter trainer).
I was using the Vapour nearly exclusively on the road and was starting to do long rides where the tough alu CX frame was not comfortable and the geometry was too slow on fast corners. I tried at £4k carbon Merida Evo team a few months ago which despite being a full on race bike was a amazing comfortable ride. I know it's not all the material but the design but there are lots of user right ups on the Sportive on line and none are bad.
I can't wait to build it 😀

I can't wait to build it

I'm there with you CD – can't wait to build it – half the fun! Sounds very good by all accounts – just getting ready for winter 🙂 I use it more in the winter as go out on my MTB less to save the chain/crankset and the summer has been so shocking so far! Sometime I just want to go on the road to keep clean and go for a blast!

I am sad but here is the groupset superimposed ont eh new frame 😉

OK that's pretty sad! I can't talk though because once I couldn't decide which MP3 player to buty (back in the day when they were more brick like) so I made some foam models to check how they fitted in my pocket 😉

Luckily I didn't need to do that for the bike as by chance when I was googling for images of the Sportive one came up in the almost exact spec I was planning and it sealed the deal.

Fair comment – even my mates at work said the same – "what a geek" – my lunch hour so there 😛

i like what you've done there 🙂

inadvertently, you've got me starting to wonder about moving bits off the road bike, and buying a frame for winter duties (capable of taking guards 🙂 )

@cp = lol – gottcha 😉

That Ribble does look nice and I too would be interested just need another job first 😕

I blame FBK on here – he's been after a new road bike for a few weeks/months now – he introduced me to this frame and then got the ball rolling in my mind for a liitle moderately expensive upgrade – I'm not talking to him now for leading me astray – At least the built bike was not really in his short list …..few! 😳

I was reading a cycle mag in bed last night looking at the ribble-Mmmm!

Not bad on price too!

Think I'd do the same in Spring-swap my 105 kit from my Trek alum to the carbon frame.

Go for it Foxyrider if you're doing the mileage or want to treat yourself!

Carbon…Mmmm! 😈

Thanks Zaskar – Yeh commute 2-3 times a week (about 50 miles) then in winter will prob do a 60 miler every month I should think plus a quick ride int eh week – the rest will prob be muddy on my winter hard tail 😉 for a bit of fast singletrack locally to keep the skills up 😉

I've picked up the frame and it's VERY nice. Build photos will follow at the weekend.

All built up:

Nice one CD, looks great – can't wait for mine – Thanks for the email BTW 😉

Here is my Sportive – built at last!

Lovely soft ride and after getting a shorter stem and using the rise has a lovely comfy position!

I wnt from a ally ribble audux frame to a carbon Jamis.

I cannot believe how much better the ride is. Comfy and much less harseness