Spent the last week looking at road bikes - want to spend about a grand (yes - it is Cycle to Work scheme!) Was all but set to get a Trek 2.1 (or maybe throw some money at it personally for a 2.3) until I spotted a Ribble advert and checked out their website. I can get a full carbon frame with 105 group set for a shade over £1k, but what do people think of Ribble vs Trek?
A quick google search tells me that quality used to be a bit hit and miss but is now pretty good - or is that all pants? Want to pull the trigger soon so I can get out while the summer is here 🙄
Thoughts?
Ribble - Great Bikes - Shit service.
the trek 2.1 is now down to £900..
Mmmm. Now you've got me all confused! That is a bargain and I do like Cannondales - I have a Cannondale tourer and it is a fine piece of kit.
Happy with my Ribble frame and the Ribble service.
I would go with the Ribble. Is it the Sportive Bianco?
I had an aluminium Trek and didn't like it.
Do you think a ribble cheap carbon frame is any cop when no one else can do one for that money? Wheel base reduced bike might not be on scheme most sale bikes aren't due to admin fees. I'm researching similar with help of a roadie mate and he tried valiantly to find something better than the boardman team I am considering. Finally came up with orbea aqua T 105 which has 105 chainset when most come with fsa. Lovely looking nice kit and a decent brand who should have design sorted. I'd rather have a sorted alloy frame than a cheap carbon.
Ribble, but i'm biased and hate Trek.
Trek. But I'm biased and I don't like ribble. Live near Preston (where ribble are based) and they are like the orange five of the road world. Every man and his dog has got one 😉
I had a Ribble - great value bike for the money. At the time I couldntvfi d a better deal at the price. Service was OK, not great but never raised mybblood pressure.
Do you think a ribble cheap carbon frame is any cop when no one else can do one for that money?
Depends how much you want to pay for a badge, I guess. If you can buy a carbon frame direct from the factory for 300 quid or so, I suppose that someone is making a (big) profit.
Planet X, Giant, Specialized, Boardman etc? MANY good £1k road bikes out there to choose from.
Fit is MUCH more important than the groupset etc. I found many bikes I couldn't get a good fit on, but the Giant Defy suited me brilliantly, so that's what I bought.
Don, boardman is hardly a name and he can't do a carbon framed 105 bike at this price point. Buying a bike just for the name is as stupid as buying it just cos its carbon (or Ti). There is more to a frame than the choice of material type, and I hope the OP isn't drawn purely by the "ooh carbon" factor.
Ribble - [s]Great[/s] Shit Bikes - Shit service.
FTFY.
I'll +1 for ribble. Just sold one after 2 years of use (going back to the lumpy stuff) and was very pleased with it - especially when out with guys on 3k frames. I went for the older Alu frame with full 105 GS and it went great. Couple of folk have the pricier Trel's which were nice but I think VFM on the ribble is pretty unbeatable. Planet X and Focus are two others who are quite similar spec'd if maybe a little more pricey.
Focus Cayo from Wiggle
Have had 2 ribbles (still got one) happy with bikes and even with the warranty when I had to claim was more than a year - good service and good VFM frames IMHO 🙂
Do you think a ribble cheap carbon frame is any cop when no one else can do one for that money?
Of course it is. Don't be silly. Do you think a Trek/whatever frame is worth the extra for the name and a posh paintjob?
The C2W scheme is nowhere near as good as it used to be, not too bad for a high tax rate payer but very little saving if not.
Most of the C2W schemes won't let you buy from the companies like Ribble or Planet X and will charge you full RRP instead of discounted price.
I'd really think about getting a bike in a sale as I think it's now the cheaper option than C2W (I've had 3 bikes through the scheme and the last one just worked out a decent price). There's still bike shops online where you can get 0% finance too.
Personally I'd be looking no further than the Canyon site:
http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=2105
PP, i refer you to my earlier reply to an identical comment by Don
Don, boardman is hardly a name and he can't do a carbon framed 105 bike at this price point. Buying a bike just for the name is as stupid as buying it just cos its carbon (or Ti). There is more to a frame than the choice of material type, and I hope the OP isn't drawn purely by the "ooh carbon" factor.
I dont think a Trek is better because of the name. Nor do I think the Ribble is better just because it is carbon. [i]That[/i] would be silly.
Ribble = no provenance, says "look at me, I'm cheap" like a Carrera.
Go Italian.
😆Ribble = no provenance, says "look at me, I'm cheap" like a Carrera.
Owning a ribble is a win win in my opinion. Someone flys by you on a £4000 Italian bike you can blame your bike. However when you do it to them you get a lovely warm feeling of smugness.
Despite the thread title, I've ordered a Cannondale - thanks to dtaylforth for the heads up there. Bit of cheeky testing at AN Other bike shop (£300 dearer) and deal done.
Have a Cannondale tourer that I love lots so looking forward to it.
Now, if only it would stop raining sometime this month!
I don't think anyone's mentioned geometry in relation to what you want to do with the bike? Ribble's have long and low race geometry, even the audax and sportive models which is fine if that's what you want but they don't always make great all rounders or commuters as a result.
To give you an idea my former 54cm Ribble Audax had a 57cm top tube and short head tube, long and low with toe overlap too, my current 54cm Trek Pilot has a 54cm top tube and long headtube, shorter and taller so more upright riding position. Nothing wrong with either just better at different things so maybe have a think how supple you are and what riding you do?
i just got a cannondale CAAD8 in the sales..
have a look on Triton Cycles - lots of good deals
cynic-al - MemberRibble = no provenance, says "look at me, I'm cheap" like a Carrera.
Go Italian.
With all due respect -al but that attitude would push me towards a Ribble.