Road bike advice

nathb · Jul 24, 2014

Hey guys,

I'm contemplating delving into the world of road cycling. I was going to use the C2W scheme in December to purchase a Ribble Gran Fondo with 105 groupset.

However I've just stumbled across this: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/r ... -_-TopLink

I'm seriously contemplating buying it as if I hate road cycling I should be able to recoup most my money, were as on the ribble I would lose £££'s.

So two questions:
1) Is a 54cm too small for me? I'm 6ft with a 33-34" inside leg
2) Is this rideable?

Thank you in advance!

hamster · Jul 24, 2014

I think its a BSO. It has a freewheel, not cassette. There is a High Ten fork (nothing costly like Cro-Mo). Frankly it's a £99 Tesco MTB. Resale value £30 perhaps?

See the review: "works just as well as any pinnerello or giant or them big brands!!" Yeah right...I recognise Miguel Indurain's style in that review.

Ribbles have a great reputation amongst serious road riders. Resale value isn't bad. My LBS told me that they cannot get the groupset alone for the price Ribble sell the whole bike. If you broke it for bits you would still be quids in.

nathb · Jul 24, 2014

Thanks Hamster.

The other alternative route I was contemplating going down was to buy some carbon forks for my MTB, coupled with some slicks.

The forks I'm looking at are £150 alone, so £50 extra for a complete bike felt too good to miss?

The forks I as contemplating are: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOOOSCF4709 ... arbon-fork they would be attached to viewtopic.php?f=41&t=204504&start=10

I'm a bit scared of purchasing a £1,000 bike for me to hate road cycling, it's not the money it's the fact the missus will kill me!!

Ritz · Jul 24, 2014

Re:

What mtb do you have.

This is what I did with my forks.

On One forks, steel cromo not carbon and skinny tyres. I still need to fit some mudguards.

I did a few more mods to make it more light trail and road use friendly.

The forks cost about £70.

Myself personally I would never use carbon forks, but that's just me being old fashioned and I'm a heavy lump

nathb · Jul 24, 2014

That looks nice!

I've got a Ribble R4 MTB. Posted a link up there^^

I'm 70kg so I'm hoping the Carbon will hold, I really like the look of the on-one carbon forks

Ritz · Jul 24, 2014

Re:

That's a very nice bike.

My Kona was a bit OTT for the trails I was riding with my better half, so I decided to make it more for light trails and road use.

All I did was change the forks and pedals ,sold them, put on some skinny tyres, changed the pedals to flats, added some cheap bar ends and ergo grips.

I've a stem riser and mudguards to fit then job done. Didn't cost too much when taking into account that I sold the forks and pedals.

It will obviously never be a road bike, I just wanted a do it all type of bike I can take it easy on.
I'm happy with it and I don't need to worry when I go on the rougher gravel trails.

Visually the gap above the front tyre always bugs me, the guards will hide it , a 29er wheel would fit in the forks though I don't intend to spend any more as it does what I want it to do.

mattr · Jul 24, 2014

hamster":2ml5f031 said:
Ribbles have a great reputation amongst serious road riders.

Great might be pushing it, passable would be nearer the mark. And that's only since they stopped trying to make their own frames (the steel ones). They were shockingly bad. I know if a good few that were bent, badly welded/brazed, paint peeling off, insane geometry and so on.
Put me right off them.

Still better than that halfrauds thing.

And that fork will probably be safe and tested to 100 or 110 kilos of vigorous use.

hamster · Jul 24, 2014

Fair point Matt - great in the sense of value for money.
Absolutely agree that the carbon ones are when things changed for the better. A pal of mine bought a carbon Condor for a serious sum - two years later the identical frame appeared in a Ribble bike for £2000 less.

Three of my pals have them, one in particular has now done over 20,000 miles over the past 3 years including the Raid Pyrennen, Geneva-Med and E2E of Corsica. Not only have they stood up to the heavy usage, but also none of the three wish to replace them.

mattr · Jul 24, 2014

And yet some people get sniffy about buying the self same frames direct from China, minus the logoed paint job.........

nathb · Jul 24, 2014

Re: Re:

Thanks for the replies everyone

Ritz":2o33pw9a said:
That's a very nice bike.

My Kona was a bit OTT for the trails I was riding with my better half, so I decided to make it more for light trails and road use.

All I did was change the forks and pedals ,sold them, put on some skinny tyres, changed the pedals to flats, added some cheap bar ends and ergo grips.

I've a stem riser and mudguards to fit then job done. Didn't cost too much when taking into account that I sold the forks and pedals.

It will obviously never be a road bike, I just wanted a do it all type of bike I can take it easy on.
I'm happy with it and I don't need to worry when I go on the rougher gravel trails.

Visually the gap above the front tyre always bugs me, the guards will hide it , a 29er wheel would fit in the forks though I don't intend to spend any more as it does what I want it to do.

Thanks!

Quite rare are Ribble MTB's doesn't seem they caught on!

Yours looks nice! Looks a good geometry.

Yeah, not expecting mine to keep up with a roadie either. But at least, like you said, we can still go down gravel tracks and over potholes without causing damage. I particularly like the Thames path, which I wouldn't venture down on a road bike.

Forks wise I'm split now between:
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOOOSCF4709 ... arbon-fork
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOMK35CF/mk ... n-mtb-fork
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOOOCR26DO/ ... -disc-only
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200924403401? ... 1423.l2649

Decisions decisions

Road bike advice

nathb

Retro Guru

hamster

Retro Wizard

nathb

Retro Guru

Ritz

Dirt Disciple

nathb

Retro Guru

Ritz

Dirt Disciple

mattr

Old School Grand Master

hamster

Retro Wizard

mattr

Old School Grand Master

nathb

Retro Guru

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