Cycling UK Forum

I'm currently contemplating a new bike. The Ribble Sportive 365, with Tiagra Triple, seems to tick most of my boxes:

Circa £900
Triple with reasonable low gearing
Light(ish)
Sporty
Takes mudguards
Downside is not being able to see/try one before buying

Any comments or feedback would be appreciated, especially from anyone who owns or has tried this model of bike

Hi,

I've often had a look at Ribbles, they seem good value and nicely styled and designed but like you I dcan't get my butt parked on one to try it out that easily.

I shall be very interested in replies.

Paul

I saw one at the Cycle Show last year. They look like a solid piece of kit and the advantage of being able to deck one out however you feel appropriate using their BikeBuilder is a big advantage.

I've had 3 ribbles, all the 7005 Alloy
#1 got snapped in half in an accident
#2 I ordered while still doozy from the accident and misremembered my size, so got sold on as too big. I was a little surprised that only 6 months after purchase they had no records to refer to, so I had to use my severely squashed noggin to remember the size. (My fault I should have spent the time to work it all out as their size charts used to suck)

10 years later (2 years ago) I ordered a 7005 Audax (I fell between sizes on my preferred steel version). This has been great, it's solid, straight and robust. Not the lightest, and water does get down the seat tube (I think) in spite of my best efforts to seal it off, and i have to pull the BB every spring to clean the accumulated mush off it (Campag BB, while the cylinder is rusted and pitted from the ingress, the bearings remain silky and unmaintained.) Would I buy again? No. Not because of any major fault, but because next winter / commute bike will be a special one - it's the bike I have to ride most due to weather etc up here in the frozen, somewhat damp North Western reaches.

Value for money wise the Ribbles are hard to beat, but it will never be the "special" or "go to" bike, it's simply a good workhorse, one that it's very difficult to beat for the money.

So unless Colnago build a winter bike that takes guards and rack with at least 25c tyres (tight squeeze on the Ribble BTW...) to make me a matching set with the other bikes, I'll be looking somewhere like Shand / Jackson / Pretorius for the "special one".

Vitara wrote:I'm currently contemplating a new bike. The Ribble Sportive 365, with Tiagra Triple, seems to tick most of my boxes:
Downside is not being able to see/try one before buying
Any comments or feedback would be appreciated, especially from anyone who owns or has tried this model of bike

Ribble have "show" bikes in the factory outlet if you live near Preston. (only for show not testing.)
I have a cycling buddy who has one but he only got it recently so no real comment yet.
57mm drop brakes so should take a 28mm tyre.

BigFoz wrote: .....water does get down the seat tube (I think) in spite of my best efforts to seal it off, and i have to pull the BB every spring to clean the accumulated mush off it (Campag BB, while the cylinder is rusted and pitted from the ingress, the bearings remain silky and unmaintained.).

this might sound mad but (as well as the usual places (seat lug, bosses, breathers in the stays etc) water can get past the headset top race (eg through the split in the wedge piece), then get into the frame via holes inside the head tube.

cheers

I haven't bought a complete bike, but this year I built a bike up using the 365 frame. It's OK, plenty of mudguard clearance, but there is an annoying creak from the seat post area, even tried a different seat post but it still persists, so I 'm wondering if I might have been better sticking with aluminium for this price range.

Vitara wrote:............Downside is not being able to see/try one before buying.............

That's definitely the downside - make sure that you know the size and set-up that you require for your purpose and your style of riding. Beware of a bike set up for wannabee boy-racers.

Apart from that, everyone that I know who has a Ribble is very satisfied - especially for the price.