Cycling has been one of those activities I’ve dipped in and out of over the years. As a kid, like most of my contemporaries, you couldn’t get me off a bike. Then as an adult for several years I used a road bike to get to work. When children came along I gravitated towards hybrids (at times with tag-alongs), and today now the kids are fully grown, I content myself with occasional rides round Richmond Park and the Surrey Hills. On motorhome and campervan trips I’ve fluctuated between bringing my own bike on a bike rack and hiring locally.
However, I’ve never had what I’d describe as a truly top-quality bike. And let’s face it, there are some real crackers available in today’s market. This is largely as a result of cycling’s surge in popularity over the last 30 years. Modern road bikes are packed with extra functionality and built to superb designs that combine meticulous engineering and durable strong materials that are light in weight.
So, when the opportunity to try out the Ribble Allroad TI Enthusiast, I was hunting out the Lycra and clipping on my helmet at the first opportunity. Lancashire-based Ribble has been handbuilding bikes since 1897 and has a reputation for high quality bikes with road, electric, gravel and endurance ranges available. With the Allroad TI, I was receiving a bike that Ribble says combines “state-of-the-art 3D printing with traditional construction techniques”.
First impressions count
Out of the box, the Ribble Allroad TI Enthusiast drips quality. It’s got the understated good looks of a bike that doesn’t need any bells or whistles (well, you might need a bell – but you get my point). The titanium frame (hence the name TI) has something of a stylish industrial look with an individual patina that Ribble says develops over time.
The fully integrated cabling means the bike is wonderfully streamlined, and the UB2 black carbon handlebars are compact and neat looking.
And that quality of specification is echoed throughout Enthusiast’s core features, which include:
• Shimano’s 105 12-speed electronic Di2 gearing
• Mavic Aksium 1 wheels and
• 32mm Pirelli P7 Sport tyres
• Unisex Selle Italia Model X saddle.
I didn’t receive any instructions regarding setting up the bike, but it was pretty much all done. I just needed to adjust the saddle height – easily done using a hexagon allen key at the corner of the frame below the seat – and then screwed on the pedals which I had asked Ribble to supply. Many cyclists will no doubt have their own pedal systems and the TI will accommodate most well-known brands. For more general user support, there’s plenty of information available online, and there are RibbleLive experts who can help should you have any questions.
My only query was regarding charging the electronic shifting but a quick video search online showed me where I need to charge the shift on the rear derailleur. You simply plug in a cable and charge via USB direct to mains power (i.e. not via a laptop).
On the road
So far, so great – but enough gushing about the bike’s good looks and high spec – how would the Allroad TI Enthusiast fare on the road?
Richmond Park in southwest London is not too far from me and with its seven-mile road loop around the park’s perimeter is a great spot for having a decent hack without too many cars to worry about. In fact there are car-free roads through the middle of the park, so I could take my time and really get to know the bike.
This is a first impressions piece, so I’ll look to get a touch more technical in my next review, but for now I’ll stick to how the ride felt.
Smooth, I guess is as good a word as any. I’m no expert on aerodynamics but the TI felt as though it was weighted correctly and the positioning of the handlebars and as a result the gear shift felt well considered.
In short I felt well balanced, and even though I’m a touch above my fighting weight and could do with shifting a few kilos, the Allroad TI Enthusiast felt stable and streamlined.
Feeling comfortable?
That Selle Italia saddle is top of the range but you’ll need proper cycling shorts with padding to avoid a sore backside. This bike is called the Enthusiast and has a serious price tag (there are, however, financing options), so it’s likely that any buyers will already have all the accoutrement of clip pedals, high-quality helmets and plenty of Lycra.
Working my way through the gears was pretty intuitive with the up and down shifts distinct enough so that you don’t select the wrong one. Electronic shifting is clearly a good deal more expensive than a mechanical set and whether it’s worth it for you is always going to be a personal decision. What I can say is that the electronic shifting was super smooth – even when I was getting to grips with the gears the movement between gears was trouble free.
And boy does it move. Once I got going, I was moving along at a decent pace matching some of the Lycra clad regulars who spend their weekends lapping the park. It felt good and looked good – a fact confirmed by the occasional comments from fellow cyclists, such as ‘Nice new bike’. On one occasion I even got a ‘wow’ ,which I’m pretty sure was for the bike and not my Lycra clad thighs.
Moving on
In my next report I’ll be looking more in depth at some of the Allroad TI Enthusiast’s features and how such a model would best work for a motorhomer. But for now my first thoughts are that I’m very impressed by the bike’s looks, build and ride quality. If you’re in the market for a top-quality bike and are able and willing to spend a significant amount of money to support that activity, this is a superb model – beautifully balanced, streamline and providing top performance. Definitely one to consider.
Modern road bikes are packed with extra functionality and built to superb designs
Technical Specifications
Gears | Shimano’s 105 12-speed electronic Di2 gearing |
Wheels | Mavic Aksium 1 wheel |
Tyres | 32mm Pirelli P7 Sport tyres |
Saddle | Unisex Selle Italia Model X saddle |
Seatpost | Allroad Carbon Seatpost - 350mm |