[Closed] Ribble CGR - anyone know about them?

I keep peeping at one on a daily basis, what would you like to know?

I've got an ally one. Like it a lot. Geometry is right for me. Handles as well as I need. Done 70+miles rides on the road no problem. I chose the 105 gruppo and that's just standard reliable Shimano.

Only complaints are the supplied wheels. I chose Fulcrum and the bearings started going inside 200 miles. No real seals on them. Ribble wouldn't help. They are considered consumables so I ditched them for some Hunts. But the bike is built to a price point so I just accepted that.

Otherwise it's a good bike. Just about to put the mudguards back on for the winter.

I bought it for riding trails, disused rail tracks etc., which it handles as I expected.

If you're anywhere near Liverpool you can have a look see. I thought the price was good value for what I got.

Was pondering a s****y Ti gravel bike for my 50th, but that steel CGR has got my interest being so much cheaper, and MTB and road bike are steel, so it would complete the trinity.

Liverpool is a bit far for me, but i've also discovered there is now a Ribble store in Birmingham!

I'm not sure if it's a full on store. The one up here is described as a collection point. Get the impression that it's just a pick up point. Had my bike delivered - £20 was less than it would have cost me to go.

Can't really add much. Frame seems well put together. Welding/brazing or whatever is tidy. Paint job is lasting well.

OK, I could afford a £5000 Pinarello or Bianchi but I'm not sure the extra cost could be justified at my skill level.

I'd worry how heavy a steel one is, the Alu version isn't exactly svelte

Ribble store in Birmingham!

it's only a show room, you can order online from the store though, just like being at home!

My lad is Saturday boy at Preston - ring him for a chat tomorrow 🙂

He says the Birmingham showroom has a lot of the new stock on display (most of the show stand bikes). Preston warehouse also has a showroom - ring or message them to find out what is on display.

He has one of the 525s as a winter trainer and someone I work with also has one. It's a really nice frame for the money and lighter than other similar budget steel (old school small diameter thin wall steel).

True, it's not the lightest but it's also not the heaviest. I ain't riding crits or obsessed with Strava segments so it's not a great worry. I ride with a guy on a £3000+ Bianchi and there's no way I struggle to keep with him.

Downhill he struggles to stay with me.

But then I'm not obsessed with names and labels. I just ride a bike - as do most of us!!!

I went past the Birmingham store this week and had a gaze in, its inside "the mailbox" s****y shopping and eating arcade, and is massive with probably 30 bikes on display. Its more a showroom than a shop but extremely useful to get a look at them.

CGR 725 frame weighs around 2300g with the carbon fork at 470g...

The endurance 725 looks great, like a budget Equilibrium.

Shame (and surprising) it only takes 25mm tyres with guards.

I run 23mm tyres on mine on the road. No problem.

Soon be putting the 25mm back on for winter use.

There's 45mm clearance between the stays on the Endurance 725, my guess is you'd be able to squeeze 30c and mudguards.

Sorry, I misread that. Took it the wrong way round!!!

There is loads of clearance even now I've put my mudguards and 25mm back on. Can't see any problem running 30mm on it.

There are different mudguard alternatives. I went for the biggest and most coverage guards. There are others that are somewhat slimmed down and should give no problems on 30mm.

Thanks for the pic kazafaza,  That's good to know, I was just reading the info on the site.

I'm currently running 28mm and guards on my old audax frame, perfect for cumbrian roads.

You're welcome, I'm the the fitting monkey at the Brum showroom - we have a sizing jig so feel free to pop in and try any of the models for size.  The CGR 725 has around 56mm of clearance between the stays.

OK, back to my comment about the clearance with mudguards on the Endurance 725 - the fork might not take 30c with full length mudguard or it's going to be a tight squeeze (Continental Grand Prix Classic 25c).

Looks like a 28 will squeeze in there, I'll be patiently waiting for the frames to drop in Nov /Dec.

Thanks for the quick response by email as well 🙂

Resurrecting this thread because I was hoping to get some input on sizing of the CGR. Can anyone who has one (or test ridden one) share what size they have, their own dimensions, and how it fits?
Cheers!

I'm 6'2" and bought a 58cm. Think they call that XL. I followed their sizing chart which seems pretty accurate. Fits perfectly, I've not changed anything.

any thoughts on the steel one? It piqued my interest

4kg with fork?

Good to know, thanks. I'm 6', and was looking at the 56cm, which is medium - sounds like it's probably the right choice.

Pretty sure i am going to get one of these to replace my stolen orange rx9 , just waiting on my cycle to work scheme voucher coming in . Just have to decide between aluminium or steel . On looks alone it would be the steel one but with the bigger tyres is steel actually going to be a comfier ride than the ally one or just heavier ?

Oh well definitely ally now , just checked the site and the steel is over the c2w limit now , i'm sure it was 999 last week with the ally at 850 .

sarawak - what kind of riding are you doing on your CGR? Is it a lot of road, mostly gravel/ cross type stuff etc?

I bought it for riding a mix of road, local forest trails and some disused railway tracks that are now "recreational" paths. Part of one of the many C2C routes up here. Went for this because of disc brakes, keeping braking surfaces clean; my previous bike was eating rims and brake pads with all the sh!t I was riding through. Got the bestest mudguards they were offering - SKS Longboards which are superb!

Recreational cycling only, but back in the day I was a top line tester. I met an old acquaintance one day and we started riding together - no quarter given, as always - and we have gravitated more to roads nowadays. But we don't ride bus routes; there are a lot of quiet country lanes round here, many of which are poorly surfaced and are littered with potholes and general lack of council maintenance. Many roads are little better than forest tracks.

Bike hasn't really missed a beat. I upgraded the wheels to Hunts, and have just replaced the brake cables. That's all I've done to it. Gear set is 105, with cable brakes. Like the advert - it does what it says on the tin.

When I bought mine there was no choice other than the ally frame so that's what I got. There was only one colour as well - dayglow yellow. At least it's visible. Might have been tempted by the steel one if I'd had the choice. They seem to have expanded the range quite a lot since I got mine; I presume that means they are popular bikes???

Don't know where you are based. I'm up on the W. Lancs coast between Liverpool and Preston. You're welcome to come for a looksee if you can make it. You can even have a ride on it!!!

That is a sexy but of kit but are they a significant improvement over e.g the Croix de fer or Jamis, which are cheaper?

BTW if steel is your thing, Orange have been selling off RX9 prototypes in steel. I was tempted but they don't seem to know anything about them (Geo, materials, sizing etc)

I'm looking at the AL Apex 1x version at £1200, but the new Vitus Substance CRX at £1800 has got me wanting one, especially if I can get it in a sale.

Thanks Sarawak, good to know! I'm not near Lancashire unfortunately, but thank you for the offer!