The Ribble CGR Ti Review
Is this the Ultimate Road Bike? Let's see..
So Ribble have had quite a reputation here in the UK for creating truly outstanding road bikes for a number of years now.
Based in Preston, Lancashire, they have built a solid reputation on their ability to craft picture perfect Road Bikes, Hybrids, Gravel Bikes & Even Electric Bikes for their customers.
Today's review is going to look at the Ribble CGR Ti, and why (if you have the money of course) you should most likely invest and get grab yourself one.
Designer Jamie Burrows has done a fantastic job crafting this absolute masterpiece of a bike, and hopefully we can convince you in this review why you should head over to Ribble and grab yourself a Ribble CGR Ti!
So sit back, grab a coffee, and let's take a quick look at the Ribble CGR Ti:
Ribble CGR Ti Specs
Ok so just like most of their bike configurations, you can purchase the Ribble CGR Ti in different specs with different groupsets.
While the main bulk of this review will be about their base model Ribble CGR Ti 650b, we'll also just quickly compare the differences between all of the models below:
Sizes
This is a quick image to showcase the various different frame sizes they have available when you custom order a Ribble CGR Ti:
Full Specs:
This table shows the differences between all 5 models as specced on their website, including the SRAM Apex 1x 650b, Shimano 105, Shimano GRX, SRAM Rival 650b & Shimano Ultegra Di2.
As you can see, they have some seriously juicy base configurations to choose from, and if none of these suit you, then you can always customise your ride even further online on the Ribble Website.
Ribble CGR Ti Review
Ok so now we've established some of the specs available for your choosing, let's take a look at the main crux of this review, the Ribble CGR Ti base model, or the Ribble CGR Ti 650b as we'll call it from here on in.
Here are some basics specs (different from above):
As you can see, the weight of the Ribble CGR Ti comes in at only 9.81kg, which considering it has a Titanium Frame is incredibly impressive. It has both the lightness similar to a carbon fibre offering, but also the strength of what you'd normally expect from a Titanium Frame.
The Ribble CGR Ti 650b has the perfect combination of SRAM Rival 1x gearing & 650b Mavic Wheels,meaning that you can use this monster of a bike on the road, or even off-road if you so wish. The versatility is off the charts!
Frame Weight
The triple-butted 3AL/2.5V frame from the Ribble CGR Ti weighs approximately 1,700g with the carbon forks adding just around 480g (dam!).
This makes it overall not too much heavier than an all-carbon set up, and considering how flimsy carbon fibre can be (depending on the level of carbon used), it's a great idea to choose the Ribble CGR Ti, as Titanium is well known in the cycling world to be ridiculously robust and longlasting.
The frame clearances are also remarkably good, with plenty of room between the forks; so this is always a good feature to see especially if you want to upgrade your tyre/wheel set up in the future from the base model.
How does it Ride?
Titanium is such a fantastic material for uneven / edgy surfaces, as it's somewhat elastic. During a ride you'll notice it soaks up a lot more of the vibrations than a normal carbon fibre bike; this is especially useful if you like to take your bike off road and don't have the luxury of smooth tarmac surfaces!
The seat-post is also made from Titanium, and as you'd expect being a bit firmer it's perhaps not as comfy as if it was carbon
However, the WTB Koda Race saddle makes sure that this is almost negligible, providing a super comfy ride.
Now obviously the Ribble CGR Ti isn't going to compete with a skinnier, more nimble racer bike, and it's not the quickest climber, but for what it is, and the strength you get from the frame it's a fantastic bike.
