Ribble is an English bicycle manufacturer that has become a staple of the cycling scene in the UK. Almost all of its bikes are made for road biking, and the Ribble Aero is an aerodynamic-design road bike that is made to wreak havoc with Nature’s elements and go against the laws of physics.
The Ribble Aero was a beautiful bike in our eyes when we saw it. Making use of a gorgeous carbon fiber frame with aerodynamically modified sections of the down and seat tubes, this was definitely a well-designed cycle.
The seat post is aero as well, along with the rear brake, which has been tucked under the chainstays in an attempt to keep the obstacles on the frame to a minimum.
In addition to this, we noticed a lot of clean, smooth blending, such as between the fork, the head tube and the down tube. The seat tube actually has a cutout section for the rear wheel to nestle in without interference. However, the clearance between the tube and the 23mm tire is a hairs-breadth. We didn’t dare try a 25mm tire.
This obviously meant that the bike couldn’t be ridden on anything other than a very smooth road or track, which was a little unfortunate. While the bike does transfer power incredibly well, it does have drawbacks, such as the fact that you feel every little wavy part of the road, and you do have a constant little worry that the rear tire is going to hit the post.
+Pros:
Lovely design
Low weight
Stiff, but not too stiff
Smoothly blended parts
Great power transmission
-Cons:
Not a pro-level current gen aero bike
Better for beginners, but not priced like it
Very specific conditions needed
The Verdict
The Ribble Aero is a bike made for the smooth, hard and perfect roads of the world, and manages to zip along these incredibly well.
This is definitely a bike you should pick up if you have some cash to spare, but it isn’t one that we would die without. It was a lot of fun to review though!
