“A performance road bike with a fit that most riders will actually perform better on”: that’s what Ribble says it’s offering with its new Ultra-Road, while the Allroad Carbon also comes into the range “for riders who want one premium, full-carbon bike that can handle any road, from smooth tarmac to broken country lanes”.
Ribble believes that many people are riding the wrong bikes, copying the professionals and going for long and low race positions when they’d be better off on something a little more upright, which would provide all-day comfort.
We’ll take Ribble’s new bikes one at a time…
Ultra-Road: “a flagship performance endurance bike”
First up, then, we have the Ultra-Road, which Ribble describes as “a flagship performance endurance bike”.
Ribble says that the Ultra-Road offers the technology and performance of a top-tier race bike, but with “a more achievable and sustainable” riding position. That sounds like a valuable proposition for a whole lot of people. It’s hardly a new idea, of course: there’s already the Trek Domane SLR, Specialized Roubaix SL8, Cannondale Synapse Lab71, BMC Roadmachine 01, Pinarello X, and a whole lot more.
In terms of geometry, that means the Ribble Ultra-Road comes with a higher stack and a shorter reach than a pure race bike. The idea is that it will allow you “to sustain an aerodynamic position and maximum power for longer”, while delivering “improved feel and handling”.
The medium-sized Ultra-Road, for example, comes with a 560mm stack and a 379mm reach, giving a stack/reach of 1.48.
For comparison, Ribble’s existing Ultra-Race in a size medium comes with a 551mm stack and a 388mm reach, giving a stack/reach of 1.42. Ribble’s Ultra-Aero SL R in the same size has a 545mm stack and a 392mm reach, giving a stack/reach of 1.39.
“There’s a belief in cycling that an aggressive position means you’ll be faster [but] most riders can’t maintain an extreme position for long,” says Ribble CEO Sean Hastings. “When they try, fatigue builds, power drops and riding is less enjoyable; trying to emulate a pro’s riding position isn’t right for everyone. Ultra-Road is designed around that insight; it’s a performance road bike with a fit that most riders will actually perform better on.”
The Ultra-Race frameset is made from Toray M46 and T1000 carbon and comes with what Ribble describes as “aero-informed tube shaping”. The carbon seatpost is also aero-profiled and designed to damp road buzz.
You also get internal frame storage in the down tube, discreet mudguard mounts, and clearance for tyres up to 38mm wide (35mm with mudguards fitted) – so Ribble is aiming for versatility and practicality here.
The Ultra-Road is available in Slate Grey Metallic and Damson Metallic finishes, as well as in a hand-painted Iridescent White Metallic limited edition.
As mentioned, the Ultra-Road isn’t intended to be a traditional-style race bike, but the frameset is UCI-approved, and it comes in builds that weigh as little as 7.5kg.
You can choose from a variety of Shimano and SRAM groupsets, and wheelset options are also on offer. An Aero Pack allows you to upgrade base models with an integrated cockpit and carbon wheels at a reduced price.
Speaking of price, complete Ribble Ultra-Road builds start at £2,599. That gets you a bike built up with a Shimano 105 (mechanical groupset. Top-level Shimano Dura-Ace builds are priced from £5,999, with SRAM Red builds from £6,499. Delivery is now free across all bikes.
We have a Ribble Ultra-Road in for review here at road.cc and we’ll be publishing our findings as soon as we can.
Allroad Carbon: focused on all-day comfort
The second new bike that Ribble has added to its range is the Allroad Carbon – an evolution of its Allroad SL – which it also sees as a premium model designed for all-day comfort.
> Check out our review of the Allroad SL
Ribble calls the Allroad Carbon: “A classic endurance bike that blends improved responsiveness while keeping the comfort, confidence and versatility needed for year-round riding on UK roads.
“It’s designed for riders who want one premium, full-carbon bike that can handle any road from smooth tarmac to broken country lanes,” says Ribble.
Unlike the existing Allroad SL, the Allroad Carbon comes with fully integrated cable routing and a covered end to the thru-axle on the driveside – features that we’re seeing on ever more bikes these days. Ribble also claims “meaningful weight savings”.
Like the Ultra-Road, the Allroad Carbon offers mudguard compatibility and clearance for tyres up to 35mm wide. That means it should be able to handle rough asphalt and light gravel. It comes as a claimed 8.1kg with an optional Aero Pack upgrade giving you a one-piece carbon integrated cockpit and carbon wheels.
Ribble CEO Sean Hastings says, “The Allroad SL has been one of our most popular bikes, so this update was about keeping what riders tell us they love and making it better – a cleaner aesthetic, improved weight, great value and fun to ride.
“The Ultra-Road is designed for sustained, high performance in the real world with a fit that anyone who isn’t a pro will likely end up faster on, while the Allroad Carbon is simply a great, modern endurance bike – fast and lively, but still versatile and comfortable to ride all day.”
The Allroad Carbon is available in Deep Blue Metallic and Silver Sage Metallic. It comes with a choice of Shimano Tiagra, 105 and Ultegra groupsets, and with wheelset options, and you can upgrade base models with the Aero Pack (see below). Pricing starts at £1,799 for an Allroad Carbon built up with a Shimano Tiagra groupset. A Shimano Ultegra Di2 build is £2,999.
If you’re not into the standard finishes, you can create your own design using Ribble’s CustomColour Service.
Like other Ribble bikes, the Ultra-Road and Allroad Carbon come with a lifetime frame and fork warranty and a 30-day test ride guarantee that allows you to ride your bike for 30 days and return it if you’re not happy.
What is Ribble’s Aero Pack?
We’ve mentioned Ribble’s Aero Pack a few times. This means you can switch alloy rims and the separate handlebar and stem system for Mavic Cosmic S 42 carbon wheels and an integrated carbon cockpit.
Adding the Aero Pack costs you £700, saving you over £400 compared to the individual component costs.
5 thoughts on “Are you riding the wrong bike? Ribble thinks so as it launches Ultra-Road and Allroad Carbon”
“…a full carbon bike that can handle any road, from smooth tarmac to broken country lanes”; I don’t think we’ve had any smooth tarmac down East Sussex way for many a long year. Apparently this is because there were once too many Libraries in Lewisham, or maybe it was Bootle.
Ribble build quality is absolutely honking in my experience. Would never buy a bike from them again.
@Wammerz what happened?
What are their projected sales forecasts for two bicycles that are joining in a fairly busy segment (keeping gravel aside)?
The Pearson Forge has used this approach for a good few years now., nothing new.