It was one of those days when we had jumped the gun putting Lycra on. We sat in the front room in our cycling shorts looking out at the rain, willing the other to suggest hibernation instead. Neither did, so when the deluge had dulled to a drizzle, out we went. There was a bicycle to be tested, after all.
The Peak District lanes were wet, but it didn’t really matter to me. The Ribble had excellent mudguards; my bottom would stay dry. The same could not be said for my face. My cycling companion that day was not only a mudguard refusenik but also far faster than me, which meant an afternoon chasing him down, sucking his wheel and drinking puddle water until the sun came out. He is also a mountain biker, which meant a few ill-advised “shall we just see where this one goes?” diversions. One, past the Derbyshire village of Wash, involved pedalling up a gravelly stream and almost an early bath.
Happily, the Ribble is a trooper, even if I am not. The 25mm tyres rolled along fine, even on rocky terrain. The skinny steel frame (Reynolds 525) soaked up the worst of the bumps without adding much weight. I was glad the manufacturers insisted I get the 44cm model, even though it looked fit for a Borrower. At 5ft 4in in my socks, I usually take a 51cm frame, but was assured, correctly, that the top tube would be long enough. The snug geometry really worked for me, allowing me to put out maximum power on the cranks when climbing out of the saddle. It also looked a delight, clearly aimed at the fashionable retro market, where carbon is the devil and steel rules supreme.
Ribble bikes are built to order: mine, which cost £925, had a Campagnolo Veloce Silver groupset, 10 speed. I’ve never really understood the Campag cult, yet I loved the smooth shift and elegant chainrings. My model had a 12-25 compact cassette, which gave low enough gearing to get up a frankly ridiculous 20%er near the otter and owl sanctuary in Slackhall, albeit with a few pauses to “look at the view”.
You know how some bikes just feel good? You get on, set off, and think: Oh, we are going to be together a long time. Like when you meet someone new and fit perfectly into their embrace on the first go without any need for adjustments. It was like that for the Ribble and me. It’s the perfect little winter bike, or a very snazzy commuter. I can really see a future for the pair of us together.
Ribble Reynolds 525: in numbers
Frame (£659.95) Ribble STEEL Winter/Audax 525
Groupset (+ £139.99) Campagnolo Veloce Silver 10 Speed Double Bikebuilder
Seatpost (+ £18.99) CSN Carbon S.E. Seatpillar
Saddle (+ £5.99) Selle Italia Lady Flow Saddle
Retro rating 9/10
