Ribble E-Bike

[Seanwhat]

Hey guys!

I've pretty much narrowed down my choice to the THE RIBBLE ENDURANCE SLe DISC - SHIMANO TIAGRA. I was originally looking at the Orbea Gain range, but from what I can see the Ribble seems to be a lot better in value, coming with a carbon frame as standard. I can't seem to find much info on this bike though, especially from people who have bought it.

The base model comes with the shimano tiagra, and it's a £500 upgrade to the 105. This doesn't seem worth it to me at all. Is there anything I'm missing? The tiagra is decent enough from what I can tell. Is it easy to upgrade later?

Does anyone have any input on this bike before I buy it? Thanks!

 

[Artstu]

A friend has just bought an Orbea Gain with Tiagra, she had a long discussion with the shop's mechanic about going for 105, and he convinced her there was no need, the latest Tiagra shifters are now actually the last version of 105, so in reality you're just getting an older version of 105.

 

[Crossroads]

Vital ' e-bike' stats

11KG Carbon Fibre, 250 WH battery, option for additional 250WH bottle battery, rear hub motor, 40NM torque.

 

[Seanwhat]

A friend has just bought an Orbea Gain with Tiagra, she had a long discussion with the shop's mechanic about going for 105, and he convinced her there was no need, the latest Tiagra shifters are now actually the last version of 105, so in reality you're just getting an older version of 105.

That's interesting, thanks! I'll stick with the lower model then. I think it's a very similar bike to the orbea, I'm just going to buy it.

 

[asc99c]

Out of interest did you buy this bike?

I'm also very interested in it, just trying to convince employer to do a cycle to work scheme (ideally one like GCI that would cover the full cost!)

 

[Seanwhat]

I did not. I learnt that carbon frames don't like panniers, and as a commuting bike that would make it no good for me. I went back to the orbea gain in the end! It hasn't arrived yet though.

 

[Nev]

I went back to the orbea gain in the end! It hasn't arrived yet though.

What are the delivery times like now? Last year I think some people had to wait several months.

 

[Seanwhat]

What are the delivery times like now? Last year I think some people had to wait several months.

I enquired and was told about 3 weeks. We'll wait and see if there's a delay though!

 

[Nev]

I enquired and was told about 3 weeks. We'll wait and see if there's a delay though!

That's good sounds like Orbea have sorted out this problem. Have you had a decent test ride on the gain? I am thinking of buying an e-racing bike this year, but I live in a very hilly area and the only one I have tested so far (Cube with ultegra components) was nothing like as good as I was expecting when it came to assisting up very steep hills.

 

[Artstu]

A friend of mine bought a a Gain, she just went to the shop and bought it on the same day, test rode one and liked it so bought one, she also had mudguards and a rack fitted there and then, it was also on offer. It's really smart looking bike.

 

[Jonah]

That's good sounds like Orbea have sorted out this problem. Have you had a decent test ride on the gain? I am thinking of buying an e-racing bike this year, but I live in a very hilly area and the only one I have tested so far (Cube with ultegra components) was nothing like as good as I was expecting when it came to assisting up very steep hills.

I haven’t tried the Orbea Gain but from what I’ve read it will be a lot less powerful up hills than the Cube (assuming the Cube had a Bosch motor). Orbea say it provides ‘light’ assist.

 

[Nev]

I haven’t tried the Orbea Gain but from what I’ve read it will be a lot less powerful up hills than the Cube (assuming the Cube had a Bosch motor).

I'm sorry I didn't make my post clear. The bike was a Cube racing bike, this was fitted with a Fazua electric motor. I have a Cube mountain bike fitted with a Bosch CX motor which is fantastic on hills. The assist on hills provided by the Fazua felt like less than half that provided by the Bosch CX.

This came as a bit of a surprise to me. Looking at the ratings I think the Fazua has a torque rating of 60 Nm and the Bosch CX 75 Nm. I was obviously expecting a difference, but it was much bigger than I thought it would be.

I think the Orbea Gain has a motor rated at 40 Nm, so I suspect I would really struggle on some of the hills I ride up, but as someone pointed out to me. One really needs to try these bikes out on the kinds of hills one is likely to encounter rather than just go off the numbers listed.

Unfortunately the only bike shop local to me selling Orbeas will only allow me to try an Orbea Gain around their flat car park. This is of no use to me as I need to try it on some steep hills, I have asked them to get an Orbea demonstrator bike in, but they did not seem too keen to do this. Apparently bike shops have to pay a charge of around £60 to bring in demonstrators.

They may well change their minds because I have heard from one of their customers that they are now selling more e-bikes than conventional bikes, so this may well encourage them to get some demonstrators in.

 

[Jonah]

I fully agree with you. I’m surprised your LBS aren’t more accommodating. Perhaps the limited availability of the Gain up to now is part of it. Hopefully availability will improve and you will get a test ride.

 

[asc99c]

Do Ribble do test rides? I'm not that far from their shop, I'm assuming they'll have some of their electric bikes available.

 

[Nev]

Do Ribble do test rides? I'm not that far from their shop, I'm assuming they'll have some of their electric bikes available.

I don't know, but if they do and you try out one of their e-racing bikes can you provide on here a bit of feedback please.

 

[badlywornroy]

Do Ribble do test rides? I'm not that far from their shop, I'm assuming they'll have some of their electric bikes available.

As I reported in a thread elsewhere asc99c, Ribble only allowed me to ride their SLe electric road bike on their flat car park.

 

[badlywornroy]

Hey guys!

I've pretty much narrowed down my choice to the THE RIBBLE ENDURANCE SLe DISC - SHIMANO TIAGRA. I was originally looking at the Orbea Gain range, but from what I can see the Ribble seems to be a lot better in value, coming with a carbon frame as standard. I can't seem to find much info on this bike though, especially from people who have bought it.

The base model comes with the shimano tiagra, and it's a £500 upgrade to the 105. This doesn't seem worth it to me at all. Is there anything I'm missing? The tiagra is decent enough from what I can tell. Is it easy to upgrade later?

Does anyone have any input on this bike before I buy it? Thanks!

I am probably far too late responding to your post 'Seanwhat' but I have only just read it.

Did you buy the Ribble SLe Tiagra ?

I test rode the SLe at Ribble's store yesterday, the bike I rode had Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting plus some uprated bars and stem. It seemed very light but there again for £4,000 plus you would expect something special. I thought it was a lovely bike with a quality look and finish but not for me !

I have this morning purchased the Orbea Gain 2019 D30 105 build, from Leisure Lakes.
I paid £2,500.00 for my Orbea Gain that is with full fitted SKS longboard mudguards and Schwalbe G-One allround tyres 40mm. Add the price of the mudguards and tyres plus the £2,599.00 retail price of the Gain and I guess I have saved around £150.00. Not a fortune I admit.

Now let's look at your comment " from what I can see the Ribble seems a lot better in value "

The Ribble SLe in 105 build is £2,999.00 and there is no discount available, I asked. For that extra £500.00 I get . . . . a carbon frame. Ok, very nice, I have nothing against carbon frames, probably saving 1kg in weight but how important is that on a pedal assisted bike ? Oh ! and I would not get my fitted mudguards and tyres. Ribble also wanted full payment on ordering ! on a standard specification bike ?
Also the SLe has a max width tyre of 28mm (that's down to the carbon frame) the Orbea Gain has a max tyre width of 40mm. You may be saying so what ? but have you tried riding on our cracked and potholed roads on 40mm tyres ? . . . . what bliss. I have a carbon framed Felt road bike 8kg of flying machine and it runs on 28mm tyres, widest I can fit. I also have a Boardman Adventure 8.9 running on the Schwalbe G-One 40mm allround tyres. I rarely ever ride the Felt because the Boardman is sooooo comfortable. If anyone thinks 40mm tyres will be heavy and slow you couldn't be more wrong. The Orbea Gain will replace the Boardman as my main ride. On these tyres with full mudguards I am good to go, road/gravel path/canal towpath, nomatter.
At age 72 I can still ride a few short(ish)15% hills on an unassisted bike, can I ride a series of such hills over a 30 or 40 miles route ? if I can (if) I am going to be a wreck afterwards. hence my purchase of the Orbea Gain. Freedom to ride many routes I would currently avoid.

Orbea Gain should be with me around tuesday 26th. Deposit required by Leisure Lakes £250.00 Hmm !

Sorry if I have banged on too long. Only my opinions of course, I am often wrong as my dear wife reminds me.
Keep riding.

Roy

 

[Nev]

Congrats on your purchase of the Gain Roy, please let us know what it's like on hills of around the 15% type. I have a lot of that type of hill around where I live and I really struggle on them with a non assisted bike.

 

[yusstay]

I was unsure what road bike would be best suited to me and looked at the ones mentioned in this post. I ended up getting the Focus Paralane2 9.8 with the Fazua at less than 13kg delivered this weekend. It's not my first ebike as I also have a Cube reaction hybrid with the Bosch CX(Have previously had a whisper that i loved and a Giant e road which was like a tank and hard to ride with no power. Oh and this isn't a review just initial thoughts.

On my first ride today things I have noticed is the bike is so light once moving that with no head wind today it was like riding any of my other road bikes. I went about 3 miles before turning on the power, lowest level I didn't notice it was on. At medium it was like a tail wind, on high it was like a strong tail wind.

I only did some small hills and on low power it didn't help enough for me to notice, on medium and high it let me get up the hill but still felt like i was putting in the effort. I am 103kg, just over 16st but when I am on my cube I can tell it is the CX that is powering me no matter what level. Will be interesting to see how I get on during my commute where I have some wee hills, the bosch flies me up them with very little effort but I dread the battery running out on my MTB compared to my new road bike.

Will be interesting to hear the thoughts on the ribble and the orbea gain.

 

[Inveral]

Vital ' e-bike' stats

11KG Carbon Fibre, 250 WH battery, option for additional 250WH bottle battery, rear hub motor, 40NM torque.

The auxiliary battery has not yet been released and there is no outlook for availability. I contacted them April 2019.