Ribble has unveiled its new Allroad range, with the design inspired by the cutting-edge Ribble Ultra SLR aero road bike.
The British brand tells us the new Allroad line is the result of three years of R&D and real-world testing.
The concept of the new platform was to take the lessons learned and the technical achievements of the Ultra SLR, and trickle that technology into a bike with the more relaxed geometry associated with endurance bikes, while promising all-day comfort on multiple surfaces and year-round usability.
The Allroad platform consists of three models – the Allroad SL, Allroad SL R and Allroad SL R e.
While the silhouette of each model looks similar, there are distinct differences between the bikes.
Allroad SL R
The range-topping Allroad SL R has a deep aero-shaped seat tube with a rear-wheel cut-out to give the SL R generous (for the road) 38mm tyre clearance.
It’s topped by an aero-shaped seatpost, which looks like a scaled-down version of the deep aero shape found on the Ultra.
The down tube on the SL R is aerodynamically shaped to cut through the air and to hide the down-tube mounted bottle for smoother airflow.
Ribble has also taken advantage of the increased volume of the down tube by incorporating some storage.
Inside the storage port, you’ll find a dedicated bag system designed and made by fellow UK-based outfit Restrap.
Up-front, the SL R sports a new handlebar called the UB-2 (Ultra Bar 2). This takes the wild shape of the Ultra SLR’s bar, with its patented airflow-disrupting wake generators and sculpted drops, along with direct-mounting points for the brake levers.
Unlike the Ultra SLR bar, though, this one is separate from the stem, giving a wider choice of options for Allroad riders to mix and match stem and bar widths using Ribble’s online bike builder.
As on the Ultra SL R, the tops of the handlebar are too bulbous to wrap with handlebar tape. Wrapping the drops is optional and there is a gripped surface to stop your hands sliding around if you decide to go without tape.
The SL R is constructed with a blend of Toray T1000 carbon and M46 fibres, which Ribble claims gives it the best blend of stiffness and compliance where needed, while keeping weight down.
All in, the top-spec ‘Hero’ build (as pictured) is claimed to weigh 7.5kg in size medium. Our size-XL (roughly equivalent to a size 58cm) test bike tips our scales at 8.43kg.
The SL R model starts at £2,999 for the Shimano 105 R7100 model with Mavic Aksium wheels and alloy bar, rising to the Hero model, which comes with Dura-Ace Di2 R9200, Zipp’s 353 NSW wheels and the UB-2 carbon bar.
The Hero model costs £8,299, which is impressive value when compared to bikes with equivalent specification. For example, Specialized’s S-Works Roubaix SL8 with SRAM Red AXS is priced at £12,000.
Likewise, Trek’s Domane SLR 9 Gen 4 (with Dura-Ace Di2) is £10,800 and Giant’s Defy Advanced SL 0 with Red AXS is £11,499.
Allroad SL R e
The electric bike edition of the Allroad design takes the SL R template and carbon construction and adds Mahle’s compact X20 rear-hub motor system.
This is powered by a 350Wh battery enclosed within the aero-optimised down tube. Naturally, then, it forgoes the storage space, and instead of tapering slimmer below the bottle mounts, it stays broad.
That said, it’s hard to discern the SL R e is an ebike, with a similarly stealthy silhouette to electric road bikes such as BMC’s Roadmachine AMP, Wilier’s Filante SLR Hybrid, and Scott’s Addict eRide.
Like the SL R, this electric version has generous 38mm tyre clearance and full fittings for mudguards.
It comes with the same UB-2 aero handlebar on the Pro and Hero models.
The Hero model is specced with Mavic’s Cosmic SL 45 wheelset and the UB-2 bar.
The Allroad SL e range starts with a Shimano 105 R7100 model running on Mavic Allroad alloy wheels for £3,999, and rises to the Hero model at £8,499.
We’ve got hold of the Pro model, with Ultegra Di2 R8100 and Mavic Cosmic SL 45 wheels. It tips our scales at 12.27kg (size XL) and is priced at £5,999.
Ribble claims up to 140km of range with the internal battery, which increases to more than 200km with a range extender.
Entry into Allroad aero with the SL
The Allroad SL frameset shares the same geometry as the SL R, but forgoes the aero-shaped seat tube and seatpost in favour of a standard round 27.2mm post.
The round seat tube tapers to provide 35mm of tyre clearance (3mm less than the SL R).
Like the SL R, it has the same bottle-shielding down tube shape, though not the storage compartment.
The carbon layup has also been tweaked, featuring a mix of Toray T1000 and T800 fibre.
Ribble claims a weight of 8.8kg for a size-medium Pro build (Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 and Mavic Cosmic S 42 carbon wheels). Our size-XL Pro build comes in at 9.18kg on our scales.
All of the new Allroads are available now, with plenty of options to tune the specification using Ribble’s online configurator, and custom-finish options available through Ribble’s CustomColour program.
