Ribble has long been one of the UK’s leading mail-order bike companies, but the company is fairly new to the mountain bike game. The 650b-wheeled 725 hardtail takes its name from the Reynolds steel it’s built from, and is billed as a “singletrack slayer”.
Ribble HT 725 Pro frame details
While not as light as the Reynolds 853, the 725 is still a decently lively feeling and extremely durable tubeset.
The main tubes are triple-butted – their wall thickness is increased in areas where more strength is needed and reduced elsewhere to save weight or introduce a little comfort-enhancing compliance (engineered flex).
On the driveside, the chainstay tapers to join a plate near the bottom-bracket shell, giving huge tyre clearance and a good chainline.
With a 455.5mm reach, 64-degree head angle and 74-degree seat tube angle on the medium size, the 725’s geometry is straight out of the ‘contemporary mountain bike design’ playbook. The chainstays measure 430mm across all four frame sizes.
Ribble HT 725 Pro spec details
The Pro is the top build option of three. Ribble specs a beefy 150mm-travel RockShox Revelation RC fork with 35mm stanchions.
SRAM provides its GX Eagle drivetrain and Guide R brakes (although our bike had Level T stoppers instead). Sticking the bike to the ground is a Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR tyre combo.
I had some trouble with the own-brand Level dropper post sticking, so Ribble sent a RockShox Reverb to keep me running.
Much of the build kit comes from Level, including the cockpit. The handlebar is listed as 800mm, but mine measured 750mm. Specs can be customised via Ribble’s online Bike Builder tool.
Ribble HT 725 Pro ride impressions
Steep, techy lines with sniper roots and mini rock gardens are where the 725 excels. Its wheelbase is long enough for you to feel centred over the bike, and the slack head angle stops it feeling twitchy on steeper gradients.
When the weather took a turn for the worse, I felt confident tipping the Ribble headlong down ruts where traction was minimal.
While not top tier, the parts all work perfectly well. The bike is no handful on tamer trails and isn’t so long that it ceases to be fun.
It corners well, whether mid-trail or on tight pump tracks, and the frame is forgiving enough that mistakes aren’t dealt with as harshly as I feared they might be.
I found the big 2.6in Maxxis tyres on broad rims offered a good mix of comfort and a predictable breakaway point.
While for much of the year the Minion DHF on the front would be perfect, I’d swap it out for a spikier tyre in winter, when it’s prone to surfing over the top of mud rather than digging in.
Ribble HT 725 Pro geometry
| | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat angle (degrees) | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 |
| Head angle (degrees) | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| Chainstay (mm) | 430 | 430 | 430 | 430 |
| Seat tube (mm) | 375 | 426 | 457 | 508 |
| Top tube (mm) | 610 | 630 | 650 | 670 |
| Head tube (mm) | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 |
| Bottom bracket drop (mm) | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1,167 | 1,187 | 1,207 | 1,227 |
| Stack (mm) | 599.5 | 608.5 | 617.5 | 626.5 |
| Reach (mm) | 438.1 | 455.5 | 473 | 490.5 |
Product
| Brand | ribble |
| Price | 3800.00 AUD,2151.00 EUR,2199.00 GBP,2429.00 USD |
| Weight | 14.6100, KILOGRAM (M) - without pedals |
Features
| Fork | RockShox Revelation RC, 150mm (5.9in) travel |
| br_stem | LEVEL XV, 35mm |
| br_chain | SRAM GX Eagle |
| br_frame | Reynolds 725 chromoly steel |
| Tyres | Maxxis Minion DHF 3C MaxxTerra EXO TR (f) and Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra EXO TR (r) 27.5x2.6in |
| br_brakes | SRAM Level T, 180/160mm rotors |
| br_cranks | SRAM GX Eagle DUB, 32T, 170mm |
| br_saddle | WTB Koda Race |
| br_wheels | LEVEL 35 |
| br_shifter | SRAM GX Eagle 12-Speed |
| br_cassette | SRAM Eagle 11-50T |
| br_seatpost | Rockshox Reverb Stealth 200mm dropper |
| br_handlebar | LEVEL XV, 750mm |
| br_bottomBracket | SRAM DUB |
| br_availableSizes | S, M, L, XL |
| br_rearDerailleur | SRAM GX Eagle |
