Ribble’s new CGR (Commute, Gravel, Road) range launches today, with its multi-material, do-it-all all-road bike range, dropping a steel frame option off the extensive list of options, but gaining a drop bar variant available now with all frame material options.
The popular bikes – surely now contenders for some of the best value road and commuter bikes – are available in carbon, titanium and alloy, as well as two e-bike variants, continuing a welcome ‘real-world’ approach to both buying and riding a bike with this CGR range.
A configurator that allows you to play with the specifications within sensible guard rails, continues its commitment to give customers as much choice as possible, whilst also making the process of buying a bike a little bit simpler. Ribble also gives customers a 30 day test ride guarantee.
When sticking with drop bars, there’s a myriad of choices there too, but the core specs offered are sensible and on-point for the price range, with Tiagra 10 speed up to Shimano 105 Di2 and SRAM Apex AXS for the drop bar default, thanks presumably to the flat bar shifter requirement.
Two e-bike variants, both using Mahle systems in 350w for the carbon, and 250w for the alloy version to keep weight down stand out, thanks mainly to the fact that you’re hard pressed to spot they’re an e-bike.
The alloy bike, heavier in the frame department than it's carbon sister, drops down to the capable but less powerful Mahle 250w battery to reduce the size of the down tube needed and keep the weight sensible. At under 14kg, it’s certainly not heavy for a bike in this class and it’s likely to be popular with customers, thanks in part to the bang for buck you seem to be getting with what is also a good-looking and very versatile platform.
Whilst there’s a hydroformed Ti-X model, which visually borrows from the All-road Ti range, and the carbon frame which borrows aero features from the Ultra-race range, the industrial design progress is most apparent in the alloy version of the bike, where smooth welds and angular hydroformed tubing make the bike look indiscernible from a carbon bike in many ways. For the price, £1600, if the ride quality can match the looks, it’s going to be hard to beat.
We recently reviewed a number of drop bar road and all-road bikes and none had the full off-road capability and clearance afforded by the CGR range, and whilst CGR bikes are not pure road machines, the alloy CGR with 12 speed 105 12 speed mechanical would compare well to any bike in that test, if it can deliver on ride quality.
All bikes in the CGR range feature mounts for mudguards and racks, 50mm tyre clearance, internal cable routing, and compatibility with 1X and 2X drivetrains. T47 bottom brackets for reliability. E-models run Mahle X20 or X30 systems with wireless controls and over-the-air firmware updates.
Pricing & availability
CGR AL is available in Racing Green, with pricing starting from £1,649 (Shimano Tiagra HRD groupset, or Apex XPLR on the SportFit model) through to £1,799 (Shimano 105).
CGR E AL is available in Black/Teal, with pricing starting from £2,899 (Shimano Tiagra HRD groupset, or Apex XPLR on the SportFit model) through to £3,199 (Shimano 105).
CGR E CARBON-X is available in Champagne Green, with pricing starting from £4,599 (Shimano 105 Di2) through to £3,999 (Apex XPLR AXS on SportFit), and £5,199 (Shimano Ultegra Di2).
CGR TI-X is available from £3,099 (Shimano 105) through to £3,699 (Shimano 105 Di2), and £3,499 (Apex XPLR AXS on SportFit).
The CGR range runs from an XS (suitable for riders 5'3” / 160cm tall) through to XL (for riders 6'4” / 193cm).
