We don't run a news story for every new bike launch, but now and then something a bit special comes up that's impossible to resist.
Ribble's new Allroad Ti, launched today, ticks that box, marrying the classic good looks of titanium with cutting-edge 3D printing at the headtube and seat cluster for an almost seamless, sculpted look. In short, it's a beauty!
The pictures speak for themselves:
Designed to maximise and enhance the unique ride qualities of titanium, the bike has an endurance focussed geometry "to deliver uncompromising performance, speed and versatility" say Ribble.
The frame is the star of the show: made from corrosion-resistant 3AL-2.5V Titanium, the headtube and seat-tube clusters are formed via additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create unique profiles, optimised for aerodynamic efficiencies.
The welds are then hand-polished, resulting in a frame with the flowing, seamless lines of carbon fibre, but with the ride quality and longevity of titanium.
As you'd expect, Ribble have incorporated the latest industry standards so you'll find an over-sized threaded T47 bottom bracket to increases stiffnes and enhance power transfer.
The D-shaped carbon seatpost allows for flex, say Ribble, giving additional comfort and features an integrated seat clamp. Paired with a carbon fork, there's clearance for tyres up to 35mm and hidden mudguard mounts, making this a highly capable all-road machine.
More controversially perhaps, the 3D-printed sections of the frame have also allowed Ribble to use full internal cable routing. While this undeniably results in clean lines "to show off the brushed, hand finished titanium frame in its full glory", it's also going to make maintenance and travel a little more complicated.
But frankly, do you care when the bike looks this good?
"The Allroad Ti project has been an opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible with titanium beyond basic round tube profiles," says Jamie Burrow, Head of Product at Ribble.
"The additive manufacturing process has allowed us to take aerodynamic features from our Ultra range and apply them to this bike to create a high-performance titanium road bike with distinctive ride properties. From the initial prototype showcased at a leading industry show last year and launch today the bike has been through thousands of miles testing and multiple iterations to hone the design, ride and performance."
As usual with Ribble, the specification can be customised using their online configurator tool. The bike you see in the photos here is based on the 'Hero' pre-build specification, with additional upgrades via Ribble's configurator and comes in at £9,799.
Additional recommended specs in the range include Allroad Ti Hero at £7,999, Allroad Ti Pro at £5,499, Allroad Ti Enthusiast priced £4,099 and Allroad Ti Sport which comes in at £3,499. Weights for the complete bike start at 8.5kg for the Hero edition.
You can check out the new Allroad Ti, along with the full range of specs and upgrades now at www.ribblecycles.co.uk.
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