Ribble Evo Pro Carbon, SRAM Rival Self Build

ashleey

I have finished making a bike from the frame up for the first time. The frame came from Ribble as did the SRAM Rival parts. I had a pair of DT Swiss R1900 wheels that had been swapped out from a different bike.

Apologies for the mobile phone photos.

I had FSA compact wing bars on my favorite bike and so got the same to go wit h this. I also used a Fizik Arione saddle to match the 'comfort' of my other one, a Focus Team Replica. The geometry of the 2 frames is virtually identical. I bought a Deda Zero 1 stem (which looks great in black gloss).

Pitfalls were the initial set up of the gearing as the cables are sticky for the first few changes, so do not cut the cables until you have gone through the gears loads of times and then indexed and adjusted the limit screws again and then again and again. Sram cables must enter the derailleurs straight and not curved and hence the lasso look of the rear cable at the derailleur.

Sram rival levers are carbon too which also fits the frame look!

I was nervous cutting the fork steerer but the measurements seemed ok and I got an expanding plug as its easier than a star bolt.

The frame looks good with the 'weave' finish and glossy clear coat. I got the largest size which Ribble give as 56 cm as I'm tall. It's a perfect fit but the head tube looks a bit tall due to to the thinner down tube than my Focus. One side of the bottom bracket housing was a bit stiff when screwing on the cup, which was nerve wracking as I was petrified of stripping the threads but otherwise the frame is great. Ribble supply the seat clamp, and as you have to order their forks, if you get a head set (I got ITM 45/45Campag standard) they fit the crown race and bearings etc for you.

I think I left the gear cable housings a bit long at the bars but I'm too scared to pull them out and start again.

I'm just waiting for some Elite bottle cages to arrive and a Token Chain Catcher all in black!

I'm sure the Wipperman gold chain will raise a few comments but they have lasted me better than Sram ones.

Only the front derailleur goes through the frame near the bottom bracket so there is no tricky internal routing to deal with.

Ended up at 8.5 kg, which I couldn't believe. My wife still thinks I'm mental as she came home from work to catch me weighing it on the the electronic bathroom scales in the kitchen.

ashleey

A better full size photo:

ashleey

and another, with apologies for the poor forum etiquette:

Briando

I like those doors in the last picture.

Briando

What does the complete bike weight?

ashleey

Briando wrote: »

What does the complete bike weight?

The doors are better when painted than that 'orange varnish' red deal that every new house seemed to come with!

It weighs 8.5kg which isn't bad for a frame to fit a 6'4" person. It's only 300g heavier than my SRAM force focus. As if it will make any difference to my abilities!

Dubba

Nice bike and well done on the build! Also I like the gold chain - back frame combo.

ashleey

It's well worth doing up a bike yourself. It gives you good practice for the inevitable mechanical troubles once the miles are put in. The only extra tool from the usual stuff you have in a bike set is a set of cable cutters. SRAM shifter sets come with all cables and housings too.

Dubba

I'm sure you right but I bottled it on my recent build and only brought over parts from my old bike that I was confident of dis/re-assembling.
Happy enough tho as my main priority was to get back on the road asap which wouldn't have been the case if I tried to do the tricky parts myself, i.e. cables, gears and bottom bracket.

ashleey

Dubba wrote: »

I'm sure you right but I bottled it on my recent build and only brought over parts from my old bike that I was confident of dis/re-assembling.
Happy enough tho as my main priority was to get back on the road asap which wouldn't have been the case if I tried to do the tricky parts myself, i.e. cables, gears and bottom bracket.

Next time! Really it's easier than you think

kincsem

Very nice work. How many hours did it take to build? (exclude sourcing parts)

ashleey

kincsem wrote: »

Very nice work. How many hours did it take to build? (exclude sourcing parts)

I don't know for sure but no more than 3 or 4 hours at the most. I had the tools mostly and had practice in chain breaking and fitting bottom brackets. The rest is fairly clear once you open the boxes

Konkers

Well done. Would like to do something like this some day when the kids start to disown me and I can pour my affections into my bike again. Slowly but surley accumulating the topols and know how.

So as good as it looks, I assume you've taken it on its maiden voyage.
How does it feel?
Is this your first build?
have you always done your own maintenance?

ashleey

Konkers wrote: »

Well done. Would like to do something like this some day when the kids start to disown me and I can pour my affections into my bike again. Slowly but surley accumulating the topols and know how.

So as good as it looks, I assume you've taken it on its maiden voyage.
How does it feel?
Is this your first build?
have you always done your own maintenance?

It feels pretty similar to my other bike, a Focus with SRAM Force which was my main objective. As its all black I can relax more over cleaning off mud. The Focus was a nightmare as its white.
The front derailleur still needs a bit of adjustment as the cables and chain are 'bedding in'.
It is my first build as I have been doing all my own maintenance barring wheel truing and spoke repair. It's easier to do it yourself and most of the tools needed are just Allen keys. It also means that you are more able to repair on the road if needs be.

I can recommend it as a project, particularly if you have another bike to compare chain and cable lengths etc.

Go for it

WUFF

Hi,
Nice job on the bike build. How did it compare cost wise if u went out and just bought a similar spec bike off the shelf?
Thinking of doing this myself as i cant really afford to lash out on a new bike. I suppose even if it was more expensive to build yourself, the cost can be spaced out a bit. Thanks.

Best of luck with ur new mount!

ashleey

It's only cheaper if you have bits lying around from previous upgrades! On the plus side though you can scan the stores for individual bits as some are cheaper in different places. You can also get exactly the spec you want. I preferred SRAM but not all will

petethedrummer

Nice job. Very close to finishing a self build which has taken about year, due to absolute laziness. The latest 3 month delay has been the loss of a plastic bolt for my brakes.

smacl

Well done on the build, she looks great. Seriously thinking of doing this myself, though might save it as a winter project. Did you fit the forks yourself, or did you get them pre-fit from Ribble? I reckon cutting and fitting the would be the place where I'd tend to panic, though I haven't changed a BB yet either.

ashleey

smacl wrote: »

Well done on the build, she looks great. Seriously thinking of doing this myself, though might save it as a winter project. Did you fit the forks yourself, or did you get them pre-fit from Ribble? I reckon cutting and fitting the would be the place where I'd tend to panic, though I haven't changed a BB yet either.

Ribble fit the headset and forks for you. You have to buy the forks but get the headset as well as they fit the crown race which is tricky. The bearings press in. You have to trim the steerer. It is aluminuum though so a hacksaw will suffice as long as you mark your line with tape and measure carefully.

A bottom bracket is easy as they are external cups but be really gentle as you don't want to strip the threads. Initially one side was stiff which was nerve wracking. The more expensive the frame the better the finishing though.

ashleey

Properly finished now with bottle cages and chain catcher and chain stay protector and after a couple of spins its fine.