RIDGEBACK SPEED
£499.99 Frugal and fully equipped British-designed workhorse
Ridgeback made the fast flat-bar commuter popular with its original Genesis Day 01 model in 2001. So popular was it, in fact, that it led to Genesis becoming a spin-off brand. The Speed hits all of Ridgeback’s core values, the first being that of value: you won’t find many bikes under £500 equipped with full mudguards, a rear rack and full Shimano drivetrain. It’s also fun, thanks to the Speed’s geometry and design. The aluminium frame is well proportioned with multi-shaped tubes and sloping top tube – perfect for riding in civilian clothes, and it makes this bike an agile handler.
The head angle is slightly slacker than a road bike, but the seat angle is steep (1). This means a fairly forward, upright ride position that adds comfort. Reassuringly, it still feels at ease zigzagging through traffic and pushed hard into corners. The big-volume 42c Vee Zilent tyres roll better than they have any right to. A fairly firm central strip makes the Speed quick enough in a straight line and the siped treaded shoulders (2) (siping is the process of cutting thin slits across a tyre to improve traction) are soft enough to boost cornering grip.
When you’re riding uphill, you notice the extra mass in the rolling stock, compounded by heavyweight Schrader valve inner tubes. The 42c tyres are about as large as you’ll fit under the mudguards, meaning occasional tyre rub. The wheels attach via threaded axles with 15mm bolts (3), so you must add a 15mm spanner to your puncture-repair setup.
The Speed doesn’t deviate from Shimano Tourney, aside from a 7-speed KMC chain. The EZ-Fire bar-mounted shifters feature display windows and shift arrows on the levers to help new cyclists. The shift quality is smooth and accurate, and while
Weight 12.6kg (M) Frame Alloy Fork Chromoly Gears Shimano Tourney 7-speed Wheels AJ-1 rims on KT A16F/AY1R hubs Brakes ProMax TX-117 V-brake Finishing kit Vee Zilent 700 x 42c tyres, Ridgeback alloy riser bar Ridgeback custom saddle
the shifts across the triple chainring (48/38/28) are decidedly slow, it hits the right gear every time. Sadly, no amount of fettling could tone down the drivetrain noise that stems from its wide-changing shifts.
Unlike the other square-taper chainsets here, Shimano’s offering is stiff enough with little crank arm flex. The chainset with its chunky crank arms and integrated chainguard sitting on a 122.5mm bottom-bracket axle, gives a much wider stance than a road bike.
As for stopping, Ridgeback has opted for V-brakes. In its time, the mountain bike V-brake was revolutionary, offering strong brake power, high tyre clearance and simple maintenance. The V-brakes are now obsolete in the world of performance bikes, but still perform well. The budget ProMax brake units deliver ample power and a nice feel at the lever, though understandably don’t match the Giant or Orbea’s hydraulic alternatives.
The low-slung frame means plenty of exposed seatpost adding comfort-inducing flex. The post is topped with a Ridgebackbranded saddle that’s well shaped for nonpadded short-clad backsides without being overly wide. Upfront, a 640mm-wide flat riser bar is capped with ergonomically-shaped grips with lock-on collars, so they don’t slip or shift. They also contain sufficient material to take the sting out of rough roads, which is welcome when the front end of the Speed’s chassis is a stiff, high-tensile chromoly fork.
When I left it outside, there were some tell-tale signs of corrosion on the exposed cables and bolts, though nothing a proper clean wouldn’t sort. The Ridgeback Speed has far more plus points than negatives. It’s well priced, fun to ride and comes with the extras that its rivals would look on with envy. But there are downsides. Very loud ones. The drivetrain’s wide-ranging gears mean a fair bit of noise, while its 21-speed triple-equipped composition feels like overkill for a bike that’ll mostly be ridden in urban environments. Throw in the extra noise from the mudguard-rubbing and, if persistent sounds wind you up, you might want to look elsewhere.
Fun to ride, the Ridgeback Speed comes with the extras that its rivals would look on with envy