Ribble CGR Ti Pro
It’s swift enough to hustle along at pace without becoming nervy over rough surfaces surfaces
£4199 LUXURY DO IT ALL MACHINE FROM LONG ESTABLISHED L ANCASHIRE OUTFIT
CGR stands for ‘cross, gravel and race’ but I like to think that Ribble’s titanium CGR brings a bit more refinement beyond the CGR’s usual jack-of-all-trades aspirations. And Ribble has clearly put a great deal of attention into this titanium frame, with rack mounts and a dynamo-ready carbon fork with mudguard fittings. The CGR’s combination of titanium, Ultegra Di2 and carbon wheels is an impressive achievement at this price.
The frame geometry sits between road endurance and gravel without drifting too far into either or becoming too sedate. The handling is neutral – swift enough for you to hustle along at pace or swing through dry singletrack without ever becoming nervy over rough surfaces. The 40mm wide tyres grip convincingly on dry dirt and gravel, although the tread does get overwhelmed by mud. Gearing was perfect apart from on a super-steep section of broken gravel when I needed something lower than the 34x32 bottom gear. Braking and shifting were perfect.
The ride quality is impeccable, thanks to a frame that offers stiffness when you need it for a quick response, mixed with comfort from the CGR’s well-thought-out contact points. The carbon bar is slightly swept back and is wrapped with quality shock-absorbing tape; the carbon seatpost is topped with Brooks’s innovative rubber and organic cotton Cambium saddle. It’s a touch of luxury and, unlike leather, doesn’t need breaking in.
The titanium CGR is a wonderfully balanced bike. It’s good on the road, great off it, represents Ribble’s usual fantastic value and would make one seriously luxurious tourer-cum-commuter. And if you have space for just a single bike, this CGR is one of the best one-bike-for-all solutions I can think of. Though I’d be seriously tempted to buy Ribble’s £2899 CGR Ti Enthusiast model with a second set of 650b gravel wheels and tyres to create a bike for literally every occasion.
THE VERDICT
A genuine all-rounder that brings more than a touch of class