Ribble Allroad SL R: a lot of bike for the money but can aero and endurance really make good bedfellows?

Ribble’s Allroad SL R is one of a trio of versatile, contemporary all-road bikes the Preston-based brand launched last summer under its Road+ banner. Pricewise, it takes middle honours in the lineup, the other two bikes being the more elemental Allroad SL and the visually striking titanium-framed Allroad Ti. All three owe a debt to Ribble’s existing Endurance range, but they’re genuinely new models developed from the ground up for mixed surface riding.

The Allroad SL R clearly borrows design cues from the Ultra SL R, Ribble’s hardcore aero race machine. You only need to glance at the uncompromising aero cockpit and thick Kamm-shaped frame tubes to spot the family resemblance. These aero enhancements provide the Allroad SL R with some performance advantages but, as I’ll reveal, they come at a cost.

Despite being visually dissimilar, all three Allroad models share one distinguishing feature that shapes their Road+ identity: bigger rubber. It’s the common thread that enables them to tackle everything from fast, smooth tarmac to light gravel competently. Maximum tyre clearance on the SL R is 38mm on a 700c wheel, which may not be up to modern gravel bike standards but it’s enough tread to take on some pretty challenging off-road trails.

I’m becoming increasingly convinced that riders looking to purchase a road-biased bike that can get to grips with multi-surface rides are better served by a decent all-road bike than the now ubiquitous gravel bike. The more economical Ribble Allroad SL, which I reviewed last autumn, proved to be such a machine, and I adored it for its cost-effective mix of simplicity and versatility.

The Allroad SL R in Hero build guise is in an entirely different league, both in terms of spec and, of course, price. When you consider the components - notably the Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and the Zip 303 Firecrest wheelset - it is competitively priced, yet £6,999/$7,870 remains an enormous sum of money for most of us to commit to. At this level, any potential customer must be sure they’re making the right choice. Unfortunately, I feel that such a judgment would be challenging in this instance, with the bike's true goals not entirely clear.

Construction

The Allroad SL R’s frame is constructed from a blend of Toray T1000 and M46 high-modulus carbon fibre for increased strength, compliance, stiffness and lightness. It’s a step up from the T700 and T800 used for the Allroad SL. Aerodynamic cues are everywhere, from the wide, bladed fork, to the hourglass-shaped headtube with its chunky trailing edge. Most noticeably, the thick downtube flares halfway down its length to better direct air around the bottle cage, which also conveniently makes room for enough internal storage to conceal a spare tube and tool kit. Ribble claims that the Allroad SL R is more aero with a bottle on the downtube than without.

Both the cutaway seat tube and the dropped seat stays are taken directly from the Ultra SL R aero race bike's playbook, to maximise compliance yet shorten the wheelbase. Similarly, the winged, aerofoil-style junction that marries the seat stays to the seat post is another Ultra SL R-inspired feature. Ribble says a medium-sized frame weighs 995g, with the matching forks 475g.

At the heart of the cockpit, on our review sample, is Ribble’s new aero Ultra Bar 2nd Gen (UB-2) carbon handlebar. Unlike the one-piece unit found on the Ultra, these are not integrated with the stem, which affords more scope for adjustment, a very good thing for an endurance bike. They do share a similarly aggressive shape, with their signature deep, foil-shaped flat top, beneath which sits a pair of ‘wake generators’. Ribble says these create a flurry of vortexes for the rider’s legs to sit within for improved aerodynamics.

All cables and hoses are routed internally, and the levers are directly bolted to the bars, which makes for a beautifully sleek appearance. Interestingly, the drops can be taped or, like mine, left with a bare, textured finish from the factory. Bar width, on my XL bike, measured 380mm at the hoods and 420mm at the drops, centre to centre. My sample bike was also fitted with a sleek integrated computer mount, a nice touch.

Ribble hasn’t scrimped on the rest of the components, which comprise a near-faultless list of goodies. The saddle, which sits atop the D-shaped carbon seatpost, is a Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow, the wheels are Zipp 303 Firecrests paired with 32 mm Pirelli P-Zero Race, and the groupset is Shimano Dura-Ace Di2.

Geometry is curious, in that both stack and reach figures - 405mm and 606mm respectively for my XL frame - are less aggressive than the similarly sized, less performance-orientated Allroad SL. That aside, the numbers are typical endurance bike fare: 415mm chainstays, 73-degree head angle and a moderate wheelbase (1026mm for an XL frame).

Ribble is currently offering the Hero build at a reduced price of £5,999/$6,750, a saving of £1,000/$1,120. To realise this discount, the brand has dropped the UB-2 bars in favour of a cheaper, less dramatic looking RI-2 carbon cockpit.

The Ride

The SL R is a charismatic-looking endurance bike, bristling with pent-up aero performance promise. One of my favourite routes here in the UK's north Cotswold’s takes in the hilly lanes and pretty villages along the Windrush Valley, before crossing the A40 to power along the long, level stretch of Akeman Street that connects with the eastern side of Cirencester.

Unleashed on this old, flat Roman road the SL R flies, more reminiscent of a race-bike than an all-road bike. The road surface here isn’t perfect but it’s pretty good, ideal for the fast-rolling 32mm Pirellis and the nimble Zipp 303s. The only upset is the tall stack height, which is at odds with the bike’s otherwise aero character.

In the sweeping gradients of the Windrush Valley, some of which are short sharp 15+ percent ramps, progress isn’t so sweet. Where the lanes aren’t pock-marked with potholes there are miles of broken surfaces to contend with, conditions that really don’t suit the stiff aero frame despite the best efforts of the compliant wheels and supple tyres.

Handling is never dull, but on these roads, the SL R suffers a graceless quality that robs the joy from snaking descents. Whilst the bike is not a ponderous heavyweight, its aero frame is hardly svelte, which makes ascending feel overly sluggish. And, after about 90km, I've just about had it with the bars, which begin to feel too narrow and too hardcore for an endurance bike. Adding tape to the drops would increase comfort somewhat, but that wouldn’t cure the unforgiving nature of the rock-hard tops.

It isn’t all bad, far from it. The choice of wheels and tyres is inspired, I found the saddle ‘barely there’ comfy and, as expected, the Dura-Ace Di2 12-speed drivetrain is flawless. Gearing for long endurance rides is always going to be a compromise but the compact 50-34t chainset and 11-30t cassette provide a versatile range of ratios without any jarring changes to disrupt my cadence.

Value and conclusions

Despite its faults, the Ribble Allroad SL R remains stonking value. A similarly specced BMC Roadmachine 01 Two will mug your bank account to the tune of £11,500, while the Cervelo Caledonia-5 in Dura-Ace Di2 guise costs a credit card-melting £10,500.

Use Ribble's 'bike builder' to substitute Shimano Ultegra Di2 for Dura-Ace and Mavic Cosmic S 42 Carbon wheels for the Zipps and the SL R becomes even more attractive at £4,099. I think you’d miss the Zipps more than the Dura-Ace groupset, but the bike’s character would be largely retained. Which for some, me included, is where the problems lie.

If you ride predominantly on the flat and are looking for a dialled-back aero-bike that’s slightly compromised by its relaxed upright riding position, then the Ribble could well be your dream bike. For the rest of us, its myriad personalities don’t convincingly add up to a cohesive endurance solution.

Specs

• Reach: 405
• Stack: 606
• Wheelbase: 1026
• Head tube angle: 73
• Chainstay: 415

Hero build components

• Allroad Carbon Seatpost - 350mm
• BBR60 68mm Bottom Bracket
• CS-R9200 Dura-Ace 12spd Cassette HG 11-30T
• FC-R9200 Dura-Ace 12spd Chainset 165mm 50-34T
• FD-R9250 Dura-Ace Di2 12spd FR Derailleur Braze On
• RD-R9250 Dura-Ace Di2 12spd Rear Derailleur
• RT-MT900 CL 160mm rotos
• 303 Firecrest Disc Front Wheel 12x100 700c CL TL
• 303 Firecrest Disc Rear Wheel 12x142 700c CL TL HG
• P Zero Race TLR Tan 700x32mm
• UB-2 Carbon Handlebar Gloss Black 38cm
• SL R Boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow