# Ribble Endurance SLe - colour choice?



## youngoldbloke (21 Feb 2019)

Just noticed a red Ribble Endurance SLe outside a local café. Hadn't realised there was a colour choice. Not impressed by the white and pale blue of the ones shown on the website, but this was something else. Very chunky carbon frame with 105. Temptation …...


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## Spiderweb (21 Feb 2019)

I’m pretty sure the SLe is only available in white?
It could have been the Endurance SL (non electric)?


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## youngoldbloke (21 Feb 2019)

_ I’m pretty sure the SLe is only available in white?_
That's what I thought but it was _definitely_ the SLe - IWOC button on top tube, hub motor. Vision wheels.


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## youngoldbloke (21 Feb 2019)




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## biggs682 (21 Feb 2019)

Red bikes are faster for sure


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## tom73 (21 Feb 2019)

It look's like you're right. Ribble do let you customise frame colour but not on this one. So how it ended up red is the question who knows it maybe an early model used for testing. Or they just contact them and ask them nicely if they can have a red one.
If you fancy one in red you can always ask them you never know. 
What ever the answer is it look's great. 

Update 
Just checked an email about the new Ribble HQ store the pic looks to have a red SLe on display.


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## Scaleyback (23 Feb 2019)

I test rode the Ribble SLe (ultegra build) yesterday. The Ribble guy told me the white/blue was the only colour available. Beautiful bike, sadly not for me.


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## Zanelad (23 Feb 2019)

Scaleyback said:


> I test rode the Ribble SLe (ultegra build) yesterday. The Ribble guy told me the white/blue was the only colour available. Beautiful bike, sadly not for me.



Could i ask why. I'm quite tempted by one of these. I'd be interested to hear your views on the bike. 

Thanks.

Z.


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## tom73 (23 Feb 2019)

I have found out a new lovely blue colour is coming shorty but not yet to SL range as they don’t have enough frames in stock. But they are working on it. 
So the one colour only maybe changing in time.


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## derrick (23 Feb 2019)

I rode one a few weeks back, did 20 odd miles on it, Great on the hills, really comfatable nice smooth ride, felt a bit strange to start with, around 15 mph the motor cuts out, but after a few miles was hardly noticable, i did struggle staying with the guys when they put the power down, it's a lot heavier than what i am used to. But it is a nice tool. As said in another thread, When my legs stop getting me up the hills, i will probably get one,


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## Scaleyback (23 Feb 2019)

Zanelad said:


> Could i ask why. I'm quite tempted by one of these. I'd be interested to hear your views on the bike.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Z.


Hi Zaneland,

Well, I drove 220 miles round trip to see the Ribble SLe so I was potentially a serious buyer.
As I have said elsewhere I could only ride it on Ribble's carpark, one of those concrete sectional surfaces with joins.
20 or even 10 years ago this bike might have suited me but not now. Very 'taut' and lively bike with 'race like' handling I thought
as opposed to the more 'forgiving' handling of endurance/sportive bikes. I have a carbon framed endurance road bike which even in my
limited testing of the SLe I thought my bike was a more 'comfortable' ride. I felt every imperfection in the car park surface,
that might have been the carbon frame (not all carbon frames are equal) it might have been the 28mm tyres. I confess here I have a everyday bike
that runs on Schwalbe G-One 40mm tyres and they are bloody brilliant at smoothing out poor road surfaces.
So the SLe had a hard act to follow as regards ride comfort. The SLe max size tyres are 28mm
So not the bike for me although it was a beautiful looking bike with a classy finish.

I have today purchased a Orbea Gain D30 (105 build) including full mudguards and my preferred Schwalbe G-One 40-622 tyres.
Despite what your thinking I am not a Schwalbe rep 
I did not want the fastest bike possible for my money, I wanted a bike for all weather road riding, the occasional gravel path or canal towpath.
The Orbea will (I hope) do all this in relative comfort especially on the Schwalbe tyres.
Incidentally, Orbea bike was £2,500 inclusive. Ribble SLe (105 build) was £2,999.00 payable in full on ordering.

Regards


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## robgul (23 Feb 2019)

Having see the Ribble electric machines I really wouldn't be surprised if they were just re-badged Orbea machines at a higher price . . . 

Rob


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## youngoldbloke (24 Feb 2019)

Scaleyback said:


> I test rode the Ribble SLe (ultegra build) yesterday. The Ribble guy told me the white/blue was the only colour available. Beautiful bike, sadly not for me.


Did you see my photograph above? I'm pretty certain that bike is RED.


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## Scaleyback (24 Feb 2019)

youngoldbloke said:


> Did you see my photograph above? I'm pretty certain that bike is RED.



Ok, The Ribble guy was probably wrong.


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## Scaleyback (24 Feb 2019)

robgul said:


> Having see the Ribble electric machines I really wouldn't be surprised if they were just re-badged Orbea machines at a higher price . . .
> 
> Rob



Certainly not Rob, the Ribble carbon frame is very different to both the Gain carbon frame and of course to the Gain alloy.


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## youngoldbloke (25 Feb 2019)

Scaleyback said:


> Hi Zaneland,
> 
> Well, I drove 220 miles round trip to see the Ribble SLe so I was potentially a serious buyer.
> As I have said elsewhere I could only ride it on Ribble's carpark, one of those concrete sectional surfaces with joins.
> ...


Interesting ... seeing the Red Ribble SLe had started thinking me about my next bike - I deserve another one for my 75th, don't I? - and the Ribble looked like a likely contender. Disappointing to hear about it's harsh ride - you'll have to tell us how you find your Gain when you've been riding it more. I'm running 28mm Conti GP 4000S on mine, and they are more certainly forgiving than 23mm I'm used to on my 'conventional' bikes (in fact the 28mm Continentals measure a real 32mm). Be interested to know how much clearance you get with guards and 40mm tyres. Did you get the bike from Epic?


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## Zanelad (25 Feb 2019)

Thank you Scaleyback. Z.


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## Scaleyback (26 Feb 2019)

youngoldbloke said:


> Interesting ... seeing the Red Ribble SLe had started thinking me about my next bike - I deserve another one for my 75th, don't I? - and the Ribble looked like a likely contender. Disappointing to hear about it's harsh ride - you'll have to tell us how you find your Gain when you've been riding it more. I'm running 28mm Conti GP 4000S on mine, and they are more certainly forgiving than 23mm I'm used to on my 'conventional' bikes (in fact the 28mm Continentals measure a real 32mm). Be interested to know how much clearance you get with guards and 40mm tyres. Did you get the bike from Epic?



75 and still riding, good to hear and long may you continue.
I am getting the bike from Leisure Lakes, Lancaster branch, 90 miles from me but Epic cycles who I had originally planned to buy from are 200 miles away. I shall collect the bike so it helps. I lost patience with Epic, their communication was poor ! After receipting my enquiry they then took over 3 weeks to get back to me ? their reply generated more questions and I waited a week this time.

Not got the Gain yet, hopefully tomorrow. Still nice weather for a day trip to Lancaster. 

Re your remark about tyre clearance, I have received disappointing news from the cycle tech at Leisure Lakes. My preferred Schwalbe G-One 40-622 tyres (they are actually 38c) will not fit on the Gain with guards ? Now this has annoyed me. Orbea advertise the Gain as “mudguard compatible” they also claim “ up to 40c tyres “ nowhere does it suggest the two are incompatible.
This is disingenious and misleading in my opinion. The cycle tech is going to check the biggest tyre I can fit with the guards. Watch this space !


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## youngoldbloke (26 Feb 2019)

I'm not 75 yet - just 71 and a half! I was using an early 90s Reynolds steel Peugeot until my sons bought me another bike for my 6oth (Ribble), then I bought a Rose Xeon for my 65th, then the Orbea Gain I see as having been for my 70th. Meanwhile, along the way I needed a winter bike so I also acquired my son's hand-me-down blue Ribble, which became a Rapide when I changed the frame …. so I'll obviously _need_ another bike when I'm 75. 
Looking forward to hearing your Gain experiences


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## TyrannosaurusTreks (23 Apr 2019)

On Ribble’s website now when you proceed to buy you have the option to change colour of bike & graphics.


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## youngoldbloke (23 Apr 2019)

Giantbadge said:


> On Ribble’s website now when you proceed to buy you have the option to change colour of bike & graphics.


Thanks, I contacted Ribble's customer services about seeing a red SLe, and they hinted that colour options might be available in the near future. However, they pretended to be unaware of the existence of the red bike - must have been an early try-out for more colour choices.


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## TyrannosaurusTreks (23 Apr 2019)




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## youngoldbloke (26 Apr 2019)

Giantbadge said:


> On Ribble’s website now when you proceed to buy you have the option to change colour of bike & graphics.


- and it's ONLY an extra £299! Good marketing wheeze ……
and I had foolishly assumed it was a no cost choice. Looks like I'll be sticking with Orbea for n+e1


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## Scaleyback (26 Apr 2019)

youngoldbloke said:


> - and it's ONLY an extra £299!



Outrageous


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