Posted on July 25, 2022 by Tyler Benedict
The current Ribble Gravel Ti bike is impressive, with plenty of mounts for light loads, hydration, and snacks. But this custom, one-off prototype gravel bike build for the recent Grinduro Wales shows where this model could be headed.
Built in collaboration with SRAM, it features the full suite of AXS and XPLR components, plus a gorgeous paint scheme. More importantly, it integrates cable and hose management for a stealthy internal routing aesthetic.
Swapping their house-brand carbon fork for the Rudy suspension fork, the frame also gets suspension-corrected geometry to maintain proper handling and stack height.
The frame is specifically designed for AXS groups, with no shift cable/wire ports anywhere on the bike. The rear brake hose runs internally through the one-piece LEVEL 5 carbon handlebar, routing directly into an oversized headtube to hide it inside the frame.
Wireless Blips stuck underneath the flats let you shift while cruising.
The rear of the frame looks familiar, with seatstays that curve downward at the ends to make room for the brake caliper and provide fender and rack mounting points.
The driveside chainstays look more refined, with smoother bends and shaping to accommodate tire and chainring clearance.
Drivetrain/Shifting: SRAM RED eTap AXS HRD shift-brake system SRAM RED XPLR eTap AXS rear derailleur SRAM RED 1 crankset with Direct mount 40T chainring SRAM Dub Bottom Bracket (BSA) SRAM XPLR XG-1271 10-44t cassette SRAM RED Chain
Wheels: Zipp 101 XPLR wheelset Zipp G40 XPLR Tubeless Tyres SRAM Paceline rotors 160mm
Finishing kit: RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR suspension fork (30mm travel) RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR seat post
Frame: Ribble Gravel Ti (3Al/2.5V Titanium) – designed specifically for SRAM AXS wireless groupsets with no cable entry/exit ports LEVEL 5 Integrated carbon gravel bar and stem
Ribble tells us that it’s just a prototype for now, with no specific plans to put this exact model into production. But, they hint it’s likely to inspire future product designs.
Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com. He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for 14 years. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America.
Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves finding new travel adventures to share with his family and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter. And, he’s totally gone down the NFT rabbit hole.
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What’s custom about the group? I see nothing but off the shelf, used as intended components.
It doesn’t say that it’s a custom groupset. It’s a custom build.
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