Ribble Gravel Ti: A Very British Bikepacking Companion
Born in the UK’s Lancashire region in 1897, this 128-year-old brand is very British, and while relatively rare in Australia, Ribble bikes are incredibly popular in the UK.
Arriving at Heathrow, the plan was to spend a few days with family prior to meeting up with the team at Ribble, picking up a test bike, then embarking on a multi-country bike-packing trip to Frankfurt for Eurobike – Europe’s biggest annual bike show.
Clearing customs, leaving the terminal and heading to the bus stop, I heard the familiar sound of a freewheel. Just like every bike rider does, I turned to see what it was. And, sure enough, the first bike I saw upon landing in London was a … Ribble.
Family duties were complete. A few days later, I was on another big red bus, heading to Bluewater in Kent to meet the team and pick up the bike.
Ribble’s Bluewater site is a showroom rather than a traditional shop. It’s actually quite bizarre by Aussie standards – a bike shop smack bang in the middle of a glitzy shopping centre. But it’s brilliantly set up, and a busy store.
A week in London was enough, and before too long, the bike was promptly pointed towards the Channel. Three weeks and 2,000km later—London–Paris–Frankfurt and back—the bike had become as much a highlight as the trip itself.
The set-up and the first miles
Loading any new bike with 9kg of bikepacking gear then rolling straight into a multi-country tour is a big ask.
The Gravel Ti settled quickly: that initial 100km to the cross-channel ferry port at Newhaven doubled as both shakedown and prologue. The next morning, somewhere on the French side, the Ti frame did what titanium does best—humming along at 25–30km/h, smoothing the edges off ordinary roads, and encouraging long days in the saddle.
Our build ran 32mm Continental GP5000 ‘all road’ tyres for the predominantly sealed route, with Ribble’s carbon fork and flared riser bar up front. Fully loaded, the bike weighed around 17kg, and while you feel that on climbs, once up to speed, it rolled effortlessly.
Frame feel and geometry
The Gravel Ti uses 3Al/2.5V (Grade 9) triple-butted titanium with dropped stays, a longer wheelbase and an endurance-focussed geometry.
This translates to a stable, planted, and comfortable platform for genuine all-day riding. The carbon fork keeps steering precise without being twitchy, and the flared cockpit works brilliantly with a bar bag—it’s easy to use tops/hoods/drops without extra fatigue due to awkward wrist angles.
Downhill, the bike is a treat. Tuck into the drops on European sweepers and it carved the corners predictably, never chattering, never vague. On decent bitumen with 32s it’s quiet, quick and confidence-building. Swap to wider rubber and you’re ready for unsealed detours.
Living with titanium
There’s a reason Ti enjoys cult status for mixed-surface touring: it’s tough, corrosion-resistant, and ages gracefully. After 2,000km and a clean, the brushed finish looked fresh.
A big bonus of titanium is that minor scuffs are easy to polish out. A popular option is to use WD-40 and a light buff with a Scotch Brite-style pad.
Other than its ageless appearance, Ti’s other major selling point is its silky smooth ride. During our time with the bike, it was just as comfortable on day twenty-three as it was on day three—probably even more so! There were no nagging angles, just that silky smooth, multi-week comfort only Ti can offer.
Where it shines
- Long days & light loads: A natural for credit-card touring and fast bikepacking.
- Mixed surfaces: Happy on sealed roads, towpaths and farm lanes; geometry remains composed as surfaces change. One example springs to mind – hitting a rock-strewn, bone-rattling section of downhill trail with way too much speed on. Brakes were not an option; I had to just go with it, and the bike took it all in its stride.
- All-rounder roles: Strip the bags and it’s equally at home on a Sunday road loop or a gravel spin.
What we’d change
- Go tubeless from the box: Our test bike arrived with tubes; we’d prefer a standard tubeless set-up for puncture protection and lower pressures.
- Weight awareness: With luggage it’s no featherweight on long climbs. Pack smart and spec appropriately (wheels/tyres) depending upon where you are heading.
- Bling vs. brain: The copper-coloured carbon CGR Gravel option looks sensational, but for this itinerary, Ti was the right call for longer-term comfort and durability.
Finish and details
Welds were neat and consistent, the cable routing was refreshingly tidy, and the most critical contact points, the saddle and bars / bartape – were perfect. The flared bar suits endurance pacing and bag use and the carbon fork balances comfort and steering feel.
Verdict
The Ribble Gravel Ti is stylish, phenomenally comfortable and genuinely versatile—a road-gravel bridge that encourages big days and rewards smooth pedalling. It’s not built to be the lightest thing on the mountain with full luggage, but as a real-world bikepacking and mixed-surface machine it just works. After three weeks, I was fresher on the bike than off it—always a telling sign.
Who it suits: Riders chasing a single bike that can credibly do endurance road, light gravel and bikepacking, with a premium ride feel and the level of longevity only titanium offers.
Ribble doesn’t have an Australian distributor; however, they do ship globally from their UK headquarters. For more on their bikes visit www.ribblecycles.co.uk
