Titanium has a long history as a bike frame material, but Ribble’s reimagining of its 2024 carbon Allroad frame in 3AL-2.5V titanium uses 3D printing to create smooth, overbuilt seat and head tube junctions. Due to this fabrication method, each frame will be subtly distinct.
The Allroad line replaces Ribble’s outgoing CGR (Cross, Gravel, Road) and Endurance ranges, with the Allroad Ti echoing the endurance-focussed geometry of the already released carbon and e-bike models.
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All round popularity
For Jamie Burrow, Ribble’s head of product, it made sense to refashion the Allroad in titanium to take advantage of its characteristic strength, durability and resilience – while supplementing the range’s existing carbon options.
‘Week in, week out, our titanium bikes are bestsellers across the range, in every different model. Building the Allroad in titanium offers all-round robustness and a long lifespan. As of now, we’re one of the few high-volume brands to use 3D printed titanium en masse, outside of the niche, high-end frame builders.’
Printing in 3D
Despite sharing the Allroad’s geometry, Ribble has redesigned the Ti’s tube shapes to include non-rounded, aerodynamically optimised profiles, following the lead of the Ribble Ultra range. The deepened head tube and triangular seat tube junction are possible because of the opportunities provided by additive manufacturing – otherwise known as 3D printing.
‘First off, we worked out the extremity of what we could do to the tube shapes and at the joints in order to make it as aero as possible,’ says Burrow. ‘With that said, it’s still not a race bike as it uses an accessible geometry, but it does have those aero elements. For us it goes back to the story of the Allroad and everyone wanting to feel quick on any bike they ride.’
Unlike working with aluminium, steel or carbon, Burrow stresses how time-consuming finishing titanium frames can be, and how much more hands-on.
‘For a start we hand polish the finish. The difference with an alloy frame is that you can use putty to fill any gaps pre-paint, to smooth any imperfections, whereas with titanium you know there’s nothing you can add.’
In addition to its separate tube profiles, the Allroad Ti uses a different carbon fork to the rest of the Allroad line, with a wider profile in a black glossy finish.
‘The fork’s side profile is slightly different because the SL R has got the tapered integration into the head tube. The Ti’s fork is more similar to the fork on the SL, in that it is less integrated.’
The Allroad Ti has a slightly narrower 35mm tyre clearance than the carbon Allroad SL R (38mm), as well as a deep head tube, dropped seat stays and an overbuilt seat post clamp junction. Unlike the aerofoil downtube of the Allroad SL R, the Ti’s downtube is more rounded, but still formed with a fairly extreme cross-section relative to normal titanium tubing.
Ribble has also switched to a T47 bottom bracket with the aim of increasing core stiffness – T47 allows for a big, and therefore stiff, bottom bracket shell – and to also assist with internal cable routing as it provides plenty of space inside the frame.
The Ti Allroad bikes are built with a similar range of components to their carbon equivalents, including Ribble’s own unique bar-tape-free UB-2 handlebars on more premium specifications. Builds run from the Allroad Ti Hero with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 for £7,999 through to the Allroad Ti Sport with Shimano 105 for £3,499
Full build weights range from 8.5kg to 9.91kg, with a frameset weighing 1.7kg (all size medium). This is around a kilo heavier than the Allroad SL R’s lightest Hero build, 7.5kg.
For more details check out ribblecycles.co.uk.
Ribble Allroad Ti Range
Allroad Ti Sport, rrp £3,499
- Frame: 3AL-2.5V brushed Titanium, 3D printed headtube and seat-cluster
- Groupset: Shimano 105 12 Speed
- Wheelset: Mavic Aksium 1 with Pirelli P7 Sport 32mm tyres
- Weight: 9.91kg (medium)
- Price £3,499
Allroad Ti Enthusiast
- Frame: 3AL-2.5V brushed Titanium, 3D printed headtube and seat-cluster
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2 12 Speed
- Wheelset: Mavic Aksium 1 with Pirelli P7 Sport 32mm tyres
- Weight: 9.85kg (medium)
- Price £4,099
Allroad Ti Pro
- Frame: 3AL-2.5V brushed Titanium, 3D printed headtube and seat-cluster
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2 12 Speed
- Wheelset: Mavic Cosmic S with Pirelli P Zero Road 32mm tyres
- Weight: 9.35kg (medium)
- Price £5,499
Allroad Ti Hero
- Frame: 3AL-2.5V brushed Titanium, 3D printed headtube and seat-cluster
- Groupset: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 12 Speed
- Wheelset: Zipp 303 Firecrest with Pirelli P Zero Race 32mm tyres
- Weight: 8.7kg (medium)
- Price £7,999
Allroad Ti Hero
- Frame: 3AL-2.5V brushed Titanium, 3D printed headtube and seat-cluster
- Groupset: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 12 Speed
- Wheelset: Zipp 353 NSW with Pirelli P Zero Race 32mm tyres
- Weight: 8.5kg (medium)
- Price £9,799
