Ribble celebrates 125 years with gold-leaf bikes and a new aero prototype

Ribble 125th anniversary head tube detail

(Image credit: Ribble)

As always, the cycling world is in a state of transition and change. The best road bikes continue to capture the imagination of riders around the world with podiums on historic roads. At the same time though, everyday riders have taken to finding adventure away from the hustle of modern roads with the best gravel bikes. It no longer matters where you want to ride, there are drop bar options for every situation. Look carefully and one constant you might notice about both options is the inclusion of Ribble.

The only constant in life is change and that's just as true with cycling. The years have brought a swaying and shifting of the industry. We've seen more gears, lighter bikes, bigger tyres, and ever more slippery designs but Ribble has been there through it all. For the last 125 years, the brand has continued adapting and shifting with the industry. Today, you can take your pick of a radical aero bike or you can look for inspiration from the past with round metal tubes but either way, you can do it with Ribble. Now the brand is ready to take a victory lap and you can be a part of it.

One of the things that sets Ribble apart is the level of customization available on every bike that the brand carries. Each model on offer has recommended build options but dive into the details and you can change every component until you find the perfect bike. When you are ready, you can then have your bike shipped to 46 different countries. The Ribble 125 campaign continues this trend of customization by offering something even more unique as an option.

Find the bike that speaks to you, customise it in a way that matches your style, then check out the CustomColour offering. You'll find options for a marble effect paint finish with sapphire blue, emerald green, or ruby red. The effect is unique to Ribble but because of the process used, it's also unique to every bike it's applied to. No two bikes will be exactly the same in the marble areas. As an additional bit of bling there are contrasting details done in 24-carat gold leaf including a golden 125 head badge, wheel detailing and golden top cap.

Although the special paint and detailing are an option for almost every bike that Ribble sells, the brand is showcasing a trio of special pieces as part of the announcement. The first of those is the road option that already stands out like nothing else. We covered the Ribble Ultra SL R when it launched but if you don't remember, calling it unique is an understatement. The bike takes a holistic rider and frame approach to aero testing and introduces new concepts like avoiding bar tape on the handlebars and the addition of drag-reducing bulges. It is also available with a glitter finish that's sure to stand out. Now, if that's not enough for you, the 125th-anniversary package takes it up another notch.

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Ribble 125th anniversary - Ribble Ultra SL R 125 — It's hard to argue that there's a more attention grabbing bike available(Image credit: Ribble)

The specific model highlighted from Ribble is the top model Ribble Ultra SL R. The 125 build starts by laying the Sapphire Blue Marble with Gold leaf detailing finish across the frame, fork, seat post, bars, and even the full carbon SL R Boost Tekno SuperFlow saddle. The groupset of choice is SRAM RED AXS and there's extra bling from the gold Kapz Custom 125 logo top cap and the gold Custom 125 logo head badge. Finishing off the package is a set of the most eye-catching wheels available for the bike, the Level Tri Spoke wheelset, and a custom 125 graphic.

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Ribble 125th anniversary Ribble Gravel Ti 125, — Titanium options still show off the material in the rear(Image credit: Ribble)

If you feel more comfortable heading off of the beaten path and finding a bit rougher route, then Ribble is highlighting something for you as well. The Gravel Ti represents what Ribble offers for gravel racers and explorers with the triple-butted titanium tubing offering clearance for 700x45mm tyres as well as mounts for bikepacking. If you build the bike yourself, the 125th edition will offer any of the three colours covering half the frame while leaving the titanium to stand on its own for the other half.

For the highlighted build, Ribble selected emerald green to cover the frame, carbon fork, and seat post. The chosen groupset is Campagnolo Ekar 13 paired with Enve carbon bars and stem as well as a Fizik Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive saddle. More 125 specific details pop up with the gold Kapz Custom 125 logo top cap and gold Custom 125 logo head badge as well as detailing on the Mavic Ultimate T Disc wheels.

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Ribble 125th anniversary Ribble Allroad SLe 125 — Is an aero all-road electric bike coming soon?(Image credit: Ribble)

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details of the Ribble Ultra SLe prototype — As these images show, this is certainly an e-bike, but at this stage, it's still only a prototype(Image credit: Josh Croxton)

Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes. Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 lb. Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx