Ridgeback World Panorama Delux #2 ''OLIVE''

[Blodwyn Pig]

Mileage to date.......................25,551km....... MARCH 2020

This already has had  another review,by another, but the pictures have disappeared , so I thought I'd do one.

Bought this on X-Mas special from Swinnerton's cycles, for £999, when others on t'interweb were flogging it for the full whack of £1699.

WP_20160116_10_18_23_Pro by mark tilley, on Flickr
Initially the bike (60cm) came with Tiagra STI levers and some funny handlebars , that put the tops further away than I was used to, but with short ramps.  I don't  really get on with sti's or ergo's , so I took them off andfitted my old bar end shifters, prob 8 speed (off Bill Plumtree OTP), and run them in my preferred friction mode. Also I swapped the bars  for Nitto Noodles (off Blodwyn)another stem, and TRP drilled levers, and new Cinelli gel bar tape, as the existing black tape was a tap slippy, and not very padded. I Also took off the Continental contact tyres, as they felt a bit like solid tyres, and put on some Shwalbe Spicers in 700x 30 flavour, and I like them. The mudguards are sks longboards in Latte, (off Blod), the seat and post are my Spa Nidd and Nitto sp72 Jaguar (off blod) ditto saddlebag and pedals. So I now have a pile of new take off bits.
The main frame is Reynolds 853, and is reasonably light, but strong. Riding it, is a bit like a fast, lightweight, 90's rigid mtb, wearing slicks. Gear shifting is superb with the xt rear mech, and I swapped the 11-34 rear cassette, for a 12-27 105 model  (10 sp) and its noticeable lighter at the rear, and the close ratios suit my riding style (honking).

WP_20160117_10_44_23_Pro by mark tilley, on Flickr

Finished fettling yesterday, and today was Olives' first ride out with its full complement of 'swapped over kit', and also its first ride out without a 20mph headwind on my return.  Its dialled in nicely as I used a plumb line thro the BB to set seat and bars spot on.Its not a sprinter, but then I've neve owned a ''lightweight'' bike, but is is very comfy, quite fast, surefooted, and I'm sure it'll be a mileater , that can easily take on a bit of rough stuff. I have a sneaking suspicion this is going to become my do everything  bike, and that .....dare I say it at this early stage......I could become a 1 bike family, it really does feel that good.

WP_20160117_10_45_33_Pro by mark tilley, on Flickr

All i need now is a disc/dyno hub and its finished.

[Highlander]

Considering they list the frame only at £750 that looks like a heck of a good deal. 

Like the white mudguards.

[Blodwyn Pig]

WP_20160127_16_19_15_Pro by mark tilley, on Flickr

Was a bit bored today, so fitted my 26" mtb wheels with 1.75 Schwalbe landcruisers, just for a laugh. It rides brill, rotors are same size, dropped bottom bracket height by 15mm, so prob a bit low for proper rough stuff. Really comfy. Looks like a 2 wheeled Humber staff car.  Might consider some 650b rims.
(yes I know the front mudguard is not set same as rear )

[Pancho]

Hadn't thought of that implication of disc brakes - you can change the wheel size.

Quite happy with my big wheels, though.

You've got a super looking bike there.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Looks lovely, quite versatile and was a bargain. The start of a (hopefully) long and happy relationship.

[closetleftie]

Would 2.25" MTB tyres fit? Would lift the BB again, at least in theory.

[Blodwyn Pig]

possibly 2.25 x 650b, I just need someone to measure some for me.  Ideally i'm thinking of 650b wheels and Grand Bois Hetre tyres in 650b x 42 flavour. Not offroad  tyres I might add.

[Cudzoziemiec]

What is the point of changing wheel sizes? I can only think of allowing you to fit fatter tyres for more or less the same external diameter, to increase comfort or ride on mud, sand, etc.

[Blodwyn Pig]

yes comfort based. Only thinking about it, probably never get round to it. You know the story....you read about these things, then start googling, then fantasy becomes reality .

[sojournermike]

Not sure what the clearance is, but you could try the Compass 700c tyres in 35 or 38 widths. The 35s are 'tubeless ready' (with sealant)

[BrianI]

Looks a great bike! Interesting to see the rear brake caliper mount is between the seat & chain stay, which makes fitting a mudguard / pannier rack a doddle!

My rigidified BTwin Rockrider 5.2, which i have plans on building 700c wheels for, has it's rear brake mouted on the chain stay, which makes fitting mudguards / pannier rack a bit difficult, due to the caliper getting in the way...

[Samuel D]

Looking good! What pump and saddle have you got there, out of interest?

[Blodwyn Pig]

Saddle is a Spa Nidd, and my "highly polished super dooper blingy retro pump" is just a 12 year old Zefal HPX 3, that I attacked with nitro moors and fine grade wire wool, follows by Solvol Autosol and a soft cloth. A decent close up of its pure blingyness is in my Bob Jackson frame reveiw "Blodwyn" 

[Samuel D]

Thanks. I had a look at the pump in the other thread. It is indeed blingy!

[BrianI]

Beautiful bike! Lovely colour scheme

How have you fitted the saddlebag? It looks like you have secured the seat post strap to the rack, where have you secured the straps which would have gone through the bag loops on the saddle?

[Cupotea]

Lovely looking bike. I've been pondering one as a replacement for my Disc Trucker as although it's comfy with panniers on, it feels very harsh unweighted.  How is the Ridgeback without weight on?  Also, how tall are you and whats your inside leg measurement please?

[Blodwyn Pig]

Beautiful bike! Lovely colour scheme

How have you fitted the saddlebag? It looks like you have secured the seat post strap to the rack, where have you secured the straps which would have gone through the bag loops on the saddle?

Well, firstly I have zip tied a stout wooden dowel to the lower edge / curve of the Nidd/Brooks  support frame / rails, using 2 zip ties per side, looped over both ways on each sides, then the saddlebag straps are looped over this. Has the effect of lowering the mounting point and allows the bag to sit on the rack 'just' Just to bridge the gap twixt rack and bag when empty, I have zipp tied an offcut of camping mat. I can take a photo if you like, but a similar thing is shown in my Bob Jackson 'Blodwyn' frame review, but I was using a bit of polished copper pipe.

[Blodwyn Pig]

Lovely looking bike. I've been pondering one as a replacement for my Disc Trucker as although it's comfy with panniers on, it feels very harsh unweighted.  How is the Ridgeback without weight on?  Also, how tall are you and whats your inside leg measurement please?

Well , I can only imagine that it would be similar to your Surly, although other than trips to the bottle bank with 2 full panniers of sin, it is always unweighted, if you discount my 14 st ish bulk. I find it very comfy, not as comfy as Blodwyn, my Bob Jackson RIP , and although lablled as a World Tour, it did feel more delicate than Olive. But its comfy enough, and not a lightweight, quoted at 31 lbs I believe, BUT this includes pedals and rear rack. I'm 6'2" , and top of my saddle is set at 970mm from top of pedal surface, and 590mm from nose of saddle to c/c of my Nitto Noodles with a 110mm stem. You are welcome to try it if you are near n'kent. There aren't many left now, this was the 60cm

[Samuel D]

Your bicycles are very interesting and I keep coming back to glance at them. Probably because they are rather tastefully put together, but with distinctive and personal details rather than cookie-cutter cool.

I know you like the Schwalbe Spicer, but I think you should splurge on a pair of Vittoria Voyager Hypers the next time (which you did consider the last time, if I remember right). They are superlative rollers and I doubt the Spicers are a genuine substitute, good though they may be.

[BrianI]

Beautiful bike! Lovely colour scheme

How have you fitted the saddlebag? It looks like you have secured the seat post strap to the rack, where have you secured the straps which would have gone through the bag loops on the saddle?

Well, firstly I have zip tied a stout wooden dowel to the lower edge / curve of the Nidd/Brooks  support frame / rails, using 2 zip ties per side, looped over both ways on each sides, then the saddlebag straps are looped over this. Has the effect of lowering the mounting point and allows the bag to sit on the rack 'just' Just to bridge the gap twixt rack and bag when empty, I have zipp tied an offcut of camping mat. I can take a photo if you like, but a similar thing is shown in my Bob Jackson 'Blodwyn' frame review, but I was using a bit of polished copper pipe.

Very cunning!

Sent from my Tab2A7-10F using Tapatalk

[Blodwyn Pig]

Your bicycles are very interesting and I keep coming back to glance at them. Probably because they are rather tastefully put together, but with distinctive and personal details rather than cookie-cutter cool.

I know you like the Schwalbe Spicer, but I think you should splurge on a pair of Vittoria Voyager Hypers the next time (which you did consider the last time, if I remember right). They are superlative rollers and I doubt the Spicers are a genuine substitute, good though they may be.

What size are you running, 35? Are they the German ones pr the cheaper ones from PX. Thanks for the comments, ill be sure to tell Olive this morning.

[Samuel D]

I don’t run them but my girlfriend does. They’re the 35 mm version from Planet X (the black ones they sold were the same as everyone else’s Hypers), but they were bought when Planet X were charging more than they did toward the end, £18 rings a bell.

The brown ones were a cheaper tyre with a lower TPI count. I’ve never used them.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Interesting versatility. How would you sum up the differences in ride/handling between the three wheelsets?

[Blodwyn Pig]

Interesting versatility. How would you sum up the differences in ride/handling between the three wheelsets?

Well. The 26 " wheels and tyres were fitted only as an experiment, and a short ride around the block, and the 1.75 tyres were Schwalbe landcruisers, that have a cetre rib, so rolled ok.

the 650b is a different kettle of boiled cats. When I bought Olive my intention was to experiment with the 650b, as the disc brakes make the experiment a relatively cheap one.  So after the usual scoffs and gaffaws on its first club run, the second week we encountered a long (prob 2 mile) descent  down the A20 to Farningham.  I was at the back freewheeling and I found I was gaining speed, so freewheeled past the others all the way to the bottom. One chap followed me, close on my wheel, and at the bottom he said it was quite impressive, as even to he was on my wheel,he was still having to pedal to keep his ground.  On another ride on sunday I spied a group of roadies on 'soot bikes' , and I caught them up.....worked my way to the front,and we 'put the hammer down'. I could almost here chuckles as I came along side them, with this touring bike,with pretty tyres, and me with spd sandles and no socks, but my goodness,  they weren't chuckling anymore time we reached a T junction some 3-4 miles away, they all stopped for a while, I thanked them for the entertainment and tootled on.  The tyres just absorb the nasties, and the more I look at Olive, the more it looks wrong with 700c wheels, they are huge wheels with little tyre to speak of, and compared to the 650b set up the700c looks fragile and vunerable, and sort of penny farthing like, a large ungainly mass of spokes. I'm hooked for the time being.  I only had to fettle the guards a little, and there is plenty of room in the frame.

[Cudzoziemiec]

That's not the kind of thing I expected at all! I was imagining you might say, for instance, the smaller wheels give quicker steering or something, so it's interesting to hear they make it faster. But looking at them, the outside diameter looks very similar between 650B and 700C, while the 26" are visibly much smaller. Can you be sure it's not "new wheel" syndrome – or better wheels, maybe less friction in hubs or smoother rolling tyres – that's making you fast, as opposed to a different wheel size?