Ribble Allroad SL Pro review: a brilliant, affordable endurance bike – but I'd upgrade the handlebar

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Ribble’s Allroad SL is the less expensive version of its flagship endurance bike, the Allroad SL R.

It has a simpler design, forgoing some of the aerodynamics of the more premium bike, with a less complex cockpit and cable routing.

What it shares is the goal of being a fast bike for big rides, promising a mix of sporty geometry, generous tyre clearances and a road-smoothing, comfortable ride.

The Allroad SL Pro brings a compelling mix of great handling, value and comfort – everything the best endurance bikes should be.

Ribble Allroad SL Pro frameset

The Ribble Allroad SL is made from a combination of Toray T700 and T800 carbon fibres, which Ribble says are used throughout the frame to play to the strengths of each material.

T700 is a more compliant fibre and so is used in areas where the engineers wanted to add comfort – the seatstays, top tube and seat tube.

The stiffer T800 material is used to bolster the structure for improved power transfer and handling. This is implemented at the head tube, down tube, and through the chainstays and bottom bracket shell.

The Allroad SL frameset shares the same geometry as the Allroad SL R but forgoes the aero-shaped seat tube and seatpost in favour of accommodating a standard round 27.2mm post.

The seat tube tapers to provide 35mm of tyre clearance.

The down tube is oversized, much like its pricier sibling, sharing the same bottle-shielding profile, although without the storage compartment.

Up-front, it’s a far simpler arrangement, with a two-piece bar and stem, and the brake hose routing through the down tube and into the fork crown.

Models lower down in the range, with mechanical groupsets, route gear cables in the same manner.

The frame and fork are both equipped with bosses for mudguards, which can be used with tyres up to 32mm wide. That gives the Allroad SL plenty of scope to be used year-round.

A threaded 68mm bottom bracket, alongside the easier cable routing, keeps things simple, and should appeal to the home mechanic and keep servicing labour costs under control.

Ribble Allroad SL Pro geometry

My size-XL test bike (equivalent to a 58cm) comes with a 606.7mm stack and long 405.3mm reach. That’s both lower and longer than your average endurance machine.

Here, the reach is combined with a 110mm stem – less than the equivalently sized SL R, which comes with a 120mm stem.

In comparison, our 2024 Endurance Bike of the Year, Giant’s Defy Advanced, comes with a 596mm stack and 393mm reach, combined with the same length stem.

The 73-degree head angle is combined with a short 45mm offset fork. When combined with a 32mm tyre, it gives a 59mm trail. That’s more akin to an agile race bike than a steady-as-you-go mile-eater.

The 73.5-degree seat angle and short 415mm chainstays add to the sporty nature of the Allroad design.

Ribble Allroad SL Pro specification

The Pro specification is the highest level the SL is offered in, with a Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 groupset.

The drivetrain combines a 50/34T crankset with a broad 11-36t cassette. That’s generally considered the optimum for an endurance bike, and it’s smooth, accurate and swift to shift, too.

The same goes for the impressive hydraulic brakes with large 160mm rotors.

The Pro rolls on Mavic’s Cosmic carbon wheelset – this is an £800 upgrade from the standard bike, which comes with Mavic’s alloy Aksium One.

These combine a 42mm-deep carbon rim with a 21mm internal width, assembled with steel spokes and machined alloy hubs, with the rear using Mavic’s Instant Drive 360 system.

This uses contactless, low-friction seals to keep the system free of water and grit ingress. The ratchet-based internals give a rapid 9-degree angle of engagement. It’s a smart design used on Mavic’s premium wheelsets and good to see on a mid-range wheel.

The wheels weigh in at 1,660g a pair and are wrapped in Pirelli’s P Zero Race TLR tyres in a 32mm width.

Up-front, the cockpit is from Ribble’s own Level brand, with a 42cm-wide alloy bar and alloy stem (complete with faceplate-mounting out-front mount).

These match the 27.2mm-diameter Level alloy seatpost, which is topped with Selle Italia’s short Model X Superflow saddle.

The value for money here is impressive. In comparison, Specialized’s Roubaix SL8 Comp with 105 Di2 and alloy DT Swiss wheels is £4,250. Trek’s Domane SL 5 Gen 4, at £3,000, comes with 105 mechanical and alloy wheels.

Remember, this Ribble Allroad SL Pro benefits from Ribble’s Bike Builder service with an £800 wheel upgrade. In standard trim, at £2,299, it undercuts the Trek significantly.

Ribble Allroad SL Pro ride impressions

The Allroad SL is a delight to ride. The sporty position is complemented by the frameset’s combination of chatter-reducing compliance, compliant tyres that offer great grip in poor conditions and responsive handling.

The combination of the slightly tall front end and still racy reach suited me. When I wanted to go for it and put the power down in the drops, the bike fit well.

While bike fit is very subjective, the general layout made it easy to get into a more aero position and concentrate on maintaining speed.

Yet, when I wanted to take a breather or soak in the surroundings, up on the hoods, the position was relaxed and comfortable.

The handling and steering response is quick enough to give the Allroad a feeling of agility on the road, even with the relatively wide tyres.

For a performance endurance bike, this choice is one of the Ribble’s many strengths.

The shifting accuracy and performance in poor conditions were impressive.

The Ribble excelled when heading uphill and it felt easy to maintain speed over rolling terrain with its mid-section wheels.

The contact points are something of a mixed bag, though, albeit this is largely subjective.

At the back, the Model X saddle’s short profile and firm but forgiving padding suited me.

Up-front, the alloy bar's diameter felt a little narrow for my large hands, though, and the foamy bar tape soon compressed and didn’t feel as plush as other, more premium bar tape.

The shape of the bar is fine, with its semi-compact drop and 42cm width (centre-to-centre), but it's unremarkable and ripe for an upgrade.

The angular stem looks good, and it’s great to see an out-front computer mount included.

Ribble Allroad SL Pro bottom line

The Allroad SL is a great package in this specification, which is worth remembering is just a clicked option on Ribble’s website. However, I’d also be choosing a handlebar upgrade.

The sporty but forgiving geometry is most welcome, and the value for money makes this a top-performing modern endurance bike.

Compared to its more expensive SL R sibling, this Allroad better lives up to its name; it handles poor road surfaces well and can even take light gravel riding in its stride.

As a year-round ride, it’s certainly a bike that deserves serious consideration.

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