Last Updated on 14 January 2026 by Cycloscope
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Ribble Adventure 725 – Something different (+/- $1,400)
This is a very interesting and innovative bike, with amazing specs and a great price tag. The Adventure 725 by the British manufacturer Ribble Cycles (in business since 1897) features a weird-looking thin Reynolds 725 tubing with a very “contemporary geometry”.
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Handcrafted from steel, renowned for offering the most compliant ride and being highly durable due to its high tensile strength, the carefully profiled tubing also ensures lateral stiffness is not compromised.
This carefully thought-out geometry also offers the maximum balance between control and long-distance, mile-eating comfort (says Ribble).
The mammoth tire clearance for tires up to 2.8” on its 27.5 wheels is absolutely great for those who want to venture on sandy tracks. This is one of the widest tire options in this list.
Added versatility is provided by several rack mounting points (that can be doubled to use bikepacking cages like the Blackburn Cargo), three bottle mounts, and fender mounts.
The 11/42T 10-speed cassette gives a great granny gear that should be able to bring you up the steepest tracks.
An innovative adventure bike, great to tackle extreme roads in comfort
Ribble Adventure 725 – the different versions
The Ribble Adventure 725 comes in four different versions, according to your choice of drive train models and gearing:
Ribble Adventure 725 Deore – featuring Shimano Deore groupset (2×10 – 36-26T/11-42T) and Jones Loop Bars
Ribble Adventure 725 MicroShift Deore – Deore drivetrain 2 x10 36-26T/HG500 10 Speed 11-42T, Reynolds 725 steel fork
Ribble Adventure 725 SRAM NX 1x – with a 1×11 – SRAM PG-1130 11-42T cassette and SRAM NX GXP 32T chainring – drop bars and Full Carbon Fibre Monocoque fork
Ribble Adventure 725 SRAM APEX – same gearing as the previous one, but Apex derailers and shifters
In the end, it comes down to your preferred drivetrain. I tend to recommend Shimano, not because they are any better, but for their wide availability, which can make the difference when looking for spares in less developed countries.
SRAM versions, though, have the 1×11 system, which is very trendy at the moment – Getting rid of one derailer and one shifter reduces the chance of something going wrong, although it also decreases the maximum speed… but this is not a bike made for speed.
The different bar options cater to different riding styles, with the Jones Loop also among the most popular handlebar choices among long-distance cyclists. A carbon fork reduces the rig’s overall weight, but it is certainly not as tough as a Reynolds steel fork. Carbon forks are also stiffer and less cushioned, you take.
Geometry
Fork offset and chainstay length are shorter than on traditional touring bikes (check the Stanforth Kibo, for example), which results in a shorter wheelbase.
This means less stability under load but greater handling, which is why the Ribble 725 Adventure is more of a bikepacking bike than a fully loaded tourer.
Although it has bosses for a rear rack and a front low-rider, it seems this machine will perform its best on rough tracks under relatively low load.
The top tube angle is very steep, making the bike more nimble and twitchy. The bike reacts faster to steering input, making it prone to oversteer, which reduces its agility.
Tyre Size
Another thing that makes the Adventure 725 more of a single-track animal than a roadie. The smaller diameter of 650 B wheels allows you to run higher-volume tires.
Because higher-volume tires are taller than the tires you could run on a 700c wheel, the wheel and tire diameter end up being similar to a 700c wheel and road tire setup.
This means that handling characteristics and geometry are minimally affected by the wheel change, yet you gain the benefits of a higher-volume tire, which is more grip on soft surfaces like sand or snow.
The Ribble Adventure 725 Deore Specifications:
Shifters – Deore M6000 Rapidfire 10spd
Brake Levers / Brakes – Shimano BL- MT201 / BR-UR300
Chainset – Deore 175 36/26T
Bottom Bracket – Shimano BB52 68/73mm
Cassette – Shimano HG500 11/42T
Front Derailleur – Deore M6020 LCTSDP 34.9mm
Rear Derailleur – Deore M6000 Shadow+ GS
Rotors – Shimano RT66 6-Bolt 160mm
Wheels – Mavic Crossmax 650b 15×100 / 12×148 (Boost Rear)
Tyres – WTB Ranger 2.8
Bars – Level Loop Alloy, Black
Stem – Level Gravel Alloy, Black
Grips – Level Rubberised, Black
Seatpost – Level 1 Alloy 27.2mm, 350mm, Black
Saddle – WTB Koda Race 142mm
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