With a gloriously retro paint job and graphics, a steel frame and that 'Ramble' name you could be forgiven for assuming this Ridgeback was a blast from the past, an oldsters run around. You couldn't be any further from the truth. Firmly sat in the front seat of the offroad allrounder bandwagon, the Ramble 2.0 has taken the traditional tourer and toughened it up with more rough road capability.
The straight bladed carbon forks are nothing if not bang up to date, and sport mudguard eyes if that is your bag. The Cro-Moly frame is right up the traditionalist alley however, with that most repairable of frame materials perfect for a trip into the backwoods of the planet, confident you only have to find a guy with a welder to patch it up should anything go wrong.
The drivetrain is dependable and functional Shimano Tiagra with a flexible 2x10 setup - the 50-34 chainset giving a nice combination of long legs for the downs and a suitably small ring to inch up those punishing climbs when the bike is fully loaded.
The TRP brakes aren't mechanical, but neither are they hydraulic - they are a hybrid of both. A cable from the bar pulls on a hydraulic master cylinder within the caliper, actuating the piston. Reports are that they are very powerful, but with easy setup and - no doubt Ridgebacks motivation for fitting them - they use standard cable brake levers. Much easier to repair or replace if you are off the beaten track and unable to access mineral oil or specialist bleeding tools.
A great combination of retro styling, functional and repairable touring potential yet with the possibility of fitting larger tyres and hitting the gravel route home.
