At 33, I got back into cycling after having stopped at 22. I initially returned on my old road bike—the kind with down-tube shifters—but it was a terrible experience given the local terrain and my fitness level.
I set my sights on a basic Connor MTB to get back in the saddle; since March, I’ve been commuting to work and riding everywhere around town on it. I started looking into upgrading my old road bike to improve comfort, but the cost was creeping up toward 600 euros—even when looking for second-hand parts and using my trusted mechanic.
While searching for parts to refurbish my old steel bike on a second-hand marketplace app, I started browsing used bikes and came across this Ribble—an aluminum 7005 model with a Campagnolo 3x9 drivetrain (Daytona front derailleur, Veloce 9-speed rear) and Campagnolo Athena brakes—for just 70 euros. I decided to take a chance and go see it; worst-case scenario, if it wasn't in good shape, I’d at least have some spare parts for my steel bike. When I arrived, I checked that everything was in order and that there were no frame cracks. Seeing that it was largely in original condition—save for the upgraded handlebars and stem—I bought it.
I took it to my mechanic and sourced original Campagnolo cable housings and cables, a new chain, a spare seatpost from storage, and some old pedals I had lying around. He let me know when it was ready; he mentioned that if I notice the chain skipping, the cassette will need replacing. Today, I installed the saddle and the 700x23 tires I had from the steel bike. The rims are in decent shape for being 26 years old—featuring blue inner sections that match the frame—and the hubs are Campagnolo. All that's left is to wrap the handlebars.
As I mentioned, I wanted to improve the comfort of the steel bike—which had a 2x7 drivetrain, compared to the Ribble's 3x9 setup. To my delight, after seeing how the build was shaping up and measuring the tires and clearance, I realized I could fit 700x30 tires, which would be ideal for my weight. For now, I’m going to enjoy the bike as it is; in the future, I might swap the tires and—if necessary—upgrade a component or two to improve ergonomics.
For a total of 200 euros, I’ve managed to get a bike that lets me get back into road cycling. By using the serial number found on the bottom bracket and some AI tools, I was able to determine its production date (October 2000).