Ribble mechanic Luc chose to ride his Ribble Gravel 725 at this year's Dirty Reiver. The epic 200km gravel route took in a mixture of every terrain you could possibly imagine, from flowing single-track to gruelling gravel climbs.

As you can see, the bike and Luc took an absolute hammering during the event. But like Luc, it rose to the challenge and completed the 200km in style. For as we all know, "steel is real".

As a Ribble mechanic, Luc was able to spec up and build the bike exactly how he wanted it. Choosing the Gravel 725 for its relaxed geometry and comfort over long-distances, thanks to the supple ride quality which a steel frame offers. SRAM Rival AXS was an obvious choice in Luc's opinion; offering precise and reliable wireless electronic shifting and a very good gear range with a less than one-to-one ratio. Which came in especially handy for the 4000 metres of elevation he had to climb during the event.

Wanting to prioritise comfort, Luc opted for Mavic Allroad 650b wheels paired with a set of WTB Byway tyres set-up tubeless. The high volume 650b tyres may not have been the fastest option, but if you don't know where the ride may take you, they are a fantastic option for complete peace of mind.

An endurance gravel ride like Dirty Reiver requires that you carry all the essentials with you; everything from spare inner-tubes and all the food for the duration of the event, to survival kit requirements such as an emergency blanket and whistle. Rather than carrying these in a backpack like some, Luc opted to run with Restrap frame and top-tube bags.

Gravel bikes like this are designed to be ridden. And once Luc manages to wash the mountain of mud off, he plans to use the Gravel 725 as his daily commuter for work.