On this planet of bikes, and notably World Tour confirmed highway bikes, the phrases quickest and most cost-effective are hardly ever heard in the identical sentence.
However the bike model I’ve right here earlier than me is likely to be about to vary issues eternally. I’m, after all, speaking about Van Rysel.
Solid your minds again to the tip of 2023 when French professional crew AG2R made a splash within the biking press, asserting it could be partnering with Decathlon for 2024.
On the identical time, it additionally introduced that the crew can be using premium bikes by Decathlon’s biking model, Van Rysel.
Now, this had some folks scratching their heads, as certainly a extra budget-oriented retailer like Decathlon wouldn’t have the ability to match the likes of Pinarello and Colnago when it got here to out-and-out efficiency within the World Tour.
Effectively, if the 2024 highway season is something to go by then it appears to be like like Van Rysel and Decathlon have finished simply that.
On the time of writing, the AG2R crew has piloted their flagship Van Rysel RCRs to 26 victories on the highest degree.
However maybe probably the most putting factor is you can go into a store and purchase the very same bike as the professionals for simply £9000.
In fact, £9000 is much from low cost, however when you think about that Colnago and Pinarello’s World Tour race bikes price nicely north of £10,000, the RCR begins to look much more aggressive on value.
And cyclists purchased into the hype, with the primary batch of prime spec Van Rysel RCRs promoting out inside minutes after they went on sale within the UK.
So it looks as if aggressive pricing and high-end efficiency will be provided on the identical time. However what may this imply for the bike trade as a complete? Effectively, you’ll have to look at to the tip of the video to search out out.
Earlier than that, I’m going to inform you just a little extra about Van Rysel and why they’re inflicting such a stir.
Who’re Van Rysel?
Van Rysel’s market main RCR Professional
(Picture credit score: Van Rysel)
At this stage you might be questioning what Van Rysel is and the place it originated from.
Effectively, Van Rysel, which by the way interprets to ‘made in Flanders’, emerged in 2019 and is Decathlon’s premium bike model.
And whereas Van Rysel has solely been within the World Tour since 2024, Decathlon has a protracted historical past of creating bikes for skilled groups equivalent to Cofidis and AG2R Prévoyance within the early 2000s.
It’s price mentioning that Van Rysels aren’t simply rebranded from different Decathlon fashions, they’re a complete new line, with a devoted crew of engineers striving to make the perfect efficiency bikes attainable.
Why do you have to be enthusiastic about Van Rysel?
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale crew coaching experience
(Picture credit score: Van Rysel)
That advertising converse is all nicely and good, however why ought to we be enthusiastic about Van Rysel bikes? For me, I feel there are 4 key causes.
Primary. It’s simply nice to see a comparatively new model on the scene that isn’t afraid to shake issues up and put their cash the place their mouth is.
Sponsoring a World Tour crew isn’t low cost and it’s an enormous danger for any new model, so to see the Decathlon AG2R groups doing so nicely aboard Van Rysel bikes, nicely, it could actually solely put a smile in your face.
Quantity two. And also you’re going to be listening to this so much all through the video, it’s obtained to be the value. As everyone knows by now, bikes are severely costly at the moment, and that isn’t going to vary anytime quickly.
The truth that Van Rysel is attempting to supply one thing at a extra aggressive value can solely be a very good factor.
Quantity three. They’re in it for the lengthy haul. Decathlon and Van Rysel have dedicated to a 5 12 months partnership with AG2R, so I am fairly certain this gained’t be a flash within the pan factor.
Manufacturers making long run commitments is nice for the likes of you and me, because the tech that the professionals get finally trickles right down to the bikes we get to purchase within the outlets.
And quantity 4. The model has teamed up with some attention-grabbing companions, together with the likes of Swiss Aspect, Deda Elementi and French aerospace analysis laboratory ONERA.
ONERA relies not far away from Van Rysel’s headquarters in Lille, so I can think about having such an incredible facility close by will imply Van Rysel are in the perfect place to make good on their declare of creating the quickest and most cost-effective bikes attainable.
Who ought to think about a Van Rysel bike?
When it comes to who I feel ought to think about shopping for a Van Rysel bike, nicely, on this video I’m using the mid-range Van Rysel RCR, which options SRAM’s Drive AXS groupset outfitted with an influence meter.
That is precisely the identical body form and geometry as raced by the professionals, albeit with a slightly heavier carbon layup. We’re speaking solely a couple of 40g distinction, which is hardly noticeable.
Van Rysel says the RCR is in its ‘light-weight aero’ class of bikes, coming in at £5,000 right here within the UK.
With this in thoughts I feel a motorbike like this may be best for the beginner racer, eager sportive rider, or somebody who simply likes to go quick and doesn’t wish to break the financial institution.
It additionally options Zipp wheels and a few fairly tasty Michelin Energy Cup tyres, so that you wouldn’t want any upgrades for some time.
There are completely different fashions for those who’re seeking to spend lower than 5 grand, and as I’ve already talked about there’s the all singing, all dancing professional duplicate if you wish to spend extra.
All this to say, for those who’re in search of a performance-focussed bike that is able to experience or race straight out of the store, then Van Rysel ought to have one thing to fit your finances.
How do you purchase Van Rysel merchandise?
At this stage you might be questioning, how do I truly exit and purchase Van Rysel merchandise? As you’d anticipate, you’ll be able to go over to the Decathlon web site to search out the bike I’m using right now together with different merchandise from the Van Rysel vary.
It’s out there in a spread of sizes and you’ll then organize for it to be delivered to your closest Decathlon retailer the place you’ll be able to go and choose it up.
Or, for those who’re after a extra bespoke retail expertise then you’ll be able to head to Van Rysel’s personal idea retailer in London, the place you’ll be able to entry companies like bike suits and acquire fingers on expertise with their full product vary.
What does Van Rysel’s presence out there imply for all the biking trade?
The Van Rysel RCR Professional race bike examined by Biking Weekly
(Picture credit score: Future)
Lastly, let’s get on to what Van Rysel’s presence out there means for the biking trade and also you, the viewers.
As we’re at such an early stage within the model’s growth, I can solely speculate for now, and issues could change, however… listed below are my takeaways.
Primary. The truth that we have now a World Tour crew racing and profitable on what are perceived to be extra reasonably priced bikes can solely be a very good factor.
We’re usually bought the concept that the costliest product is the perfect, so it’s refreshing to know you should purchase the identical efficiency at a extra aggressive value.
On the time of writing, AG2R Decathlon was ranked sixth out of 21 World Tour groups, so I’d wager that any considerations the riders had about racing bikes from Decathlon have lengthy disappeared.
Quantity two. Sooner or later, we might even see extra manufacturers main with the affordability of their prime spec highway bikes, slightly than their efficiency.
Van Rysel created fairly the thrill when it launched ‘the world’s most cost-effective World Tour bike’ and I’m certain that’s one of many fundamental causes they bought out so rapidly, slightly than due to any efficiency claims.
And quantity three. If Van Rysel continues to construct on its success of promoting high-performance bikes at extra reasonably priced costs, will we see extra premium manufacturers having to cut back their costs to maintain up?
Once more, it’s simply hypothesis for now, however my intuition says in all probability not. Our purchasing choices are primarily based on excess of simply value, with advertising, model historical past, area, after-sales help and a complete host of different elements coming into play.
Briefly, I don’t assume we will anticipate a sub £10k prime spec Pinarello or Colnago anytime within the close to future.
However hey, it’s superb to assume that with Van Rysel, we will now purchase a World Tour profitable race bike for nicely underneath £10k, and by way of change inside biking, I feel that’s one we will all get behind.
For those who’ve made it this far then I’d like to know what you assume? Would you think about shopping for a Van Rysel as your subsequent highway bike?
