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TECH NEWS

Ridley launches disc brake Noah SL and Fenix SL road bikes

There's a new superlight Helium SLX and new women's models too

Ridley has launched disc brake versions of its Noah SL and Fenix SL road bikes, plus women’s versions of the Noah, Helium and Fenix.

Ridley Noah SL Disc - 2.jpg

The Noah (main pic) is the aero road bike in Ridley’s range and now gets disc brakes as an option for the first time. It has 12mm thru axles front and rear, and the brakes are flat mount (this bike is fitted with Campagnolo's prototype disc brakes).

Ridley Noah SL Disc - 6.jpg

Like the rim brake models, the Noah SL Disc comes with an F-Split fork where each leg is divided in two, the idea being to reduce drag. The fork has had to be modified to accept the disc brake mount, obviously, although Ridley claims it didn’t result in dramatic change in aerodynamic efficiency.

Ridley Noah SL Disc - 7.jpg

The frame also features Ridey’s moulded F-Surface Plus surface treatment in certain areas, the idea, again, being to manage the air flow and reduce drag.

Although the frame now has to cope with the forces associated with disc brakes, it still weighs in at under 1.000g, according to Ridley. 

Ridley Fenix SL Disc - 1.jpg

The Fenix is Ridley’s endurance road bike. We first tried a disc version back in 2014; this year it's been updated. Both the frame and the fork are thru axle. 

Ridley Fenix SL Disc - 3.jpg

The Fenix SL Disc is compatible with tyres up to 30mm.

Ridley Fenix SL Disc - 5.jpg

The seatstays join the seat tube lower down than on the rim brake Fenix, the idea being to provide more comfort at the back of the bike.

Ridley Helium SLX - 1.jpg

The Helium SLX replaces the Helium S. Ridley reckons that it is 15% stiffer than before without any addition of weight – the frame is still under 750g – thanks to changes in the orientation of the carbon fibres. Ridely also says that it has the same degree of compliance as before.

Ridley Jane SL - 1 (1).jpg

Ridley has introduced three new women’s bikes too. The Jane (above) is essentially the women’s Noah...

Ridley Aura SL - 1.jpg

...the Aura (above) is the women’s Helium...

Ridley Liz SL  - 1.jpg

...and the Liz (above) is the women’s Fenix...

Ridley’s philosophy isn’t to keep the frame geometry the same. It says that research doesn’t support the idea that women need differently proportioned frames. Women do get shorter stems, narrower bars, and different saddles and gear ratios.

We don’t yet have prices for the new Ridley bikes.

www.ridley-bikes.com

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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3 comments

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me | 7 years ago
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Trying to get a Fenix SL frameset last year was like looking for hen's teeth.  Some shops claim to be Ridley dealers but there seems to be nothing coming out from Ridley.  Either they don't make many bikes (so why sponsor a team?) or they choose not to distribute in UK.  And as for the spare parts to change between mechanical and electronic, forget it!  Frameset rides lovely though.

Avatar
mrmo | 7 years ago
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Campagnolo EPS disc or mechanical disc(if such a thing exists)?

Avatar
il sole replied to mrmo | 7 years ago
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mrmo wrote:

Campagnolo EPS disc or mechanical disc(if such a thing exists)?

the model shown lokks like EPS as you can see the jct box under the stem... I have always wanted a Ridley, anyone know why they're never available here with campag??

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