Van Rysel RCR Pro Sram Red

For the sake of transparency I work for Van Rysel and I’ll start by trying to set the scene a bit.

I’ve been riding all my life, I’ve worked in bike shops and as a tour guide, I’ve ridden a lot of bikes but I also have very specific requirements and demand certain things from a bike and if it doesn’t deliver then it’s not going to make it’s way on here, regardless of who pays my salary.

I like to think of myself as a gentleman cyclist. I love my custom stainless steel bike, I designed it with getting older in mind and to be fair it’s a timeless beauty and very traditional. My riding is geared towards the continent and “escapism”, I see riding at home as a chore, I toy with Zwift from time to time to try and get my mountain legs back and suffer through the shit UK weather in winter. This year I’ve ridden in Piedmont, Catalonia and Provence, three very different trips but all with a tonne of elevation, I miss my previous life as a guide but I hope all of that gives me the experience and knowledge to know when something’s good…and this is.

I’m not the kind of rider that really cares about data, while I use a power metre and Zwift the most important things for me are handling, poise and looks (sorry). The bike I’m riding is a small, I’ve ridden both mediums and smalls and both need tweaks but I’m happier on the small, ideally I’d run it with a longer stem but it’s integrated, currently it’s super lively, a bit too lively at high speed as I found out hooning it down Mont Ventoux but I’ll address that in time by adding 20mm up front.

There’s a few articles about the aero data, one here from Cycling News which confirm that this bike is fast and yes if out and out speed is your thing then it definitely delivers. I’ve been fitter in the past but PB’s are being broken on this all the time.

My benchmark for the last few years has been the Cervelo R5. I had the Sram Force version with their own brand (Reserve) wheels. At the time of owning it I was 65kg riding 20+ hours a week so possibly the fittest I’d been since I stopped guiding. It was borderline perfect for me, nothing else has come close since, it had a kick and life that launched it out of corners and down descents, it too went to Ventoux for testing. It had some flex, brands call it compliance which when you accelerate means you feel it kick, the RCR doesn’t have that but it’s definitely faster on the flat and climbing, I’d have to get that front end right to really comment on the descending so I’m not going to comment on its speed downhill. I took minutes off all the climbs, Ventoux from Malaucéne I took 8 mins off my PB, Gorge des le Nesque and Suzette both smashed even though I’m 5 kgs heavier. and riding significantly less these days. While my IF is my gentleman’s bike this is turning me into a bit of a hooligan.

I should also add that the Cervelo R5 with SRAM Force AXS was £8550 and 7.8 kgs. The RCR Pro with SRAM Red AXS is £9000 and 6.7 kg’s with pedals and cages. The equivalent R5 Red AXS is £11,500. Most team spec bikes are £10,000 - £14,000 + and this bike has won a tonne of races with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale this year including a second place in a Grand Tour and as write this Ben O’Connor crosses the line second in the World Champs. What a debut year.

It’s important to add that this is the first bike Van Rysel have produced at this level, imagine what version 2 of this might do and what they can do in the future. I’ve been to HQ and met the team, seen the R & D and testing facilities, these aren’t re-baged catalogue bikes from the Far East as many lazy social media types would have you believe and don’t just take my somewhat biased view, read the links below, multiple reviews from journalists plus the race wins all will tell you the same thing. Van Rysel have smashed it with this bike and the future is truly exciting… hell that’s why I joined them.

Reviews.

Rouleur Van Rysel RCR Pro Team Replica review: sophisticated superbike that's deservedly the talk of the town. Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale's aero all-rounder might be 'the WorldTour's most affordable bike' but it looks and feels like a million dollars

Road CC Can the Van Rysel RCR Pro become one of the most successful bikes on cycling's WorldTour? The story behind 2024's most talked about road bike.

Tour Magazine The young in-house brand Van Rysel is intended to appeal to ambitious riders and encourage a return to the professional peloton. TOUR has exclusively tested the new competition model RCR.