Ridley’s endurance-oriented Fenix road bike gets a new disc brake model for 2015. It’s an all purpose road bike, like the original Fenix, in that it can be raced or commuted, ridden in fast group rides or all day adventure rides. Now, it gets disc brakes, along with a few changes to make the disc models a bit more versatile.
“We really wanted a road bike that could do some dirt since we already had some dirt bikes (aka cyclocross) that could do some road,” said Richard Wittenberg, Ridley’s VP of International Operations.
To do that, the chainstay length grows 5mm, which let them add clearance for larger tires – up to 700x28c – along with a stronger braking side. The longer chainstays also improve chainline, a concern when stretching the dropouts from 130mm to 135mm wide. Chainstays for the disc version are 410mm to 413mm depending on frame size.
Up front, the fork gets a different layup to handle the different braking stresses. They’re spec’ing 140mm rotors front and rear, and they stick with quick release axles on both ends to keep it simple. In testing, they were able to get the stiffness they wanted without going to thru axles.
It was shown to us with a Di2 build but will only be sold complete with either Shimano 105 ($2,750) or Ultegra ($3,200) mechanical drivetrains, both with the R685 hydraulic disc brakes. Frames are ready for either, though, and would use the internal seatpost battery.
The graphics scheme shown here is specific to the disc brake bike, and only in this blue color for stock bikes. But, you can go to their website and customize the color scheme for a $500 upcharge.
Tire clearance is wide open at the back, a little less so in the front, but 28c tires on normal width rims should fit just fine.
X-NIGHT SL CYCLOCROSS BIKE
Their latest top end cyclocross bike continues the Belgian tradition of cantilever brakes and borrows some of the frame technology from their Helium SL road bike to make a lighter version of the X-Night. That frame came in around 2013. Then, just for fun, their R&D crew took a bare frame and built it up with Zipp wheels and SRAM Red to see how light they could build a complete bike. That skunk works project came in under 14lbs, which made them think they should make a stock offering like that. It also got the attention of the Lotto-Belisol team, who had some team members racing it in this year’s Paris-Roubaix.
To bring it to market as light as possible, they use a minimal clear coat layer and graphics to save 40 or more grams over traditional finishes. Frame weight comes in at a claimed 940g for a 54 with derailleur hanger, bottle bolts and seat collar. Now, you can order it up for $8,600 and get a just-over-14lb bike…and that’s with their 4ZA house brand cockpit (with an admittedly nicely shaped carbon handlebar). It was soft launched last October, but now it’s finally shipping.
There’s no disc brake version of the SL as a complete stock bike, but you can order up the same minimally painted finish on the disc frame and cobble it together through their custom program.
NEW CIRRUS PRO WHEELS
New Cirrus Pro carbon clinchers and tubulars have 45mm deep rims with a 23mm outside width. That’s not the widest out there, but it lets them fit in all of Ridley’s frames, and they’re made to handle the cobbles typical of Belgian riding. Weights are 1,699g with 4ZA hubs, and down to 1,350g with DT Swiss 240 hubs.
