We usually think spring classics and cyclocross when we hear Ridley’s name, but the Belgian bike maker also builds fast mountain bike too – like this new summer special edition of their latest Ignite SLX cross-country race hardtail. The colorful Ignite SLX SD is the first in the brand’s Special Designs series, highlighting their in-house paint customization. And after a first limited edition SRAM build sold out in less than a week, they’ve put together a similar Shimano build for another very limited time…
Ridley Ignite SLX limited edition lightweight carbon XC bike

Ridley first started talking about the new SLX carbon update to their Ignite XC bike line the middle of last year, but the first I recall seeing anything of the new carbon hardtail was over the winter. An update to the previous Ignite CSL, the new SLX is a whole new animal – a modern, lighter take on the ultralight carbon XC race bike.
XC race geometry
With a claimed 990g frame weight (M), Ridley says it drops 160g off the previous version, while stepping up to Boost spacing and more responsive & aggressive geometry. It still focuses on fast, less technical cross-country riding & racing, so it isn’t especially long & slack. But it still grow 5-10mm in reach depending on size, and slackens the head angle out a degree to 70°. The new Ignite SLX also drops the older model’s idea of smaller wheels for smaller sizes – going all-in as a 29er, with four frame sizes available (S-XL).
Tech details
The big visual differences in the new frame boil down to the kink in the toptube just behind the headtube which allows for a stiffer front end, and the move to super thin seatstays to offer some bump-compliance comfort at the rear end.