£8,599 Move over Noah, there’s a new fast Ridley in town
Weight 7.4kg (Medium) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra R8100 12-speed (52/36t, 11-30t) Brakes Shimano Ultegra R8120 hydraulic disc Wheels DT Swiss ARC 1400 Finishing kit Forza Cirrus Pro Integrated Road carbon bar/ stem, Forza Aero seatpost, Selle Italia SLR Boost saddle, Vittoria Corsa Pro 700x28c front and 700x30c rear tyres
THIS IS AN ALL-IN-ONE RACE BIKE that aims to combine aerodynamic efficiency with a light weight and sharp handling. The standout features are its race geometry matched to an 825g frame mooted to be nudging the brand’s top-level Noah Fast Disc in the aero stakes. For some, the position may be a little too extreme, but for keen racers and those flexible enough, the Ridley Falcn RS is a serious speed machine.
Create drag… for more speed
The high-modulus carbon frame comprises a deep head-tube and seat-tube, plus broad fork crown and legs. The fork crown flares markedly to create a diffuser-like effect, where it intentionally creates turbulent airflow behind it. In isolation, this creates more drag, but the Belgian brand says the down-tube (plus the rest of the chassis behind it) can pass through this turbulent air more easily, conferring a 10% drag reduction at 50kmh over a standard fork.
The seatstays are dropped to further refine aerodynamics, while a curved top-tube and low standover height afford plenty of exposed seatpost – one of the bike’s few obvious nods to comfort. The other is tyre clearance. While the Falcn RS is aerodynamically optimised to run 28mm-wide tyres, the frame can accommodate up to 700x34c rubber. Rather neatly, Ridley has also included three bidon mounting points on the down-tube.
Nominal sizing comes up a little larger than most comparable bikes – ‘Medium’ dialled into my ‘race bike fit’ even though I usually ride Large to Extra Large. A Medium Falcn RS frame has a 397mm reach, while a size 54cm (Medium) Specialized Tarmac SL7 has a 387mm reach. The head (73.5 °) and seat angle (73°) are all race territory, while Ridley says the 70mm bottom-bracket drop (4mm lower slung than either Ridley’s Noah Fast Disc or Helium SLX) compensates for the use of larger-volume tyres, which will raise the ride height.
Ridley’s opted for a Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 build in a standard 52/36t, 11-30t set-up, though base specification can be modified using the website’s bike-builder programme. The only tweak on the Ultegra build is a KMC X12 chain. The Falcn rolls on DT Swiss ARC 1400 carbon wheels, with the 36-tooth 240 EXP ratchet freehub system. These 50mm-deep ARC rims
