The Van Rysel RCR Professional is, indubitably, one of the vital talked about bikes in 2024, and for good cause. The Decathlon subsidiary model has solely been round in its present type since 2019 and has traditionally been recognized for value-driven merchandise, somewhat than at all times aiming for halo bikes. Within the final twelve months, nonetheless, all this has modified.
Final 12 months, Van Rysel unveiled the RCR Professional, promising top-end race bike efficiency, at a much more modest value than a few of its competitors. This was adopted by an announcement of a €26 million finances injection to Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, who’ve been driving the bikes all season lengthy, and with nice success.
However WorldTour victories apart – has Van Rysel actually made a superbike killer? Permit me to clarify.
Van Rysel RCR Professional: Building
Should you had been to catch a glimpse of the RCR Professional because it rolled previous you on the cafe, you’d be forgiven for assuming you had simply seen one more Specialised Tarmac SL7. The RCR Professional does share some signature design parts similar to a cut-out on the seat tube, dropped seat stays, a sloping prime tube, and a barely deeper head tube. That is removed from a grievance, nonetheless – the Van Rysel RCR Professional is a splendid-looking machine, and positively seems to be at house within the WorldTour secure.
The frameset is claimed to weigh simply 790 grams for a dimension medium, which matches toe to toe with the competitors. In truth, it comes only a smidgen away from the likes of the far more pricey Issue O2 VAM, and surpasses the Cannondale Supersix Evo Hello-mod’s 810g body weight. All this was achieved by way of the standard toil of computational iterative design, to work out the place finest to put the ‘tremendous Hello Mod Carbon’ all through the frameset.
In look not less than, the Van Rysel RCR Professional has Specialised Tarmac vibes
(Picture credit score: Future (Richard Butcher))
With the RCR Professional being a high-end, modern-day race bike, its aerodynamics have been meticulously thought of. The frameset was first topic to computational fluid dynamics testing earlier than totally different iterations of the bike had been examined within the wind tunnel in order that Decathlon engineers might create the quickest Van Rysel body form potential.
The RCR Professional options an aggressive stack-to-reach ratio of 1.40, which is coupled with 410mm chainstays. The wheelbase is a bit of bit longer than a few of my favorite performing race bikes, which as I’ll come onto, performs an element within the bike’s secure dealing with.
Two-piece cockpit options Deda’s Superzero handlebar
(Picture credit score: Future (Richard Butcher))
So far as spec is worried, my RCR Professional on check is a barely blended bag. Groupset duties are dealt with by Shimano’s Ultegra R8170 Di2, wheels included, which all carried out expectedly reliably. Ending package alternatively was extra different. The handlebars are a two-piece setup, with Deda’s Superzero handlebar. Coming in at 42cm centre to centre, they did really feel a bit of extensive, and I discovered the drop to be somewhat shallow too, which hindered me from getting correctly comfy. For reference, Canyon’s tempo bar system might be adjusted all the way down to 35cm, and equally, Pinarello provides cockpits all the way down to a 35cm extensive handlebar with the brand new Dogma. The upside although, is that due to the two-piece design, altering out the handlebar isn’t too tough.
Van Rysel RCR Professional: the trip
Lay my handlebar style to the facet, nonetheless, and it’s a reasonably formidable bike on paper. The problem, for me not less than, is that this didn’t fairly translate to greatness out on the tarmac.
As is the case with all my highway bike exams, I began off with an area testing loop which I’m past acquainted with. This 25km loop options some steep climbs, a quick descent, and a few tough and clean highway surfaces too, all of which permit me to get really feel for a motorcycle’s dealing with in a managed setting. The bike instantly felt secure, however I couldn’t fairly get the bike to really feel alive beneath me like I’ve with different bikes on check of current.
Wheels are Shimano’s Ultegra
(Picture credit score: Future (Richard Butcher))
Nonetheless, not one to carry a grudge towards a motorcycle after a mediocre first impression, I continued testing with some longer rides out into the Cotswolds, the place I put the bike to the check on some more durable climbs. As soon as once more although, it was blended emotions on the highway. The Van Rysel RCR Professional is actually a really comfy bike, doing a terrific job of night out the plentiful bumps on my native Oxfordshire roads, nonetheless, this consolation does appear to come back on the detriment of responsiveness. A few times I did have a seat submit slip too, albeit on a very harsh highway floor.
Significantly whereas climbing out of the saddle, or sprinting, I discovered the RCR Professional to lack the responsiveness that the perfect race bikes achieve this effectively to seize. By all means, the RCR Professional is a quick bike, quite a few WorldTour victories show that, however the barely boring trip really feel means it’s not such a pleasure to trip as different bikes on the market.
The bike performs very effectively on the descents. The marginally longer wheelbase, at the side of the aggressive head angle, makes for a secure trip that also modifications course fairly effectively. The RCR Professional was a motorcycle I discovered myself having the ability to push fairly laborious proper from the get-go.
Worth and Conclusion
Has Van Rysel actually created an excellent bike killer? In any case, the purpose of this bike is to offer WorldTour high quality at a less expensive value.
Our check bike is priced at £5,500, and comes with Ultegra Di2, carbon wheels, and two-piece ending package, which is nice worth, however not unparalleled. For instance, the brand new Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 8 comes with the identical groupset, DT Swiss wheels, and an built-in aero cockpit for simply £500 extra at £5,999, and having ridden each bikes, I’d say the Canyon is healthier worth for cash.
So whereas sure, it does barely undercut the competitors at this value level, I don’t essentially assume meaning it’s the finest worth bike available on the market. I feel Van Rysel has completely secured its foothold out there with the RCR Professional, and this race bike has actually elevated the model too, however I nonetheless assume it’s nonetheless one or two iterations from upsetting the massive gamers.
