Who hasn't dreamed of riding a professional racing bike? Performance, weight and equipment: the high-bred professional bikes of the stars leave little to be desired. But there is one crucial catch: the top material is also priced in other spheres. With the new Noah Disc and Helium Disc, Ridley now wants to kill two birds with one stone.
Ridley Noah & Helium 2022: Same stiffness, higher weight
The two new Ridely models are hardly any different from the top models of the same name. Noah Fast and Helium SLX to distinguish between the two. Ridley promises the same stiffness and riding characteristics, only the weight should be slightly higher due to a modified carbon layup. However, the Belgians did not provide any details on exactly how much at the launch of the two new racing bikes.
Aero and lightweight model
The Noah Disc is characterised by its aerodynamics. Thanks to its streamlined frame profile, the innovation achieves the same aero performance as a professional racing bike, according to Ridley. In TOUR 8/2020 we presented the Noah Fast by Jasper de Buyst (Team Lotto-Soudal) measured 212 watts at 45 km/h in the wind tunnel. Like the Helium SLX, the Helium Disc is designed as a lightweight model. According to the manufacturer, the frame weighs less than 1,000 grams.
SRAM and Shimano as options
Both new Ridley road bikes cost around half the price of their big brothers. The Noah Disc is available from 3,699 euros, while the Helium Disc starts at 3,199 euros. The design and equipment can be customised in the online configurator. Both models can be configured with SRAM Rival eTap, Shimano Ultegra 2x11 or Shimano 105 2x11.
Julian Schultz
Editor
