An 885 g frame, a 417 g fork and a power saving of 8.6 watts compared with the previous platform: Van Rysel has RCR-G Designed from the ground up for modern gravel racing. A look at the thinking behind the design.
RCR-G: a gravel bike designed to win
Gravel racing has changed. At the front of the pack, the average speed is now over 35 km/h, and a significant proportion of the races may take place on tarmac access roads. Anyone who wants to compete at the front needs the speed of a road bike and the control required for gravel.
Van Rysel has its roots in cobbled roads. The brand was founded in 2019 in the heart of Flanders, just a few kilometres from the stages of Paris–Roubaix, and has built up its aerodynamic expertise with the RCR-R and RCR-F road bikes. Since 2024, it has been a technical partner of the Decathlon CMA CGM WorldTour team and is now applying the same high standards to gravel cycling.
Built with a single purpose in mind
Gravel races have evolved into a fast, high-intensity discipline. For Van Rysel, this was the inspiration to redefine what a high-performance gravel bike should look like. Rather than adapting an adventure bike for racing, the RCR-G Developed from the ground up with the aim of achieving the highest possible speeds on varying surfaces.
Jérémie Debeuf, Product Manager for road bikes at Van Rysel: “With the RCR-G, we didn’t want to convert an adventure bike into a road bike; instead, we set out to develop a genuine gravel racing platform from the ground up. Modern gravel racing is faster, more technical and more demanding than ever before, so performance was our top priority in every decision we made.”
Cutting through the wind
Building on the aerodynamic expertise gained from the award-winning RCR-R Pro road bike, the engineers used extensive CFD analyses, virtual prototyping and wind tunnel testing to optimise every aspect of the frame.
Wind tunnel tests revealed an aerodynamic saving of 8.6 watts compared with the Van Rysel GCR gravel platform, the previous generation.
The result is the RCR-G, a gravel road bike that combines aerodynamic efficiency with tyre clearance of up to 50 mm. It enables high speeds on both tarmac and unpaved terrain.
Every detail has been optimised for this purpose, from the integrated monocoque cockpit and the lightweight thru-axles to the vibration-damping carbon seatpost.
366 layers
At the heart of the RCR-G is an 885 g frame made from high-modulus carbon (size M, unpainted), paired with a 417 g carbon fork. According to Van Rysel, it is the lightest gravel frame the brand has ever built.
Developed using high-quality carbon fibre and constructed from 366 layers in a gravel-specific lay-up, it offers exceptional power transfer whilst ensuring the durability required for off-road racing.
The flagship model, fitted with SRAM RED, weighs 7.7 kg in size M.
Born for gravel
The RCR-G offers everything that gravel racers expect from a bike today:
- Chainrings with up to 50 teeth (1x) or 52 teeth (2x)
- Three bottle-holder mounts
- Compatibility with bento boxes on the top tube
- UDH compatibility
- 50 mm tyre clearance
The combination of large chainrings and 50 mm tyre clearance is made possible by asymmetrical chainstays, which keep the rear triangle short.
The peloton’s ambition
Throughout the development process, Van Rysel worked closely with riders from the Decathlon CMA CGM WorldTour team. Together, they refined several frame prototypes to achieve the ideal balance of stiffness, responsiveness and control required for top-level competition.
Here’s what the professional riders from the DECATHLON CMA CGM Team have to say:
Aubin Sparfel: “From 25 km/h onwards, it maintains its speed remarkably well and, thanks to its aerodynamics, keeps accelerating.”
Tiesj Benoot: “As soon as I sat on the RCR-G, I immediately felt the Van Rysel DNA.”
Stan Dewulf: “The bike can no longer be used as an excuse, because it’s absolutely world-class.”
Three trim levels, one special edition, one counterpart
The RCR-G It is available in three specifications. The integrated monocoque cockpit is available on the model fitted with SRAM RED.
At the top of the range is a special edition model available in a limited number. THE ACE Comes with two complete wheel sets: the Swiss Side Gravon 500 with 40 mm tyres for gravel, and the Van Rysel Carbon VR 50 with 28 mm tyres for the road. It is fitted with the Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and a ‘Raptor’ coating to protect against stone chips.
It has no rival – only a counterpart. The EDR-G is designed for riders seeking versatility, safety and comfort over any distance: endurance geometry, optimised lamination, an integrated frame toolbox and over 15 mounting points on the frame and fork.
Prices and availability
The RCR-G is available in three trim levels:
- SRAM Rival XPLR AXS 13-speed: €3,199
- SRAM Force XPLR AXS 13-speed: €4,199
- SRAM RED XPLR AXS 13s: €6,599
THE ACE is available from €6,600, including both sets of wheels, in a strictly limited edition.
The EDR-G is also already available in shops.