The new Van Rysel EDR CF Ultra comes from the design team behind the RCR, as ridden by UCI Pro Team Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale.
The new Van Rysel EDR CF Ultra is the French brand's rival to Cannondale’s SmartSense-equipped Synapse.
It sports generous tyre clearances, a lightweight frameset, mudguard mounts and triple bottle bosses. There's also a limited-edition version equipped with a dynamo hub and lights.
The EDR CF Ultra is a premium endurance bike with electronic drivetrains and carbon wheelsets.
Typically for Van Rysel, though, the EDR CF Ultra doesn’t come with a premium price tag. The 105 Di2 bike, with Van Rysel VR35 carbon wheels, is priced at £4,000 / €3,499.
In comparison, Cannondale’s new Synapse Carbon 4, with 105 Di2 and alloy DT Swiss wheels, retails at £3,995. Specialized’s Roubaix SL8 Comp, with alloy wheels and Shimano 105 Di2, is £4,250.
Van Rysel claims the new EDR CF Ultra frameset brings the lightweight tech from its road race bikes, combined with endurance geometry and construction designed for greater comfort.
The frame is made from a blend of fibres, but majors on high-modulus carbon. Van Rysel says this helps keep the weight down to a claimed 830g (size medium).
The carbon layup introduces compliance at the rear dropouts, while maintaining bottom-bracket and head-tube stiffness to keep the frame responsive.
Up front, the design is semi-integrated, using Deda’s DCR system with brake hoses running in a channel underneath the stem and into the head tube. Van Rysel claims this makes the bike easier to maintain and adjust compared to fully integrated systems.
Long-distance features
The EDR CF Ultra is fully featured for the rigours of long-distance riding, with 38mm tyre clearances, mudguard mounts and three sets of bottle bosses (with one under the down tube).
The cockpit was designed in conjunction with Deda to enable an aero bar to be fitted.
Limited edition lights up
Alongside the two-model launch line-up, there is a limited-edition model that comes with DT Swiss’ dynamo hub wheelset. The wheels are the result of a partnership between DT Swiss and Taiwanese dynamo light specialists Shutter Precision (SP).
Van Rysel tells us that the limited-edition bike's fully internally routed lighting front and rear, and USB charging port, makes it ideal for self-supported long-distance races and multi-day long-distance rides.
The range
There are three models at launch, topping out with the limited-edition EDR CF Ultra LTD, with SRAM Force AXS and Swiss Side Hadron/DT Swiss SP dynamo hub wheels, for £5,500 / €5,099.
Next is the EDR CF Ultra Ultegra Di2, with Swiss Side Hadron Allroad wheels, at £5,000 / €4,899.
The range starts with the EDR CF Ultra 105 Di2, with Van Rysel VR35 carbon wheels, for £4,000 / €3,499.
The new bikes can be pre-ordered through Decathlon stores in Europe from today, and will be in stores in the UK and Europe from 22 July.
