Aleko

I was wondering what people thought of Ridley bikes around here and how they compare to more popular brands like Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. They seem to have nicely spec'd bikes for fairly reasonable prices (at least compared to those other big names). It seems like Ridley is somewhat more popular in Europe (naturally, being Belgium brand), but is there any reason not to buy a Ridley in favor of Trek/Specialized/etc.?

To give a little background, I'm looking for my first drop bar bike to ride mostly on paved trails, bad SE MI roads, and possibly even some light singletracks, for when I don't have time to load up my MTB and drive to an MTB trail. Basically I want a "road bike" for training/workouts without buying a road bike, if that makes sense. Based on my reading of this forum and talking to guys at bike shops, I've narrowed it down to either a cross bike or a gravel bike. Since I'm not planning on competing, it seems like gravel bike is mostly what I need to be looking at, although I'm still not completely discounting the idea of a cross bike, since my riding style is more aggressive and I never ride just for commuting or sight seeing; my riding is always a workout, so I always push myself to the max. With that said, I've narrowed it down to a few models I'm considering:

Specialized Diverge DSW
Specialized Crux
Cannondale CAADX
Giant Anyroad Comax
Niner RLT
Ridley X-Trail AL30
Ridley X-Trail CR2

I'm having hard time finding most of these bikes in stock (in my size and configuration I want), let alone several of them at one shop, so test riding them is proving to be almost impossible task. I've ridden both of the Specialized bikes, although at different dealers, and both were higher end, more expensive models than what I'm looking for (so it's not very helpful in helping me find the right one). But I did get a chance to ride both Ridleys back-to-back, and I really like the way they rode (the more expensive CR2 especially). So I may just go with CR2, even though it's a little more expensive than what I was planning to spend, but before I do, I wanted to make sure I'm not overlooking any other options, and that CR2 is the bike I'll be happy with for my intended use. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

bo31210

Consider the Niner RLT 9 as well There are some closeouts on them now for 1299. Ordered mine today after doing the analysis you are doing. Took me a month or so to get to the decision point. I agree, there is very little inventory on gravel bikes in my area (Southeast US)

Aleko

Yeah, I really wanted to try RLT and BSB (and still do), but those are rarer than hen's teeth. I've tried a bunch of dealers in 2 different States, and no one has them in stock. And I don't feel comfortable buying one sight unseen...

bo31210

I understand. I am buying sight unseen but the service and consultation i received during the process has been great. I feel comfortable with my purchase. If you want to talk with them shoot me a message. Dont want to be accused of promoting on here LOL

Aleko

I can't PM here since I'm under 50 posts... Please email me at akgem1@gmail.com.

tFUnK

I have a Ridley X-Bow (more sporty: supposedly same geometry throughout their entire CX line) and a Specialized Tricross Sport (more of a gravel/commuter/touring geometry). I use both for mixed-terrain rides. The Ridley is subjectively a lot faster/sportier than the Tricross but not as lively as my road bike. Keep in mind that Ridley geometry features a relatively short top tube and higher bottom bracket. The higher bottom bracket took some getting used to when offroad/on singletrack, but now I'm used to it (it reminds me of the higher stance of a track bike). If I didn't already have a road bike, I would put the Ridley to serve double duty with a spare road wheelset setup.

Aleko

Sounds like it should be a perfect fit for me then. It will be my first, and possibly only, drop bar bike, so its versatility is a plus. And since I've been trying to choose between CX and gravel bike, the X-Trail seems to be a little bit of both. And I still can't find any other bike in my size at any of the local stores, it's starting to look like X-Trail will be the one.

fietsbob

CX races are won on Ridley's competition cyclocross bikes .. Last I saw, QBP was distributing them in the US.. (via your LBS)

cyclocrossworld.com was retailing and shipping bikes , now theyre not selling frames , but every thing else.. specialty parts

Ridley - Choose your Ridley

Ben I.

I JUST bought a X-Trail yesterday so I can't give much feedback on it long term but it definitely seems like a great bike. I already have a great road bike but wanted another one I could try new trails on and take out when the weathers crappy or just a change of pace. I originally was looking at cyclocross bikes but most have more aggressive geometry that for very long rides wouldn't be as comfortable. At first I was looking at getting a Ridley X-Night but eventually decided that I wanted 2 bottle cage mounts, and more importantly, since I have no plans for racing cross in the near future, the geometry of the X-Trail was way better suited for my style of riding. A good friend of mine also pointed out that having a bike with thru-axles is good. Most disc brake wheels are thru-axles and it'll automatically align the rotor with the caliper unlike a quick release.

One side note, at one point I was looking at the Niner bikes, both the BSB (carbon version) and the RLT (aluminum version). Decided the BSB price was more than I wanted to pay and some reviews have said that RLT aluminum ride can be a little harsh on bumpier roads.

Good luck and feel free to reply to me if you have any questions regarding the X-Trail keeping in mind I haven't gone on a ride yet except for the test ride.

KonaRider125

I'm in a similar situation as you(choosing a gravel bike to buy) and I've looked at the Ridley X Trail. My issue with the bike is the price for the components it comes with, asking $3000 it should have Ultegra level components NOT a mix of 105 and Shimano non series stuff. Crossed off my list.

Just a heads up too, Competitive cyclist has Niner RLT9 105 models on sale for $1300.

Another bike you should consider which I am as well is the GT Grade carbon.

fietsbob

Guess you looked at these Guys that will ship a bike to you .

Performance Bike - Ridley - Category

You would be in a wealthy city to have any shops with stock of high end Bikes .