RIDLEY X-RIDE - 2013

As Ridley sees it, you need three bikes in your quiver to succeed in 'cross, and the X-Ride was designed as the all-rounder to its three-bike fleet. Not afraid of harsh environments or blistering competition, the X-Ride lays waste to the field as not only one of the lightest aluminum 'cross frames on the market, but also as the recipient of many of the same features as Ridley's five-time World Championship winner, the X-Night. Belgium is cyclocross, and Ridley is Belgium.

The Ridley X-Ride features triple-butted 7000-series aluminum construction, and a full carbon 4ZA Oryx fork. This combination gives the X-Ride just the right amount of stiffness to enable quick acceleration and pickup for dig-in-slippery climbs, but not so much as to break your body apart when you bunny-hop the barrier. Ridley's field experience has also bred a few frame designs that you'll be happy to have when you're encountering mud. For one, the X-Ride incorporates Ridley's Mudless Tube Technology on the fork and seatstays. As you can guess, the oversized tubing sheds mud and debris while producing a compliant ride quality. The massive tubing also stiffens the bottom bracket juncture for direct crank efficiency. The frame refuses to be stifled by buildup. For further protection from the elements and those times when you're running with the bike, Ridley ran the brake and shift cable over the top tube of the frame. This way, unless you fall in a sinkhole, you'll always have unhindered precision to the functionality of your bike. The Oryx fork uses a massive 1-1/8 by 1-1/2in fork crown that eliminates brake chatter and increases lateral rigidity. This is the same fork that you'll find on the top-tier X-Night. 'Cross forks simply don't get any better.

The Ridley X-Ride is available in seven sizes from XX-Small to XX-Large and in the color Matte White.

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