RIDLEY X-FIRE

Ridley is the undisputed leader in cyclocross bikes given that they've won more World Championships than any other manufacturer. Sure, their sponsored riders had something to do with that, but without the best equipment they'd have a tough time dealing with the hardships of the European 'cross courses. The X-Fire is a best-selling model and one that we consider their smartest. The frame is actually lighter than their top-of-the-line X-Night, and yet it costs a good bit less.

The X-Fire is made primarily of 24 ton carbon fiber that gives it a just-right blend of toughness, stiffness, and light weight. Its flowing lines blend the elegance reminiscent of an Italian road racer with the utility necessary to survive Belgian mud. The squared down tube is part of what gives the X-Fire an immediate jump when you mash on the pedals, and its oversized juncture with the bottom bracket and chainstays ensures torsional strength. When you unclip to dismount, you'll feel the stability as you weight your left leg and steer toward the barrier. The full carbon fork complements the stiffness of the frame with a tapered steerer and a 1.5" lower bearing to keep the front wheel tracking straight over unseen bumps or through frozen ruts.

This latest version has a few new details that make it more appealing than ever. Rather than top routed cables like the old bike, this one uses internal routing. Ridley made a wise choice and ran full-length cable housing for both derailleurs and the rear brake. The housing simply glides through in-molded sleeves within the frame tubes. Setup is a breeze, and the protection afforded by the closed system keeps you shifting accurately race after race no matter the conditions. The clever routing of the front derailleur cable allows use of a normal road bike bottom pull derailleur. The changes continue to the bottom bracket where you'll find a Pressfit 30 shell. While you can use any crank with this system, you'll maximize stiffness and heel clearance with a BB30 crankset.

The Ridley X-Fire is White/red and is available in six sizes from 48 to 58cm. It comes with a full carbon fork and FSA 1-1/8" to 1.5" tapered integrated headset. It requires a 34.9mm clamp-on bottom pull front derailleur and a 31.6mm seatpost.

Please be aware that the X-Fire frame geometry was designed to strike that fine balance between standover height and room for your elbow to pass if you prefer to grab the downtube as you shoulder the bike. Because of this, please be aware of the sizing and focus on the top tube length when you consider your purchase. You'll likely want to go shorter here than your standard road bike sizing. The X-Fire, like all cyclocross bikes, will have a higher top tube than modern road bikes with sloping geometry. Please don't be alarmed about this. If you have questions about fitting a 'cross bike, please feel free to call and speak with one of our sales staff.

2011 Ridley X-Fire Pricing

2011 Ridley X-Fire Geometry

Seat Tube c-c	Top Tube	Head Tube	Seat Angle	Head Tube Angle	Standover
41.0	50.2	9.0	74.5	71.0	80.0
48.0	52.5	11.5	74.5	72.0	82.5
50.0	53.0	12.5	74.0	72.0	83.5
52.0	53.5	14.5	73.5	72.0	85.0
54.0	54.5	16.5	73.5	72.0	87.0
56.0	56.0	18.5	73.5	72.0	89.0
58.0	57.5	20.5	73.0	72.0	91.0