Ridley

Noah Fast 20 Dura Ace Complete Road Bike - 2015

There are different strategies that cyclists employee in different types of races to ensure a win. When brute force is what it's going to take, however, there are few more effective tools than bikes like the 2015 Ridley Noah Fast 20 Complete Bike — one of the stiffest and most aerodynamic bikes on the road, designed to squeeze all the speed possible out of your sprint to the finish.

Let's check out the frame first. While other companies look primarily at modifying tubing shape to determine optimal airflow when engineering aerodynamically advantageous designs, Ridley looked at every portion of the frame, from brake location to paint types, and subsequently developed the ultimate aero race machine. And while technologies are impressive, quantifiable numbers are moreso. For example, the combined technologies of the Noah Fast offer up to 2.8km/h advantage in a sprint and up to 20 watts less power input needed to average a 40km/h (just under 25mph) breakaway. And while we can't guarantee that the podium is yours, if you make the break, the advantage certainly is.

The Ridley Noah Fast shares the same carbon fiber blends (50, 40, and 30-ton carbon fibers), geometries, and proven aerodynamic features as its Lotto-Belisol pro team-issue iteration, including an aerodynamic down tube, internal cable routing, an aero seat tube that extends into an integrated seatmast, plus a deep rear wheel cut-out. The Noah Fast sets itself apart from the standard Noah as well as other "aerodynamic" frames in its use of Ridley's FAST Concept Technology. As a result, the Fast is, well, faster than the standard Noah, and faster than the competitors. One of the most notable developments are the F-Brakes. These are not unlike the linear-pull brakes seen on TT bikes, but with significantly greater power modulation. Both calipers hide completely out of the wind behind the slotted 4ZA F-Splitfork and rear seatstays. In addition to the aerodynamic benefits of these hidden brakes, the lack of a brake caliper actually helps further reduce the frame weight and adjustment complications due to the simple cable-actuated lever near the handlebars.

The Fast also utilizes the curious-looking Ridley F-Fork. According to Ridley, your wheels produce eight times more drag where they pass through your fork and seatstays, due to the turbulence of the colliding air masses there. The Noah is built to minimize this drag with its use of long, slotted airfoils that are built into both the fork legs and the seatstays. These airfoils redirect oncoming air away from the turbulent areas near the wheels and reduce drag by 8.2 percent. The oversized head tube provides additional front end stiffness so you'll feel comfortable cranking on it in the heat of the final 200 meters.

Still, Ridley doesn't stop at tubing, brakes, and fork. The company used oil mapping in the wind tunnel to isolate spots of turbulent airflow. And where structural limitations kept Ridley from re-sculpting the frame, it applied a textured surface treatment for boundary layer control. Ridley calls it "F-Surface," also affectionately referred to as "aero paint." These thin strips of texture are quite impressive — they purposely trigger a known amount of turbulence that re-energizes lost boundary layers, ultimately re-establishing laminar flow, and minimizing drag. In other words, they carefully create an airflow mess in order to make an unprecedented cleanliness. Airflow control is why you see vortex generators on aircraft wings, and why you see dimples on golf balls. And it's exactly what Ridley does with its F-Surface paint.

So what parts does Ridley hang upon the Noah Fast to create the amazing "20" complete bike? Start off with the most advanced mechanical drivetrain that Shimano has ever made: Dura-Ace 9000. Mix in some proven cockpit components from 4ZA — Ridley's in-house brand — and top it off with Continental's top-shelf GP 4000S II tires and a Zipp 60 clincher wheelset to complement the Fast's aero mission, and both bike and rider are winners.

The Ridley Noah Fast 20 Dura Ace Complete Bike comes in five sizes, from X-Small to X-Large, and in the color Grey/white.