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A bike with a Tour de France pedigree comes fully loaded with expectations. To see how Ridley Bikes’ flagship lightweight race machine performs, MEC Cycling Envoy Allan Prazsky took it out for a spin.
I was really eager to jump on the Ridley Bikes Helium SL. How would this flyweight machine ride? At just over 700g, the carbon frame is touted to be one of the lightest on the market. Throw in the fork and the scale moves to a feathery 1000g, thanks to a special carbon layup and new resin.
That’s light, folks.
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A quick walk around the Helium SL reveals the venerable Shimano Ultegra 6800 11 speed groupset. This is the next best thing to the top-drawer, hardcore race-oriented Dura-Ace group. I’ve been a Shimano pilot since forever, so I felt right at home with this mechanical group. It’s lightweight, good looking, crisp shifting, and simple to adjust and maintain.
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Touch points on the Helium include house brand 4ZA bars, stem, post and saddle, all high quality carbon goodies designed in the heart of the cycling country, Belgium. The wheels are Fulcrum Racing 5s, which are mid-depth and great for varying conditions (if you spend an inordinate amount of time in the mountains, you might consider a special climbing wheelset)
The immediate difference from the bike I’ve been riding all season (the fantastic Ghost Race Lector) is the size of the tubing. Svelte! My Ghost has a massive bottom bracket area and equally large chainstays and downtube, while the Ridley’s blessed with small diameter tubes, particularly the gossamer-like seatstays – very contemporary design features. The Helium also sports asymmetrical chainstays. They’re beefier on the right side, and the left side is thinner and lighter due to the reduced forces on non-drive side of the bike. The cable routing’s internal for a clean looking bike, and is perfect for riders contemplating an electronic upgrade in the future.
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When I swung my leg over this machine from Belgium and gave it some stick… how did it ride? As you’d expect from a bike with a Tour de France pedigree, it was light and lively, with tremendous feedback. The weight (or more appropriately, lack thereof) provided instant response when I jumped out the saddle and stomped on the pedals.
When I attacked a corner and leaned the bike over, the sure-footed nature provided pin-point accuracy without any nervousness, inspiring me to push harder and harder. The slim seatstays offered a surprisingly smooth ride from such a stiff race bike. Climbing out of the saddle was a joy with little to no apparent flex out of the bottom bracket.
Hands down, this is a superb bike. Light, lively, predictable and comfortable. I’m looking forward to a long-term test of Ridley’s Helium SL.
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