The new Helium SLX Disc is the new flagship model in the Ridley family of ?stiffness to weight? bikes. It is extremely light weight tipping the scales at 780g for a size small, which is only 50g heavier than the rim break version.
This new frame not only sees the addition of disc brakes it has also been aerodynamically optimised, by using F-Steerer technology like the Noah Fast, every cable on the front end of the bike is integrated making a clean cockpit.
?We finally opted for the complete integration of all cables. After carrying out a great many analyses, we knew that this yielded a considerable benefit: a decrease in wind resistance of 14%,? Toon Wils, Chief Engineer, Belgian Cycling Factory.
By retaining its round shaped top tube and down tube this new model retains the perfect ratio of stiffness to weight. The addition of disc brakes and thru axles lowered rear stays and maintaining the small bridge between the Helium SLX Disc has increased stiffness over the rim brake version.
This is the perfect all round bike, its low weight will see you climbing with little effort and on the decent you will have full control thanks to the straight bladed fork providing sublime handling round those hairpin corners and powerful braking from the disc brakes.
The Helium SLX Dis is truly ?the King of Racers? Jochim Aerts, founder of Ridley Bikes.
F-Steerer
Our new F-Steerer, with half-moon curvature, ingeniously allows for fully internal cabling. Cables run straight from handlebar, through stem and directly inside the steerer tube where they have room to move freely as bar is turned from left to right. Not only does this decrease air friction from cable drag, but it gives your bike a very clean look. In addition, by adjusting the cross-section of the steerer, we were able to increase its lateral stiffness, which comes in handy when sprinting.
Compatible with Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM.
Disc Brakes
Disc brakes are one of the newest game-changing evolutions in road cycling. They add that extra level of security to any ride, knowing that you can always stop on demand. They are equally reliable in all weather conditions. The ease of braking is a real bonus, especially when your hands are frozen and barely functional. Just a light pull on the lever to modulate your speed. With no need for braking on the rim surface, wear and tear is reduced. This gets you much more mileage from your wheelset.
Ridley Carbon
Here at Ridley, we set extremely high standards for ourselves. And it all starts with our choice of raw materials. We use only the best quality carbon available, sourced from Toray. They are the world?s leading carbon manufacturer, supplying mainly to the aerospace industry. The grades of high-modulus carbon we use vary from our most pliable 24-ton, which gives the frame flex and comfort, to 60-ton which is our stiffest.
When developing our carbon products, we strictly follow the principle of ?form follows function??down to the last detail. When creating a frame, we first analyse the exact function it needs to serve ? how it will be used, how it needs to feel in every possible scenario. Next we design the shape of the frame, taking extreme care of the exact curves, lines and varying thickness of each tube. Lastly is the carbon layup. Combining the grades of carbons to get the exact feel of the bike is like piecing together the most intricate 3-D jigsaw puzzle. It usually involves hundreds of pieces of carbon, assembled in a few dozen layers.
Once this puzzle is complete, what you have is a piece of machinery that is perfectly tuned for its task at hand. Every single one of our carbon bikes exemplifies this extreme attention to detail.
