Bicycles

On test: Ridley Ignite

Details

Parent Category: Bicycles

Category: Ridley

Published on Monday, 17 January 2011 06:21

Written by Luca Salvatelli

A bike with very good performance, not extreme in weight, but very competitive

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Ridley also confirmed in 2011 its flagship model in Mtb, the model Ignite. Next to the Ignite Team version, there is also the Ignite version without integrated seatpost. The monocoque frame is 24Ton high modulus carbon, with carbon dropouts, the headset 1 inch and 1/8, bottom bracket with classic standard. The main tubes of the frame sections are abundant and a box section. The rearstay has a generous section of the pipe and with a profile that remains distant from the wheel to accommodate large sections of tires and have no problem if the mud. The frame weight is 1390 grams declared. The bike being tested is a 2010 version, which differs from the version in the assembly 2011, in the wheels and the group adopted. The wheels are Fulcrum Red Metal 10, while the group has adopted the new Sram X9 2x10, also change the tires, Michelin. The bike is assembled in the test group with the Avid brakes Elixir5 and Sram X9. The Truvativ Stylo crankset 22/32/44 and with a 11/34 sprocket. The wheels are Fulcrum Red Metal 3 and tires Vredestein Black Panther. Stem, handlebar, seatpost and saddle are 4ZA, Cirrus. Always 4ZA the bottle cage. The fork is a Rock Shox Reba Team. The bike so assembled, the size M, has a weight of 10.5 kg, as measured with our instrumentation.

These differences in detail of the 2011 version:

Group SRAM X9 2011

Sram X9 Crankset 2x10 28/42

Fulcrum Red Metal 10

Michelin tires WildGrip'r

Fork Rock Shox Reba-RL

Declared weight 10.5 kg

The road test

The Ridley Ignite is notable for the excellent achievement of the frame and in particular his painting, which is made absolutely handicraft, without the use of stikers. It is also customizable colors and graphics. The frame has a very low weight, at least in the statements, because eventually the weight of the bike is competitive even though they were used together in high-level, although adequate at the list price of the bike. This means that the weights reported by Ridley are true. In the 2011 version was made to upgrade the unit with the new Sram X9 2011, while a downgrade was done in the wheel with Fulcrum Red Metal 10, again the list price prevents doing better and who wants a bike or assembles the most competitive starting from the frame kit or go to the version of Ignite Team, more expensive. There is no comprehensive protection to avoid contact between the frame and chain, and between the cables and the frame in the area of the headstock. In the saddle position takes more than good, with proper ergonomic controls and a just distribution of weights. Movement is perceived in the high rigidity of the chassis and the rear allow excellent power transfer to the rear wheel. More than good to the rigidity of the bottom bracket and the reactivity of the rear. This, combined with good components adopted, enables outstanding performance on routes compact and fast. Proper weight distribution, then, allows the rear wheel traction, even in the steepest hills, where you can feel a lightness of steering paper, which is faced with the forward displacement of the body weight. àIn this way there is a better direction and does not affect the strength significantly. The predictable behavior and sincere frame is also confirmed in locations with funds raised and very difficult, where the bike always respond in a gradual manner, facilitating the guide and giving even the novice to achieve good performance. Very slow and tortuous paths in the handling is excellent, with great speed to fit a curve or change direction. By setting a rigid fork and choosing the right tire pressure, you can "speed up" even more steering, finding that extreme reactivity to appeal to the more experienced and helpful in certain locations. Stability is good on the fast to medium speeds, steering becomes over sensitive and need more experience for a perfect control. ùThe bike is always safe and allows for experts to get the most in term of performance. Again with a good calibration of the fork, softer, and a good selection of tires you are unable to achieve an improved stability at the expense of steering response. Very good, then, ride comfort, high-level, in consideration of benefits, in terms of stiffness, expressed by frame, in which behavior must play a key role in the type of carbon used and the particular shape of the rear. The brakes, as confirmed also in 2011, is demonstrate the powerful, even though they may have greater scalability, to help the less experienced. The X9 group is more than great for precision in steps of relationship and reduced excursion of the levers in this case is just the move to group 2011 2x10 X9, which is proving even more quickly, accurately and with reduced excursion of the levers, even the best crank. Too bad it has not been confirmed Fulcrum Red Metal 3, which have proved excellent for reliability, rigidity and smoothness. Vredestein Black Panther are also excellent, perfect for muddy and moved, never give up the power and behave in a perfect curve. Also good fork, rigid and smooth. In conclusion, the Ridley Ignite stands out for having a frame of high quality, polished and painted in a traditional way, it is hard and with a healthy shape, which always allows a perfect control. It 's very competitive on all routes, particularly those in medium/slow, responsiveness and speed sports where the top of its category. Only on very fast pathways may be more difficult to bring to the limit. Assembly, unfortunately did not do full justice, because with a Sram XX and components would be appropriate to the level of the best competitors in the world.

Price

The bike test has a cost of about Euro 2590 in the 2011 version, a price that just slightly higher because many proposals with an aluminum frame and heavier. The frame kit is priced at 1510 Euro, in this case the price may be high in relation to the declared weight (about 2/300 grams more than the competitors), but we found a competitive bike in the total weight, the weight of the frame seems real and not determined as in other cases with raw frame and small in size. The painting and craft customized, then make the competitive cost of the kit. Honest, then, prices for color customization: 170 Euro, 340 Euro instead need to customize the graphics, less than it takes many craftsmen to do the same job.

Positive aspects

Build Quality
Customize the color and graphics
Painting craft
Billed true
Rigid frame
Maneuverability
Overall Performance

Negative aspects

High speed stability
No knock chain

The report card

Quality 8 (the frame is worth 10, then the list price has forced the cancellations)
Stiffness 9 (it is located near the top of the class)
Comfort 9.5 (it is her best features)
Stability 8.5 (at high speed requires some more attention)
Manageability 9.5 (always fast on the close)
Braking 8.5 (good braking on the whole, you could have more scalability)
Weight 8.5 (an honest weight and content)
Price 9 (a fair price and better than other competitors)

Read more:

Ridley Bikes

Website: www.ridley-bikes.com