Belgian brand launches first 'cross bike with SRAM Red 22 HRD
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The Ridley X-Night is the first production cyclo-cross bike with SRAM's forthcoming Red 22 HRD group(Image credit: Ridley)
The rear rotor is 140mm(Image credit: Ridley)
While the shifters, derailleurs and brake calipers are Red 22, the cranks are SRAM-series, with 46/36 rings(Image credit: Ridley)
The black hydraulic hose is notably lighter than brake cable housing, which has a wound-steel casing(Image credit: Ridley)
The internal routing on the fork is a nice touch(Image credit: Ridley)
SRAM drew heavily on its brake-brand Avid for the new calipers(Image credit: Ridley)
The full carbon frame of the X-Night came out last year as a standard frame. But a disc version was already in the works(Image credit: Ridley)
The wheels are 4ZA Cirrus Pro T30 CX Disc(Image credit: Ridley)
Carbon tubular rims? Check(Image credit: Ridley)
The 4ZA rims features a wide, rounded profile and external nipples for ease of service(Image credit: Ridley)
Disc brakes - and disc-brake wheels - add a bit of weight to a ’cross bike, but Ridley is betting that the improved braking performance is worth it(Image credit: Ridley)
Ridley did not introduce a disc X-Night until hydraulic was ready(Image credit: Ridley)
Complete bike weight has not yet been announced(Image credit: Ridley)
The Ridley X-Night Disc got a jump on the competition with Red 22 HRD(Image credit: Ridley)
Another view of the new Red 22 Hydro R disc caliper(Image credit: Ridley)
Ridley is big on flying the Belgian flag as part of its brand(Image credit: Ridley)
The Ridley X-Night features clean lines with its internal routing. The hydraulic cylinders are housed atop the shifters(Image credit: Ridley)
Unusual for a complete bike, Ridley is spec'ing the X-Night Disc with tubulars(Image credit: Ridley)
SRAM requires 160mm rotors for road use, but says 140mm is fine for 'cross. Ridley splits the difference with 160 up front and 140 in the rear(Image credit: Ridley)
The SRAM Red 22 Hydro R levers have the same shape as the Red 22 mechanical levers except for the taller lever top(Image credit: Ridley)
Red 22 is the new 11-speed group. The 'Hydro R' designation refers to anything hydraulic in the new line, including the integrated shifters, rim calipers and disc calipers(Image credit: Ridley)
Ridley tucks the Red Hydro R caliper inside the rear triangle, with the hose routed through the chain stay(Image credit: Ridley)
The Red 22 derailleur is not compatible with 10-speed groups, SRAM says. Like the front derailleur, the design is largely the same as the 10-speed Red 2012(Image credit: Ridley)
The Red 22 Yaw front derailleur pivots as it shifts. There are only two settings (big ring, small ring), and no need - or ability - to trim the derailleur as a rider shifts from one end of the cassette to the other(Image credit: Ridley)
Belgium has long been publicly touted on ’cross gear. But the X-Night Disc could feature the first time Ridley has called out Kentucky on a frame(Image credit: Ridley)
Ridley specs a Force 11-26 cassette on the production bike(Image credit: Ridley)
One big perk of disc brakes: plenty of mud clearance at the seat stay bridge(Image credit: Ridley)
4ZA handles the saddle, seatpost, stem, handlebar and wheels(Image credit: Ridley)
Rim calipers and cables, be gone!(Image credit: Ridley)
Available frame sizes on the Ridley X-Night Disc have not yet been announced(Image credit: Ridley)
Less than two weeks after SRAM officially unveiled its new Red 22 Hydraulic Road Disc (HRD), Ridley announced a new X-Night Disc cyclo-cross bike with the 11-speed group that has mechanical shifting and hydraulic braking.
"Our latest X-Night has set a new standard in frames used for cyclo-cross," said Ridley's PR manager Jochen Bessemans. "SRAM is now doing the same for groupsets with the introduction of their Red 22 with hydraulic disc brakes. We have combined these two evolutions into a real revolution within reach of cyclo-cross lovers."
"We worked closely together with the professional riders of the Telenet-Fidea cyclo-cross team and offered them X-Night Disc prototypes for testing," Bessemans said. "But we were waiting to bring it to the market until road/cyclo-cross disc brakes entered the hydraulic era. Hydraulic disc brakes offer more braking power and better modulation, also under extreme conditions, and are therefore an ideal choice on the X-Night."
The X-Night with SRAM Red 22 HRD will be available in June, Bessemans said. This is interesting as SRAM pegged July as the first availability for its group.
The X-Night Disc will have two different builds: one for Europe and another for the US market. The main differences are the wheels (Reynolds Status Pro for the US, 4ZA Cirrus Pro T30 CX Disc from Belgium) and the cockpit (aluminum Cirrus for the US, carbon Cirrus Pro from Belgium).
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While SRAM requires 160mm rotors for road use on its Red 22 HRD, the company suggests 140mm for 'cross. Ridley splits the difference, running 160 up front and 140 in the rear in the European build. The US model will use 140mm front and rear.
Unusual for a complete bike, the X-Night comes with tubulars in the form of Challenge Grifos.
The US bike will be $5,695, but global pricing has not yet been announced.
All pictures shown here are for the European bike.
Ridley uses a 140mm rear rotor and a 160mm up front. The hose routing is internal
