Ridley

X-Night SL 10 Disc Force 1 Cyclocross Bike - 2017

A staple in the European and American cyclocross scenes, Ridley bikes have been a common sight atop world championship podiums for over a decade. The 2017 X-Night SL 10 Disc Force 1 Complete Cyclocross Bike brings that winning tradition to your doorstep with top-tier design and componentry built to compete at even the highest levels of the sport.

This particular build boasts SRAM's venerable Force 1 drivetrain and powerful Force 1 hydraulic disc brakes for precise gear changes and confident stopping power. A 42t chainring pairs with an 11-28t cassette to provide exceptional mid-range gearing options suitable for almost any terrain. To round things out, a set of 4ZA Cirrus Pro T30 rims laced to DT Swiss 350 hubs roll wrapped in a set of versatile Clement MXP Tubular tires for solid traction across a wide variety of course conditions.

Ridley builds the X-Knight SL from a mix of 30T and 24T high modulus carbon fiber. This is similar to that found in its cobble-stone conquering Fenix frameset, so it sops up fatiguing vibrations and tenaciously transfers every watt into forward motion for a fast yet cushy ride worthy of even the harshest race conditions. Its internal cable routing makes for a clean, streamlined look, with the added bonus of eliminating pesky cable pinches when shouldering your bike up a steep wall of limestone stairs. Classic European cyclocross geometry gives the X-Night SL a fast, aggressive feel while its wide tire clearance accommodates rubber for tackling everything from snowy Northeast mud to dry West Coast dirt and challenge for the win.

At the front, Ridley outfits the X-Knight SL with its Oryx Disc carbon fiber fork, which incorporates a few details to reduce stress out on the course. It boasts a 12mm thru-axle for a solid, stable ride even when navigating tight, twisty elevation changes and a barely noticeable asymmetry that counters the extra torsional forces applied to the left fork leg when scrubbing speed. The dropouts include stainless steel inserts to protect the carbon from scratches and a scuff plate on the inside of the left fork leg fends off errant disc during frantic mid-race wheel changes to keep the fork free of unwanted wear. This means more fun in the mud, and less time worrying about the integrity of your bike's front end.