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Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R vs Van Rysel RCR-F Pro
Pick up to 4 bikes. Rows line up component by component. Highlighted rows differ, and green marks the best value where lower or higher is clearly better.
Key differences
- The Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R starts $1,794 cheaper ($5,705 vs $7,499 for the Van Rysel RCR-F Pro).
- Our verdict scores the Van Rysel RCR-F Pro higher overall: 81/100 vs 73/100.
- The Van Rysel RCR-F Pro's lightest build is 0.80 kg lighter (7.5 kg vs 8.3 kg).
- Tire clearance: up to 32 mm on the Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R vs 33 mm on the Van Rysel RCR-F Pro.
- The Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R comes in 5 sizes, the Van Rysel RCR-F Pro in 6.
Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R
Van Rysel RCR-F Pro
| RibbleUltra-Aero SL R | Van RyselRCR-F Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Brand | Ribble | Van Rysel |
| Build | Ultra-Aero SL R 105 Di2 | RCR-F Pro SRAM Rival AXS |
| Build notes | Prices are the full ("was") prices Ribble showed in November 2026 (GBP and USD); its end-of-season sale, ending 2 November 2026, offered it at £3,149 / $4,460. In October 2026 Ribble's full prices were lower (see the price history). No euro price found: Ribble's German site showed the US-dollar store from our location. Built to order with inner tubes fitted; pedals not included. Options at extra cost include a 4iiii power meter crankset and Mavic Cosmic carbon wheels. | Euro-market build (France and Germany list it at €4,500); not on Van Rysel's UK site. Van Rysel's page calls the power meter a Quarq sensor on the Rival E1 crankset; tubeless valves and sealant come with the bike. |
| Price (MSRP) | $5,705$5,705£3,749 | €4,500€4,500€4,500 |
| Bike weight | 9.5 kg20.9 lb | 8.1 kg17.9 lb |
| Weight measured on size | M | M |
| Model year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Generation | First-generation Ultra SL R (2021) | First-generation RCR-F (2025) |
| Launched | 2021-08 | 2025-03 |
| Discipline | Aero road | Aero road |
| UCI legal | Yes | Yes |
| Verdict (out of 100) | ||
| Overall score | 73 | 81 |
| Aero | 82 | 92 |
| Frame | 70 | 78 |
| Components | 72 | 80 |
| Fit | 62 | 72 |
| Practicality | 70 | 66 |
| Price | 86 | 90 |
| Weight | 70 | 86 |
| Frame & fork | ||
| Frame material | Carbon (T1000 and T800 blend, with more T1000 than the Ultra-Aero SL) | Carbon (Super High Modulus 'Pro' layup, 517 plies, 60T fibre reinforcement at the front of the frame) |
| Fork material | Carbon | Carbon (high modulus) |
| Frame weight | 1,200 g2.65 lb | 1,010 g2.23 lb |
| Fork weight | — | 420 g14.8 oz |
| Weight measured on | Ribble's figure for a medium frame only | Van Rysel's 'gross' weights: size M frame and the fork |
| Max system weight | 120 kg264.6 lb | — |
| Frame sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL | XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL |
| Colours | Ultra Black; Ribble Custom Colour also available | Carbon (Dura-Ace Di2, Red AXS); Electric Purple / Carbon, Lunar Grey, Ultra White, Cypress Green (Ultegra Di2); Lunar Grey / Carbon (105 Di2, Rival AXS); Fir Green, Lunar Grey / Carbon, Ultra White (Force AXS) |
| Also available as | Ultra-Aero SL: same design with a cheaper carbon layup | Van Rysel RCR Pro: the brand's race bike for hillier routes |
| UCI frame approval | Approved 19 Jan 2022 as 'ULTRA SLR' (frame and fork), sizes XXS-XL (6), code RIBB-USLR (UCI list version 2026.10.02) | Approved 28 Feb 2024 as 'AERO_24 PRO' (fork listed as 'RCR-F / AERO_24 PRO'), sizes XXS-XL (6), code VRSL-A24P (UCI list version 2026.10.02) |
| Compatibility & standards | ||
| Brake type | Hydraulic disc | Hydraulic disc |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Max tire width | 32 mm | 33 mm |
| Bottom bracket standard | BSA 68 mm threaded | Press-fit 86.5 (SRAM DUB PF 86.5 Road on the SRAM builds) |
| Front axle | 12 mm thru-axle (M12 x 1.5 x 125 mm) | 12x100 thru-axle |
| Rear axle | 12 mm thru-axle (M12 x 1.5 x 173 mm) | 12x142 thru-axle |
| Cable routing | Internal | Internal |
| Hydration & storage | ||
| Bottle mounts | 2 | — |
| Bottle mount locations | Down tube and seat tube, shaped for Ribble's aero bottle cages | — |
| Fit & adjustability | ||
| Cockpit | One-piece bar and stem (Ribble Ultra-Aero integrated carbon bar) | One-piece bar and stem (Van Rysel RCR-F carbon combo made by Deda, with ovalised 'Ergo drops' inserts and a computer mount) |
| Clip-on aerobars possible | Yes | Yes |
| Seatpost type | Proprietary aero carbon seatpost | Proprietary aero carbon seatpost, -15 mm offset |
| Fit notes | The steerer is cut to length when the bike is built and comes with 30 mm of spacers, so the bars can be lowered but not raised later. | — |
| Aerodynamics | ||
| Manufacturer aero claims | At launch: 11.6 W saved at 22 mph (average of 5 and 10 degrees yaw) against Ribble's Endurance SL Disc, about 75 seconds over 40 km. Ribble says the current Ultra-Aero bar has 2.1% less drag than its RI-2 integrated cockpit. | 13 W faster than the Van Rysel RCR at 45 km/h; the cockpit alone saves more than 2.7 W against the RCR's |
| Testing method | CFD, wind tunnel and real-world testing, optimised for 5-10 degrees of yaw | CFD and wind-tunnel development with Swiss Side, then field testing with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale riders |
| Tube profile | Truncated aerofoil tubes; flared down tube; brake calipers mounted inboard of the fork | Aerofoil tube shapes |
| Travel, maintenance & warranty | ||
| Headset bearings | Upper P16 40 x 52 x 7 mm 45x45°, lower ACB 40 x 51.8 x 8 mm 45x45° | — |
| Derailleur hanger | Ribble SL R/SL disc hanger | — |
| Proprietary parts | One-piece Ultra-Aero bar, aero seatpost, derailleur hanger, UCI fork brake adapter | — |
| Frame warranty | Lifetime frame and fork warranty for the original owner | 5 years frame and fork; 2 years parts and labour |
| Sold via | Direct from Ribble (online and showrooms), built to order in the UK | Direct through Decathlon and Van Rysel stores and websites, plus selected resellers |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Groupset | Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 |
| Launched | 2022 · current generation | 2025 · current generation |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Electronic | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless | — | Yes |
| Drivetrain | 2x | 2x |
| Shifters | Shimano 105 Di2 ST-R7170 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 |
| Crankset | Shimano 105 R7100 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 Power Meter |
| Chainrings | — | 48/35 |
| Crank length | 165 (XS) / 170 (S, M) / 172.5 (L, XL) | 165 (XS) / 170 (S) / 172.5 (M) / 175 (L, XL) |
| Power meter | — | SRAM Rival AXS E1 Power Meter |
| Launched | — | 2025 · current generation |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano BB-R60 | SRAM DUB PF 86.5 Road |
| Standard | BSA 68 mm threaded | Press-fit 86.5 |
| Front derailleur | Shimano 105 Di2 R7150 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 |
| Rear derailleur | Shimano 105 Di2 R7150 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 |
| Cassette | Shimano CS-HG710 | SRAM Rival XG-1250 |
| Range | 11-36 | 10-36 |
| Speeds | 12-speed | 12-speed |
| Chain | Shimano CN-M7100 | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake levers | Shimano 105 Di2 ST-R7170 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 |
| Brake calipers | Shimano 105 BR-R7170 | SRAM Rival AXS E1 |
| Type | Hydraulic disc | Hydraulic disc |
| Rotors | Shimano RT-CL700 | SRAM 160/140 mm rotors |
| Front rotor | 160 mm | 160 mm |
| Rear rotor | — | 140 mm |
| Mount | Center Lock | — |
| Wheels & tires | ||
| Wheelset | Mavic Ksyrium 30 | Van Rysel VR 50 Carbon |
| Front rim depth | — | 50 mm |
| Rear rim depth | — | 50 mm |
| Internal rim width | — | 22 mm |
| External rim width | — | 30 mm |
| Material | Aluminium | Carbon |
| Tubeless ready | — | Yes |
| Rim bead | — | Hooked |
| Hubs | Center Lock | DT Swiss 370 Classic, Center Lock, 12 mm thru-axles, SRAM XDR driver |
| Weight | — | 1,550 g3.42 lb |
| Tires | Vittoria Rubino V TLR G2.0 | Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR |
| Tire width | 30 mm | 28 mm |
| Set up tubeless | No | — |
| Cockpit | ||
| Handlebar | Ribble Ultra-Aero Integrated | Van Rysel RCR-F Carbon Combo |
| Type | One-piece bar and stem | One-piece bar and stem, made by Deda |
| Integrated stem | Yes | Yes |
| Widths available | Hoods/drops 360/400 mm with an 80 mm stem (XS), 100 mm (S, M, L); 380/420 mm with a 110 mm stem (XL) | Stem length-bar width (bar width measured at the ends of the drops): XXS 70-400, XS 80-400, S 90-420, M 100-420, L 110-440, XL 120-440 mm |
| Tops | Aero (wide wing-shaped tops) | — |
| Cable routing | Internal | Internal |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Saddle & seatpost | ||
| Saddle | Selle Italia Model X Light | Van Rysel Road 145 mm |
| Seatpost | Ribble Ultra-Aero SL R/SL Setback Carbon | Van Rysel RCR-F Carbon |
| Offset / setback | — | -15 mm |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Geometry (smallest – largest size) | ||
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL | XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL |
| Rider height min | 160–185 cm5′3″–6′1″ | — |
| Rider height max | 165–191 cm5′5″–6′3″ | — |
| Stack | 506–583 mm19.9–23″ | 498–585 mm19.6–23″ |
| Reach | 379–410 mm14.9–16.1″ | 382–412 mm15–16.2″ |
| Seat tube angle | 73.3–75° | 73.5–75.5° |
| Head tube angle | 72–73.5° | 71–73° |
| Head tube length | 105–180 mm4.1–7.1″ | 92–182 mm3.6–7.2″ |
| Effective top tube | 515–590 mm20.3–23.2″ | 513–587 mm20.2–23.1″ |
| Seat tube length | 470–560 mm18.5–22″ | 457–547 mm18–21.5″ |
| Chainstay | 410 mm16.1″ | 410 mm16.1″ |
| Wheelbase | 975–1,014 mm38.4–39.9″ | 978–1,022 mm38.5–40.2″ |
| BB drop | 69 mm2.7″ | 67–73 mm2.6–2.9″ |
| Fork length | — | 372 mm14.6″ |
| Fork offset | 45–53 mm1.8–2.1″ | 45 mm1.8″ |
| Front centre | 518–613 mm20.4–24.1″ | — |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Crank length | 165–172.5 mm6.5–6.8″ | 165–175 mm6.5–6.9″ |
| Stem length | 80–110 mm3.1–4.3″ | 70–120 mm2.8–4.7″ |
| Handlebar width | 400–420 mm15.7–16.5″ | 400–440 mm15.7–17.3″ |
Geometry overlay
Pick a size for each bike to see frames and arm-pad ranges on top of each other.
Drawn to scale (how to read it).