Decathlon Van Rysel RR 900 AF

A lot of riders, especially those who are new to the sport, tend to judge the value of a new bike on the spec list, so it would be easy to jump to the conclusion that the Van Rysel RR 900 AF has hit that £850 price point by being an average frameset draped in plenty of bling to make it a viable option. It really hasn't though. This is the full package: a proper race bike at a competitive price.

• Pros: Excellent spec list for the money; good compromise of stiffness versus comfort
• Cons: A bit weighty; not the most refined frame out there

If you've been paying attention, you'll know that French sports superstore chain Decathlon has given its cycling range a bit of a revamp. B'Twin has been superseded by two new brands: Triban for its touring, commuting and sportive bikes, and the performance models now known as Van Rysel.

> Find your nearest Decathlon store here

Split into carbon fibre and aluminium alloy frames, this RR 900 AF is the second-tier machine in the aluminium line-up.

Ride

While many bikes at this price point have an endurance bias when it comes to geometry, the RR 900 AF is a proper race bike. With steep angles, a lengthy top tube and reasonably short head tube, this is a bike for getting long and low on.

It's responsive too. There is plenty of stiffness around the bottom bracket and the front end feels tight in the bends. It's definitely a bike that likes to be ridden hard.

What I like most about it, though, is that it feels so planted. It's surefooted, which gives a rider confidence especially when the road surface is wet and greasy. Some of that is down to the weight – 8.98kg (19.8lb) isn't that svelte for a bike with this kit level, though it doesn't feel sluggish in any way.

Most of it comes from the fact that the frame and fork damp a lot of the road buzz so you can really feel what is going on beneath the tyres. There is loads of feedback which is impressive as the Mavic Yksion tyres aren't the most supple and communicative.

I enjoyed the Van Rysel the most when I was short of time. If I wanted to get out for a blast and make the most of the hour or whatever I had on offer, this was the bike I grabbed. I'd chuck a leg over and smash it about a bit and return home with a grin on my face and a feeling of a job well done.

The 73.5-degree seat angle puts you in a forward, aggressive position, and paired with a 73-degree head angle that offers quick handling, it's a bike that likes the technical sections.

You can really point this bike into a tight bend and know you are going to come out the other side without much issue. The front end tracks nicely and is backed up by the feedback from the fork, so you know exactly what is going on with the front tyre.

The steering has a feeling of directness to it – it's not the sharpest bike I've ridden, but you don't get any feelings of understeer from the fork when heavily loaded by steering forces, which allows you to push hard into the bends.

Should you go in a little deep, the Van Rysel responds well to your input whether that is a shift in bodyweight or a dab of the brakes.

On the whole, the handling is nicely weighted, just on the right side of twitchy.

If you want to head out for longer rides then the RR 900 AF delivers on the comfort front too. It's not quite as refined as the frame on the latest Specialized Allez Sprint Comp, for instance, but to get one of those with this level of kit you're looking at laying out £1,700.

I went out for a fair few three to four-hour rides on the Van Rysel and never came home feeling battered.

Frame and fork

The RR 900 AF uses Van Rysel's Ultra RCR frame, with butted tubes to create comfort and reduce weight. Butting is where a manufacturer draws the tubes to differing wall thicknesses, typically thicker at the ends to resist stress and thinner in the middle to promote a bit of flex and therefore comfort.

For a medium model it has a quoted weight of 1,400g – not massively light but not exactly heavy either.

The welding is neat and tidy enough for the money, and the paint finish is certainly hardwearing. You also get a lifetime warranty on the frame, and two years for the fork.

Another thing that is impressive to see is that the cabling runs fully internally; often with alloy frames the cables are ejected at the bottom bracket shell, but here the cable for the rear mech runs right though the chainstay.

Being a race bike there is little in the way of mounts, with just a couple for attaching bottle cages. Tyre clearance is all right though: 25mm tyres are fitted as standard and there is plenty of room for 28s, which is plenty for the type of riding intended.

The fork is a mix of carbon fibre for the legs, with an aluminium alloy tapered steerer. It tips the scales around the 500g mark.

For braking, it uses a direct mount fitment where the specific calliper is bolted into each fork leg rather than just a central bolt at the crown like most dual pivots. The idea is to create more stiffness in the calliper to cope with the braking forces, but it really is negligible. The 105 callipers are great, so it's not really a criticism.

Groupset

As I mentioned earlier, the Van Rysel is very well specced for the money.

While many brands at this price scrimp on the brake callipers or the chainset to save money, Decathlon has gone for a full Shimano 105 R7000 groupset.

The gearing comprises a semi-compact 52/36 crankset and an 11-28 cassette, which is pretty much spot on for the type of riding the RR 900 AF is designed for.

What I also like is that Decathlon has specced a long cage rear mech, which means if you want to swap in a cassette with a 32-tooth large sprocket you can without any changes needed.

The 105 groupset offers some of the best performance for your money when it comes to braking and gear shifting, so it is no surprise that I had no issues here.

Whether going for a lazy gear change or a snap shift through the block, 105 always delivers, and the performance is so close to Ultegra that you'll only notice it when riding the two side by side.

Finishing kit

The handlebar, stem, seatpost and saddle are all in-house branded and do a decent enough job.

You're never going to get overly excited about it, but there is no real need to upgrade either.

The bar has a compact design, which gives you plenty of choice for hand positions without being too extreme, and I was quite a fan of the saddle. It's firm for fast, hard riding and I liked the narrow nose.

Wheels and tyres

Wheel-wise, the Van Rysel comes with a set of Mavic Aksiums and Yksion tyres.

I've ridden them thousands of miles on various test bikes over the years, and while they're a little weighty you can't really knock them. They'll take plenty of abuse and offer decent levels of stiffness.

The tyres have improved over the years, having been quite puncture prone in their earlier guises, and they don't feel quite as wooden as they first did.

Suppleness and feedback still isn't up there with the latest tyres on the market, though, so once they wear they are definitely worth an upgrade.

Value

This, quite frankly, is where the Van Rysel delivers its killer blow. Comparing it to other bikes I've ridden, the RR 900 AF could easily be twice the price and still be considered good value for the money.

Something like the Tresca TCA-1 105 has a very similar build. True, it's a much smaller company so doesn't have the benefit of the buying power of something like Decathlon, but it offers a similar ride. The Tresca has slightly sharper handling but the Van Rysel wins on comfort. It's marginal in both instances, but the RR 900 AF is £750 cheaper.

> Buyer's Guide: 15 of the best 2019 road bikes for under £1,000

Even Canyon can't compete! Its Endurace AL 7.0 with a 105 groupset will set you back £999, highlighting just what great value for money the Van Rysel is.

I also mentioned earlier that I'm a big fan of the Specialized Allez when it comes to alloy frames. Admittedly, the new model is less racy than its predecessor and the Van Rysel, but it offers a great ride. The Elite model that I tested last year has a similar build spec to the RR 900 AF, and will also cost £999 at rrp.

Conclusion

If you are starting out in the sport or fancy an entry-level race bike, then £850 is still a lot of money, but I can promise you it will not be wasted if you were to go for the Van Rysel. It offers a great ride, comes with an impressive spec list and the frame is ripe for upgrading as you make gains in performance and grow in confidence.

Verdict

Quality frameset with an impressive spec list that also delivers in performance