- 11 hours ago
Not all road bikes are created equal! If you're in the market for a new road bike should you choose an endurance road bike, a road race bike or an aero bike?
As Van Rysel have released the 2026 Van Rysel EDR CF Ultra Endurance bike we thought we'd see how it compares to the RCR-R road race bike and RCR-F road race bike to see which one suits which kind of rider best.
We also chat to a bike fitting expert to see the riding benefits of an endurance bike vs road bike.
As Van Rysel have released the 2026 Van Rysel EDR CF Ultra Endurance bike we thought we'd see how it compares to the RCR-R road race bike and RCR-F road race bike to see which one suits which kind of rider best.
We also chat to a bike fitting expert to see the riding benefits of an endurance bike vs road bike.
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SportsTranscript
00:00This is the brand new Van Riesel Road Bike, but unlike when the RCR
00:05are launched, or the RCR-F, this one's flown a little bit more under the radar.
00:10Why is that? Well, probably because...
00:15Because it's an endurance road bike, and in the past, they haven't been seen as an...
00:20incredibly sexy choice. But in 2025, is all that about to change?
00:25What is the best bike for you and your riding? Is it a road race bike?
00:30Is it an endurance road bike? Or is it an aero road bike? Well...
00:35You're in the right place to find out. This is Cycling Weekly. Let's get into it.
00:40Buying any new bike represents a sizeable...
00:45investment. But what exactly does the term road bike mean in 2025?
00:50It seems to be an umbrella term that refers to everything from what the pros are riding...
00:55to all road bikes. They're a story for another day. It doesn't help that with every new...
01:00release of a bike. There seems to be a load of marketing talk to say, X bike is the...
01:05best one for you. Y bike will make you 15 seconds quicker. Z bike...
01:10is 3 million percent stiffer. Well today, with the help of Van Riesel's recently...
01:15updated range, we're going to try to cut through the marketing jargon...
01:18and help you get on the right bike...
01:20for your riding. We're even going to talk to a bike fitting expert...
01:24to see whether that bike...
01:25should be a road race bike, an endurance road bike...
01:28or an aero road bike...
01:30and what the main differences are between them.
01:35To start here, this is the new Van Riesel EDR CF Ultra, an endurance bike...
01:40but what does that actually mean? How does it differ from these two bikes next to it?
01:44Now one of the most...
01:45obvious differences between this and let's say the RCRF aero bike...
01:50is the tube profile. So this has got quite round profile tubes...
01:55whereas these are really deep bladed ones...
01:58that are designed to cut through the wind...
02:00with as little resistance as possible.
02:02Now aerodynamics in cycling are very...
02:05very important. At over 20 kilometres an hour...
02:07wind resistance is going to be the biggest force...
02:10that you have to overcome. But did you know...
02:12that about 80% of your drag...
02:15comes from your body...
02:16and not your bike?
02:18These bladed profiles on the...
02:20CRF are absolutely excellent at cutting through the wind...
02:23but they do come with a few...
02:25caveats. For example, compared to the tube profiles on this...
02:28they're going to be heavier...
02:29they're going to be...
02:30stiffer...
02:31and they're going to be less good...
02:32at soaking up some of those road vibrations.
02:34Now you will...
02:35quickly realise...
02:36that there's going to be...
02:37a theme developing here...
02:38where the RCR-R...
02:40kind of takes a middle ground...
02:41it's got some bladed profiles...
02:43for example this down tube...
02:45and then it's got some thinner profile tubes...
02:48for example the seat stays...
02:49and chain stays...
02:50for that comfort...
02:51at the rear end.
02:54Moving on to another...
02:55spec choice...
02:56before we dive into the...
02:57wonderful world of geometry...
02:59is going to be...
03:00real depth...
03:01because you'll have noticed...
03:02that this EDI endurance bike...
03:04has much shallower...
03:05wheels...
03:06and that...
03:07is fairly typical...
03:08for a bike...
03:09of this genre...
03:10an endurance...
03:10bike...
03:11is typically designed...
03:12for lower speeds...
03:13and hence...
03:14it ships...
03:15these 35mm...
03:16deep wheels...
03:17in comparison...
03:18the RCR-R...
03:19has...
03:2045mm...
03:21wheels...
03:22fitted to it...
03:23and this RCR-F...
03:24aerobike...
03:25has...
03:2552mm...
03:26wheels...
03:27fitted to it...
03:28and basically...
03:29what this gives you...
03:30is a pretty good idea...
03:30of what each bike...
03:31is tailored towards...
03:33and what type of riding...
03:34it's going to be best for...
03:35so...
03:36with the aerobike...
03:37with it's super deep...
03:38wheels...
03:39that's going to be really good...
03:40for a few...
03:40if you want to go on...
03:41fast-paced group rides...
03:42if you want to race...
03:43criteriums...
03:44or...
03:45really...
03:45fast...
03:46flat...
03:47road races...
03:48those 62mm...
03:49wheels...
03:50yes...
03:51they might get...
03:50guided by the wind...
03:51slightly more than a...
03:52shallower wheelset...
03:53but...
03:54they're going to give you...
03:55that maximum...
03:55aerodynamic advantage...
03:56then...
03:57once again...
03:58taking the middle ground...
03:59we've got the RCRR...
04:00with it's 45mm...
04:01deep wheels...
04:02now...
04:03these...
04:04are going to be...
04:05a really nice...
04:05optimised...
04:06between aerodynamics...
04:07and handling characteristics...
04:08for anyone...
04:09that's looking...
04:10to ride...
04:11let's say...
04:1225...
04:13to 35km...
04:14per hour...
04:15you'll find...
04:15that this mid-depth...
04:16wheelset...
04:17is a bit more manageable...
04:18if you want to ride...
04:19year round...
04:20and in some...
04:21pretty gusty...
04:22conditions...
04:23then...
04:24we've got the...
04:25shallowest...
04:25endurance road bike...
04:26and...
04:27this is basically...
04:28because it's designed...
04:29for if you're travelling...
04:30at slightly lower speeds...
04:32so...
04:33you won't have...
04:34quite the same...
04:35aerodynamic...
04:35advantage...
04:36as a set of...
04:3762mm wheels...
04:38like on the RCR-F...
04:39but...
04:40you get the...
04:40advantage...
04:41of a shallower...
04:42wheelset...
04:43that is...
04:44a bit lighter...
04:45so it feels...
04:46more...
04:47quick to...
04:48the wheel...
04:49is spoke...
04:50rather than rim...
04:51it can soak up...
04:52more of those...
04:53road vibrations...
04:53again...
04:54helping this bike...
04:55to be...
04:56as comfortable...
04:57as possible...
04:58also...
05:01contributing...
05:02to comfort...
05:03the tire size...
05:04and...
05:05as is generally the case...
05:06with endurance road bikes...
05:07this one can fit...
05:08much...
05:08wider tires...
05:09than a road race bike...
05:10or an aero road bike...
05:11so...
05:12in fact...
05:13this...
05:13EDRTF Ultra...
05:14has space...
05:15for up to...
05:1638mm tires...
05:17whereas the other two...
05:18can...
05:18fit up to...
05:1933mm tires...
05:20what this means...
05:21is the endurance road bike...
05:22is...
05:23quite...
05:23a lot more...
05:24versatile...
05:25you can...
05:26maybe even take it...
05:27on some light gravel...
05:28if...
05:28of interest to you...
05:29the general rule...
05:30is that...
05:31the faster you go...
05:32the narrower...
05:33you want...
05:33your tire to be...
05:34and...
05:35if you're a...
05:36world tour...
05:37sprinter...
05:38riding a bike...
05:39like...
05:40the...
05:41van Riesel...
05:42RCR...
05:43F...
05:44F...
05:45F...
05:46F...
05:47F...
05:48F...
05:49F...
05:50F...
05:51F...
05:52F...
05:53F...
05:54F...
05:56F...
05:57F...
05:58F...
05:59F...
06:00F...
06:01F...
06:02F...
06:03F...
06:04F...
06:05F...
06:06F...
06:07F...
06:08F...
06:09F...
06:10F...
06:11F...
06:12F...
06:13F...
06:14F...
06:15F...
06:16F...
06:17F...
06:18F...
06:19F...
06:20F...
06:21F...
06:22F...
06:23F...
06:24F...
06:25F...
06:26F...
06:27F...
06:28F...
06:29F...
06:30F...
06:31on the down tube of this EDR, it's got space for an extra bottle.
06:36A little bit of storage if you're going long.
06:41Moving down the bike and you'll find another big difference between endurance bikes and
06:45roadblocks.
06:46And that is gearing.
06:47Now this is something that I think Van Riesel does really well and that's...
06:51to tailor the chainset sizes to the bike's intended purpose.
06:55So we've got...
06:56the RCR and the RCR-F and they both ship with 52-36.
07:01Now don't worry if that doesn't mean a lot to you.
07:05What it means...
07:06is that basically on the road race bikes it's got more big gears so you can...
07:11go faster at a comfortable cadence.
07:13Moving on to the EDR endurance bike and your...
07:16find a compact chainset which is fairly typical for a bike of this design.
07:20So...
07:21that's a 50 tooth big ring and a 34 tooth little ring.
07:25And that gives you...
07:26more options when things get steep, when you're climbing.
07:31Moving towards the back and we've got another difference.
07:33So the endurance bike has an 11-36 tooth...
07:36cassette fitted to it and the road race bikes...
07:39well Shimano road race bikes typically...
07:41come with 11-34 tooth cassettes.
07:44What that means is that the...
07:46aero bike and the road race bike...
07:48if you're riding in a group where you don't really get to...
07:51dictate your pace...
07:52there's smaller gaps in between the gears...
07:54and that means...
07:55that when...
07:56travelling nice and fast...
07:57you're more likely to be able to find a gear...
08:00that you can...
08:01fine-tune your cadence in.
08:03Whereas...
08:04on the endurance bike...
08:05you do have slightly...
08:06bigger gaps...
08:07but...
08:08the trade-off...
08:09is that you've got more range...
08:10so when things...
08:11get really steep...
08:12or you're...
08:13commuting...
08:14or you're carrying more stuff...
08:15you're on a really...
08:16long ride...
08:17you don't want to dig deep up a climb...
08:18you've got those options of...
08:20some barely...
08:21mountain gears.
08:24And then...
08:25there is what I...
08:26think is the biggest difference...
08:27between an endurance road bike...
08:29a road race bike...
08:31and an aero bike...
08:32and that is...
08:33geometry.
08:34So what we're going to do now...
08:35is pop up on...
08:36the screen...
08:37the geometry charts...
08:38of these three bikes...
08:39in a size medium.
08:41and...
08:42I know geometry can sometimes...
08:43seem a bit dry...
08:44but it does make a massive difference...
08:46in how a bike rides...
08:47so I'm going to point out...
08:48some of the...
08:49more interesting bits...
08:50as you can...
08:51see...
08:52this endurance bike...
08:53has a shorter...
08:54top tube...
08:55and reach figure...
08:56that means...
08:57that the bars...
08:58will be slightly closer to you...
08:59as you ride along...
09:00what you'll also find...
09:01is that the head tube...
09:02is slightly slacker...
09:03putting the front wheel...
09:04further in front of you...
09:06and that...
09:07is excellent...
09:08for control...
09:09and stability...
09:10it also has a...
09:11longer wheelbase...
09:12which does...
09:13much the same thing...
09:14and then...
09:15also...
09:16a taller...
09:16tube...
09:17so this bit here...
09:18which is going to put you...
09:19in a slightly more...
09:20upright position...
09:21now...
09:22this could be...
09:23a good thing...
09:24or a bad thing...
09:25depending on...
09:26what you're looking for...
09:26lower...
09:27is often...
09:28considered...
09:29faster...
09:30but...
09:31if your back...
09:31doesn't take it...
09:32then...
09:33it can't take it...
09:34and...
09:35my personal opinion...
09:36is...
09:37a comfortable...
09:36lower bike...
09:37is more likely...
09:38to be...
09:39faster...
09:40than...
09:41an uncomfortable...
09:42lower one...
09:41with that in mind...
09:42I thought it'd be good...
09:43to chat through this...
09:44with someone who fits...
09:45these bikes...
09:46for a living...
09:46let's go and see...
09:47what George has to say...
09:51right...
09:52George...
09:53so...
09:54if I'm the average...
09:55customer...
09:56walking into the Banresource store...
09:56how...
09:57do...
09:58you...
09:59help me decide...
10:00what bike I should be on...
10:01what's the first...
10:01step...
10:02so...
10:03the first steps that we take...
10:04we ask you...
10:05what sort of riding...
10:06you're going to be doing...
10:06so...
10:07whether you're...
10:08crit racing...
10:09whether you're just looking to...
10:10razz it round...
10:11the sort of...
10:11lanes around...
10:12around...
10:13your area...
10:14or if you're looking to do...
10:15a little bit of longer...
10:16distance riding...
10:17um...
10:18and then...
10:19from there...
10:20we also sort of...
10:21ask...
10:21price point...
10:22so we look at...
10:23what sort of budget...
10:24you're looking at...
10:25and then from there...
10:26we...
10:26we...
10:27sort of look between...
10:28between the bikes...
10:29and which one would suit you best...
10:30I've just seen that you've...
10:31got the new...
10:32EDRCF...
10:33ultra...
10:34an endurance bike...
10:35but...
10:36endurance...
10:36are slow...
10:37right?
10:38I would disagree...
10:39so...
10:40the bike that you are...
10:41most comfortable riding...
10:42is...
10:43the fastest bike for you...
10:45so...
10:46as the saying...
10:47the...
10:48most aerodynamic position...
10:49is the...
10:50aerodynamic position...
10:51you can hold the long...
10:51longest...
10:52okay...
10:53yeah...
10:54so...
10:55yes...
10:56you could have...
10:57an RCRF...
10:56but...
10:57only be able to ride it...
10:58for 30k...
10:59until your back gives out...
11:00whereas you could ride the...
11:01EDR...
11:02for...
11:03hours and hours...
11:04and still have the same...
11:05average speed...
11:06so...
11:07we know...
11:06that the geometry...
11:07is pretty different...
11:08between the EDR...
11:09and the RCR...
11:10and the RCRF...
11:11but...
11:12what else...
11:13makes it...
11:14different to ride?
11:15so...
11:16you've got the...
11:17carbon layup...
11:18of the bike...
11:19the tube shapes...
11:20as well...
11:21and...
11:22the geometry...
11:21of the bike...
11:22so...
11:23with the RCRF...
11:24it's a lot more...
11:25race focused...
11:26so...
11:27it's a very...
11:28very low...
11:29and...
11:30it plays a massive part...
11:31because the designed...
11:32rider for that...
11:33is your pro athlete...
11:34so...
11:35they're doing...
11:3645...
11:3750k an hour...
11:38average...
11:39on their...
11:40on their rides...
11:39or races...
11:40so...
11:41they need that...
11:42aero advantage...
11:43whereas...
11:44with the EDR...
11:45you're looking at...
11:44a...
11:45sort of...
11:46more traditional...
11:47tube shaping...
11:48you're looking at...
11:49also...
11:49a...
11:51more comfortable...
11:52carbon layup...
11:53as well...
11:54so...
11:55even though...
11:56the RCRR...
11:57and...
11:58the EDR...
11:59use the same...
12:00carbon layup...
11:59they do ride...
12:00completely differently...
12:01just due to...
12:02how the carbon's...
12:03laid up in the frame...
12:04now...
12:05this is a big question...
12:06I'm...
12:07it might be hard to answer...
12:08I know you're not...
12:09keeping a tally of...
12:09every rider...
12:10that comes in here...
12:11but out of all the people...
12:12that you've fitted...
12:13onto bikes...
12:14what...
12:14rough percentage...
12:15do you think...
12:16should be on...
12:17an endurance bike...
12:18what percentage...
12:19on a road race...
12:19on an aero bike...
12:21so I would say...
12:22the percentage of...
12:23endurance...
12:24bike riders...
12:25that...
12:26should be...
12:27that aren't necessarily...
12:28on the right bike...
12:29is around...
12:3080 to 90%...
12:31of riders...
12:32okay...
12:33which is obviously...
12:34not what you see...
12:34in the real world...
12:35no...
12:36so what you...
12:37see...
12:38is...
12:39riders...
12:39on an aero bike...
12:40when...
12:41they can't ride that...
12:42that type of bike...
12:43for a sustained period of...
12:44time...
12:45or at least...
12:46not in comfort...
12:47aero bikes are...
12:48very pretty though...
12:49aren't they...
12:49and we all do...
12:50like to...
12:51emulate the pros...
12:52so...
12:53if you could choose...
12:54between the three...
12:55what one are you choosing?
12:56for me...
12:57and for the riding...
12:58that I do...
12:59I've actually chosen...
13:00the EDR...
13:01so I arrived one myself...
13:02you do actually...
13:03practice what you preach?
13:04I do indeed...
13:05very nice...
13:06cool...
13:07well thank you very much...
13:08no worries...
13:09so really...
13:11which type of bike...
13:12is best for you...
13:13is going to come...
13:14down to...
13:15the type of riding...
13:16that you do...
13:17and your goals...
13:18if you want...
13:19to race...
13:20local criteriums...
13:21and flat road races...
13:22of...
13:23one to two hours...
13:24length...
13:25then the RCR-F...
13:26is the...
13:27obvious choice...
13:28if you want to...
13:29win your local group ride...
13:30then again...
13:31those aerodynamic profiles...
13:32will give you...
13:33a slight...
13:34disadvantage...
13:35for most of us...
13:36though...
13:37I feel like...
13:38the Man Resort RCR...
13:39is potentially...
13:40the more versatile...
13:41choice...
13:42this won't give...
13:43much...
13:44up...
13:45in terms of speed...
13:46when it comes to racing...
13:47but...
13:48most of us...
13:49can't travel...
13:49all at the same speed...
13:50as the pros...
13:51and this...
13:52will be more suitable...
13:53more comfortable...
13:54to race...
13:55and then...
13:56potentially...
13:57go on a...
13:58six hour...
13:59group ride...
14:00at the weekend...
13:59then...
14:00there's the...
14:01endurance road bike...
14:02bikes like this...
14:03EDR CF Ultra...
14:04to prove...
14:05that you can...
14:06can have...
14:07your cake...
14:08and eat it...
14:09it's much more versatile...
14:09for the bikes...
14:10with increased...
14:11tyre clearance...
14:12it's got mudguard...
14:13mounts...
14:14and it's not just...
14:15a bike...
14:14for people who want...
14:15to sit bolt upright...
14:16and go slowly...
14:17you don't need to be...
14:18considering...
14:1950 day adventures...
14:20to consider...
14:21buying one of these...
14:22over the other two...
14:23either...
14:24in fact...
14:24most of us...
14:25would probably...
14:26be more comfortable...
14:27on...
14:28an endurance road bike...
14:29and...
14:29unless...
14:30speed...
14:31is your number one...
14:32priority...
14:33then...
14:34I think this is...
14:35probably the one...
14:34to go for...
14:35let me know...
14:36in the comments section...
14:37below...
14:38whether you would go...
14:39for a road race bike...
14:39an endurance bike...
14:40or...
14:41an aero road bike...
14:42and we'll pop a link...
14:43to all three of these bikes...
14:44down in the description...
14:46if you like this kind of content...
14:47then please give it a like...
14:48subscribe...
14:49to the channel...
14:50and we'll see you next time...
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