For brands sponsoring the biggest teams in the world, the Tour de France is the most important showcase of the year. It’s not just a bike race — it’s an opportunity for world-wide exposure for their products.
Putting new items on the market while the Tour is on is the ideal way of reaching buyers quickly. But if you don’t have anything new to show the world, the tried and tested method of getting attention is by rolling out custom products.
Belgian frame manufacture Ridley currently has two very different custom frames on display outside the team bus of the team they sponsor, Lotto Soudal. Stage 5 saw Thomas De Gendt soak up enough mountain points while out on the attack to secure the polka dot jersey. On the start line of stage 6 was a Ridley Helium SL with red polka dots, waiting for De Gendt.
Team mechanics told us that the frame was sat in the back of the truck ready and waiting in the hope it would be needed. When quizzed about whether there may be other coloured frames hiding in the team mechanics’ truck, the short answer was “There very well may be”.
If another jersey is taken by the team at the Tour this year there’ll be no midnight spray-painting jobs at Ridleys HQ in Belgium and a frame rushed by courier to a stage finish, just as they did back in 2014 on stage 9 when Tony Gallopin took the yellow.
A very neat-looking polka-dot Helium SL kitted out in the usual team supplier equipment: Campagnolo Super Record EPS groupset, Deda bars stems and seatpost, Lizardskin bar tape, Continental Pro LTD tubulars and Campagnolo Bora Ultra 35 wheels.
Luckily the transponder mounted to the frame matches the paint scheme.
Matching bottle cages finish the bike off nicely.
A standard 39/53 chainring set up for De Gendt at the start of stage six.
Like many professionals De Gendt runs a 11-27 cassette.
De Gendt uses a Selle Italia SLR Team Edition Flow saddle.
The lottery ball numbers on De Gendt’s top tube is his race number.
Campagnolo provide the stopping power but Jagwire supply the lightweight cables.
Belgian company C-Bear supplies ceramic bottom brackets to the Lotto Soudal team.
The rear end of the Helium SL.
Being German National Champion for 2016 means that Andre Greipel has a custom bike of his own, the Ridley Noah SL — oddly the second-tier aero frame in Ridley’s range. The top model, the Noah FAST differs slightly to the Noah SL that Greipel is using, the main difference being that the SL version doesn’t have integrated brakes on the forks and rear stays.
Lotto Soudal mechanics told us that the frame turned up on Tuesday and was built that night, ready for Greipel to race the following day.
Greipel’s custom national champion Ridley Noah SL. The aero option in Lotto Soudal’s bike arsenal.
Like De Gendt, Greipel also uses a 130mm stem and 42cm wide bar set up.
A little bit of top tube camouflage in national colors.
No massive front chainring for the powerhouse. Greipel just uses a standard 53-tooth outer chainring matched with a very standard 39-tooth inner chainring.
Greipel uses a Selle Italia Turbomatic, but one that doesn’t seem to be on the Italian manufacturer’s website. It’s an older version.
Greipel will be hoping they start talking a bit better than they have for the first six stages.
Just so you don’t forget Greipel’s nickname. This graphic is actually owned by Greipel himself, so you won’t be seeing any Greipel edition bikes in shops until he allows Ridley to use it.
There’s even a nice little bit of detail on the rear of the seatpost.
No matching cages for the German national champ.
A neat little detailing on the nose of the Selle Italia Turbomatic saddle.
Deep drop Deda carbon bars for the team sprinter.
It’s the very lovely Campagnolo Bora Ultras for Greipel.
A tight rear end has the wheel tucked nicely behind the seat tube.
With the bike covered in a custom graphic there’s little place let to fit the name of the frame. Ridley still manages it though.
