Bike Setup: Standard Ridley spec for Dura-Ace model.
Summary: 2009 Ridley Helium (Dura-Ace). Purchased in Australia. Super light, integrated seat mast and yet amazingly comfortable. Also looks fantastic. Put your foot down and this thing just takes off.
Strengths: Stiff, comfortable ride, light, great finish.
Weaknesses: Just the owner.
Similar Products Used: Giant TCR Advanced 1 with ultegra (not even vaguely in the same legaue as the Helium).
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Bike Setup: Mavic SL Premium. 2010 Sram Force Eaton RA70 stem and Bars Dura Ace Peddles
Summary: Have Orbea Orca and Trek 2500 and this bike crushes both. Much Stiffer than the Orca but just as smooth. Snappy with very little noise through the saddle. Impressive paint and finish.
Strengths: Quick secure
Weaknesses: None
Similar Products Used: Orbea Orca Trek 2500
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Bike Setup: Full Campy Record 11, Bontrager Aeolus 5.0 Clincher
Summary: I ride and average of 45 miles on weekdays (Tue to Fri), 100 on Sat and 80 on Sun. I've been riding since I was 18 and I'm 42 now, so I guess I can talk from some experience, without being a guru. I bought a new 2007 Helium and built it with Campy 11 and Aeolus 5.0 clinchers. I could not be happier!!
Beats out any other bike I have owned/tried (Including the 2009 Helium).
Strengths: Stiff, Superfast, Reliable, Forgiving on Long Rides
Weaknesses: I am this bike's only weakness.
Similar Products Used: Pinarello in the 80's
Vitus and Alan in the early 90's
Peugeot & Eddy Merckx from 96 to 02
Trek Madones from 02 to 08
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Summary: Great bike. superlight and super fast. zero loss in power transfer intagrated seatpost is nice, big headset bearing perfect. The ride is also smooth and forgiving on long rides. I live in a mountain area and it feels as if this bike was made for mountains.
Strengths: fast and light. Best ride quality.
Weaknesses: I have a problem with hitting the cable mount on the chainstay with my foot if im not paying attention. Also my garmin cadence sensor will not fit on the huge chainstays.
Similar Products Used: specialized tarmac, cannondale optimo
Bike Setup: Sram Red/Force - Zipp/Mavic
Ritchey Classic Bars
SLR Seat
Speedplay Zero
Summary: This is a 2009 Helium. Honestly I’m truly impressed with the Ridley. I was concerned that I was downgrading to a lesser frame, but shocked at HOW DRASTIC the difference was between the Cervelo Carbon Soloist and the Helium 2009 frameset. I transferred the exact components/wheels so I know I’m comparing apples to apples.
The first thing I noticed is how smooth the bike rode. The Cervelo had a hollow feeling yet it was expected, maybe subconsciously due to the aero tube profile. You really noticed the Cervelo underneath you. Every diviot or crack in the road was transfered throught the Soloist. I'm not saying that it was annoying or unbareable, just noticeable. On the contrary, the Ridley feels solid but nimble...think formula one.
After reading multiple reviews about integrated seat posts I was expecting a jarring ride, but it was quite the opposite. Again, all the measurements are the same (saddle position, bar height, reach, fore/aft.) so I know it’s not a geometry issue. I don’t usually believe the marketing aspects of frame design, but maybe it is the flat seat stays on Helium (like the R3 or Supersix).
After a race season on the Cervelo the Helium felt a little twitchy.
I had the Easton SLX fork on the Soloist. I’m not going to say weather this is a pro or con because I haven’t had enough time on the Helium, but you can tell the Ridley is a bit more restless. This could be attributed to the stiffness of the comparable head tubes. Going from a 180mm 1 1/8” with one of the lightest forks on the planet to the Ridley's stout 205mm 1 ½ “ Head tube could also contribute to the lively handling. Like I said, not bad, but different, solid….again, formula one.
My only complaint is I have some slight toe overlap at a track stand but I could care less about that. I also might have to get some new bars with a deeper drop due to the taller head tube. When I sprint I feel like I can’t get as low.
Overall: I thought I had bought my dream bike with the Cervelo and I was shocked that Ridley could make a much stiffer bike that rode so much smoother?
Strengths: Very responsive. Integrated seat mast was much more comfortable than expected. Climbing is near perfection.
Weaknesses: Personally I'm tired of the Black 12K Carbon weave, but still a classy finish.
Fidgety at flat out accelerations.
Similar Products Used: 2008 Cervelo Soloist - Sram Red/Force - Zipp/Mavic
Ritchey Classic Bars
SLR Seat
Speedplay Zero
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