Van Rysel takes gravel seriously: RCR-G for racing and EDR-G for exploring

Van Rysel has managed to develop high-level bicycles in just a few years capable of competing with the best brands on the market. But there was still a significant gap in their catalog. To address this, they have just introduced two completely new gravel bikes aimed at very different users.

The RCR-G brings the aerodynamic and competitive philosophy of the brand's RCR road bikes to gravel, while the EDR-G focuses on comfort, load capacity, and versatility needed for long days and bikepacking. Instead of seeking a bike that can do it all, Van Rysel has preferred to specialize.

New Van Rysel Gravel RCR-G and EDR-G: racing and adventure

Gravel has diversified so much that under the same discipline coexist races contested at road-like speeds, technical routes, ultradistance events, and multi-day trips. Van Rysel believes that trying to cover all those scenarios with a single bike forces too many compromises, and their response comes with the new RCR-G and EDR-G.

The first is the competition proposal and has been developed with the collaboration of cyclists from the Decathlon CMA CGM WorldTour. The second belongs to the Endurance family and has undergone a testing program of over 25,000 km to become a gravel bike designed for spending many hours on the bike.

Van Rysel RCR-G: a gravel bike designed for competition

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The RCR-G is born directly from the growing professionalization of gravel racing. Van Rysel analyzed a discipline where averages can exceed 35 km/h and where, depending on the course, up to 40% of the race can be contested on asphalt. From there, they established priorities such as aerodynamics, frame responsiveness, low weight, and all the practical solutions necessary for competing in gravel.

The technical starting point was the experience accumulated with the RCR-R Pro road bike, but adapting its approach to much wider tires and the structural demands of riding off asphalt.

To achieve this, Van Rysel resorted to CFD simulations, virtual prototyping, and later to the wind tunnel. The engineers worked especially on the head tube, the rear of the frame, and the management of airflow around considerably bulkier tires.

The most easily quantifiable result is significant, according to the brand, and the RCR-G needs 8.6 W less than the previous Van Rysel GCR at 45 km/h, in tests conducted by Van Rysel. In those tests, carried out with the top production setups, the RCR-G recorded 111.59 W of aerodynamic resistance compared to 120.20 W of the GCR.

Another important element is the monocoque cockpit used in the SRAM RED setup, the same concept employed in the RCR-R Pro. Van Rysel estimates its advantage at 4.1 W at 45 km/h compared to its separate carbon handlebar and stem combination, in addition to saving 49 g.

885 grams frame and a clearly racing geometry

The pursuit of speed does not end with aerodynamics. The frame uses high-modulus carbon fibers, including fibers up to 60T, and is constructed using a laminate made up of 366 carbon pieces. Additionally, the arrangement and proportion of fibers change depending on the size to maintain similar behavior across the range.

The result is a frame declared at 885 g in size M unpainted, accompanied by a 417 g fork. The top setup with SRAM RED XPLR AXS weighs 7.7 kg in size M.

We also find a more aggressive position than in the previous GCR. Van Rysel has lowered the head tube to reduce the cockpit height and seek a more direct front end. In size M, for example, the RCR-G offers 554 mm of stack, 391 mm of reach, 73° head angle, and 426 mm chainstays.

Despite this character close to a competition road bike, it maintains features typical of modern gravel. It accepts tires up to 50 mm, uses a round seat post of 27.2 mm to provide some vertical flex, and can mount chainrings of up to 50 teeth with 1x transmission or 52 teeth with 2x thanks to the asymmetric design of the chainstays.

It also features three positions for bottle cages, mounts for a bento bag on the top tube, UDH dropout, and specific protections against stone impacts and chain slap. 

The development did not stay in the lab. For over two years, Decathlon CMA CGM riders participated in the tests and evaluated eight prototypes with different carbon laminates to define the ultimate balance between stiffness, explosiveness, and control.

Van Rysel even used the aerodynamic data obtained in the wind tunnel to simulate its performance in competition. According to their calculations, keeping the same cyclist, tires, size, and number of bottles, the previous GCR would lose 1 minute and 22 seconds to the RCR-G on the course of the 2025 Gravel World Championship. It is, obviously, a simulation from the brand itself, but it clearly shows how much aerodynamics has influenced the project. 

Three setups for the Van Rysel RCR-G starting at €3,199

The European range of the RCR-G starts at €3,199 and will initially consist of three setups. 

• RCR-G Rival AXS – €3,199: High Modulus carbon, SRAM Rival XPLR AXS 13v 40T and 10-46 cassette, VR30 aluminum wheels, Continental Terra Comp TLR 45 mm and 8.5 kg*.
• RCR-G Force AXS – €4,199: SRAM Force XPLR AXS 13v 42T and 10-46, VR35 carbon wheels, Continental Terra Comp TLR 45 mm and 7.9 kg*.
• RCR-G RED AXS – €6,599: SRAM RED XPLR AXS 13v 44T and 10-46, integrated carbon cockpit RCR-R, VR50 carbon wheels, Continental Terra Comp TLR 45 mm and 7.7 kg*.

*Weight in size M

Van Rysel EDR-G: an adventure gravel bike

If the RCR-G aims to save watts and seconds, the EDR-G seeks to reduce fatigue and expand usage possibilities. It is part of Van Rysel's Endurance family and is aimed at both those who want to start riding off-road and cyclists tackling ultradistance routes and multi-day trips.

The frame is also made of carbon, but here the geometry and laminate are oriented towards stability and comfort. It maintains clearance for tires up to 50 mm and multiplies the equipment possibilities with more than 15 mounting points distributed between the frame and fork.

One of its most interesting solutions is the integrated tool compartment in the frame, inherited from the EDR road bike. Van Rysel wanted it to remain accessible even when the bike is loaded with bags and allows for carrying a compact camera, multi-tool, two tire levers, and a mini-pump capable of reaching 4 bars.

The EDR-G also uses the Deda Gera handlebar with 24° flare, while certain setups include the Van Rysel VR32 Gravel carbon wheels. For those who want to bring it even closer to challenging terrains, there will even be a version equipped with RockShox Rudy XPLR with 40 mm of travel.

Its geometry perfectly reflects the differences compared to the RCR-G. In size M, the EDR-G increases the stack to 574 mm, reduces the reach to 380 mm, and lengthens the chainstays to 435 mm, seeking a less aggressive position and a more stable behavior.

More than 25,000 km of testing and a 10,000 km adventure

Van Rysel has also used a very different development process for this bike. Thirty cyclists collectively accumulated over 25,000 km during more than two years of testing, but possibly the most significant test was conducted by ultradistance specialist Juliette Coqueret.

Coqueret completed an expedition of 10,000 km across Europe in total self-sufficiency with the EDR-G. A scenario quite far from the wind tunnel and competition tests used to fine-tune the RCR-G, but much more representative of what this bike was born for. 

Van Rysel EDR-G: setups and prices

The European range will start at €2,199, although some setups will arrive later. 

• EDR-G GRX – €2,199: Shimano GRX 610 12v with 40-tooth chainring and 10-51 cassette, DT Swiss G1800 wheels, Schwalbe G-One R Performance 45 mm and 8.75 kg.
• EDR-G Force AXS – €3,199: SRAM Force XPLR AXS 40T and 10-46, VR32 Gravel carbon wheels, Schwalbe G-One R Pro 45 mm and 8.85 kg.
• EDR-G Force AXS Suspended Fork – €3,499: same Force XPLR AXS group and VR32 wheels, but with RockShox Rudy XPLR fork with 40 mm. Declared weight of 9.7 kg.

All indicated weights correspond to size M. 

Van Rysel thus presents two high-quality responses for modern gravel, a discipline that is increasingly difficult to confine under a single definition: RCR-G for those seeking speed and EDR-G for those looking to see how far they can go.