That’s the only way to put it. After weeks of waiting in anticipation for the arrival of my new Ridley X-Fire Disc, we finally got to meet. The great staff at Ridley’s put it together and fit us up Tuesday evening but schedule and happenstance prevented us from being able to go for a getting to know you ride. After a night of tossing and turning waiting for morning to arrive, we headed out into the inky darkness that has become my morning ride.
Unfamiliar with the SRAM controls, the CX geometry and new tires, I picked my way along the quiet streets, trying to keep a leash on things. Within the first 2 minutes, the new performance was obvious. I cautiously made my way under McKnight and the 32nd Ave connector, eager to avoid any unexpected surprises in the dark and trying not to get carried away on the unfamiliar ride beneath me. As I rounded the sub-station bend and attacked the short sharp hill in front of me, I failed to stifle the laughter that erupted from within.
The X-Fire nearly flew up the hill, my speed equivalent to that normally seen on the flats. Push it, and it goes. It gradually reduced my trepidation and before long I was over-driving (over-riding?) the little headlight and praying for sunrise. Climbing velocity way up, effort down, reward up. I’d been paranoid of the gearing since we started down this path, having not ridden CX or road-style gearing. It’s considerably taller than the Rescue Bike but it just…flies up the grade. Needlessly worried.
The ride home, with the benefit of daylight and dry roads, was equally rewarding. Average speed up almost 20%, perceived exertion slightly lower, grin factor enormous. I can’t express how pleased I am with this bike.
The X-Fire is from Belgium-based Ridley Bikes – a leader in fast bikes of all kinds, particularly cyclocross. Its carbon-fibre frame is, according to the sticker on the bottom, made in China – but we knew this already and it’s in good company. Due to a quirk in import taxes, Canadian versions may or may not match “rest of the world” specs on any imported bike. The most common route is to import the frames and components separately and turn them into bicycles in Canada. The Ridley website lists them available with Shimano’s Ultegra or 105 group matched to an FSA Gossamer 46/36 crank while my X-Fire is equipped with an SRAM/Gossamer drivetrain. This is my first experience with SRAM controls and the front shifter / derailleur and I have are in need of more time together but don’t let my lack of experience distract one from the beautiful performance of the system as a whole. The 11-26 cassette is the tightest group I’ve ever ridden and despite my Clydesdale-based fears of walking it up hills, it performed better than I could have imagined. I’m actually looking forward to doing more climbing with it.
The Ridley X-Fire Disc has exceeded my expectations at every turn and I’m looking forward to some long hours getting to know each other. I love this bike already.