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Ridley unveil Noah Fast with integrated brakes

Ridley have unveiled the Noah FB – to be ridden by Vacansoleil-DCM during the Tour de France and which features a brake system fully integrated into the frame and fork.

The F-Brake essentially removes the need for traditional front and rear calipers, with the brake itself sitting within the structure of a split fork.

It follows three years of development and, according to Ridley, has five major advantages; the lack of calipers makes it more aerodynamic, it weighs less, braking performance is improved as there’s less brake movement, less maintenance is required and adjustment is easier thanks to a lever on the cable that allows you to open them.

Ridley’s new FAST concept – Future Aero Speed Technology – emergedafter their engineers identified three weaknesses during wind tunnel testing that increase a bike’s drag and reduce its speed. And, as a result, the Noah FB implements three patented technologies, with the the F-Splitfork and F-Surface sitting alongside the F-Brake, dubbed ‘The brake that will make you faster’ by Ridley.The F-Splitfork allows the integrated brake to sit within the structure of the fork but also draws air away from the spokes and counteracts turbulence created by the wheels. F-Surface is a textured plastic strip applied to strategic locations on the frame, letting air travel smoothly around the frame instead of detaching and creating drag.

Ridley’s claim a rider is capable of saving 20 watts at 40km/h when riding the Noah FB over the Ridley Helium. The Noah FB shares the same geometry as the existing Noah RS.

Ridley have concentrated on developing the aerodynamics of its top-of-the-range bike after previously focussing on weight and stiffness, which, in search of even further gains, would render the bike both uncomfortable and difficult to handle.

The Noah FB will be ridden by Vacansoleil-DCM during the Tour de France, which begins on July 2, alongside the Helium – the climbers’ favourite. The team unveiled their nine riders at the bike’s launch at the Zolder motor racing circuit in Belgium, with Romain Feillu, Thomas De Gendt, Borut Bozic, Bjorn Leukemans, Johnny Hoogerland, Rob Ruijgh, Lieuwe Westra, Wouter Poels and Marco Marcato set to line-up in Vendée.

The Noah FB will feature in Ridley’s 2012 catalogue and the company will then filter the technology through its high-end range. Expect to pay £3,899 for the frameset, while a complete bike with Shimano Di2 will cost approximately £9,000.

www.ridley-bikes.com

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