Classified and Ridley launch an assault on the gravel race scene with a new team and wheels

Classified Cycling has launched three new wheelsets for gravel and road use as well as a new Gravel Factory racing team with Ridley which will be named the Classified X Ridley Factory Team. 

Classified developed its Powershift rear hub after frustrations with front derailleur performance and inefficiencies and the system has risen in popularity over the past few years. The brand and technology have also gained support from the likes of ambassadors Tom Boonen and Philipe Gilbert. We reviewed the Classified x Hunt 40 wheelset back in the autumn too.

The brand has been increasing its range of offerings and has announced three new carbon fibre wheelsets and a new race team which you can read more about below. If you aren't already familiar with the Classified Powershift system in a nutshell the technology provides a 2-speed shifting system that is integrated into the rear hub, providing the ability to ditch the front derailleur and eliminating the added friction that comes from cross-chaining and using the small chainring with a 2x drivetrain.   

The Classified X Ridley Factory team

Until now, Dutch racer Piotr Havik was the sole Classieid-sponsored rider competing on the gravel race circuit. He joins the newly formed Classified X Ridley Factory team along with Belgian Daan Grosemans and British riders Toby Perry and Annabel Fisher, who both have Gravel Earth race wins under their respective belts, the latter claiming the overall Series Classification, as well as Freya Rawlins. 

According to the brand press release the team will compete in international gravel races including the UCI Gravel World series as well as the Gravel Earth series and we assume the UCI Gravel World Championships in Leuven which take place in October.

The team will race on Ridley Frames and Classified Powershift system-equipped wheelsets. Ridley was the first bike brand to spec Classified and you can check out our review of the Classified Powershift-equipped Ridley Grifn.

Mathias Plouvier, co-founder and CEO of Classified Cycling said:

"Classified and Ridley have a heart for both gravel and innovation, and it's great that our long-standing collaboration with the Belgian Cycling Factory is now taking on a new dimension. With nutritional specialist Foodmaker and bike rental company Cyclis also on board as co-sponsors, we will soon be sending a strong team to the first ever world championship on home soil."

A new range of Classified wheels 

Classified has also launched three new carbon fibre wheelsets for gravel and road bikes. The new wheelsets are the R36, R50 and G42 models. The R50 and R36 models have received rim profile updates which have increased the inner and outer rim widths to further accommodate higher volume tyres. They are also specifically designed to fit a Powershift rear hub.

The brand claims the new wheelsets are up to 12% lighter, up to 10% stiffer and 14% more aerodynamic than previous Classified wheel models. (Though we don't have any specific data on this at present) The brand cites wider rim profiles and the ability to run lower tyre pressures as a way to add comfort and provide lower rolling resistance. 

Complete wheelset weights are listed without the Classified rear hub which we understand weighs somewhere between between 400 - 500 grams. Classified Powershift systems can be purchased in a few different ways. With a complete Classified wheelset listed at €2,599, as a kit for a build into a partner wheelset listed at €1,299 or to build into a custom wheelset listed at €1,399. The Powershift set itself includes the Powershift hub, smart thru-axle, handlebar unit and shift button, cassette of your choice, and optional hub shell. 

The G42 gravel wheels use a clincher, tubeless ready, asymmetric rim profile which is 42mm deep and uses Pilar straight pull spokes. The asymmetric profile is claimed to provide more uniform spoke tension. 

The R50 wheels are (you guessed it) 50mm deep and as mentioned have received wider internal and external rim profile updates. They also use Pillar Wing 22 spokes and are designed around 28-42mm tyres. 

The R36 wheels feature a medium 36mm depth and are also designed around 28-42mm tyres. All wheels as you might expect these days are disc brake only.
We haven't received official pricing for the new wheelsets but will include it here when we do.