Ridley Falcn review: An aero blend in a fast, purposeful package

Ridley mixes speed with stable, predictable handling to produce a strong all round contender

Ridley Falcn RS
(Image: © Future / Tom Wieckowski)

Cyclingnews Verdict

The Falcn is a fast, comfortable all-rounder that whilst being undeniably a race bike will handle most things really well

Pros

  • +

    Stable, confidence-inspiring handling

  • +

    Carries speed really well on flat and rolling terrain

  • +

    Range of custom paint options

Cons

  • -

    No power meter included

  • -

    No narrower handlebar sizes for 100mm stem lengths and above

You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

This week Ridley announced the launch of its new Falcn RS race bike. Despite some rumours as well as prototypes being spotted earlier in the year, the Falcn has now landed officially. You can also head to our Falcn news story to read up on the bike's release news, but here, we'll focus on our experience with the bike.

I've been able to test-ride a Falcn for the last few months, and even attended the bike's press launch in Italy earlier in this year, so have a pretty thorough understanding of how it rides, where it excels, and perhaps more importantly, where it doesn't.  

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Testing scorecard and notes
Design and aestheticsCFD and wind tunnel testing design. My heritage paint scheme looked great and there are custom options available9/10
BuildA high spec generally with di2 or AXS groupset options and premium wheels and tyres8/10
PerformanceThe Falcn is a really quick bike that will be at home racing a crit or riding a sportive8/10
WeightAn 825 gram medium frame and 7.4kg build is in the ballpark for most lighter disc brake equipped bikes8/10
ValueA solid spec, I think most people would like a power meter included for the money though7/10
OverallRow 5 - Cell 1 80%

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Tom Wieckowski
Tech writer

Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of. 

He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.