Ridley Bikes seals deal
with top triathlete Rutger Beke.

Rutger Beke has signed a contract with the Belgian bicycle company Ridley Bikes, for a period of 3 years. Beke, one of the top athletes in international triathlon, has chosen Ridley for their advanced aerodynamic technology featured in their flagship Noah and Dean models.  The new partnership is Ridley’s first venture into triathlon sponsorship at a world class level.  Ridley’s marketing manager Anthony Kumpen says ‘Rutger had a great performance at Ironman last year finishing 3^rd overall despite a 4 minute penalty. The combination of his strength with the aerodynamic advantages of the Dean, we are confident that we’ll see the Dean on a podium finish this year.’
Beke finished in the top 5 during the last 6 editions of the mother of all triathlons, the Ironman in Hawaii. He also collected numerous Belgian titles in all categories.

Ridley invested enormously over the last 3 years in wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic research which has resulted in the Dean (for triathlon and time trial) and the Noah (for race and Olympic triathlon).  Ridley established themselves in the bicycle industry with an aerodynamic revolution by developing the R-flow concept. The R-flow concept is based on 2 patented technologies, which no other brand can offer :
1.Jet Foils : slotted razor-sharp airfoils on the front fork blades and seat stays, redirect the airflow away from the turbulence of the rotating wheels and create a vacuum that defeats aerodynamic drag. The R-Flow Jet Foils are a further development of Oval jetstream and optimized according to the principle that is used in F1 racing.
2. R-Surface : the application of a special texture on strategic locations on the frame, these areas are determined through oil-mapping which highlights problem areas on the frame for poor airflow.  R-Surface allows the air to travel more smoothly along the frame avoiding drag. The use of R-Surface on the new Dean and Noah makes Ridley the first company in the bicycle industry to use this aerodynamic technology. For more info visit : www.thefastestbikeintheworld.com.

The results of the first test with Beke, at the Blaarmeersen race track in Ghent, were amazing. After some basic measurements and modifications with Rutger on the Ridley Dean, we have already noted an advantage of 20 watts at 45km/h against his bicycle of last year. This is just a start, there is still room for improvement. There’s still 15 to 20 watts to be won the engineers said.
Rutger Beke, who excels in the triathlon bike section, is very enthusiastic about his choice for Ridley. For Beke, whose collaboration with Ridley has only just started, the future looks bright ahead.
“From the aerodynamic benefits to cycling offered with the R-flow concept, as an athlete you can not immediately feel something, but the measured results are really amazing. 20 watt advantage, after only a first test on this new bike, is astonishing . And there is still potential. What immediately struck me, was that the maneuverability and the geometry of the Dean is great. The bike just feels right ! " said Rutger Beke.