Ridley says lighter and faster all-road Grifn RS is the only bike you need 

Belgian brand also releases E-Grifn electric all-road bike and alloy Grifn

By Jack Evans

Published: Thursday, 02 May 2024 at 07:00 AM

Ridley has launched the Grifn RS, claiming the new premium all-road bike is “the one bike you need in your garage”. 

The new bike is said to be racier, lighter and more aerodynamic than Ridley’s existing Grifn. Ridley says it’s also more versatile, thanks to increased tyre clearance. 

These changes mean the all-road bike looks very similar to the Kanzo Fast, Ridley’s race gravel bike. But Ridley says the Grifn RS is better equipped for use on and off-road. 

It has more mounting points than the Kanzo Fast, and is compatible with internal dynamo routing – and 1x and 2x drivetrains.  

Ridley has also announced the E-Grifn, a lightweight electric all-road bike, and the Grifn A, an alloy version of the non-assisted Grifn. 

The Ridley Grifn RS range starts at €5,799 with Shimamo 105 Di2 and Forza Levanto carbon wheels. The entry-level E-Grifn costs €5,499 and the cheapest Grifn A is priced at €1,999.

Faster than the Grifn

Ridley says the Grifn RS is lighter and faster than the Grifn. – Ridley

Ridley says a new fork helps the Grifn RS produce five per cent less air resistance than the Grifn at 36kph.

In a design inspired by the Falcn RS road race bike, Ridley claims the cutaway at the back of the fork crown accelerates airflow. 

This causes air to pass the down tube more quickly, reducing drag, according to Ridley. 

Ridley Grifn RS allroad bike against wall
The Grifn RS borrows aero tube shapes from Ridley’s road bikes. – Ridley

Meanwhile, the Belgian brand says an aero seatpost with a wheel cutout improves aerodynamics.

Ridley says the Grifn RS frame is 140g lighter than the Grifn in an unspecified size. Lighter and stiffer carbon fibres contributed to the weight saving, according to Ridley. 

Ridley Grifn RS gravel build
The top-spec gravel build gets SRAM Force XPLR and DT Swiss GRC1600 wheels. – Ridley

The top-of-the-range Grifn RS and Grifn cost a similar amount – just under €8,000 with SRAM Force AXS or Shimano Ultegra Di2.

However, the mid-range Grifn RS is more expensive than the mid-tier Grifn, albeit with a slightly lower spec.

The Grifn RS with Shimano 105 Di2 and Forza Levanto carbon wheels costs €5,799. The 105 Di2 Grifn is priced at €4,799, but has alloy DT Swiss E 1800 Spline wheels.

42mm tyre clearance 

Female cyclist riding Ridley Grifn RS on gravel
Ridley says 42mm tyre clearance suffices for most gravel riding. – Ridley

The Grifn RS has clearance for 42mm tyres with 1x and 2x drivetrains, according to Ridley. This is wider than the existing Grifn’s clearance, which is capped at 40mm set up 1x and 38mm with a double chainring. 

Therefore, the Grifn RS can accommodate a greater choice of gravel tyres, which are getting wider as riders realise the benefits of higher-volume tyres, including the ability to run lower pressures. 

Ridley specs the Grifn RS with a Wolf Tooth Lone Wolf chain catcher in its 1x guise to reduce the risk of the chain falling off. 

The chain guide is available in three sizes for chainrings ranging from 40t to 58t.

All builds of the Grifn RS use SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger. This is designed to unify rear derailleur hanger standards, making it easier to source a replacement. 

Ridley Grifn RS mudguard mounts
The race-oriented Grifn keeps hidden mudguard mounts. – Ridley

The Grifn RS frame has mounts for bikepacking bags, for instance on the top of the top tube. 

Like all of the Grifn models, the Grifn RS frame is compatible with internal dynamo routing. 

The Grifn RS also has mudguard mounts. Ridley sells a specially designed set separately for €70. 

Ridley Grifn RS geometry 

Female cyclist riding Ridley Grifn RS all-road bike on road
The Grifn RS geometry sits between Ridley’s endurance road bike and gravel bikes. – Ridley

Ridley says the Grifn RS’s geometry is slacker and less aggressive than its Fenix SLiC endurance road bike to improve comfort and off-road stability.

Meanwhile, the Grifn RS has a steeper head tube angle, shorter wheelbase and shorter chainstays than the Kanzo Fast and Kanzo Adventure gravel bike to make its handling more reactive, according to the brand.

The Ridley Grifn RS comes in XXS, XS, S, M, L and XL sizes. There are eight size options for the one-piece integrated cockpit. 

Ridley’s first sporty ebike

Female cyclist riding Ridley E-Grifn electric all-road bike
Ridley describes the E-Grifn as a sporty electric bike. – Ridley

Ridley has also released the E-Grifn, which it calls its first “sporty e-bike”. The brand’s range of electric bikes already includes the Kanzo-E, a less aggressive electric gravel bike.

The brand equips the E-Grifn with the Mahle X20 System, one of the lightest rear-hub integrated electric bike motors available. 

Mahle says the X20 provides 55Nm of torque and weighs 3.2kg including the 350Wh battery. 

Its positioning in the rear hub has enabled Ridley to model the E-Grifn frame on the Grifn RS. Unlike the Kanzo-E, the down tube doesn’t need to be bulky to house a motor. 

Close-up of Ridley E-Grifn electric road bike
The E-Grifn’s geometry and tube shapes are similar to the non-assisted version. – Ridley

As a result, the electric all-road bike has the same geometry, tyre clearance and aero tube shapes as the Grifn RS. 

The road version of the E-Grifn comes with 32mm tyres and either Shimano 105 mechanical, 105 Di2 or Ultegra Di2 groupsets.

Female cyclist riding Ridley E-Grifn electric all-road bike on gravel
The E-Grifn also comes in road and gravel builds. – Ridley

The gravel version is available with 1x SRAM Apex XPLR or Rival XPLR, or Shimano 2x GRX610 or GRX820.

Ridley offers the E-Grifn with alloy or carbon wheelsets from in-house brand Forza. 

A more affordable Grifn 

Pack shot of Ridley Grifn A all-road bike on dirt
The alloy Grifn A is a more affordable all-road bike. – Ridley

Ridley has also introduced an alloy version of its all-road bike, starting at €1,999 with 10-speed Shimano GRX400. The Grifn A follows the release of an alloy Kanzo, the Ridley Kanzo A.

It says the Grifn A suits beginner cyclists because it blends the speed of a road bike with the comfort of a gravel bike, enabling them to explore on and off-road with the same bike. 

Ridley says it chose 6061-T6 aluminium alloy for the Grifn A frame for its excellent balance of stiffness, strength and weight. 

A carbon steerer and fork save weight while increasing compliance and steering accuracy, according to Ridley.

Ridley Grifn A head tube
The Grifn A has slightly less tyre clearance than the Grifn RS. – Ridley

The Grifn A has slightly less tyre clearance than the Grifn RS. Ridley says the alloy model can fit 38mm tyres with a 2x drivetrain and 40mm tyres with a 1x drivetrain. 

Ridley claims the riding experience is similar because the Grifn A’s geometry is identical.

Like the Grifn RS, the Grifn A comes in six sizes (XXS, XS, S, M, L and XL), and road and gravel configurations. Accessories such as mudguards and custom Apidura frame bags are sold separately.

Ridley Grifn RS builds and specifications 

The Grifn RS is available with a choice of three 2x road groupsets: Shimano 105 Di2 and Ultegra Di2, and SRAM Force with a Classified Powershift hub. 

For gravel, you can pick from SRAM Rival XPLR or Force XLPR, the third and second tier respectively of the brand’s wide-range gravel gearing. Both are 1x as standard and combine a 46t crank with a 10-44t cassette.

The compatibility with single and double chainrings sets the Grifn RS apart from the Kanzo Fast. The race gravel bike is only compatible with 1x drivetrains. 

Ridley Grifn RS road builds 

Ridley Grifn RS gravel builds 

Ridley E-Grifn road builds 

Ridley E-Grifn gravel builds 

Ridley Grifn A road build

Ridley Grifn A gravel builds