Ridley X-Trail

I recently sold my carbon road bike and was looking for more of a road machine with relaxed geometry, but still could accept some wider rubber.  The Ridley X-trail seemed to fit this bill nicely, and I just received mine last night.  I thought I'd start a new thread here and share my thoughts so far.  As of now, I have only ridden it on my rollers, but hope to get a long ride in this weekend. 

I bought the CR1 model, which I understand is an exclusive build for Performance Bike.  This model isn't actually listed on Ridley's site, but it is very close to the C30 model.  It is spec'd with a compact RS500 crank, 105 front derailleur, Ultegra rear, RS-505 flat mount brakes, RS685 mechanical/hydraulic shifters, F/R thru-axles, DT Swiss Spline 24 wheels, and Challenger Gravel Grinder tires, 38x700.  The frame and finish are flawless, and it looks much better in person. 

A few things to note so far:

Size - I really struggled with which size to pick, especially b/c I read Ridley's tend to run a little big.  I'm just under 5'10'', and I typically ride bikes with an effective TT of 56 cm.  I ordered a size Small which has an effective TT of 54.9 and so far it seems to be a good fit.  I don't feel cramped or stretched out, but the TT does feels longer to me.  It came with a 100 mm stem, and I'm not sure I'd want anything longer than that.  Fore/aft has me right in the middle of the saddle rails. The saddle to bar drop looks bigger than what I have on my Grade Alloy, but it feels comfortable and not aggressive (at least on the rollers).  I will still need a few long rides to evaluate and tweak the fit.

Weight - I don't really care much about weight anyway, but for a carbon bike, it might be a little on the heavy side.  I don't think this will matter at all on the roads, just putting it out there.  I'm guessing a wheel change will knock that down quite a bit.

Tire Clearance - Tire clearance is plentiful on the fork, but a little tight at the chain stays.  I tried to get a picture to show the clearance, and it looks like maybe 3-4 mm to spare between the tire and the chain stay with the 38s.

As of now I'm pretty happy with the build and wait to get this thing outside!

 

Front Fork Clearance:
 

Chain Stay Clearance:



Flat-mount disc:

That looks very nice.  Glad the fit is good or at least close.  I suppose with the larger frame the bars would be a little higher and, of course, there would be a little less seatpost showing.  Then again a Med might have been just a bit big.  The good thing for me is that if a S fits you then the XS should be a good fit for me.

Anyway, I'm jealous That you're riding already.  Thankfully, mine should be here next week.  I'm a little concerned about the tire clearance though as that could be a deal breaker for me since I'm planning to run 40c tires.  I've already got a set mounted so will be sure to take them with me when I pick the bike up and check the fit.

BTW, the Performance spec sheet lists an Ultegra FD.  When I discussed the differences between the Ridley build and the CR1 with my dealer, he assured me that the CR1 spec sheet was correct and that they would replace any non spec parts.  The spec sheet also lists Ultegra levers and Shimano RS685 shifters - not sure how they pull that off.  Of course they don't make an Ultegra lever that works w/hydraulic discs.

Can you tell which bottom bracket it comes with?  The Ridley site says BB86 and Performance has it as a PF30.

I think some of that extra weight is the wheels but a lot is the tires - they're just big ... and heavy, especially when compared to road tires.  In addition, I think the crankset, seatpost, seat, stem and bars are likely heavy too.  The C40 model which has an Ultegra crank and Cirrus (carbon) components is almost 1 lb lighter.  So it should be easy to put it on a diet if desired.

Can't wait to hear your ride impressions.

Still no ride yet.  I'll try to spares some details, but so far I'm dealing with a bent derailleur hanger, and the front shifter cable wasn't installed correctly, so I the shift lever is not operating correctly.  Not really a fault of the bike's but I was really hoping to ride this thing by now, and this weekend is supposed to be in the 60s.  This is the first time I've ordered a bike online, and probably the last.  It's a shame that I can't get this bike locally.  Rant over.

DrSpoke, I can confirm that the bike indeed comes with a 105 front derailleur and it's got a Shimano BB86 bottom bracket, not PF30.  It looks like Performances specs are incorrect.  One little bonus I noticed last night was that the brakes are actually BR-RS805, which I think is an upgrade from the RS505.

Sorry to hear about your woes.  I ordered a mtn bike a couple of years ago from Competitive Cyclist in Utah and it went together w/o issue.  The boxing/packaging was superb.

Those new Shimano FDs are tricky little things.  And the clearances where the cable and actuator arm (and tire) are located are very tight.  I just helped a friend with a Diverge get his FD working properly as the clearance are even tighter on that bike.  His actuator arm was rubbing the tire when in the large chainring.  Here's the manual you want - Google = DM-FD0002-04-ENG.pdf.  Almost any bike shop should be able to straighten the derailleur hanger.  It's about a 5 minute job if they have the tool.  And you could probably do it yourself well enough to get on the road

The CR1 looks like it's pretty much a Ridley C30 build then with no changes.  Did you mean 105 FD or did it come with a 105 RD too?  I do like it that it comes w/the RS805s.  That is Shimano's top of the line flat mount caliper as of now - and, yes, a step up from the RS505.  Not sure of the difference but am speculating that it has a ceramic piston.  These bikes are so new that both Ridley and Performance's websites have multiple errors on them.

My biggest concern as of now though is how the 40c tires are going to fit. 

I hope you get everything sorted and can get on the road soon.

Hey thanks Spoke.  I mis-typed,  It's a 105 FRONT derailleur, rear is Ultegra.

Just got home from picking up my X-Trail from the shop.  Pretty much as you say - 105 FD, RS805 brakes and a tight fit for a 40c in back.  The Nano 40c does fit but w/very little clearance.  The rest looks great.  The accent color is more orangeish, ok orange, than what I had expected which was more redish.  I'm going to tighten everything up tonight and first ride tomorrow.  It will be the first ride for my friend on his Diverge as well.  He has road only tires so it will be pavement only though I plan to use the OEM Gravel Grinders.

Just picked up my X Trail CR1 from a PB here in Pittsburgh. Sometimes it is a gamble, as the specs didn't exactly match the description on their website. Front derailleur is 105 instead of the Ultegra, everything else seems to match. Chain looks a little short when crosschaining on 50x30. Probably will take it back for couple adjustments.

Did a 50 mile break in ride on the GAP, and I really like the bike. Saddle is crap, but will replace it soon enough. 

Interesting that I also got a Small size. My road bike is Ridley Helium in small and it fits me perfectly. Don't have much of the seatpost showing, but ETT is 545 same as the X Trail in Small. With smaller stem (100 vs 110) it even feels a bit smaller and more upright. Also handlebar sections where I rest my hands flare back a bit for even shorter reach. Stand over is pretty good for me with about an inch and a half over the top tube. I do have pretty short legs and longer and more flexible torso.

Congrats on the new bike!  Despite the differences in the spec sheet, I think this is a VERY good build for the money. 

I was finally able to get mine out on the road Saturday and Sunday, albeit mostly pavement.  My initial thoughts are this bike almost feels more like a race bike than a gravel/endurance bike.  It felt fast and handled much quicker than my Grade.  The gearing felt good and the Shimano hydraulic brakes are really, really nice.  On the few gravel patches I hit, it seemed fine, but on the longer and hillier gravel routes, I'm not sure if my clumsy self shouldn't be on something with a touch more stability.

I'm also not sure if I got the right size or if this bike's geometry just isn't for me.  Do you mind telling me what height you are?  I also purchased a Small, and I have more seatpost showing than you do.  The head tube on this bike is shorter (140, vs 160-165 for a 54 cm Domane or Roubaix) and I feel like the saddle to bar drop is greater than I would want for this kind of bike.  Yesterday I flipped the stem up and it's as high as the spacers will allow, but the bars are still lower than the seat by about 2 inches.  Performance said I could exchange it for a Medium no problem, but I'm not sure if I should do that or try to make this one fit.

I got mine out on Saturday for about 30 mi of road riding w/about 1/2 mile of trail.  I rode with a couple of buddies who have the Specialized Diverge.  It was the 1st ride for one of them too.  My initial impression pretty much matches you guys above.  As far as size, I'm 5'8" and got the XS.  I've got about 4" of seatpost showing and about 1" of handlebar drop.  My standover is <1" gap.  The seat to bars distance is 1" shorter than my road bikes but I still have to play w/the saddle adjustment a little more.

It's a different fit for me as the bike feels big even though the top feels more compact.  I do like a little more drop, especially for road, so I'll probably flip the stem but still use a spacer or two (mine came with the stem rise up).  For off road I do think higher is better so hopefully, I'll find a happy middle ground between road and offroad with some experimentation.  So in some ways it feels a little big but don't think I'll be going to the XXS either. 

That said, I loved the ride.  Very comfortable on the road but with good handling.  Even with the big tires it was good - better than expected.  About a mile into the ride I was following a friend and rode into a huge pothole - the biggist I've hit in a long time.  The hit was jarring but the bike rolled right though it like it was no big deal.  Not sure what would have happened on a road bike but don't think it would have been pretty.  That said, I do think I will like having the geometry tend toward the road side.  That and the stiffness of the carbon and rear triangle.  I've got a lot of off road experience so I think I'll be fine off road.  The bike does feel hefty though when I pick it up.  But the wheels/tires were a little lighter than what I expected.  I think with a few component upgrades and a set of (lighter) road tires it will be good.

I agree a bit about the spec sheet being a gamble.  It seems both the Ridley site and the Performance site have errors.  I think I could have gotten Performance to switch out the FD as the mgr there guaranteed the spec.  I let it go as it's not such a big deal and I'm going to Di2 soon anyway.  And, as rocthrower said earlier, it does come with the RS805 calipers which are better than the 505s on the spec sheet.

On Wednesday we're planning the first urban adventure ride - a mix of pavement and dirt.  We're planning to do the 1st lap of the 2015 Belgian Waffle Ride.  I did the ride last year and mostly bought this bike for the 2016 ride.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl62Bj_rToM

I got my bike a week ago and have only been riding on the roads in the rain which in the fall in Portland is a bit like off road. I had Performance change out the FD. I love the bike but it feels a bit sluggish compared to their road bikes. It is very solid and the braking is unbelievable. This going to be my winter trainer so I am looking for fenders. I want black matte to match the bike. Does anyone know if Ridley is producing fenders for the X-Trial? Are there any other fenders that might be adaptable?

This document lists fenders:  http://content.ridley-bikes.com/bikes/frames/passports/x-trail_passport-x-trail_1441112313829305.pdf
I'm not sure if they are available yet or not.  I asked my Performance dealer to look into it and get pricing if possible.  I was more interested in the braze-on shim and the RD hanger.

I'm hoping a lot of the sluggishness is in the wheels/tires.  I would expect the seatpost, seat, stem and bars to be heavy too.  The weight spec on the frame though seems good.  So hopefully with some lighter wheels and road tires it will quicken things up a little.

Took my X Trail to the Pittsburgh PB to have them look at couple issues. Most importantly is the chain that is too short - in the "big - big" rear derailleur is all jacked up. 

Also asked about both the front derailleur and the cassette not being Ultegra. The sales guy said that it is the way it is and this is how it came in the box and there's nothing they can do. They are totally committed to my satisfaction so if I want I could return the bike. Anyone else had issues with chain being short and how they fixed it?



 

I ordered this bike and I am going to be picking it up in Portland on Saturday. I live north of Seattle and Oregon has no sales tax, that is why the trip to Oregon to get it. I did order a Med size, and I do hope that was the right size for me. I did know before I ordered the bike that I would be replacing the stem to a shorter one.   I will keep you posted on how things work out with the bike.

Festivenoodle,

Shift into the small chainring and small gear in the rear and post the picture.  If the derailleur is able to take up the slack without the chain doubling back over itself, then you could lengthen the chain.  Usual advice would be to not ride in the big / big combo.  If it is decided to add links I would insist on a new chain.

Ronnie

Ronnie,
 stopped by the PB again, and they replaced the chain with a longer Ultegra. It's still good in both the small-small and big-big combinations. Additional benefit is much smoother shifting and much quieter operation overall.

Now my biggest problem is to actually do/find some rides. I have been stuck in Pittsburgh for the last few weeks (daughter is in Children's Hospital, doing much better, thanks!). Don't know any riders/groups in the area. This bike should be quick enough to show up for local road rides too.

I sold my skinny tire road bike.  Just switch wheels out on my Gravel Bike and ride the road!

Hello! As someone who is hoping to purchase an XS X-trail from Performance Bike (their prices are really good right now) I was wondering if someone who has an XS size bike could do me a favor. Do you happen to know the center-to-center width of the handlebars? I know that some manufacturers spec narrow bars on smaller frames but my fit is best with 42cm bars and not 40cm ones. I'm curious what the bike comes with stock and I can't find that measurement anywhere online.
Thanks!

itchyrichy wrote:Hello! As someone who is hoping to purchase an XS X-trail from Performance Bike (their prices are really good right now) I was wondering if someone who has an XS size bike could do me a favor. Do you happen to know the center-to-center width of the handlebars? I know that some manufacturers spec narrow bars on smaller frames but my fit is best with 42cm bars and not 40cm ones. I'm curious what the bike comes with stock and I can't find that measurement anywhere online.
Thanks!

Hey, measured my small x trail and it was somewhere 41.5-42 c-c (right in front of the hoods). However I kinda like the shape, it is somewhat unusual with the tops flaring back and slight flare at the bottom. I'm planning on putting Salsa Cowbells on it though.
Don't let this stop you though, this is an amazing bike, and you can pick up bigger bars at the Performance and have them through it on. Probably can even use the points to get it for free.

Agree - great bike.

I've got an XS and the bars are 39.0cm c-t-c at the hoods and 42.5cm c-t-c at the ends (bottom of the drops).

I'm going to try some Thomson Compton bars in 42cm when I convert to Di2.

The shape is fine but with the tops flaring back near the center section it points my Garmin a bit off to the right of center which looks sort of funny.

The OEM bar tape is very nice.