Van Rysel Explained

Van Rysel Cycling
Type:Private
Location:Lille, France
Key People:Nicolas Pierron (brand director)
Industry:Bicycles
Products:Bicycle and related components
Parent:Decathlon
Website:https://www.vanryselcycling.com

Van Rysel is a French brand cycling brand owned by Decathlon, specializing in the design and manufacture of bicycles and cycling equipment (road, gravel and triathlon). The name "Van Rysel" means "from Lille" in Dutch, in reference to the capital of French Flanders, where the brand was founded and designs its products.

Van Rysel offers a range of road bicycles and gravel bicycles, as well as electric bikes for road and gravel. The brand also offers a range of accessories and equipment for cyclists and triathletes, such as helmets, cycling clothing and performance eyewear.

History

The name "Van Rysel" translates from Dutch to 'From Lille.' This choice is a tribute to Decathlon's headquarters in Lille and the place where the bikes are designed, assembled, and tested. The nearby Roubaix and Flanders cobbles serve as a testing ground for quality and performance.

Decathlon has a rich cycling history, dating back decades. Formerly known as B'Twin, Van Rysel collaborated with professional teams like Cofidis and AG2R Prévoyance from 2000 to 2008, accelerating the development of bikes, textiles, and helmets.[1]

These partenerships influenced the design of Decathlon's bikes today. While the Triban, the other Decathlon cycling brand, range prioritizes comfort, Van Rysel aims for performance, catering to both professional and amateur cyclists with high standards. All frames, whether aluminum or carbon fiber, are assembled at the Lille factory after manufacturing with global partners.

In November 2023, Decathlon was announced as the co-title sponsor of the team in a five-year deal. The team will be called Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale from 2024. Decathlon will also be replacing BMC as the bike supplier of the team, with the team using Decathlon's Van Rysel bikes. Citroën will stay on as the team's official car supplier.[2]

Products

Leading the latest lineup is the Van Rysel Ultra 940 CF Shimano Dura-Ace, taking over from the 2018 B'Twin equivalent. This bike boasts a full carbon frame, Shimano Dura-Ace gears, and Zipp 303 clincher wheels with Vittoria Corsa tires. The bike is rounded out with Fizik and Deda components.[3] [4]

In addition to the new bikes, there is a clothing and shoe collection under the Van Rysel brand, based on the success of the established B'Twin brand.

In December 2023, Decathlon launches a new ultra-light electric road bike with the E-EDR AF APEX AXS 12S.[5]

Sponsorship

In 2019, as a knock-on effect, the B'Twin AG2R La Mondiale junior (U19) cycling team becomes the Van Rysel AG2R La Mondiale U19. However, this sponsorship ends on December 31, 20204.

In 2019, Van Rysel creates a customized bike in Belgian colors for junior rider Arnaud de Lie, with whom he wins seven times during the season, including the title of Belgian Champion and winner of the final ranking of the Belgian Junior Cup.

Since 2022, Van Rysel has been the new off-cycle equipment supplier to the Cofidis professional cycling team.

Since May 15, 2023, Van Rysel has been the sponsor of the Van Rysel–Roubaix–Lille Métropole.

Van Rysel works with professional cycling teams to test and improve its products. These include the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team and the Van Rysel-Roubaix Lille Métropole cycling team. These collaborations enable us to co-develop our products with the world's most demanding athletes, and to test them at the most extreme level. These lessons allow us to create innovations that can then be adapted to all levels of performance.

Notes and References

  1. News: Decathlon launches Van Rysel brand following rebrand late last year . 18 December 2023 . Cycling Weekly . 24 January 2019.
  2. Web site: Decathlon . 27 November 2023 . DECATHLON x AG2R LA MONDIALE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231218134451/https://www.decathlon-united.media/pressfiles/decathlon-x-ag2r-la-mondiale-en . 18 December 2023 . 18 December 2023 . Decathlon United . en.
  3. Web site: The birth of Van Rysel: road bikes designed for performance . cyclist.co.uk . 18 December 2023.
  4. Web site: Here's everything we know about the new Decathlon Van Rysel range . Bike Radar . 18 December 2023.
  5. Web site: Decathlon lance un vélo électrique de route ultra léger avec ce deux roues Van Rysel . 25 December 2023 . Les Numeriques.