Van Rysel RCR-G: the gravel race bike built around aerodynamics

Van Rysel has been racing in the WorldTour for a few seasons now, with road bikes that silenced a fair number of sceptics. One box stayed empty in the range: a true gravel race bike, the kind you line up with a number on the bars, not just the one you ride down a country lane on Sunday. That changed on August 24, 2026 with the Van Rysel RCR-G, a carbon gravel bike built on one simple idea — going fast on gravel is worked out in a wind tunnel, exactly as it is on the road. Here is what the bike actually brings, and what separates the three builds in the range.

The RCR-G was developed to hold speed across mixed surfaces, not for bikepacking.

What sets a gravel race bike apart from an adventure gravel bike?

The gravel category has split into two families that no longer have much in common. On one side, adventure gravel: relaxed geometry, mounting points everywhere, designed to carry bags and disappear for three days. On the other, gravel racing: a frame that borrows its position and its stiffness from a road bike, with just enough clearance to handle fast gravel.

The RCR-G sits squarely in the second family. The geometry says so: in size M, a 554 mm stack and a 391 mm reach, with a 72° head angle. Those are road bike numbers, not touring numbers. Van Rysel released a second model at the same time, the EDR-G, which is taller, shorter and slacker, with a suspension option and storage built into the frame. Two bikes, two uses — and the RCR-G is the one with the race number.

An 885 g frame: what Van Rysel changed

The first figure that stands out is the bare frame weight: 885 g in size M, with a 415 g fork. For a gravel frame that swallows 50 mm tires, that puts it firmly among the light, performance-focused gravel bikes. Van Rysel quotes a construction of 366 pieces of high-modulus carbon with 60T fibres, a layup that lets them place material where it works and take it out everywhere else.

That level of lightness comes with a trade-off the first tests picked up on: the RCR-G is a firm bike. It gives back what you put in, but it filters less than some rivals over broken ground. It is the deliberate compromise of a bike aimed at the clock before comfort — worth knowing if you are torn between the RCR-G and something more versatile.

Why aerodynamics matter on gravel too

Aerodynamics stayed a road bike concern for a long time. It is becoming a gravel concern as well, for one simple reason: at the bigger events, the bunch now rides at average speeds where every watt saved against the wind shows up at the finish.

So Van Rysel treated the RCR-G like a road bike: computational fluid dynamics first, then wind tunnel time. The claimed result is 8.6 watts saved at 45 km/h compared with the GCR, the gravel race bike this model replaces. Fully internal cable routing is part of the equation, as is the one-piece carbon cockpit on the higher builds.

On the RED AXS, bar and stem are a single piece and no cable ever sees daylight.

The pros are the ones saying it:

"Once above 25 km/h, it holds speed remarkably well and accelerates thanks to its aerodynamics."

— Aubin Sparfel, professional rider with DECATHLON CMA CGM

50 mm clearance, UDH, 1× or 2×: the mechanics behind the racing

On tires, the RCR-G takes up to 50 mm. That covers almost every gravel race course, but it is also a more conservative choice than some rivals that go wider. If your terrain looks more like singletrack than fast fire road, that is the first thing to check.

The drivetrain accepts both single and double: up to 50 teeth in 1×, up to 52 teeth in 2×. The derailleur hanger follows the UDH standard, which makes replacement straightforward if you break one — any shop can find the part. For self-sufficiency, count three bottle mounts and top tube mounts designed for an aero bento box. Enough to spend several hours without resupply, which is still the definition of a gravel race.

One chainring, a 10-46 cassette across 13 speeds: XPLR logic applied to racing.

The RCR-G range: three builds, one frame

This is the most important thing to grasp before choosing: the frame is exactly the same on all three versions. Same high-modulus carbon, same geometry, same 50 mm clearance, same UDH compatibility. What changes is the groupset, the cockpit and the wheels. Put another way, the entry build rides on precisely the same chassis as the top one — which is not that common in this category.

The three builds also share the same drivetrain logic: electronic SRAM XPLR AXS in 1×13, a 10-46 cassette, and a Quarq power meter built into the crankset on every one of them. Only the chainring changes, and it grows with the build level.

	RCR-G Rival AXS	RCR-G Force AXS	RCR-G RED AXS
Drivetrain	SRAM Rival XPLR AXS E1	SRAM Force XPLR AXS E1	SRAM RED XPLR AXS E1
Speeds · cassette	1×13 · 10-46	1×13 · 10-46	1×13 · 10-46
Chainring	40 teeth	42 teeth	44 teeth
Power meter	Quarq, built in	Quarq, built in	Quarq, built in
Cockpit	Aluminum bar and stem	Carbon bar, aluminum stem	One-piece carbon
Wheels	Van Rysel VR 30 aluminum	Van Rysel VR 35 carbon	Van Rysel VR 50 carbon

The Rival AXS is the most interesting build for anyone who wants the frame without paying for the shop window. Its aluminum wheels take gravel abrasion better than carbon does, its two-piece cockpit can be adjusted and replaced part by part, and the drivetrain is still electronic with a power meter. This is the bike you grow into: add a carbon wheelset later and the gap to the Force closes considerably.

The Force AXS is the balance point of the range, and the one Van Rysel quotes at 7.9 kg. Carbon 35 mm wheels on DT Swiss hubs, a carbon bar, hydraulic Force AXS brakes with 160 mm rotors — and an aluminum stem, which is still the right call for adjusting your position without replacing the whole cockpit. The RED AXS is the pure race version: a one-piece cockpit for aerodynamics, deep 50 mm wheels, and a 44-tooth chainring that says plainly what kind of course it was assembled for.

Who is the RCR-G for?

For someone who lines up at starts, or who rides in a group at a hard pace across mixed surfaces. The bike is built to hold a high speed and to accelerate quickly; that is where it earns its keep. If what you want above all is comfort on long loaded days, the EDR-G from the same brand answers that need better.

The RCR-G's home ground: fast gravel, at a good clip, in a group.

One thing to know before you decide: the bar stays close to a road bar. On the Force AXS, Van Rysel quotes 8° of flare and widths from 360 to 400 mm centre to centre depending on size — enough to keep the aerodynamics, but noticeably less open than what you see on an adventure gravel bike. Some riders will like the compact position, others will want more width for handling on broken ground. Bar width, stem length, saddle height — that is exactly the kind of thing we check with you in store, and it is the cheapest correction to make before the purchase rather than after. At Bicycles Quilicot, we have watched enough handlebar trends come and go since 1915 to know that a spec sheet is no substitute for ten minutes with your hands on the bike.

Van Rysel says riders from the DECATHLON CMA CGM team, Tiesj Benoot and Aubin Sparfel among them, put more than eight prototypes through field testing before the frame was locked in.

"As soon as I got on the RCR-G, I immediately felt the Van Rysel DNA. It responds the moment I get out of the saddle, and at high speed, I was impressed by its stability."

— Tiesj Benoot, professional rider with DECATHLON CMA CGM

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Van Rysel RCR-G and the EDR-G?

The RCR-G is the race model: low, stretched geometry, a stiff frame, speed first. The EDR-G is the endurance model: roughly 1 cm shorter and 2 cm taller, a slacker head angle, longer chainstays, with an optional suspension fork and storage built into the frame. Both take tires up to 50 mm.

How wide a tire can you fit on the RCR-G?

Up to 50 mm, or roughly 2 inches. That is comfortable for most fast gravel and race courses. Beyond that, you should be looking at mountain bikes or adventure gravel bikes with larger clearance.

Does the RCR-G run single or double chainring?

Both. The frame accepts a 1× up to 50 teeth and a 2× up to 52 teeth. All three factory builds come as 1× with SRAM XPLR AXS groupsets, cable-free — with a 40, 42 or 44-tooth chainring depending on the version.

Where can you see the Van Rysel RCR-G in Quebec?

We are an official Van Rysel retailer. The product pages break down each build component by component, and our advisors go through sizing and position with you in store — that is the best way to find out whether the race geometry suits you.

Can you ride it on the road as well?

Without any problem. Its position and its stiffness come from the road, and a wheelset with narrower tires turns it into a quick machine on pavement. That is actually one of its arguments: a single bike for road training and gravel days.

A convincing first entry in the category

The RCR-G does not try to be everything at once. It is an unapologetic gravel race bike, light, developed in a wind tunnel, and offered at a level of finish few brands reach in this bracket. Its limits are clear — a firm frame, 50 mm of clearance, a very road-like bar — and they will not bother the rider it is aimed at.

If you are still weighing up several models, our guide to choosing a gravel bike runs through the different riding profiles, and our article on the new BMC Kaius 01 covers the other major gravel racing release of the season.

Sources: Van Rysel — RCR-G launch page · RCR-G Force AXS spec sheet (in French)