Van Rysel RCR-XC: the brand enters mountain biking with a 32-inch race bike

Van Rysel is moving into mountain biking. Decathlon's performance brand, known for its road and gravel bikes, unveiled its first mountain bike on October 8, 2026, at the Roc d'Azur in France: the Van Rysel RCR-XC. It is a full-suspension cross-country race bike rolling on 32-inch wheels. It won't be sold right away: it will first race the World Cup with the Decathlon Ford team, starting in the 2027 season. Here is what Van Rysel has announced, what is still unknown, and what this launch says about where cross-country racing is heading.

The RCR-XC, Van Rysel's first mountain bike, unveiled at the 2026 Roc d'Azur. Photo: Van Rysel

What is the Van Rysel RCR-XC?

The RCR-XC is a cross-country (XC) bike: the Olympic discipline of mountain biking, raced on circuits that mix steep climbs, technical descents and fast flat sections. Van Rysel presents it as a race machine built for the World Cup, with a carbon frame, front and rear suspension, and 32-inch wheels. The bike shown at the launch carries Zipp wheels, Vittoria tires, a RockShox fork, a SRAM drivetrain and a Deda handlebar.

Several details are still to come: rear travel, geometry, complete bike weight and the builds that will go on sale. For its first mountain bike, Van Rysel chose to start with the most demanding option: a race bike developed with professional riders, rather than a trail model.

Why 32-inch wheels?

Mountain biking has already changed wheel size several times: 26 inches, then 27.5 and 29 inches, which became the cross-country standard. A larger wheel rolls over roots and rocks more easily and holds its speed better. The RCR-XC moves up to 32 inches. According to Van Rysel, testing showed better agility in descents with these wheels and the 130 mm fork, letting riders recover in technical sections and save energy for the flat and uphill parts.

The usual trade-off of a larger wheel is weight. Yet Van Rysel claims a frame 230 g (0.5 lb) lighter than the Decathlon Ford team's 2026 mountain bike, drawing on the carbon expertise it built on its road bikes.

A 130 mm fork up front; rear travel has not been published yet. Photo: Van Rysel

A mountain bike tested in the wind tunnel

This is the first time Van Rysel has put a mountain bike in a wind tunnel. The announced result: 15.5 watts saved at 35 km/h compared with the Decathlon Ford team's current mountain bike. Aerodynamics may seem secondary off-road, but cross-country races keep getting faster: according to Van Rysel, as reported by Vélo 101, the average speed of a World Cup race now exceeds 25 km/h, compared with about 20 km/h in 2018.

The brand sums up its approach in one sentence:

"Where the athlete spends the most time in the race is where there is the most time to be gained in design."

— Luis Moro, Van Rysel MTB Product Manager

A first for Van Rysel: a mountain bike tested in the wind tunnel. Photo: Van Rysel

Which riders will race the RCR-XC?

Starting in the 2027 season, Van Rysel becomes the official bike and clothing outfitter of the Decathlon Ford team, which races the cross-country World Cup. The RCR-XC was developed with its riders and will be entrusted to top athletes, including Luca Martin, world number one in the UCI rankings, Samara Maxwell and Savilia Blunk.

This follows the method Van Rysel has used on the road since it was founded in Flanders in 2019: develop its bikes with professional teams, then bring them to everyday riders. It is also what produced the Van Rysel RCR-G, its gravel race bike.

The RCR-XC and the jersey of the Decathlon Ford team, which Van Rysel will outfit from 2027. Photo: Van Rysel

When will the Van Rysel RCR-XC be available?

Not right away. Van Rysel says the RCR-XC will first be used by the Decathlon Ford riders, to take their feedback from World Cup conditions into account, and then sold at a date to be announced later. Neither the price nor the markets have been announced. The first step for the general public will be a mountain bike clothing range, expected during 2027.

At Bicycles Quilicot, official Van Rysel retailer in Quebec, we will follow this launch closely. If you are looking for a cross-country race bike right now, our article on the Scott Spark RC covers a bike from the same family, and we can help you choose among our mountain bikes.

What we know about the RCR-XC, and what is still to come

Frequently asked questions

What is a cross-country mountain bike?

It is a light mountain bike that climbs efficiently, designed for circuit races that alternate climbs, technical descents and flat sections. It has less travel than an enduro or downhill bike: the goal is speed and efficiency rather than soaking up big hits.

Is the Van Rysel RCR-XC already for sale?

No. Van Rysel is first reserving it for the Decathlon Ford riders for the 2027 season and will announce a release date later. The price has not been announced.

What is the difference between a 29-inch and a 32-inch wheel?

The 32-inch wheel is larger: it rolls over obstacles more easily and holds its speed better, but it needs a frame and fork designed for it. The 29-inch wheel remains the cross-country standard today.

Who is Van Rysel?

Van Rysel is Decathlon's performance bike brand, founded in Flanders in 2019. First known for its road bikes, it has added gravel bikes, bike trainers and now mountain biking with the RCR-XC.

With the RCR-XC, Van Rysel enters mountain biking through its fastest discipline, building on what it has mastered on the road: carbon, aerodynamics and working with professional teams. We will have to wait for the 2027 World Cup season to see it race, then for the announcement of its release.

At Bicycles Quilicot, we have been selling bikes in Montreal since 1915 and we are the official Van Rysel retailer in Quebec. Find the brand's road, gravel and training range in our online store, and write to us with any question about the RCR-XC.

Sources: Van Rysel — official RCR-XC page · Vélo 101 (in French) · Singletracks · Bike Magazin