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Decathlon (OK, Van Rysel) Gets Into the Tri Bike Market

Decathlon (OK, Van Rysel) Gets Into the Tri Bike Market

January 19, 2025 Most North American triathletes aren’t familiar with Decathlon , but the French company is huge over in Europe. The stores offer Decathlon…

Sunday, Jan 19

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January 19, 2025 Most North American triathletes aren’t familiar with Decathlon , but the French company is huge over in Europe. The stores offer Decathlon house branded sports equipment and cover pretty much any sport you can imagine. In 2019 Decathlon started their own brand of bikes – Van Rysel – and at the end of last year officially launched the company’s first triathlon bike – the XCR. It was a follow up to the XCR UCI-legal time trial bike launched earlier in the year.

That bike, along with the new XCR tri bike, was designed in collaboration with Swiss Side. I’ve spent some time in the wind tunnel with Swiss Side’s founder, Jean-Paul Ballard, and have seen his expertise (honed from his years with F1’s Sauber team) in action – the guy knows his stuff. So, it comes as no surprise that Van Rysel’s first foray into the tri bike world would be a success. The Basics

There’s an interesting dynamic to be dealt with for a brand like Van Rysel when it comes to any high-end bike design. You don’t go to Decathlon for the most expensive sports equipment – customers are in the hunt for quality gear at a decent price. Then there are the demands of a World Tour team like Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, which require performance in order to keep their riders competitive with the world’s best. I’ll get into pricing in a bit, but I will say that the XCR has managed to […]

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