Off-roadie bikes from Cervelo and Ridley

Some new just in about a few new mountain bike models from a couple of road-centric bike brands. The Cervelo ZHT-5 and the Raft and Probe RS bikes from Ridley.

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By ben_haworth

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Off-roadie bikes from Cervelo and Ridley

Cervelo looks nice through some Rose-tinted glasses from 2010.

Thank you Ridley for the gift of childish double-entendres.

The weight of an unpainted Probe RS frame is 760 grams in size medium

That’s very impressive. *skeptical face*

We’ve taken what we learned from Áspero, partnered with Team Jumbo-Visma to field an XCO race team, and designed a bike that’ll be immediately competitive when the season kicks off in Valkenburg next year.
We have decades of experience designing bikes that fly up hors categorie climbs at the Tour, and then descend confidently and aggressively down the other side. We sought to bring this same balance to a purpose-built XCO race bike. ZHT-5 is prized by those who value efficiency over all else—and who have the skills to tame today’s technical courses without the benefit of a shock.

Jumbo-Visma XC team?
But have they not watched the last few years, how often are hardtails used?

But have they not watched the last few years, how often are hardtails used?

Was just thinking this…

That’s very impressive. *skeptical face*

Likewise. A SC Blur frame is at or just over 2kg. Their version is apparently 1.75, quite a bit lighter than a Pivot Mach4.

If true, and there are no compromises in terms of ride quality, that’s a great price.

I saw the photo of the Raft and immediately approved. I like that shock position for the suitability of fitting a frame bag. I was still surprised to see the Press Release suggesting it for bikepacking, despite the number of FS bikes now being used.

That was my first thought, too. It looks like a Salsa Spearfish, with lots of useful attachment points, but much, much, lighter, apparently, and the whole bike isn’t much more than a Spearfish frame. I’m interested to see some reviews.

Both look very nice. I very recently bought an Aspero-5 (Cervelo gravel bike) and have been very impressed with it. If the ZHT is half as good it’ll be great.

Look like my kind of bikes, and that Ridley Raft is stupidly priced either.

Roadies missing the memo about steep seattube angles being the schizz for seated climbing on loose surfaces.

Props to Ridley for squeezing the word ‘shred’ into each of the first five lines of the Raft press release. Shred-tastic.

But have they not watched the last few years, how often are hardtails used?

Was just thinking this…

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot was riding one very well until a mechanical at the Euros and then won Les Gets on a hard tail this year.

The Ridley just reminds me of a Specialized Epic.

That Cervelo looks like an open mould frame – the seat tube/seatstay/top tube interface reminds me of another bike but can’t put my finger on it

I can’t see past the Shimano sticker on the chainstay. Very 90s Mongoose.

Seat tube/ toptube cluster looks familiar on the Cervelo because it looks like a Denk signature, this is a good thing -‘Denk’ bikes are the shizz. I’d have one, it’s a looker.

PON holdings owns both cervelo and Santa Cruz. They will a) know how to make a frame and b) avoid cutting thier own lunch

^^ I see the higher spec’s ZHT-5 also comes with Reserve wheels which is another brand from PON holdings. They’ve been putting them on SC bikes for a while I think. My Cervelo Aspero-5 came with some and I have to say they are very nice.