Van Rysel, the in house brand of sports superstore Decathlon have just launched a new range of high performance bikes. Prices well below DTC brands like Canyon, and massively below the premium brands like Specialized, Canyon and Giant. It would be easy to dismiss them as rip off designs, cheaply made… Except they are not. Swiss Side (JP Ballard) posted on Instagram about their partnership with Van Rysel - these are the best aerodynamicists in the cycling world, with access to the best wind tunnel (Airbus in Germany). Van Rysel are clearly meaning business.
The new TT bike the XCR looks stunning - clean, simple elegant. JP has already designed some of the world’s fastest TT bikes, so got to assume that his latest design will be as fast if not faster
Van Rysel to launch seven new bikes, including high-end race models | road.cc
i live in switzerland and give decathlon a fair deal of business. have some van rysel clothing that i’ve been quite happy with, and i do really appreciate where decathlon fits on the value scale for lots of my little odds and ends.
will be really curious to see how this pans out.
what became of that bike brand that the walmart heirs started up a few years back?
Decathlon sell really good products, not just cycling. The trouble is people getting over the stigma of buying one of their bikes. I remember one of my friends saying “I know they’re good and well priced, but no way I can bring myself to buy a Decathlon bike”…
Decathlon sell really good products, not just cycling. The trouble is people getting over the stigma of buying one of their bikes. I remember one of my friends saying “I know they’re good and well priced, but no way I can bring myself to buy a Decathlon bike”…
The website quality doesn’t help in that regard. This was my first time using it, and it took me a minute to realize the limited geometry info is embedded in one of the image sequences. Overall it has more a feel of “alibaba.com” than “canyon.com.”
But I’m all for a Canyon competitor, e.g. high quality direct-to-consumer.
Yeah I know what you mean! Guess they have so many products to list the staff working the website side of things are probably up against it. They brought in the Van Rysel branding to distinguish the higher end road cycling items, as it was all under the B’Twin name before. There is a separate Van Rysel website but looks to be a bit of a work in progress.
i live in switzerland and give decathlon a fair deal of business. have some van rysel clothing that i’ve been quite happy with, and i do really appreciate where decathlon fits on the value scale for lots of my little odds and ends.
will be really curious to see how this pans out.
what became of that bike brand that the walmart heirs started up a few years back?
You’re referring to Viathon. I got one of their gravel bikes at a crazy price right before the Covid lockdown. Good quality bikes and components at pretty good prices. I thought their goal was to come back afterwards, but their website has not been updated in 3 or so years. I guess I don’t have any options should I need a warranty claim!
Those new bikes look pretty sweet for the price. Are they a big enough brand to shake things up???
Decathlon are huge in Europe so it could be possible. The Van Rysel line has always been well reviewed in the various magazines and on the usual websites so if the bikes are of the same quality then they should do well.
I do wonder if people will trust Decathlon for a top end bike though. Usually these type of stores do well with models in the cheap to lower mid range it seems.
Super excited about this. Every time we go back to Europe we load up on Decathlon products. The quality of their premium lines for running and cycling apparel and equipment is on par with top brands for a fraction of the cost.
I love companies that are direct to consumer. Haven’t bought any bikes, but have bought clothes from them. They’re much cheaper than comparable products you’d buy elsewhere.
My main concern would be with repairs. They don’t have mechanics I would trust and other bike shops hate (ie add extra costs) repairing bikes that were bought on the cheap. But that TT bike ticks all the boxes and if Sam could only get 3 watts after extensive testing then age-groupers would benefit a lot more spending their money on training than extremely small gains that hyper-expensive bikes might provide.
My main concern would be with repairs. They don’t have mechanics I would trust and other bike shops hate (ie add extra costs) repairing bikes that were bought on the cheap. But that TT bike ticks all the boxes and if Sam could only get 3 watts after extensive testing then age-groupers would benefit a lot more spending their money on training than extremely small gains that hyper-expensive bikes might provide.
You speak about ban rysel ? I live in France but in almost every decahtlon shop they are machenics available
Prices are not “far below”…they are quite close to Canyon products, though a bit lower…So between a VanRysel and a Canyon, I would still chose Canyon, because of the resale value.
Besides, other brands, now that the supply chain are working “normally” again, will be forced to lower their prices down. So those fancy Van Rysel bikes are an investement I wouldn’t recommend, unless one wants to regret it in the very near future.
So, in my view, Decathlon is trying to get his brand up the market ladder, but it won’t work… A Chevy will never be a Cadillac…Or a Fiat a Ferrari, despite all the engineering efforts behind it.
Decathlon should stick with the marketing strategy that made its success : Bang for the bucks, and affordable by Mr.MOP.
Where do you find prices on the new TT bike? Canyon has TT bikes starting at 2999 euros, so just THAT comparison is tough.
Many companies have succesfully turned their brand & products from being Cost Leaders to become Differentiators. If Decathlon can do this with Van Rysel, only the future can tell. I agree with you, that this journey may be difficult, but not impossible.
Triathlon is booming in many “low-cost” countries, Latin America, Asia, etc. And first-world countries are facing a recesion not seen in a lifetime, which will drive a harder cost focus.
Remember, when Canyon came onto the market, their go-to-market model (pure online) was subject to much scrutiny, and I remember it took quite a while for the ST posse to embrace the brand 😊
Where do you find prices on the new TT bike? Canyon has TT bikes starting at 2999 euros, so just THAT comparison is tough.
Many companies have succesfully turned their brand & products from being Cost Leaders to become Differentiators. If Decathlon can do this with Van Rysel, only the future can tell. I agree with you, that this journey may be difficult, but not impossible.
Triathlon is booming in many “low-cost” countries, Latin America, Asia, etc. And first-world countries are facing a recesion not seen in a lifetime, which will drive a harder cost focus.
Remember, when Canyon came onto the market, their go-to-market model (pure online) was subject to much scrutiny, and I remember it took quite a while for the ST posse to embrace the brand 😊
Their time trial model will be between €5500 and €7000 (not official prices, just prices gathered at “velofollies fair” where they were on display). So when one compares to Canyon, as far as brand repute, choice and prices…my view : If prices are confirmed, Van Rysel is out of the target. Time will tell.
Let alone, that other brands (as BH, Orbea, bmc, giant, cannondale, etc…) will adapt to a market now normalized…I wouldn’t bet on Van Rysel…especially as I said, concerning resale value…
