Ridley

Damocles RS / Shimano Ultegra Complete Bike - 2012

Who doesn't love a bike that's designed to excel in any environment, race, or conditions? We don't want to be friends with the kind of person who doesn't. However, bikes of this nature are extremely rare, but at the top of the heap lies the Ridley Damocles RS/Shimano Ultegra Complete Bike. The Damocles has been made to be everything in one -- a powerhouse sprinter, a nimble climber, and a terror on the descents. With a full-carbon fiber design and stellar component package, the Damocles is ready to go wherever your legs can take it.

Ridley constructed the Damocles RS from a blend of 30- and 24-ton high-modulus carbon fiber. Why the combination? The reason is simple -- it creates the perfect balance between stiffness and comfort by only offering more compliant carbon in calculated positions throughout the frame. This method guarantees lateral and torsional rigidity, while delivering vertical compliance for those rough mountain roads. Along the same lines, the Damocles' oversized tubing reduces chattering road vibration, while the oversized head and down tube junctures provide nimble handling and accelerations. Too good to be true? Well, Ridley did design the Damocles to be its quintessential all-rounder. It excels through multiple disciplines without sacrificing strength for weight savings like a majority of specialty frames do. Instead, Ridley formed the tubes with its proprietary Sharp Edge tube construction. This layup system ensures a heightened level of security for the frame in the event of impact -- particularly side impacts that have a tendency to flatten tubing. The tube formation also offers a slight aerodynamic advantage in head and crosswinds.

To guarantee the sensation of superior handling, tracking, and durability, the Damocles has been given a , carbon fork with a 1-1/2 x 1-1/8in tapered steerer tube. With angular contact bearings meeting the frame, the tapered fork chews up the road, spits out vibration, and wipes up the competition with a reliable strength. After all, judging from its innovations in carbon cyclocross frames, Ridley knows a thing or two about front-ends. To add even more longevity to the frame, Ridley also incorporated replaceable CNC-machined aluminum front and rear dropouts.

And while the Damocles RS check all the boxes on our wishlist, the component package for the complete bike is the icing on the cake. The frame rolls on Ridley's impeccable Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset. With a rim depth leaning more towards the shallow side, the Cirrus wheels are just as versatile as the Damocles itself. For the components of the bike, Ridley selected the best bang-for-your-buck in cycling -- Shimano Ultegra 6700. So, the shifters, brakes, front and rear derailleurs, and brake calipers are all 6700. To continue the go-everywhere aspect of the build, Ridley selected an Ultegra compact crankset and Ultegra 12-25t cassette. The cockpit is comprised of a 4ZA Cirrus handlebar and a 4ZA Stratos stem and seatpost.

The Ridley Damocles RS/Shimano Ultegra Complete Bike is available in the color Matte White/black and in four sizes from X-Small to Large.