Ridley Noah

[Elefantino]

I had a chance over the weekend to ride a friend's Ridley Noah for a spell. Not long, but long enough to form an impression.

Billed as "The Fastest Bike In The World" (it even has its own Web site), the Noah is a full-on, carbon aero beast. This one was shod with Ksyrium SLs and Record 10 speed.

The good: This bike should be banned. Why McEwen didn't win every sprint he entered last year is beyond me. Think speed: instant speed. It just flat-out goes. I am no sprinter nor do I play one on TV, but I the instant power to the pedals made it feel like I could be competitive in a town-line dash with the fast boys.

The bad: I believe I felt each individual chip in the chip-and-seal and each individual pebble in the ashpalt. This carbon is not tuned for comfort. Maybe McEwen didn't win every sprint he entered last year because he was beaten to a pulp by six hours in the saddle. Admittedly, my back is no longer carbon friendly, but this was so punishing it was almost like riding a jackhammer. It reminded me of the old Cannondale 3.0, without the frame buzz.

The ugly: Well, just look at it. I guess I'm a purist who likes tubes that look like they were made on, um, earth.

Bottom line: You don't buy a Lamborghini for comfort or practicality. But if those are no object ...

[oldguy00]

Thanks for the review.. Can't say I'm really fond of their 2009 paint options for the Noah.
I wonder if the rough ride had more to do with the ksyriums and/or tire pressure?

[KJMUNC]

Thanks for the heads-up and review. Ironically enough I just got an email from a buddy who had ridden another riding buddy's Noah this weekend and his review matched yours almost exactly.

I was considering the Noah but since I'm not looking for a race-ready sprint rocket I'll keep looking.