Van Rysel, the cycling brand of Decathlon, has been racing in the WorldTour for a few years, on gravel and in triathlon. Now the next step is coming: the brand is officially entering mountain biking. During the Roc d’Azur in Fréjus, Van Rysel presented the RCR-XC, The , a cross-country racing bike that according to the brand has only one goal: winning World Cup races.
First MTB with a 32-inch frame
What is striking is the wheel size. Van Rysel does not choose the familiar 29 inch size, but builds his first mountain bike directly around the emerging trend. 32-inch-standard. Larger wheels roll more easily over roots and stones, but are usually heavier. According to Van Rysel, this is not the case here: the carbon frame is in size M 230 grams lighter then the 29-inch frame that the team is currently using.
Since the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, the brand has analyzed the data from the global XC circuit and focused on three variables: speed, power and time. The idea behind it is simple: where a rider spends the most time in a race, the most time can be won in the design.
Wind tunnel, also for mountain biking
Van Rysel applies the same method as with his racing bikes: analyzing race scenarios, testing in the wind tunnel, and developing them together with professional riders. According to the brand, that results in 15.5 watts of power at 35 km/h Compared to the mountain bike that the team will use in 2026. The stiffness of the frame was adjusted during several test days with the riders. Van Rysel works with companies such as Zipp, RockShox and Vittoria on the components.
We didn't just want to make another mountain bike; we wanted to make one of the fastest in the world.
Luis Moro, product manager mountain bikes at Van Rysel
World leaders in cycling: DECATHLON FORD
From the 2027 season onwards, Van Rysel will be the official cycling and clothing supplier of the DECATHLON FORD-team of Samuel Roces. The RCR-XC is driven there, among other things by Luca Martin, number one on the UCI world ranking list, Samara Maxwell, who already has two World Cup titles to her name, and Savilia Blunk.
When can you buy it?
Not yet. The RCR-XC will first compete in the World Cup for a season, so that the feedback from the pros can be processed. There is no date for the sale yet, nor a price. However, a first MTB clothing collection by Van Rysel will be released in Europe in 2027. Other markets, such as the United States, will follow later.
Our verdict
A brand that builds its very first mountain bike right at 32 inches, dares to do so. If the claims are true (lighter than 29 inches and faster in the wind), then Van Rysel will accelerate his transition to the larger wheel in the XC peloton. The real proof will come in 2027, when Martin and Maxwell will be on the starting line. And the big question for the ordinary mountain biker: will Van Rysel manage to get this bike in the store for a competitive price, as is the case with the race bikes?
- Model: Van Rysel RCR-XC, carbon XC race bike
- Wheel size: 32 inch
- Frame: 230 grams lighter than the current 29-inch team frame (size M)
- Aerodynamics: 15.5 watts of power at 35 km/h compared to the team bike of 2026
- Partners: Zipp, RockShox, Vittoria
- Available: Not yet known; first with the DECATHLON FORD team from 2027 onwards
More information: vanrysel.com