Van Rysel Bikes: Innovative R&D, Supplier to Pro Teams, and the Everyday Cyclist

With so many classic cycling manufacturers that have survived 50 years or longer and that are still going strong, it’s nice to see a new brand enter the cycling industry and make its mark. While Van Rysel makes bikes in line with brands like Pinarello, Colnago, or Bianchi, it brings its own take on what can make a standout bicycle, such as new materials, designs, technology, and even 3D printing.

About Van Rysel Bicycles

Unlike many bike brands that were founded by a specific family, Van Rysel is the product of a French sporting goods retailer called Decathlon. It has 2,082 stores in 79 countries and is “the largest sporting goods retailer in the world.”

Van Rysel was founded in 2018 and is run by Nicolas Pierron who is the brand director. The name is Dutch for “From Lille” after the town where Van Rysel has its main headquarters in Lille, France (pictured above).

Bicycles Built for The Pro Peloton and Triathletes

Van Rysel says that its bikes are built for all cyclists. That’s why in addition to road bikes, the bike brand also makes gravel bikes and electric bikes, although only road bikes feature on its website. Van Rysel also makes cycling eyewear, apparel, and helmets.

The company’s main clients, though, are pro riders and pro teams. It states it “works with athletes and industrial partners to design innovative products that are ready to win.”

Van Rysel has worked with Cofidis and AG2R, a team it still sponsors today, although it’s now called Decathlon AG2R la Mondiale. Van Rysel also has its own pro team called Van Rysel Roubaix which is based not too far from Lille.

Van Rysel’s Innovations in Bike and Accessory Design

What makes Van Rysel stand out from the older bike manufacturers is its willingness to adopt the latest technology and incorporate it into its bikes and cycling equipment.

One major area that Van Rysel adopted for its time trial bikes is Aerodynamic Control that is arrived at through “computational fluid dynamics (CFD simulation), stiffness-weight simulations (FE simulation) and wind tunnel tests…” The company claims the bike was the fastest in the French peloton in 2024.

Another area of innovation is the use of aerospace elements in the bike builder’s RCR aerolight bicycle. Because of these adaptations, Van Rysel’s bikes won 30 races during the 2024 season.

Technology, engineering, and computer-driven design all have given Van Rysel a contemporary edge against all other bicycle builders in the cycling industry. That explains why Van Rysel is one of the hottest names in all of cycling at the current, and in just six years, it has become a major player.

The company states that it uses all this information to create a “…generative design to create ultra-customized equipment. 3D printed, alternative cycling equipment components to carbon are [also] being explored.”

Last Thoughts

Van Rysel is definitely one of the hottest bike builders in the cycling world today. The fact it is open to using technology and design from its many partners helps it to build fast and performance-driven bikes.

The processes Van Rysel uses hint at what bicycle manufacturing and building might be like in the next 50 years: less focus on hand-built frames and components and more highly engineered machines. How that potentially affects the cycling industry is yet to be seen.