Behind the scenes: testing the new Ridley FALCN RS 2.0 in Girona
Before the Ridley FALCN RS 2.0 was officially unveiled, selected cycling journalists had already been given the opportunity to ride the new race bike on the roads around Girona. The opportunity came during Belgian Cycling Factory’s Kanzo Fast 2.0 press camp at Sea Otter Europe, where the FALCN RS 2.0 was still strictly under embargo. Now that the bike has officially been launched, we can take a look back at what happened behind the scenes.
When the international cycling industry gathered in Girona for Sea Otter Europe, Belgian Cycling Factory organised a dedicated press camp around the new Ridley Kanzo Fast 2.0. The gravel bike had been officially unveiled shortly before the event, and the press camp gave a selected group of journalists the opportunity to experience the new bike for themselves. Over the course of the event, they rode the roads and gravel tracks around Girona, learned more about the development of the Kanzo Fast 2.0 and had the chance to speak directly with the people behind the bike. While the Kanzo Fast 2.0 was the main focus of the event, there was another Ridley bike waiting in the wings.
An early look at the FALCN RS 2.0
Among the bikes available to the journalists was the all-new Ridley FALCN RS 2.0. At that point, however, the bike was still a closely guarded secret. The official launch was still to come and the journalists were not yet allowed to publish anything about their experience. They could ride the bike, evaluate it in real-world conditions and discuss its technical details with the BCF team, but everything remained under embargo until the official launch.
This gave the journalists an early opportunity to experience Ridley’s new race platform before the rest of the cycling world. Rather than simply seeing the bike at a presentation or looking at technical specifications, they could actually take it out on the road and get a feel for its handling, performance and riding characteristics. It also allowed them to ask questions about the decisions behind the bike and the development process that led to the FALCN RS 2.0.
For Belgian Cycling Factory, these moments are an important part of bringing a new product to market. The development of a bike involves extensive work from engineers, product managers and athletes, but the experience of independent journalists provides another valuable perspective. Giving them the opportunity to ride a bike before its launch allows them to form their own impressions and, once the embargo is lifted, provide their readers with first-hand experiences rather than simply repeating the information from a launch presentation.
Bringing the press camp together
A press camp like this requires collaboration across Belgian Cycling Factory. While the journalists are ultimately there to ride and learn about the bikes, a lot of work takes place behind the scenes to make sure everything is ready and that the event runs smoothly. Product, marketing, sales and content teams all contribute to different parts of the experience.
BCF Product Manager Bert Kenens was closely involved in the technical side of the press camp, providing journalists with insights into the development of the bikes and answering their questions. Marketing Manager Pieter Vanheeswijck and Internal Sales Agent Veerle Cleiren helped coordinate the different elements of the event and make sure everything came together throughout the press camp. Their work, together with that of the wider BCF team, allowed the journalists to focus on the bikes and the experience in Girona.
The event also relied on partners and riders outside the company. We would like to thank David Mateu and Velodrom CC for hosting us and helping create the setting for the press camp. Daan Soete and Daan Grosemans also shared their time and experience with the journalists, bringing the perspective of riders who know the demands of performance cycling from the inside.
The experience was documented by Michiel Ariën, who captured the press camp on video, while Joris Put provided the photography. Their work gives us the opportunity to look back at the event now that the FALCN RS 2.0 can finally be shown and discussed publicly.
From embargo to launch
The FALCN RS 2.0 was officially unveiled yesterday, meaning that the journalists who tested the bike in Girona can now finally share their experiences. The timing also explains why some of the first reviews and stories appeared so quickly after the launch: the journalists had already ridden the bike several weeks earlier and had their stories prepared for publication as soon as the embargo was lifted.
The first coverage is now appearing across the international cycling media. Among the early stories is a first-ride review from road.cc, while Belgian cycling magazine Fiets published its first impressions of the FALCN RS 2.0. Cycling Weekly also covered the official launch, including an interview and further details about Ridley’s approach to the new race bike.
A selection of the first coverage can be found here:
For Belgian Cycling Factory, the press camp in Girona was a good example of what happens behind the scenes before a new bike reaches the market. Bringing journalists together with product specialists, riders and the wider BCF team creates an opportunity to experience the bikes first-hand and to have meaningful conversations about the technology, development and riding experience behind them.
What started in Girona as a confidential test ride for a small group of journalists can now become part of the public story of the Ridley FALCN RS 2.0. The bike is no longer a secret — and the first impressions from those who rode it before anyone else are now out in the open.
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