Team Lotto-Belisol has decided to go retro for the start of this year’s Tour de France – scrapping last year’s white, blue and yellow kit with a red jersey with a simple white band text logo – paired with black shorts. In turn, Ridley will provide them with bikes of a similar retro design.
According to Lotto, the new design celebrates “the 30 years of Lotto tradition in cycling with a basic retro look.”
In turn, Ridley echoed Lotto’s sentiment by saying, "we wanted to do something special for the start of the Tour de France. Because we did not have the time to create a new design for the Lotto-Belisol team at the start of the season, we gave them a new look for the biggest cycling event of the year. We made a retro design that suits the new look of the team.”
Ridley’s head designer, Alexander Torelli, says it wasn’t easy applying a retro paint job to a modern carbon race bike: "I wanted this design to be a harmonious blend of retro and modern touches. It was a challenge to make a retro design for a modern carbon bike. The tube shapes we use now are very different from the steel tubes they used in the past. Therefore, this is my modern take on a retro design.
"Because we designed this for the Lotto-Belisol team, I found some inspiration in their cycling kit. The red color and Belgian flag are an obvious reference to the jersey, but there also are more subtle references. On the top tube you can read "ride your dream", referring to the "live your dream" slogan the team is using.
"The black paint on the frame covers the more modern parts, and are designed to resemble the "lugs" that were used on steel frames to connect the tubes. We chose for a matte clear coat finish which is lighter, but in my opinion also looks older. The well known Ridley font was also changed to better suit the retro design."
Press Release
7.1.14
We wanted to do something special for the start of the Tour de France. Because we did not have the time to create a new design for the Lotto-Belisol team at the start of the season, we gave them a new look for the biggest cycling event of the year! We made a retro design that suits the new look of the team.
Nostalgia
Jürgen Roelandts: "I saw the new bikes for the first time when the mechanics assembled them at the service course last week. They are really stylish. I look forward to be racing on them. Especially during the Tour de France, the biggest cycling event in the world. The new design perfectly matches the outfit we wear this season and the retro look we strive for. This bike and outfit remind me of the Flandria team. It’s a bit of nostalgia."
Jochim Aerts, founder and CEO of Ridley Bikes: "We always try to match the design of our team bikes with the look of the team. At the start of the season, we did not have enough time to change the design to match the beautiful new cycling kit of Lotto Belisol. The start of the Tour de France is the ideal opportunity to rectify this!"
Modern take on a retro design
Alexander Torelli, head of design at Ridley Bikes: "I wanted this design to be a harmonious blend of retro and modern touches. It was a challenge to make a retro design for a modern carbon bike. The tube shapes we use now are very different from the steel tubes they used in the past. Therefore, this is my modern take on a retro design."
"Because we designed this for the Lotto-Belisol team, I found some inspiration in their cycling kit. The red color and Belgian flag are an obvious reference to the jersey, but there also are more subtle references. On the top tube you can read "ride your dream", referring to the "live your dream" slogan the team is using."
A bike for each kind of stage
Dirk Van den Berk, R&D manager: "The frames that the team will use during the Tour de France are the same that they have been using the entire season. We believe that the specialization of the riders requires the same of the bikes. That’s why we have different models for sprinters and climbers. André Greipel will fight for a stage victory on his super stiff and aerodynamic Noah FAST while Jurgen Van den Broeck will attack the high cols on an ultra-light and super efficient Helium SL."
"Last year we presented the Dean FAST, our new time trial bike, during the Tour de France. In this frame, we incorporated the second generation of aerodynamic FAST technologies. The integrated brake, the F-split fork and improved F-Surface minimize drag and allow the riders go even faster. This year we have further improved the bike with an integrated cockpit and carbon handlebar, which reduce the weight."
http://www.ridley-bikes.com/us/en/news/id/450/special-lotto-belisol-retro-bikes-for-the-tour-de-france
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