While other brands have steadily turned away from full-on aero bikes, Ridley has decided to go all in at cheating the wind with the launch of its new Noah Fast 3.0.
“In 2025, aerodynamics is everything! Ridley’s aero engineers started from scratch with the third generation of their 100% aero bike and proudly present the new Noah Fast 3.0. At a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, the Noah Fast is 8.5 watts faster than its predecessor, emphasizing Ridley’s DNA of aerodynamic excellence,” claims the Belgian brand.
Ridley has a long tradition of developing aero bikes that were at the forefront of innovations such as the integrated seat post and the first integrated brakes, as well as internal cabling routing, with the new Noah Fast 3.0 taking advantage of the latest UCI regulations regarding tube shapes and profiles, making full use of the 8:1 rule that allows tubes to be up to eight times longer than their width, as opposed to the previous 3:1 ratio.
To accomplish this, Ridley took inspiration from its Dean Fast time trial bike, pushing the UCI regulations to the limits via in-house wind tunnel testing, as evidenced by the Noah Fast 3.0’s long, narrow frame profiles, especially in the fork and seat stays, while the oversized downtube is designed specifically to guide airflow around water bottles without creating drag.
Also, using extensive aero modeling, engineers spent considerable time developing the Noah Fast 3.0’s head tube, maximizing the compensating triangles allowed by UCI rules. As a result, the shapes behind the head tube and around the seat tube maximize wind efficiency, while a mix of symmetrical and asymmetrical profiles in the fork and seat stays further optimize the bike’s aerodynamic signature, increasing stability in crosswinds by allowing wind flow over curved, elongated surfaces, saving a claimed 7 watts at 50 kilometers per hour.
Additionally, another aspect of the Noah Fast 3.0’s geometry that really stands out is its steeper seat angle. “Years of road cycling sponsorship revealed a trend towards more forward bike fits. Based on this data, engineers determined that a 76-degree seat angle represents the median. A steeper seat angle aligns with the changing preference of riders towards a position with an open hip angle for a better power transfer. This setup complies with the new UCI regulations effective from January 1, 2025. A lowered bottom bracket compensates for the wider tires used in modern cycling. Finally, the lower head tube with integrated cockpit allows the rider to have a more aggressive aero position, resulting in a reduced frontal area,” explains Ridley.
Elsewhere, to further reduce turbulence, a new Nimbus Aero cockpit was developed for the Noah Fast 3.0 that’s integrated into the top tube, along with narrower handlebars that measure just 36cm at the shifter position to help riders adopt an aerodynamic position and reduce frontal surface. Moreover, the handlebar shape naturally angles the shifters inward, further enhancing aero positioning, while still meeting the UCI’s strict regulations for shifter placement, while an ergonomically flared drop ensures balanced steering and a slight top curve ensures a natural wrist position when riding on the tops.
“The new Noah Fast is not merely a lightning-fast bike but a 100% ‘performance package’ that approaches cycling from a 360-degree perspective. Every aspect of the bike is adapted to modern cycling. The cockpit dimensions and frame geometry are tailored to the expectations of professional riders. The tire clearance of 34mm allows the Noah Fast to even be used on rough terrain like Paris-Roubaix. The aero engineers carried out all simulations with the bike as a whole. That means: including wheels, water bottles, bike computer, and all other essentials. They did these tests under different wind angles to simulate the performance in the real world. After all, this is how riders actually use the Noah Fast,” boasts Ridley.
Lastly, alongside the Noah Fast 3.0, Ridley has also launched the Noah 3.0, which shares the same geometry and aero characteristics as its more expensive sibling but uses a different carbon lay-up and cockpit that allows riders to choose between a traditional handlebar/stem combination or the Cirrus Pro Integrated cockpit, while still being compatible with both electronic and mechanical groupsets.
The Noah Fast 3.0 is available in five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, and L, which is offered as a frameset only for €5,499, or as a complete bike with Shimano Ultegra Di2 builds starting at €8,799.
The Noah 3.0 is available from €4,199.00 with a Shimano 105 mechanical groupset, rising to the top-tier model that comes equipped with SRAM Rival and a Classified Hub for €7,499.
Ridley
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