Can a bike make you faster without demanding the flexibility of a pro racer? Eddy Merckx Cycles believes so. The Belgian brand has unveiled its new 525R road bike, claiming a “geometry revolution” that puts riders into an efficient position while maintaining all-day comfort.
We’ve heard this idea quite a lot lately. Essentially, the concept is to offer a geometry that’s not as aggressive as you’ll find on a traditional race bike, but where you ride in a position that you can hold comfortably.
Earlier this month, for example, Ribble unveiled the Ultra-Road, which combines race-bike technology with a higher-stack, shorter-reach geometry aimed at delivering better real-world performance, and Pearson introduced the Forge a couple of years ago with a geometry suited to riders with an average level of flexibility. There are plenty of other examples out there, many from much further back in time.
Why is rider position so important?
“Wind tunnel data show that the bike contributes to around 20% of aerodynamic drag whereas the rider’s position accounts for a massive 80%,” says Daan Teugels, aero engineer at Belgian Cycling Factory, home to Eddy Merckx Cycles.
“With this in mind, Eddy Merckx has perfected its design philosophy: the main goal is to make the rider-bike system as aero as possible, without sacrificing comfort.”
In short, the rider is the largest part of the aero equation.
When trying to add comfort, the usual approach is to add a little stack height (the vertical distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube) to the frame while reducing the reach (the horizontal distance between those points) to put you into a more upright and less stretched riding position that takes some of the strain off your back and neck, but that’s not exactly what Eddy Merckx has done here.
“A progressive seat angle ensures that riders of every frame size can achieve an optimal hip angle with reduced setback behind the bottom bracket,” says Eddy Merckx.
We’ll come back to what “progressive seat angle” means in a mo.
“To complement this, the reach has been extended, creating a balanced and powerful riding position that enhances both efficiency and control.”
So you get a longer rather than a shorter reach. Again, we’ll come back to that.
“In addition, a lower bottom bracket height lowers the rider’s centre of gravity, improving stability and confidence at higher speeds.
“Combined with cockpit options ranging from the UCI-legal Forza Nimbus Pro 360/400mm handlebar for maximum aerodynamic efficiency to wider alternatives for increased comfort, the 525R can be tailored to individual preferences while keeping riders fast, efficient and in control.”
Just to explain those seat angle and reach points in a little more detail…
Pieter Potters, head of product at Belgian Cycling Factory, says, “The seat tube angle steepens as the frame size increases; traditionally, the opposite happens with slacker seat angles for larger frame sizes. This traditional approach leads to a significant increase in setback of the saddle relative to the bottom bracket as the saddle height increases.
“Modern bike fits, however, aim to reduce the saddle to bottom bracket setback to open the hip angle. This improves power transfer to the pedals and makes it easier for the rider to maintain an aero position.
“Taller riders often struggle to get the desired modern bike fit on bikes with a traditional geometry, having to resort to a seatpost with a more forward saddle clamp combined with moving the saddle forward as much as possible. This often needs to be combined with long stems to compensate for the loss in reach to the handlebar. These long stems have a negative effect on the handling of the bike. That is why the 525R has a longer reach to work in combination with the steeper seat angle, allowing riders to use common stem lengths, resulting in a balanced ride feel and predictable steering.”
Okay, that’s the Eddy Merckx geometry rationale.
Moving beyond the geometry, Eddy Merckx says the 525R delivers a 9% reduction in aerodynamic drag compared to its predecessor, although it doesn’t offer an aero comparison with bikes from other brands.
“Aerodynamic performance is… enhanced by a deep head tube shaped to the limits of UCI regulations and a profiled down tube optimised to work seamlessly with mounted water bottles,” says Eddy Merckx.
“An asymmetrical fork profile improves stability in crosswinds, while a diffuser-style fork crown guides airflow more efficiently around the down tube to reduce drag. Completing the package is a slim aero seatpost with an integrated clamp design that combines low weight, aerodynamic efficiency and reliable performance.”
The high-modulus carbon frame has a claimed weight of 952g in size M.
The frame is UDH-compatible, the front derailleur hanger is removable if you want to run a 1x (single-chainring) system, and you get clearance for 43mm tyres. The CeramicSpeed SLT headset bearings come with a lifetime warranty.
> What is UDH and is it the future of all bikes?
Builds and pricing
The Eddy Merckx 525R can be customised to your taste and budget using the brand’s online configurator. You can have it built up with various groupsets from SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo, with prices starting at £5,849 (for a SRAM Force 1x spec).
A model with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset and Forza Skiron wheels is £6,299; with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and DT Swiss ARC 1400 wheels it’ss £9,499; and with a Campagnolo Super Record groupset and Campag Bora wheels you’re looking at £11,499.
There’s also a 525R Launch Edition with Shimano’s second-tier Ultegra Di2 groupset, DT Swiss ARC 1600 wheels and a Forza Nimbus Pro Integrated cockpit. This one is limited to 100 units and priced at €6,999 (we don’t have the UK price yet).
