Each year, there is The Bike. Last year The Bike was the crazy Factor One that I spotted at the Dauphiné, with its wild fork and unusual… well, everything. The year before, we waited until late in the day, but The Bike was the leaked Colnago Y1Rs, with a radical seat cluster. Van Rysel, debuting at the Velofollies trade show in Belgium – which we will be bringing you a tech gallery from – has launched an early bid to become The Bike for 2026 with an undoubtedly crazy, non-production concept machine.
Dubbed the FTP^2, this bike is an e-assisted machine designed to double the rider’s FTP and allow them to reach previously unattainable speeds using a combination of added power and aerodynamic efficiency. It’s clearly a very striking machine, but is derived from some tried and tested trends. Beyond the bike, there is a total system involving ‘wireless shoes’, a new skinsuit, and a modular aero helmet, all of which very much sit outside the framework of the UCI’s technical regulations.
