Van Rysel's new south London cycle store nods to Flanders history

Van Rysel, the premium bike brand of Decathlon, opened its first outlet on 25 April. It is within the Surrey Quays branch of Decathlon in southeast London.

In a nod to the brand's premium positioning, the outlet is more of a concept store, displaying a select few bikes across a large space. In stock is a large proportion of Van Rysel's catalogue, including bikes, clothing, accessories, and even a bike fitting service.

By all accounts, they have paid great attention to the details and heritage.

Nicolas Pierron, Founder of Van Rysel, said, “We wanted the store to be a tribute to Rysel, which means Lille in Flemish; the city where Van Rysel has its headquarters and bike factory."

At the launch, Lead Designer Marc-Antoine Aubert highlighted the nods to racing heritage within the layout: “We opted for a distinct and eye-catching [store] layout, with a centralised podium that showcases the hero Van Rysel bikes in the range. Behind this is the welcome desk built from a material inspired by the famous showers of the Velodrome of Roubaix."

Read more: The timeless inner sanctum: Inside the Paris-Roubaix showers

© ZF Media

A nod to Roubaix with textures that replicate the iconic showers

“Above the welcome desk is a large screen with a video playing that reflects and shines on the ‘miroir d’eau’, ‘reflecting water’ of the big podium – that is a tribute to two main architectural jewels of the Roubaix area, the Villa Cavrois & the Museum La Piscine of Roubaix.

“Finally, the central structure is made out of steel grating, which took inspiration from the wind tunnel where Van Rysel developed its bikes. Each aspect of the store was considered, and we can’t wait to see how the public engage with the space.”

© ZF Media

The 'reflecting water' podium, a tribute to Villa Cavrois and the Museum La Piscine of Roubaix

The opening of the new outlet follows the release of Van Rysel's top-end race bike, the RCR Pro, to the public. Pre-orders for the bike, which is used by WorldTeam Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, sold out in minutes. We still don't know how many were released, but the quick sell-out and the buzz surrounding the release indicates that the appetite for Decathlon's premium race bike is there.

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