It'd be a very hard sell convincing us to look past a disc brake road machine if we were in the market for a new bike. They simply stop so much better in all kinds of weather conditions and increases confidence on the descents and the pros agree; we're starting to see more and more disc bikes in the peloton. Classics road racing can count Belgium as the spiritual home of cycling, where reputations are made on wet cobblestone and windswept echelons, and if there ever was a bike and brand that epitomized this Flandrian landscape and the toughness needed to excel in these conditions, it'd be the Fenix SLX Disc Ultegra Complete Road Bike from Ridley. As a testament as to where Ridley thinks the future of disc brakes are, the rim brake version tops out at with the SL whereas this disc version gets the SLX moniker meaning its DNA includes 60-ton High Modulus Carbon, like we've seen in the Helium SLX, adding a boost of stiffness and a significant weight loss. The 200-gram give-or-take weight loss difference between the disc SLX and the rim SL version should go a long way in making up for the addition of the superior braking. And when you also factor in the stiff, responsive thru axles anchoring the hubs into the frame and fork, you have a race-ready ride that shares the same spirit as the hardest Flahutes hailing from the region. Ridley does things a little differently than other brands and it doesn't make concessions if that prevents the bike from being stout enough to handle the riding right outside its front door. Sure weight is still important, however, it strives for a bike that balances weight, strength, stiffness, and comfort. As such, the Fenix SLX is capable in its Flandrian terrain and the addition of powerful disc brakes means it'll handle your most heroic rides in flying colors too. The Fenix is always the go-to choice for the pros at Lotto-Soudal and they appreciate the skillful layup of vibration devouring unidirectional carbon fiber when tackling cobble...