| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bicycles |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Belgium |
| Key people | Jochim Aerts |
| Products | Bicycle and Related Components |
| Website | [1] |
Ridley Bikes was started by the innovative spirit of one man, Jochim Aerts, a highly skilled frame builder and painter who began in 1990 producing frames for Belgian bicycle companies. Jochim’s passion for road racing and frame craftsmanship was soon channeled into his own brand in 1997 when Ridley Bicycles was founded. In a few short years, Ridley became the market leader in Belgium for racing bikes. It was Jochim’s partnerships with racing clubs and a good eye for advanced racing technology that created Ridley’s early success. It has always been a key part of Ridley's product development to create a strong alliance with their teams, not just providing them with bikes, but working on a very close basis with the riders and the team mechanics to develop their models. The sponsored teams compete on ‘stock’ frames which enables Ridley to test under extreme riding conditions. This is Ridley's core development program to ensure that a well refined product is launched to their customers. Feedback from the teams fuels the next generation of Ridley bikes.
Ridley bicycles are distributed in the US by Quality Bicycle Products and Norco in Canada. [1]