Bicycles

Visiting Ridley

Details

Parent Category: Bicycles

Category: Ridley

Published on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 08:00

Written by Luca Salvatelli

We visited the new headquarters Ridley:  how born a Ridley bike

Photo Gallery

Video Ridley Design 

Video Ridley Graphic Study 

Video Ridley Painting 1 

Video Ridley Painting 2 

Video Ridley Painting 3 

Video Ridley Assembly

Ridley is a brand owned by Race Productions, founded in 1990 as a company specialized in manufacturing and painting frames. In 1997 the brand Ridley was created for the realization of complete bikes, initially sold only in Belgium. In 2001 the brand was created 4ZA for the production of components. The development of Ridley was constant and the turnover grew by 1.8 million euros in 2000 to about 20 million in 2010. This growth has led to a slow but continuous production of registered increase that culminated in the new home of Paal-Beringen, where now born the new Ridley.

The design

The birth of a new model Ridley from a blank sheet of paper. Yannick Crhistiaens, product manager of Ridley, explains how to first be decided that the specifications should have the new model, as values of stiffness, weight and frame line. After determining the characteristics of the new model is passed to the design itself that is made to the computer. As we proceed to the design, prototypes are created to study the various features and upgrade project. The prototypes can be made of carbon fiber for strength and fatigue tests, or plastic. This material is used in the early stages of study, because it allows a faster implementation and cost. The prototypes of plastic are then used for the study of shapes in a wind tunnel, having a greater ease in changing the shapes and outlines. With a constant alternation of processing computer calculations, wind tunnel testing and resistance testing, we come to the realization of the final frame. In the final part of the design is very important section on road tests. Yannick explains how he is convinced that the best technique to the computer must always be applauded by the athletes that Ridley will try to preview the prototype. Only with the approval of the athletes will go to the next stage, the final resolution of the case. All the design and development of the frame is made in the new place of Paal-Beringen, which will shortly be completed with the wind tunnel, a tool unique in cycling and allow for further development in the design of the bike Ridley. The construction material of the frames is the only process which is not made in Paal-Beringen.

Graphic study

Once built the frame that goes to the office chart, which studies the most appropriate graphics. Graphic study may last several months and is made taking into account an important set of issues. The dimensions of the tubes, their profile and section, the matching graph of various colours and their distribution on the surface of the frame itself. Ridley in the paint of the frame is made entirely by hand with an airbrush and stickers are not used for this study graph must consider a number of important technical aspects in order to facilitate subsequent painting jobs. Once it was decided to design, print and via the plotter cut the adhesive strips that will cover various parts of the frame which should not be painted according to a system of forms well known to all airbrushed. Ridley is always internal to the creation of catalogs, and advertising material deplians.

The painting of the frame

You reach the paint shop, one of the longest and most sensitive to the completion of a Ridley bike, made completely in craft. The realization of a particular graphic, in fact, can take up to four weeks of work. The raw frame after passing the quality control gets a first primer and then begin the various phases of painting. The frame is covered with stickers made by the graphics department and receives a first coat of paint. A graphics card every frame and indicate the following forms and colours to use. Begin, then, a long time when the frame receives the paint in certain areas, is covered with stickers and discovered, to the complete graphics. Once this complex is the last phase of glossy finish to make the bright colours and weather resistant, this phase is completely handmade. It is available in a special area because it is a very delicate phase for the particular paint used, very delicate and difficult to apply, a mistake at this stage is going to undermine the previous four weeks of work. Then you come to a new quality control and, if passed, they shall be milling with headset and bottom bracket.

Assembly

Now the frame is ready for assembly. This phase is completely handmade and one officer shall complete the final assembly and testing of the bike. There is no assembly line, but several assembly stations in which each employee works on a model from start to finish. All frames come to this department with a dowry of boxes where you place the various components to be assembled. After this phase even the new Ridley bike is finally complete and ready for shipment.