We entered the universe of cycling as painters, and it remains a core technology at Ridley. We are still painting our frames here in Belgium where we relentlessly work to improve the luster and durability of our frame finishes. With our patented R-Surface technology, we integrated the painting process with aerodynamics, applying textured coatings on key areas of frame tubes to control air flow. Our commitment to a professional quality finish goes deep below the surface of our frames.

 

We have invested heavily to reduce the environmental impact of our processes to award-winning levels. Powder coating, used for our aluminum and aluminum carbon frames, has the smallest ecological impact of all painting systems, and we go further by directly recovering 98-percent of the overspray, and then filtering the remaining 2-percent from the atmosphere. During winter, we recover the filtered air from the painting booths to heat the factory. Carbon frames, which cannot withstand the elevated temperature of the powder coat process, are painted with a solvent-free, water-based system. Computer-controlled equipment reduces or increases the spray volume automatically, according to the complexity of the part to conserve energy and eliminate waste.