After more than seven years in frame construction and painting with his company Race Productions, Jochim Aerts could no longer ignore the feeling that there was room for improvement. In 1997, Jochim decided to start up Ridley. Year after year, Jochim continued to build Ridley. In 2002 he added Forza to the range, as a component brand. At the same time, he snared his first cyclocross world champion, Mario De Clercq. It only took Ridley one season in the field to have a rainbow jersey in the team, the start of a nice series. Currently, the count is already at fifteen winners in just as many years.In 2017, the company took a new step with the acquisition of the Eddy Merckx brand and Race Productions changed its name into Belgian Cycling Factory. A name with which the company will further conquer the American and Australian markets.

From the very beginning of its existence, Ridley has been at the forefront of innovation. In 2001, the company was the first to introduce the conical head tube on the Damocles road bike. It was a significant step forward for the agility of a bike frame.
The brand is also a trend-setter in terms of aerodynamics. In recent years, for example, the bar for the competition has been raised significantly by the patented FAST technologies. Not only has the bike become lighter, but it also cuts through the wind more streamlined – something that first was very important for time riders, and has now been picked up by sprinters.