// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Ribble Cycles say to the road? "I'm geared up
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| Industry | Bicycles |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1897 |
| Headquarters | Preston, Lancashire, England |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Bicycles and accessories |
| Website | www |
Ribble Cycles is a British bicycle manufacturer and retailer based in Preston, Lancashire. The company traces its origins to 1897, when a frame-building workshop was established on Water Lane (later Watery Lane) near the River Ribble.[1] It has operated in the cycling industry for more than a century, producing and supplying bicycles in various categories.
History
[edit]Ribble began as a small workshop producing steel bicycle frames during the period when safety bicycles became widely adopted.[2] During the mid-20th century the firm was owned by Hughie Sandiford.[1] In the 1980s the business expanded its sales channels to include mail order.[1]
In November 2015 Ribble was acquired by True Capital Limited, an investment firm with interests in retail businesses.[3] Coverage in the Lancashire Evening Post in 2021 described the company as one of the UK's larger online bicycle retailers.[4]
Operations
[edit]Ribble sells bicycles and related products primarily through its website and a small number of showrooms.[5] According to company statements, its bicycles are designed in-house and assembled in the UK.[6]
Financial information reported in 2021 indicated a turnover of £22.8 million and total assets of £11.14 million.[4]
Products
[edit]Ribble produces bicycles across several categories, including road, gravel, electric and hybrid models.[7] In 2021 the company opened a showroom in Clitheroe that featured interactive displays relating to its product range.[8] Coverage in VELOUK in 2025 reported on new alloy models added to the company's line-up.[9]
Sponsorship
[edit]Ribble has taken part in competitive cycling activities. In 2001 it sponsored the cycling team Ribble Pro Vision during the Premier Calendar series.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "The Ribble Cycles Story". Ribble Cycles. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "125 years of bike-building – The past, present & future of Ribble Cycles". Bicycling Australia. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "True Talks: Rich Anson meets... Andy Smallwood". True Global. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- 1 2 "Ribble Cycles: The 124-year-old Lancastrian bike brand leading the peloton and taking the world by storm". Lancashire Evening Post. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "Andy Smallwood, CEO of Ribble Cycles, on building a digital-first cycling brand". Ecommerce Age. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "Interview: Andy Smallwood, CEO, Ribble Cycles". The Retail Bulletin. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "Ribble Cycles". Ribble Cycles. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "Ribble opens 'possibly the best bike shop in the world'". Cycling Weekly. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ "Bike News: Ribble Cycles Alloy Bikes". VELOUK. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.