Cycling enthusiasts will now get chance to own a Ridley, a high-end, professional brand, with TI Cycles launching a specially made-for-India range.
TI Cycles formally launched the Belgian brand of cycles here following a 33-year licensing agreement between the company and Ridley signed last year.
Arun Alagappan, President, TI Cycles, said the India range of models will be available from June at a price range of ₹ 25,000 to over ₹ 80,000. It will launch 11 models including hybrids, mountain bikes and road bikes.
In addition, they will also launch a fleet of 14 models of Ridley cycles directly imported from Belgium priced between ₹ 63,000 and ₹ 7.8 lakh, including the Noah SL, the model that made a mark in the Tour De France, the 3,500-km cycle race. Ridley cycles won four stages in the multistage race.
The licensing agreement between the Murugappa Group company and the Belgian company looks beyond marketing to collaborating on developing bicycles for India. The objective will be to offer the performance of professional biking at Indian prices, he said.
L Ramkumar, Managing Director, Tube Investments, of which TI Cycles is a division, said the launch of the Ridley is in line with the evolving trends in cycling as enthusiasts look for improved performance matching professional cycling. Cycling clubs have proliferated in major cities and buyers are continuously looking for more. Joachim Aerts, CEO, Ridley Bikes, also unveiled a Helium SL, specially styled in the Indian tricolour, priced at ₹6.75 lakh.
Aerts said Ridley is a technology-oriented company that looks continuously to innovate. In April, it will launch an open innovation centre, in which even companies other than in cycling will participate to provide technology that will upgrade performance.