Rigida is a large, long-established company in the bicycle industry, while Edge Composites is a young, up-and-coming company that has become an insider tip among lightweight construction freaks in just a few years. Despite these differences, the two component manufacturers have a lot in common: their focus is on wheels, and they are both currently rebranding themselves.

According to a report in the industry magazine Bike Europe, Rigida is presenting itself for the first time at Eurobike under the name Ryde. By changing its name, the leading bicycle rim manufacturer is aiming to create a more contemporary image after more than 80 years in the business. The Dutch company produces several million rims per year in its factories in Holland, France, China and Malaysia, mainly for original equipment on complete bikes. The company also owns the former Swiss brand Weinmann.

Edge Composites also presents itself under a new name. The American carbon specialists have changed their name to Enve Composites and will be supplying their wheels, handlebars, stems and seat posts under the new name from next year. The reason given by Edge for the change is that the brand is already owned by another company in Europe. According to Managing Director Paul Lehmann, this was not a problem when the company was founded three years ago. However, because the company has grown rapidly and now sells its products worldwide, brand protection must now be taken into account.