Ribble Cycles poaches Halfords-owned Boardman Bikes exec as new boss

Smallwood, who has held the role of managing director of Halfords-owned bicycle manufacturer Boardman Bikes since 2014, will take the helm at Ribble Cycles in October.

He will succeed Jon Owen, who has acted as chief executive for the cycling retailer since February last year following True Capital acquiring a majority stake in the business.

True Capital’s chief executive and co-founder Matt Truman said Owen “will continue to work closely with True Capital” following Smallwood taking over his role at Ribble Cycles.

Smallwood has made a name for himself in the cycling sector, and previously held various product roles at Halfords before becoming operations director of Boardman Bikes in 2010.

Smallwood said: “Having spent the last decade building and establishing Boardman Bikes as a leader in premium cycles, I am delighted to be joining a world-class team at Ribble Cycles.

“It’s a brand that has coupled technical expertise and passion for the bike industry for over a century and now boasts a leading digital and data driven team and distribution platform fit for the future of the cycling market.

“I am excited at the prospect of further developing the business into a leading direct-to-consumer bike brand in the UK and worldwide.”

True Capital co-founder Paul Cocker added: “The appointment of Andy to chief executive is a key milestone for the business.

“Attracting high calibre people to the team is testament to the growing presence of the Ribble brand and True’s strong industry ties.

“I am delighted with the progress the business has made in the last 18 months and look forward to Andy driving further growth in the coming years.”