The Sea Otter Classic marks the beginning of the consumer event and racing season in North America. Hayes Bicycle Group (HBG) enjoyed a very successful 2008 edition with new product releases, podium results, and an always busy tech service area.

HBG displayed and demoed three exciting new competition-level products that will be released in 2008. The cross-country crowd was treated to the all-new Hayes Stroker Gram brake system with its titanium hardware kit, 5" rear rotor, carbon lever blade, aluminum backed pad set, and sculpted master cylinder body. At a system weight of just 357g (including 6" rotor and mounting hardware), the Stroker Gram will lightening up a wide variety of bikes this year.

For the gravity gang and big descent junkies HBG rolled out the eye-catching Hayes Stroker Ace brake system. Although Sea Otter isn't known for a gnarly downhill course, all of our top sponsored riders outfitted their bikes with the new Ace. Chris Heath, a Hayes Test Program rider, stopped by at least four times to tell us how powerful the brake is, and Cody Wilderman, 2007 collegiate national champion, was giddy after his first run on them. Chris Kovarik, a man of few words, let his results tell us how he felt - 2nd place in the Pro downhill event on the new Ace. The heart of the Stoker Ace is a new forged monoblock four-piston caliper housing our largest pads ever - all mated to the Stroker radial master cylinder and a longer, more aggressively hooked lever blade. All this big power goodness weighs just 427g - a full 30 grams less than the Avid Code.

The big hit crowd got one last treat for the weekend - the all new Manitou Dorado MRD was on display at the Hayes rig and was also featured on the new Intense M6 team edition downhill race bike over at the MS Intense Factory Racing tent. The Dorado MRD sets an entirely new standard in the downhill racing market with bi-directional carbon outer legs, 36mm stanchions, lightweight air spring technology, and a new hydraulic bottom-out circuit. This 8-inch fork weighs in at an astonishing 2.8kg.

The HBG race program continued its early season success, putting a large number of riders on the podium. On that front there was some exciting news after the Pro Cross Country when race winner and Olympic Gold Medalist Miguel Martinez stopped by and asked if he could have a Manitou R7 MRD fork to ride for the rest of the season - sure Miguel, no problem!

Dual Stunt Expo
1st - Kyle Strait (Hayes, SUNringle')

Pro Men XC
1st - Miguel Martinez (Manitou)
8th - Pierre Facomprez (Manitou)
20th - Manny Prado (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
22nd - Robert Marion (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)

Pro Women XC
7th - Amanda Carey (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou, Answer)
10th - Jen Gersbach (Hayes, Manitou)
11th - Krista Park (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou, Answer)

Pro Men Short Track
2nd - Ryan Trebon (SunRingle)
5th - Andy Schultz (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou, Answer)
8th - Miguel Martinez (Manitou)
10th - Mike Phillips (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)

Pro Women Short Track
9th - Amanda Carey (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou, Answer)
14th - Heather Holmes (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou, Answer)
15th - Maureen Kunz (Manitou, Hayes)

Pro Men Super D
9th - Manny Prado (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)

Pro Women Super D
11th - Amanda Carey (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou, Answer)

Pro Men Downhill
2nd - Chris Kovarik (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
9th - Andrew Neethling (SUNringle')
12th - Eric Carter (SUNringle')

Pro Women Downhill
1st - Melissa Buhl (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
6th - Joanna Peterson (Hayes)
8th - Anneke Beerten (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
12th - Mio Suemasa (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
14th - Miranda Miller (Hayes)
15th - Rebecca McQueen (Hayes, SUNringle')

Pro Men Dual Slalom
3rd - Andrew Neethling (SUNringle')
5th - Brian Lopes (Hayes)
8th - Kris Kovarik (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)

Pro Women Dual Slalom
2nd - Melissa Buhl (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
6th - Mio Suemasa (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
9th - Anneke Beerten (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)
10th - Joanna Peterson (Hayes)

Semi-Pro Men XC
1st - Ty Kady (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)

Expert 45-49 XC
2nd - Johnny O'Mara (Hayes, SUNringle', Manitou)

Mequon, Wis. (March 15, 2007) – Hayes Bicycle Group, a division of HB Performance Systems Inc., announced its integration plans for the company in light of its acquisition of select bicycle component companies, including Manitou in November 2006.

OPERATIONS

According to Rhonda Kirkwood, vice president and general manager, the decision has been made by Hayes Bicycle Group’s parent company HB Performance Systems to combine all Hayes Bicycle Group divisions in southeastern Wisconsin. By year end, all research and development, marketing and sales, and U.S. manufacturing will be operating from facilities in Mequon and Milwaukee. Asian sourcing and manufacturing operations will be in located in Taipei, Taiwan, and mainland China.

Chris Smith, formerly of Answer Products, has been named global director of sales & marketing for the Hayes Bicycle Group and will set the strategy for the combined brands. Smith will report to Kirkwood.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Chris’ industry knowledge and experience in all the sales channels guiding the team,” said Kirkwood. “It is important for us to reach out to all levels of customers - from the consumer to the OEM - and I am confident that Chris and his team will get it done.”

Reporting to Smith will be Len Cabaltera, senior sales manager, Joel Richardson, marketing manager, and Eric Taylor, senior product analyst. In addition, Bernd Pflueger will head the European operations from Frankfurt, Germany and Thomas Hochstrasser will report to Pflueger as European OEM sales manager.

PRODUCTS – CURRENT, NEW AND FUTURE

Besides its Hayes™ brand of disc brakes, Hayes Bicycle Group now owns the brands Manitou™, Sun Ringlé™, and Wheelsmith™. In addition, Hayes Bicycle Group will continue to utilize the Answer™ brand. Its product line currently offers:

1. Hayes – Disc brakes


2. Manitou – Suspension forks and shocks


3. Sun Ringlé – Wheels, rims and hubs


4. Wheelsmith – Spokes and wheel-building services


5. Answer – Handle bars, stems and shoes

Because of Hayes Bicycle Group’s strong commitment to developing high performance products for the bicycle industry, a product management team has been added to champion the products and brands.

New products for MY08 include a brake platform (Stroker), a rim family (Equalizer), two MRD designated fork models that are the lightest available in their respective categories as well as a fork for the 29in wheel market.. Also in 2008, Hayes Bicycle Group will focus on Manitou’s high-end product line in order to incorporate its superior-level engineering expertise and product manufacturing processes in the production of suspension forks and shocks. Lower-end products will be re-added to the product mix when uncompromised quality and delivery standards have been achieved.

“We have purposely reduced our product offering for the upcoming model year in order to maintain better control over the processes – from engineering through manufacturing,” said Kirkwood. “It is critical that we deliver quality products, on-time to our customers throughout the world. Integrating operations will enable us to utilize the engineering discipline and processes already in place at HB.”

Product Planning for 2009 and 2010 is under way and is made up of cross-functional teams from all brands. These teams are focusing on voice of customer, field testing, extensive laboratory testing and industrial design. Customers can expect to see integrated products and systems that will work together and have a similar look.

“The ability to design brakes, wheels and suspension components simultaneously, with the focused vision of improving compatibility and performance, allows for the development of truly innovative product,” Smith said.

ACQUISITION HISTORY

Answer Products was the third acquisition of HB Performance Systems and its bicycle division in the past 20 months. HB Performance Systems purchased Sun Metal Products in July 2005 and Wheelsmith Fabrication Inc. in September 2006. These acquisitions followed the June 2005 management buyout that created HB Performance Systems Inc., formerly Hayes Brake. At that time, President and CEO Rand McNally stated that the management team had plans to grow the company and acquisitions were a part of that strategy.

ABOUT HAYES BICYCLE GROUP / HB PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

Hayes Bicycle Group was formed in 1997 and entered the bicycle market with a disc brake under the name Hayes Disc Brake. It followed the same breakthrough design and performance strategy of its parent company at the time (Hayes Brake). The revolutionary products that this group introduced set a new standard for hydraulic bicycle disc brakes worldwide.

In 2006, 120 worldwide distributors provided Hayes Bicycle Group products to customers in more than 50 countries. More than 200 worldwide bicycle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are supplied by Hayes Bicycle Group. Its products are well known and respected in the mountain bike market. Hayes Bicycle Group provides products for all segments, especially race, cross country, freeride, and gravity

HB Performance Systems Inc., a leader in the design, manufacture and sales of non-automotive custom-engineered brake systems for more than 60 years, offers a comprehensive range of products for recreational, construction, agricultural and military vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, as well as other types of mobile and stationary equipment.

Mequon, Wis. (March 15, 2007) – Hayes Bicycle Group, a division of HB Performance Systems Inc., has named Chris Smith Global director of sales & marketing. Smith will be responsible for setting

the strategy for Hayes Bicycle Group’s brands Manitou™, Sun Ringlé™, Wheelsmith™ and Hayes Disc Brakes™. Smith will report to Rhonda Kirkwood, vice president and general manager of Hayes Bicycle Group.

Smith brings more than 30 years of experience in the bicycle industry, including global aftermarket sales and service for RockShox, vice president of Giant USA, and most recently director of global sales and marketing for Answer Products. He also has owned three bicycle retail shops.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Chris’ industry knowledge and experience in all the sales channels guiding the team,” said Kirkwood. “It is important for us to reach out to all levels of

customers - from the consumer to the OEM - and I am confident that Chris and his team will get it done.”

Smith along with his wife and son will be relocating from Thousand Oaks, Calif., to Hayes Bicycle Group’s headquarters in Mequon, Wis. later this year.

Hayes Bicycle Group was formed in 1997 and entered the bicycle market with a disc brake under the name Hayes Disc Brake. The revolutionary products that this group introduced set a new standard for hydraulic bicycle disc brakes worldwide.

In 2006, 120 worldwide distributors provided Hayes Bicycle Group products to customers in more than 50 countries. More than 200 worldwide bicycle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are supplied by Hayes Bicycle Group. Its products are well known and respected in the mountain bike market. Hayes Bicycle Group provides products for all segments, especially race, cross country, freeride, and gravity segments.

Mequon, Wis. – September 28, 2006– Just over a year after its acquisition of Sun Metal Products, Hayes Bicycle Group (manufacturers of the Hayes Disc Brake and Sun Ringle’ brands) has acquired Wheelsmith Fabrications, Inc. of Big Timber, Montana.  For more than 25 years, Wheelsmith Fabrications has offered high quality bicycle spokes, wheel building services and other wheel related products, being the only US owned and operated bicycle spoke manufacturer. An agreement was reached near the end of September.  Details of the private sale were not disclosed.

“We are proud to make Wheelsmith the second acquisition of Hayes Bicycle Group,” said Joel Richardson, Hayes Bicycle Group Marketing Manager.  “It’s a good example of how we are continuing to grow by bringing in complementary businesses. Wheelsmith allows us to complete our wheel package offering to our customers and increase our potential for innovative new products. The Wheelsmith brand is a great addition to our broadening product lineup.”

Wheelsmith was started in 1975 as a small retail shop operating out of a garage in downtown Palo Alto, California.  Although the local cyclists came to rely on Wheelsmith for expert advice and wheel repairs, it was their emphasis on building the highest quality custom wheels that quickly earned the shop a nationwide reputation for its dedication to the search for perfection.  In 1980, in order to focus on producing high quality, lightweight wheels, a new company, Wheelsmith Fabrications, Inc was founded.  Starting with robot assisted wheel building in a warehouse in Menlo, Park California, Wheelsmith Fabrications expanded with its comprehensive line of Wheelsmith spokes and a growing range of other wheel-related products.  In 1995, Wheelsmith Fabrications relocated to Big Timber, Montana and in September 2005, marked its 25th anniversary in the bicycle industry.

Hayes Bicycle Group (manufacturers of the Hayes Disc Brake and Sun Ringle’ brands) is a division of HB Performance Systems Inc., a worldwide leader in the design, testing, manufacture and sales of non-automotive custom engineered vehicle systems. 

HB Performance Systems was started in Milwaukee in 1946. Since 1969, the corporate headquarters has been located in Mequon, Wis., where it employs 350 people in its 155,000 square foot modern manufacturing facility. In 2006, Hayes Bicycle Group moved the Sun Metals operations from Warsaw, Indiana to an 80,000 square foot facility in Milwaukee, just 5 miles away from the corporate headquarters.  It also has manufacturing and sourcing capabilities in Asia. HB Performance Systems uses a unique lean enterprise system for manufacturing and assembly, and is supported by ISO 9001:2000 quality controls and the latest Advance Product Quality Planning (APQP) techniques. The company’s many years of experience and development in the field have led to a comprehensive range of products for recreational, construction, agricultural and military vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, as well as other types of mobile and stationary equipment.

For more information about the new El Camino Trail hydraulic brake or other Hayes Disc Brake products, call 888-686-3472 or visit www.hayesdiscbrake.com.

MEQUON, WI (August 21, 2005) – As of September 1st, Hayes Bicycle Group will add Seattle Bike Supply (SBS), an Accell Group company, as an authorized distributor.

SBS has represented the Sun Components brand for over a decade, so the move made sense for both companies, according to Matt Gissibl, distribution manager at Hayes Bicycle Group.

“With the addition of the Sun line to our core offerings, we needed a strong regional distributor in the northwest for the Hayes brand,” Gissibl said.  “SBS’ experience with that product line gives us a critical partner in the northwest.”

Adding SBS as a distributor makes a promising future for the company even brighter, Gissibl added.

“Since we acquired the Sun brand, we’ve seen positive numbers and envision wonderful potential for those products. This new relationship with SBS will help make great things happen for both the Sun and Hayes lines.”

SBS has been a full-service bicycle and parts distributor since 1974. With four satellite warehouses located in Kent, WA., Dallas, TX., Columbus, OH., and Southern California, Seattle Bike Supply has been hailed by IBD’s as a top distributor the past two years with a BRaINy Award.

Hayes Bicycle Group consists of Hayes Disc Brakes and Sun Components.  The Sun brands were acquired in June 2005. The company now serves customers in more than 50 countries with warehouses in the U.S., Europe and Asia.