Manitou Switches to Fork Production in US

RIEDSTADT, Germany – In November 2006 Hayes Bicycle Group (manufacturer of the Hayes disc brakes and Sun Ringle’ brands) bought Answer/Manitou, maker of suspension forks and rear shocks as well as handlebars and stems. The result of that take-over is becoming apparent in the line-up for modelyear 2008. Biggest change is that all suspension forks will be manufactured in the USA. There’s no Taiwan production left for modelyear 08 Forks. Rear shocks will still be produced in Taiwan.
With the ceasing of the fork production in Taiwan also no more Manitou entry level forks are available. The R7, Minute, Nixon, Gold Label and Travis are the suspension forks left in the line-up for modelyear 2008. Thomas Hochstrasser from Hayes Bicycle Group Europe in Riedstadt, Germany said about the changes: “It’s going to be a big cut for the Manitou brand, but our main goal for modelyear 2008 is to offer quality.”
On the distribution of the Answer and Manitou suspension components, the Hayes Bicycle Group recently announced that it will retain all the distributors for the two brands. After the take-over late last year, the Hayes Bicycle Group, a division of HB Performance Systems Inc, has in November renamed Answer products in HB Suspension Products and it is now part of the Hayes Bicycle Group Division. About OE sales in Europe, that is now integrated in Hayes Bicycle Group Europe which general office is located in Riedstadt, Germany. Thomas Hochstrasser and Bernd Pflüger are responsible for Manitou sales as well as for Hayes and for Sun Ringlé.