News
VICTORIA, British Columbia (BRAIN)—Schwalbe is issuing a notice on some of its Ultremo R tires due to bulging. Due to a mistake in the manufacturing process, the affected tires' carcass layer haven't been sufficiently rubberized.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—Bruno Maier will join the Bikes Belong staff on June 1 as the organization's full-time membership and development director.
OSAKA, Japan (BRAIN) — Shimano, whose overall sales fell 19 percent during the first quarter, reports that its bike business—78 percent of its total sales—fell 18 percent to $373 million (JPY 35.3 billion) from $456 million (JPY 43.3 billion) last year.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (BRAIN)—More American customers turned to European style hybrid bikes than ever before, driving Bicycle Product Supplier Association unit shipments up 2 percent, and sales up 4 percent over the first quarter.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—The 14th International Bicycle Design Competition is inviting entries.
The schedule and rules can be found at www.ibdcaward.org (click on link). You can register on this web page from May 1 - August 10.
BLOOMINGTON, MN (BRAIN)—Last fall, Civia unveiled its Greenlight web application.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (BRAIN)—Axiom Performance Gear has launched a new Web site.
MOUNT PROSPECT, IL (BRAIN)—Sales of recreational transport equipment (bicycles, pleasure boats and motors, recreational vehicles and snowmobiles) declined to $27 billion in 2008, a 29 percent drop.
BRAIN classified sales rep Stacey Smith recently visited some of her extended family in Europe. She took some pictures in Amsterdam, where people obviously take their bicycle commuting seriously. They also take something else very seriously, but we'll just leave that up to your imagination.

Speedplay’s Richard Bryne and wife Sharon talk shop during our recent visit to their San Diego headquarters.

"And, so I say to you as you embark on your adult life, take a moment to look back and honor your parents. Because they're the ones who paid for your education. They're the ones who stood by you the whole time. And they're the ones who you'll be moving back in with in the fall."
—Bill Maher
RIVERVIEW, FL (BRAIN)—Just Ride Bicycles in Riverview, Florida, the newest bicycle store in the Tampa Bay area, is inviting all bicyclists for its grand opening event on June 4.
LINCOLN, NE (BRAIN)—Tomac Bikes bolstered its U.S. sales force with the addition of industry veteran and pro mountain and road racer Rich Weis.