DENVER (BRAIN) — Gates Corporation has added two new positions on its engineering team.
Michael Jasch has been hired as a product development engineer, where he will develop new cranks and integrated crankset assemblies. He joins the expanding team of engineers working under Gates' global product engineering manager Chris Vasiliotis, who was hired in January to expand new product development.
Jasch previously worked for Fallbrook Technologies, where he was instrumental in developing testing programs and systems for cycling and automotive applications before focusing on the design and manufacturing of bicycle shifters for the NuVinci brand.
Todd Sellden, the director of Gates Belt Drive, said Jasch's hiring shows Gates' continuing evolution as a brand that provides complete systems of belts, sprockets and crankset assemblies.
"We are known primarily for our belts and sprockets, but we are increasingly focused on manufacturing Gates-branded cranks and crankset assemblies at a wide range of pricepoints that simplify the process of OE factory installations," Sellden said.
Ryan Osborn has been promoted to the new position of advanced drivetrain engineer and will focus on integrating Carbon Drive with electric bike drive systems, gearbox systems and internally geared hubs. The e-bike market, particularly in Europe, as well as the growing popularity of internal hubs such as Shimano Alfine and Nexus, are key drivers of Gates Carbon Drive's sales growth, the company said.
Osborn is one of the founding members of the Gates team that helped commercialize the Carbon Drive system. He previously worked as an applications and special projects engineer, a role in which he was instrumental in integrating Gates belts with land speed racers and electric motorcycles, spin bikes and brewery bottling lines, as well as helping to develop the supercharger drive for the Ecosse Heretic Titanium — known as the world's most expensive motorcycle. He will now concentrate on validating and developing new products and integrations for e-bikes and the growing range of alternative bicycle transmissions such as the Pinion gearbox.
"Ryan has been involved with Gates Carbon Drive in a variety of roles since our initial launch in 2007," Sellden said. "In this new position we hope to utilize his skillset as part of our strategic goal to integrate with every leading e-bike system and the full gamut of geared hubs and alternative transmissions that are revolutionizing bike design and expanding cycling options for consumers."
