At the end of April, the Uster-based distributor and bicycle manufacturer GPR AG will stop distributing Manitou suspension components, having already informed Manitou of this decision at the beginning of this year. According to GPR AG, Manitou - a part of the company that belongs to the US Hayes Bicycle Group together with the brands Answer, Hayes, Sun Ringlé and Wheelsmith - has not yet appointed a successor for the Swiss distribution. Negotiations are currently underway for a new Manitou distribution cooperation with a Swiss distributor, but nothing has been finalized yet. For the time being, Manitou will remain present on the Swiss market, as GPR AG is selling the current stock while supplies last. As the new seller has not yet been determined and therefore no service center, the previous Manitou supplier has agreed to continue to carry out service work on Manitou shocks and forks until the end of May 2013.

More changes to the portfolio
At the 2011 Eurobike trade fair, the Usterm-based distributor secured the distribution rights for Xentis wheels. The first products were available from November 2011 and the Xentis wheel range will be part of the GPR AG parts program from 2012. As the company has now announced, the distribution of Xentis products will be discontinued with immediate effect.

www.manitoumtb.com
www.xentis.com