MEQUON, Wis. (BRAIN) — Hayes Components has spun off its Protaper line of mountain bike components, formerly housed within the Answer brand, as its own stand-alone brand of handlebars, stems and pedals. The company has also expanded its Hayes Road Show dealer education program.
“Protaper is an entire new brand we’re introducing to the market. It’s an evolution of the Answer brand,” said Eric Schutt, marketing manager for Hayes.
Hayes has also launched consumer-direct sales of the brand at full MSRP online at ProtaperMTB.com. It’s the first time Hayes has sold any of its brands direct to consumers.
“We’re not competing with the bike shop. We’re not competing with the traditional channel. We’re still selling through distributors and bike shops. The fact that we’re holding that retail price, we’re not going to undercut the rest of the channel. We’re just giving our customers another option. Out of all of our brands, this is the only one we’re doing it with,” Schutt said.
The line consists of aluminum and carbon bars, aluminum stems and aluminum platform pedals.
The Protaper Carbon Handlebars are 810 millimeters wide and come in 1-inch rise for 35-millimeter clamp and half-inch and 1-inch rise for 31.8-millimeter clamp. The Carbon 20/20 bar features 20 millimeters of rise and 20 millimeters of sweep for 31.8-millimeter bar clamp. MSRP is $164.99.
Aluminum bars are also 810 millimeters wide and come in flat, half-inch, 1-inch and 3-inch rise for 31.8-millimeter clamp diameter. They retail for $84.99.
Protaper EVO stems ($99.99 MSRP) are 3D forged and machined from 6061 aluminum and are offered in four lengths from 35 to 50 millimeters for 35-millimeter clamp diameter and five lengths from 30 to 50 millimeters for 31.8-millimeter clamp.
Protaper EVO pedals ($119.99 MSRP) are CNC machined from 6061 aluminum and feature replaceable traction pins, a chromoly spindle and sealed bearings. Weight: 340 grams.
Additionally, Hayes has expanded its Hayes Road Show dealer training program from one van to two, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Crested Butte, Colorado. The Hayes Road Show provides technical and sales training across the company’s portfolio of brands, which include Sunringlé wheels, Manitou forks and shocks, Wheelsmith spokes and Hayes brakes.
“They don’t sell anything, but they go into a shop and make sure they understand how our products work and where to get service parts and information. We go in there and try to help because a lot of our wheels and other products are on OEM bikes, and maybe the shops haven’t seen or heard from us in a while,” Schutt said.
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ProTaper EVO stems ($99.99 MSRP) are 3D forged and machined from 6061 aluminum and are offered in four lengths from 35 to 50 millimeters for 35-millimeter clamp diameter and five lengths from 30 to 50 millimeters for 31.8-millimeter clamp. -
ProTaper EVO pedals ($119.99 MSRP) are CNC machined from 6061 aluminum and feature replaceable traction pins, a chromoly spindle and sealed bearings. Weight: 340 grams. -
Aluminum bars are also 810 millimeters wide and come in flat, half-inch, 1-inch and 3-inch rise for 31.8-millimeter clamp diameter. They retail for $84.99. -
The ProTaper Carbon Handlebars are 810 millimeters and wide and come in 1-inch rise for 35-millimeter clamp and half-inch and 1-inch rise for 31.8-millimeter clamp. The Carbon 20/20 bar features 20 millimeters of rise and 20 millimeters of sweep for 31.8-millimeter bar clamp. MSRP is $164.99.
