Kenda Tires Debuts the 650B/27.5 Nevegal at the 2008 Taipei International Cycle Show

Reynoldsburg, OH - 3/21/2008 - It turns out the rumors are true. Kenda has jumped into the budding 650B or 27.5" market by showcasing it's most popular tire, the John Tomac Nevegal, at this year's Taipei Cycle show. Kenda displayed the 2.35 version and promises that a 2.10 size will follow.

When asked why they chose to pursue this new size, Jim Wannamaker, Kenda's marketing director and events coordinator, said, "From a design standpoint, this new wheel size makes sense. It allows a bigger wheel to be used on a longer travel bike, plus smaller riders can get away from some of the negatives like toe overlap and stand over clearance issues found with bigger wheels. It looks like Kirk [Pacenti] is onto something."

"We've also been asked by many product managers with various companies to offer our most popular tire in this new size format," added Matt McClendon, Kenda's OEM sales manager. "We're in the tire business 100%. We don't do grips, saddles, rims or cockpit components, so it's important for us to plug into these new tire-related trends. Kenda provides tires of all sizes for cyclists of all kinds, so adding this new size helps us round-out our product offerings for the consumers as well as the bike manufacturers."

"Going forward, we want this to be an open dialogue between Kenda, product managers, engineers and even the small frame builders concerning this new project. That's why we chose to have the unveiling here at Taipei where the industry's movers and shakers meet. In the months to follow, we encourage any and all industry folk to contact us so we can provide them with the specs of our tires to help them design their products." McClendon continued, "As with all Kenda tires, we're making the 2.10 and 2.35 true to size and every bit comparable in performance to our 26-inch versions."

When asked about production, Wannamaker stated, "We're in the initial testing phase with the 2.35 size and the mold for the 2.10 is being cut as we speak. If all goes well, consumers should expect to see these models by mid summer."

To keep abreast of the development of the 650B/27.5 Nevegal or info on Kenda's other fine products, surf over to www.kendausa.com or call 1-866-KENDA USA.

ABOUT Kenda USA: Kenda is a leading manufacturer of bicycle, motorcycle, ATV, industrial, and trailer tires. Most recently, Kenda has begun producing quality automotive tires and tubes for worldwide distribution. Since the inception of our company in 1962, we have operated on core values of honesty, innovation, quality, and customer service. For the past forty years, Kenda has continued to develop and expand its product selections to meet changing market demands.