for the media

Madison, Wisc.- March 09, 2009 - Planet Bike, a leading manufacturer of innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories, is delighted to announce that Jeff Frehner will be joining the staff in the role as company president. 

Frehner got his start in the bike industry at Quality Bicycle Products as HR Director and General Counsel.  In 2001, he migrated to Pacific Cycle where he worked as the company''s General Counsel until transitioning to the role of President in 2004 when Montreal-based Dorel Industries purchased Pacific Cycle.  Most recently, Frehner served as the President & CEO of the Cannondale Sports Group (CSG), a division of Dorel Industries, which owns Cannondale, Schwinn, Mongoose and GT Bicycles. Frehner left his position at CSG last September.

A long time bicycle enthusiast and advocate, Frehner''s work on the board of Bikes Belong and as a member of Wisconsin''s National Bike Summit delegation reinforced his belief in the importance of supporting and empowering bicycle advocates to help make our cities and towns healthier and more sustainable.  Frehner has long respected Planet Bike''s mission to support grassroots bicycle advocacy and is committed to strengthening the company''s cause-based goals.

According to Frehner, "For over a decade, Planet Bike has been proving that its distinctive business model can simultaneously generate positive change in our communities and have a successful bottom line." Frehner added that, "Planet Bike is perfectly and uniquely positioned to make the most of the world's changing attitudes toward climate change, oil dependence, transportation and health."

Company founder Bob Downs is honored that Frehner has joined forces with Planet Bike and feels he is the perfect person to help the company realize the next step in its evolution.   Downs said, "Jeff is an authentic guy who shares our passion for bikes and our belief that the bicycle can be a part of making America and the world a healthier and happier place." 

Planet Bike designs high quality bicycle accessories that make it easier and safer for people to ride their bikes.  Since its inception in 1996, Planet Bike has believed that the bicycle can improve our environment and our quality of life.  Therefore, each year it has donated at least 25% of profits to causes that promote and facilitate the use of bicycles. Since its founding, Planet Bike has donated more than $660,000 to the grassroots advocacy movement.

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Madison, Wisc.- November 08, 2007 - Planet Bike, a leading manufacturer of innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories, is proud to applaud the success of the Thunderhead Alliance as it unveils its groundbreaking benchmark project.  The findings of the project are spelled out in the 120 page report entitled Bicycling and Walking in the U.S. which has just been sent to bicycle advocacy groups, government transportation officials, and public health professionals across the US.

Beginning in 2004, Planet Bike partnered with Thunderhead for the pilot benchmarking project.  From there, Planet Bike has earmarked nearly $40,000 in donations to the Thunderhead Alliance for this project.  Along with the support of Planet Bike, the report received $10,000 from Bikes Belong, supplementing a $50,000 grant from the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

The Thunderhead report is the first of its kind to compile and analyze national data on bicycling and walking.  The volume contains pages and pages of charts and graphs examining everything from the number of trips made by bike to which U.S. city has the most bike racks. 

A few of the interesting findings include:

*     Per capita bike shop sales are highest in Atlanta, GA ($216 per resident).

*      Less than 1% of work trips in the U.S. are made by bicycle.

*      Men bike to work at three times the rate of women.

*      Montana is the state with the largest percentage of bicycle commuters (1.6%).

*      Boston has the most bike shops per capita with 1 shop for every 3,591 people.

*      1.54% of federal transportation dollars are allocated to bicycle and walking projects.

*      Chicago has the greatest number of full time city staff dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian projects (13.5).

*      Diabetes rates are lowest among states with high levels of biking and walking.

"The correlation graphs in the report are shocking and fantastic.  Everything that we have always said is true about bicycling is laid out graphically," says Dar Ward, Senior Planning Analyst for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Transportation Services. 

The report is being touted as the foundation on which the future of bicycle advocacy will be built.  It will be used by advocates, transportation planners, and public health officials to promote and evaluate policies and programs that make our communities more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.   

Planet Bike designs high quality bicycle accessories that make it easier and safer for people to ride their bikes.  Since its inception in 1996, Planet Bike has believed that the bicycle can improve our environment and our quality of life.  Therefore, each year it has donated at least 25% of profits to causes that promote and facilitate the use of bicycles. By the end of 2007, Planet Bike will have donated more than $500,000 to the grassroots advocacy movement.

Chicago, IL. --July 12, 2007%u2014 Planet Bike is proud to announce that it received the 2007 Mayor Daley Bicycle Advocacy Council award for being the corporation that most supports bicycling in the City of Chicago.

The presentation was made on June 15^th during Chicago''s Bike to Work Day rally in Daley Plaza. The City recognized Planet Bike''s work with grass roots advocacy organizations in the City, specifically the Chicago Bicycle Ambassadors. The Ambassadors and junior Ambassadors are the City of Chicago''s bicycle safety and public awareness outreach team. Last year alone, the program presented on bicycle safety to over 42,000 children and adults at Chicago Park District camps and various community events. Since 2002, Planet Bike has been the program''s major product sponsor.   

The City of Chicago, in cooperation with organizations like the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, is working hard to make Chicago the most bicycle friendly large city in the world. Together, the City and the Bike Fed have worked together to build more that 100 miles of bike lanes on existing streets and more than 50 miles of off street bike path.

Planet Bike is the smallest corporation to receive the honor. Previous winners of the BAC award are SRAM, Chase and Bank One.  "If a little company like ours can affect a positive change, think of the staggering potential if all businesses got involved to a greater degree in working to affect change in the world," said Jay Ferm, Planet Bike''s Advocacy Director during his acceptance of the award.  

Planet Bike designs high quality bicycle accessories that make it easier and safer for people to ride their bikes.  Since its inception in 1996, Planet Bike has believed in the potential of the bicycle to improve the world and the lives of the people in it. Therefore, each year it has donated at least 25% of profits to causes that promote and facilitate the use of the bicycle. By the end of 2007, Planet Bike will have donated more than $500,000 to the grassroots advocacy movement.

Madison, Wis. --June 7, 2007%u2014 Planet Bike, a leading manufacturer of innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories, is proud to announce its 10^th anniversary of doing business in its own way.

Ten years ago, Bob Downs had an idea.  He believed that business can be profitable as well as environmentally, socially, and politically aware.  To put his beliefs into practice, Downs left a successful career at Trek Bicycles to launch his own company.  "Planet Bike began as a social experiment that dedicated itself to doing business in a different way. Instead of being just another company that develops and sells products with only profit as its goal, Planet Bike wanted to help bring about positive change for people, their communities, and the environment," reflects Downs.  To realize this vision, Downs committed to give 25% of Planet Bike profits to bicycle advocacy. 

Despite being a simple machine, the company''s culture has always held that the bicycle has great potential to help improve the world and the lives of the people in it.   Because 50% of urban trips are less than three miles, there is great opportunity to shift such trips from cars to bikes.  By helping to make our communities friendlier places for the self-propelled, Planet Bike makes it easier for people to make this shift.  The results are cleaner air, healthier citizens, and more connected communities.

In addition to sharing profits, Planet Bike shares it time, energy and sweat.  To highlight the need for improved conditions for biking, Downs saddled his bike and began a 900 mile commute to Washington, D.C. to lobby for improved conditions for cyclists at the 2000 National Bike Summit.  There he connected with leading bike advocates who were pioneering a new network of grassroots organizations which would become the Thunderhead Alliance.  Planet Bike made a much needed financial contribution to the fledgling organization, and it was this initial seed money that helped Thunderhead launch its 50 States/50 Cities program which is an effort to ensure that all 50 states and at least the 50 highest population U.S. cities are represented by effective and sustainable bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations.  More recently, Planet Bike sponsored the City of Madison''s Platinum Bike Committee, an effort to make Madison the most bicycle friendly community in America.  Planet Bike donated cash and staff time to this effort. 

In its ten year history, Planet Bike has kept its pledge of donating 25% of company profits to advocacy.  This year, the company will reach the milestone of having donated $500,000 to the grassroots bicycling movement.  Planet Bike continues to support the work of the Thunderhead Alliance, but has also expanded its sponsorship of other major programs that are helping to transform our towns and cities into safe and convenient places to bike.  Some of the programs include Trips for Kids, the National Bike Summit, the Chicago Bicycling Ambassador program, and the Texas Bicycle Coalition''s Safe-Routes-to Schools program.  Most recently, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin presented Planet Bike with their "Outstanding Business of the Year" award, and the City of Chicago will recognize Planet Bike with the Mayor''s Bicycle Advisory Council 2007 award for Planet Bike''s efforts toward promoting bicycling in the city.

Social experiments aside, Planet Bike was born from the heart of a cyclist and its goal is to make innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories.  Product categories include bicycle lights, fenders, cycling computers, pumps, saddles, locks, gloves, handlebar tape, racks and cages.

In ten short years, Planet Bike is proud to have led the bicycle industry to important innovations in product and practice.  Product advancements include the 4-line computer which is now a standard in the industry and the world's first self-contained HID light. Planet Bike is also gratified that many within the bicycle industry are now greatly increasing their support for bicycle advocacy.  While still a small company, Planet Bike continues to evolve and improve its product line with the goal of always striving to build accessories that make it easier for people to ride their bikes.   

As the company has grown and matured, so has its dedication to the principles of social and environmental responsibility. Since 1996, Planet Bike''s financial support of the grassroots bicycle movement has totaled $500,000. By 2010, its goal is to donate $1 million to organizations dedicated to making America a friendlier place for cyclists. 

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Madison, Wis. --May 2, 2007   Planet Bike put its support behind the efforts of bicycle advocates as they descended upon Washington, D.C. for the National Bike Summit from March 14-16. 

This year, Planet Bike was a leading sponsor of the National Bike Summit which brings together bicycle industry leaders, bike advocates, enthusiasts, and politicians to further propel bicycling into the political consciousness of the nation and advance the interests of bicyclists across the country. Planet Bike also provided complimentary car-free pedi-cab rides to Summit participants between Senate and House offices on Capitol Hill. 

Planet Bike's own Jay Ferm organized the Wisconsin delegation as they met with Senators Kohl and Feingold and other congress people from the state. John Burke of Trek, Jeff Frehner of Pacific Cycle, Chris Fortune of Saris and Chris Kegel of Wheel and Sprocket were also active members of the delegation whose purpose it was to convince elected officials of the importance of weaving the bike into the fabric of our society to create healthier, safer, less car-dependent and more vital communities. 

Each year the League of American Bicyclists organizes the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. so that bike proponents can dialogue with elected officials about the importance of bicycle related issues. This year more than 430 leaders from the world of cycling made the voice of bicycling heard on Capitol Hill. 

Among other things, participants lobbied for the Bicycle Commuter Act which proposes a tax break to employers who encourage employees to commute by bike. If passed, this would give individuals greater financial incentive to commute by bike by helping them to defray expenses for things like the purchase of a helmet, regular bike tune-ups, gear for year-round pedaling and other expenses associated with bicycle commuting. The other important lobbying effort was to secure funding for the Conserve By Bicycling program. This is a program to establish ten test programs and study the resultant health, environmental, and economic benefits when individuals use their bikes to replace car trips.