Looks like the bike industry is having a round of consolidation and amalgamation, as UK trade news site BikeBiz.com reports on two freshly-announced acquisitions.

First up, HB Performance (previously known as Hayes Brakes until a management buyout in 2005) has bought Answer/Manitou. It adds the fork and accessories manufacturer to its other recent acquisitions Wheelsmith and Sun-Ringle. With suspension, brakes and wheel components in its portfolio (and some transmission developments going on too) HB looks set to become another SRAM-style component powerhouse.

And as of 1 November, DT Swiss has bought Pace’s suspension and rigid fork business. Pace will stay in Yorkshire doing research and development, while after a transitional period fork production will shift to DT’s Biel, Switzerland plant. Pace will manufacture and supply customers with its full fork range for the 2007 model year. DT is said to expect its fork division to have 50 employees in the not too distant future, which should give Pace forks a somewhat higher profile.

Pace’s Adrian Carter will become technical consultant to DT Swiss. The Pace fork range will be integrated into DT’s suspension range over the next few months. The forks will be a good fit with DT’s existing rear shock offerings. Frames, clothing and other products will continue to be available from Pace. Once the forks are fully part of the DT range, Pace will become the exclusive UK distributor of DT Swiss suspension products as well as distributing the various DT wheel-related lines.