Ringle

Cycling: In 1988, Geoff Ringle invented the Cam-Over style quick release skewer, which became known as the Ringle skewer. It was unique in its simple efficient design, and its method of construction, being CNC machined from aluminum, brightly anodized, and built around a titanium rod. Ringle went on to invent an entire product line of stems, seatposts, headsets, cable hangers, and water bottle cages, each in a minimalistic, clean, efficient design, each machined from aluminum alloy and using titanium hardware, without any steel or weldments. In this way, Ringle kicked off the sport of mountain bikings most inventive period, and revolutionized bicycle design, away from the weak and heavy stamped and welded steel mass production parts of the 1980s. Ringle ushered in an entire era of high performance cycling equipment. In the late 90's, Sun Rims bought the Ringle brand, discontinued the products in favor of making a small range of low quality, welded parts in drab colors. When the Hayes Group purchased Sun and got Ringle, they discontinued all Ringle products, put the Ringle name on Sun rims, and later cheap Chinese hubs. It is essentially defunct due to this mismanagement, but historically remains one of the biggest names in the history of the sport.

In music, a ringle is the idea by Sony BMG Music Entertainment that combines ringtones with singles creating a "ringle". Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group are the first to release ringles. They are released in stores as a CD with a slip-sleeve cover including a hit song, bonus tracks from the same artist and a code to allow buyers to go online and download a "free" ringtone of the main song. They are sold between $5.98 and $6.98 USD. Sony BMG Music Entertainment released around 50 titles during October and November 2007, and Universal Music Group released 10 to 20 titles. The Recording Industry Association of America has approved the "ringle" name, and there is an industry wide logo to help brand it.^[1]

References