Throughout the early 1990s Carmichael was a manufacturer of high quality, sealed-bearing, replacement pulley wheels. These pulley wheels were drilled for lightness, which was relatively unusual for the time. They even manufactured titanium versions.

In the late 1990’s, Ingenuity Sports of Altadena, California, bought a number of small, high end, US bicycle component companies, starting with Mantis in 1995, and including Carmichael. At some point the second Joe’s design, or possibly the whole Prototype Machining company, was also acquired by Ingenuity Sports and the derailleur was possibly rebranded as Carmichael.