Steve Frothingham

Steve is in his second stint at BRAIN. He was here at the beginning in 1992 while still working for a bike shop in Santa Fe, N.M. He wrote several articles for BRAIN's first issue and later joined the staff, eventually becoming managing editor and then executive editor.

After leaving BRAIN in 1997 he worked for several news organizations including The Associated Press and VeloNews before rejoining BRAIN as web editor in 2011.

He is based in Longmont, Colorado, and is an enthusiastic (and slow) road, mountain bike and cyclocross rider.

sfrothingham@bicycleretailer.com
/twitter.com/#!/stevefroth

All articles by Steve Frothingham

Taiwanese bike companies share ESG data

August 9, 2023

TAIPEI (BRAIN) — In the U.S., the concept of Environmental, Social and Governance reports has set off an economic/cultural/political "debate," as so many things do. But in Taiwan, ESG reports offer some useful data.

Posted in International

Bike imports plummet as average value climbs

August 8, 2023
First-half imports of adult bikes were down steeply in units and also in dollar volume.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Bike imports were down steeply in the first half of the year compared to the year prior, even as the average import value of bikes increased significantly.

Posted in Industry News

Liquidator agrees to buy 2,200 Reid bikes from its Canadian distributor's receiver

July 28, 2023
The Reid Ladies Classic is among the bikes being liquidated in Canada.

TORONTO (BRAIN) — Auctionmaxx, a Canadian liquidation specialist, has agreed with a court-appointed appointed receiver to acquire about 2,260 Reid bikes from Reid’s Canadian distributor, Vellend-Tech Inc. Velland-Tech entered receivership this spring after failing to make payments on a bank credit line.

Posted in International

Wahoo Fitness makes factory reset after Walton fund and others help eliminate debt

July 1, 2023
Wahoo Kickr

ATLANTA (BRAIN) — Wahoo Fitness says its financial woes are in the past after a recapitalization eliminated debt that had crippled it after the pandemic boom in indoor exercise products. Three private equity groups helped founder Chip Hawkins pay off a public debt owed to a bank consortium; it also put capital on Wahoo's balance sheet to enable growth.

Posted in Industry News

Retailers unimpressed by Kona's new D2C program

June 26, 2023
A 2015 photo of Kona's Bellingham, Washington, store.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (BRAIN) — Kona USA, facing the same excess inventory and stagnant consumer demand challenges as most other IBD brands, rebuilt its website in early June to add consumer-direct sales for the first time. While most traditional IBD brands now offer some variety of direct sales and click-and-collect few have received such a negative initial response from retailers.

Posted in Retail News

ACT Lab program will provide bike hangtags showing compliance to UL

June 9, 2023
The hangtag on a Lectric e-bike model at (e)revolution Thursday. Steve Frothingham photo.

DENVER (BRAIN) — ACT Lab, an independent testing laboratory, has launched a certification program that includes providing bike makers with hangtags letting consumers know on the sales floor that the bikes meet relevant standards including UL. 

Posted in Industry News

Quality closes its Colorado mechanic school

June 1, 2023
QBP's distribution center in Broomfield, where U of Q was housed.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (BRAIN) — Quality Bicycle Products has closed its bicycle mechanics school, U of Q, which was previously known as Barnett Bicycle Institute. The Minneapolis-based distributor said its projections pointed toward a decline in enrollment.

Posted in Industry News

Giant and Stages end investment negotiations

May 15, 2023

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Giant Group has ended plans to invest about $20 million to take about a third share in Stages Cycling because the companies were unable to reach definitive agreements on the deal, according to documents Giant has filed with the Taipei stock exchange.

Posted in Industry News

New Lightspeed program draws retailer criticism

May 11, 2023

MONTREAL (BRAIN) — Several bike retailers are telling BRAIN they are displeased with Lightspeed’s decision to unify its point-of-sale software with its payment processing software.

Posted in Retail News

Wahoo reaches closure in one patent suit; Zwift suit continues

May 10, 2023
In Zwift case, Wahoo asks to redact information about trainer market and its financial condition.

ATLANTA (BRAIN) — Wahoo Fitness has reached a settlement with a Nevada inventor who sued the company in 2015 alleging that its Kickr trainer infringed on his patent. The inventor’s suit against Foundation Fitness (the owner of Stages Cycling) also is close to a settlement. 

Posted in Industry News

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