Dean Yobbi

Dean's love of bikes bloomed after receiving a Schwinn Pea Picker Krate for Christmas 1972. After escaping serious injury despite that model having a Hurst-inspired stick shift mounted on the top tube, he moved on to BMX bikes and racing. Discovering girls in his late teens, he abandoned his bike somewhere in the front yard, probably upside down by the rake.

It wasn’t until middle age and excessive weight began to creep when Dean returned to cycling, specifically off-road riding in South Florida. As the weight came off, his love of cycling took off and soon one bike became three, one-hour rides became four and leisurely solo rides became 26-person races through the woods until somebody puked.

Dean is a 30-year veteran of the Florida newspaper wars, most recently at the Miami Herald as an editor for 16 years, where he was privileged to rub elbows with some of the country’s finest writers and fellow editors. Dean began his career as a staff writer for The Palm Beach Post, covering sports.

He still enjoys racing, particularly 12-hour solo events on a singlespeed, and participating in gran fondos on his road bike.

All articles by Dean Yobbi

March 22, 2023

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (BRAIN) — Andreani doesn’t consider its new U.S. distribution center here a typical clearinghouse for suspension products and tools for mountain bikes and motorcycles.

Posted in Industry News
March 21, 2023
Shanna Powell.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BRAIN) — Shanna Powell says her path to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the bike industry is a "roundabout, twisty, weird one."

Posted in Industry News
March 2, 2023
If signed by Mayor Eric Adams, e-bikes would need to meet UL 2849 or similar certification; batteries would have to meet UL 2271.

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — The City Council on Thursday passed its lithium-ion battery safety legislative package in reaction to the growing number of fires, including prohibiting the sale of e-bikes, other powered mobility devices like e-scooters, and batteries that don't meet recognized certification like UL.

Posted in Industry News
March 1, 2023
Two cyclists killed and 11 hospitalized. Supporters launch a crowdfunding page for victims.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (BRAIN) — Trek Bicycle Store West Phoenix sales and service employee Mike Smith is recovering from surgery in intensive care after being injured when the driver of a pickup truck ran into the back of a group of cyclists he was riding with on Saturday.

Posted in Retail News
March 1, 2023
CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric told BRAIN the agency doesn’t recognize the industry’s three e-bike classes but instead treats the regulation of e-bikes on a case-by-case basis.

Posted in Industry News
February 15, 2023

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Lithium-ion battery fires and e-bike standards generated plenty of debate within the industry in 2022, but little argument exists within the industry over how some unregulated packs and bikes enter the U.S. and become potentially hazardous products.

Posted in Industry News
February 9, 2023
Kids’ brains light up in real time while bike riding.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — In addition to giving more kids access to bikes and places to ride, the nonprofit Outride organization also studies cycling’s cognitive and physical benefits.

Posted in Studies/Reports
February 6, 2023
Moves into Motion Makers space after Specialized closes location.

CHEROKEE, N.C. (BRAIN) — Brett Hackshaw and Ben King always have wanted to test the "beer, gear, and bikes" business model, and after Specialized closed the Motion Makers Bicycle Shop location here in January, they soon will have that opportunity.

Posted in Retail News
February 1, 2023

LOS ANGELES (BRAIN) — Specialized Bicycle Components has shut down women's clothing brand Machines For Freedom, which it purchased from founder Jennifer Kriske five years ago.

Posted in Industry News
December 26, 2022

HILDEBRAN, N.C. (BRAIN) — DeFeet founder Shane Cooper fondly remembers when the brand's socks were "the currency of the trade shows" in the 1990s as industry types would trade them among themselves.

Posted in Industry News

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