COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN) — Quality Bicycle Products has agreed to acquire Barnett Bicycle Institute from the National Bicycle Dealers Association for an undisclosed amount. John Barnett founded BBI in 1986; it was acquired by the NBDA in 2016.
QBP said it planned to update the BBI facility in Colorado Springs and has offered positions to the operation's four employees, including general manager Jeff Donaldson.
"We are excited about the opportunity to bring BBI and its professional staff into the QBP family," said Rich Tauer, the president of QBP. "Education is central to what QBP offers our retailer and supplier partners. The purchase of BBI will complement and expand our comprehensive education platform in ways that will benefit our company and the bicycle industry."
QBP already offers its U of Q online training program, its Frostbike retailer education event, a Service Summit and additional programs. For several years it has offered a women's mechanic scholarship program, which sends scholarship winners to a weeklong class at Oregon's United Bicycle Institute.
"We're confident that by growing BBI and leveraging all of our education opportunities—as well as working alongside important industry partners like the United Bicycle Institute—we will elevate the value that specialty bike retailers provide retail customers," said Tauer.
NBDA president and chairperson Brandee Lepak said "QBP will be the perfect steward of BBI's strong legacy while helping it reach its full potential as a business that educates bicycle retailers.
"We've worked alongside QBP for many years. We respect the company's values, leadership and their dedication to specialty bike retailers."
The NBDA acquired the mechanics school during the period when it was led by Todd Grant, who departed the organization in late 2017. Bicycle Retailer & Industry News was operated by the NBDA and owned by Emerald Expositions until Feb. 1 this year, when it was acquired by Pocket Outdoor Media.
