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

Guardian Bikes closes on $19M financing to open bike manufacturing facility

April 10, 2025

SEYMOUR, Ind. (BRAIN) — Guardian Bikes announced a $19 million financing with JPMorganChase, which the company said will power what it calls "the first large-scale bicycle frame manufacturing operation in the United States."

Posted in Industry News

Brompton celebrates 50th with new models and stores

April 10, 2025
A Brompton — outside the city??

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Brompton Bicycle is 50 years old this year, and as it looks to expand sales outside a handful of major cities, the most British of bike brands is getting … a bit cheeky?

Posted in Industry News

Despite uncertainty, Mexico's Mercurio factory still eyes US sales

April 9, 2025

SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, Mexico (BRAIN) — Mercurio Sports Group, a bike manufacturer and distributor in Mexico, opened a $25 million, 1.4 million square-foot facility-square-foot factory here in 2019, with plans to assemble bikes for the U.S. and the domestic market, and to eventually add frame manufacturing.

Posted in International

Why Allied frameworks went to Asia for its new gravel frame layup

April 8, 2025

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (BRAIN) — Best known for its U.S. manufacturing, Allied went to Asia for the layup of its new gravel bike. Its CEO said multiple factors led to that decision.

Posted in Industry News

Sidi gets a refresh with new ownership, new distribution

April 8, 2025

MASER, Italy (BRAIN)— Like many Italian cycling brands, Sidi, founded in 1960, struggled with a succession plan in recent years, with its founder entering his 90s and his children in their 60s. The solution came in the form of an even older Italian family company, Italmobiliare.

Posted in Industry News

Stinner quietly becomes one of largest U.S. framemakers

April 7, 2025

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Stinner Frameworks has quietly become one of the highest-volume framemakers in the U.S., putting out just under 2,000 frames for its own brand and others last year. And the 15-year-old company says it’s ready for more.

Posted in Industry News

Wrench Science owners hope to sell fitting and configurator platforms, other IP

April 7, 2025

BERKELEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — The owners of Wrench Science, the custom bike e-commerce site that closed earlier this winter, are looking to sell its remaining assets, including two custom-built online platforms: one that facilitates online bike sizing and a configurator that lets customers spec custom bikes with compatible parts.

Posted in Retail News

Bike maker takes steps to avert an unexpected million-dollar tariff charge

April 4, 2025
Tern GSD photo courtesy of Tern.

If Tern’s shipments don’t arrive from Vietnam before Wednesday, or get diverted, the cargo bike brand will be on the hook for about $1 million — cash — in tariff fees. Until this week, the company had planned on zero.

Posted in Industry News

Portuguese factory partners with Cardinal to open US bike assembly plant

April 4, 2025

(BRAIN) — Cardinal Cycling Group, the owner of the Time bicycle brand, is partnered with Unibike, a Portugal assembly factory, to open a painting and bike assembly factory in the Spartanburg, South Carolina, area this year.

Posted in Industry News

Analysis: Industry is certainly uncertain, now

April 3, 2025

(BRAIN) — While the industry is still searching for answers to detailed questions about the tariffs' implementation, Trump's Rose Garden announcement made clear that price increases are inevitable in the bike industry.

Posted in Opinion/Analysis

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