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

Midway distributes to shops and programs overlooked by other suppliers

April 11, 2019

ST. PAUL, Minn. (BRAIN) — While the rest of the industry battles over market share in the enthusiast market, Midway Bicycle Supply is finding growth providing parts and accessories to nonprofit shops and other programs that serve consumers in need of lower-priced bikes. Those operations, as well as some mobile service and service-only shops, often can’t establish accounts with larger distributors.

Posted in Industry News

Spinlister returns with new bike-share capability for IBDs

April 11, 2019
Spinlister’s kiosk bike rental system works with nearly any iOS tablet.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Spinlister, which started as a peer-to-peer bike-share platform in 2012, has been reborn with technology that can help IBDs dip a toe into the micromobility boom.

Posted in Retail News

PBMA brings mechanic schools, brands together to work on standardized training

April 10, 2019

DEL MAR, Calif. (BRAIN) — The industry is moving ever closer to a long-held goal of creating a standardized mechanic certification.

Posted in Retail News

Unsecured creditors sue 'insider group' to recover debts from ASE

April 8, 2019

DURHAM, N.C. (BRAIN) — A committee of unsecured debtors — whose members include a long list of bicycle suppliers owed millions by the bankrupt former owner of Performance Bicycle and ASI — is suing some of the companies that hold preferential positions in a bid to increase the amount of debt they are ultimately able to recover.

Posted in Industry News

BRAIN apologizes for phrases in Guest Editorial

April 8, 2019
We’ve removed the phrases from the web posting.

On behalf of BRAIN I’d like to apologize for a phrase that appeared twice in a Guest Editorial published in our April 1 print issue and on our website this week. The phrase, which appeared twice in the column, was offensive and unacceptable and we regret that it survived our editing process.

Posted in Industry News

TIMELINE: How SRAM pulled off the most talked about product launch of the year

April 5, 2019
As SRAM launches Force AXS eTap, a look at how the company made its new 12-speed wireless groups available at retail the same day they went public.
SRAM held a camp in January in Tucson to show the media the new parts — on embargo basis.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Next week at Sea Otter, most consumers will get their first look at SRAM's new Force AXS eTap parts, lower priced versions of the Red AXS eTap parts launched in February. But the new parts became available this week, the same day SRAM publicly unveiled them.

Posted in Product/Tech

PeopleForBikes releases third Bicycling Participation Study

April 4, 2019
Too early to talk about trends, but the 2018 study validates previous findings.
Source: PeopleForBikes' 2018 US Bicycling Participation Study.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Sometime next year, PeopleForBikes will release its fourth Bicycling Participation Study results and the organization's research director, Jen Boldry, will be ready to talk about trends in bicycle use in America.

Posted in Studies/Reports

Taipei Cycle snapshots: New and updated products from Taiwan's huge trade show

March 28, 2019

Some quick hits from the Taipei Cycle show in Taiwan this week.

Posted in Product/Tech

REI targets more growth in cycling, begins sales of Cannondale and Bontrager in all stores

February 28, 2019

SEATTLE, Wash. (BRAIN) — REI Co-op says it's targeting the bike category for growth with the addition of Cannondale bikes and parts & accessories from the Trek-owned Bontrager brand at all 154 of its U.S. locations and online this year.

Posted in Retail News

ASI ready for business, new owners say

February 19, 2019
Company is relaunching with warehouses full of in-season products that were held back from the ASE bankruptcy liquidation sales.

PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Advanced Sports Inc., the distribution arm of Advanced Sports Enterprises, is now ready to return to full-scale business, selling Fuji, Kestrel, Breezer, SE Bikes and its other brands to U.S. retailers.

Posted in Industry News

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