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.

All articles by Steve Frothingham

February 7, 2025

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — President Donald Trump on Friday reversed the step he took on Monday to close the de minimis loophole, which allows packages valued at less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty free.

Posted in Industry News
February 5, 2025
The legislation would give the president power to reciprocate the tariffs other nations impose on U.S. goods.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The bike industry is closely watching new legislation introduced in the House, which would give the president a powerful weapon in negotiating trade agreements with every nation on the globe.

Posted in Industry News
February 5, 2025
But there are other ways to look at the numbers …
The number of non-electric bikes imported last year climbed back above 10 million.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — After steep declines in 2022 and 2023, the number of non-electric bikes imported last year increased 16.7% to 11.1 million units, according to import statistics released Wednesday.

Posted in Industry News
February 3, 2025
Getty image. Don't laugh.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The specialty market has been moving out of China rapidly, but the U.S. still imports lots of e-bikes and juvenile bikes from China, and relies on components for bike assembly in other nations. Canada and Mexico don't export many bike products to the U.S., but new tariffs — and retaliatory tariffs — could be burdensome to some.

Posted in Industry News
February 3, 2025
Automation, proximity to component makers and factory efficiency are larger factors that hourly wages.
Guerrilla Gravity offered a highly automated carbon frame process.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The difference between labor costs in Asia and the U.S., while stark, are actually manageable, industry sources tell BRAIN. It turns out that other factors weigh heavier when brands decide where to make or assemble their bikes.

Posted in Opinion/Analysis
January 28, 2025

Editor's note: A version of this article ran in the January issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

Posted in Product/Tech
January 23, 2025
QO is partnering with Taiwan carbon manufacturer YMA on the new line.
The QO Grava crankset

KORTRIJK, Belgium (BRAIN) — Pablo Carrasco and Ignacio Estelles, the co-founders of the Rotor Bike Components, launched a new component brand called QO at the Velofollies bike show in Belgium last week. 

Posted in International
January 22, 2025

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — One of the first moves by Pedego’s new CEO, Larry Pizzi, will be to set up a program allowing Pedego dealers to access other brands of e-bikes for the first time.

Posted in Industry News
January 21, 2025

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Some lovers of vintage bikes work to bring them to sparkling, like-new condition. Wakeman Massie rides the hell out of them.

Posted in Product/Tech
January 11, 2025
A workstand in the ruins on Thursday. Steve Salinas photo.

ALTADENA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Retailer Steve Salinas spent much of this week in the midst of the Eaton fire, notching some victories and some defeats. The rebuilding is still to come.

Posted in Retail News

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