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

CABDA shows expanding to Denver and New York area

February 15, 2019

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (BRAIN) — The Chicagoland Area Bicycle Dealers Association will continue to expand its reach far from the shores of Lake Michigan in the next 12 months.

CABDA's Midwest show closed Thursday and organizers announced two new venues for its next season.

Posted in Industry News

Over 100 laid off as ASE sale nears completion; remaining Performance stores to shutter

February 7, 2019

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (BRAIN) — About 95 employees at ASE's facility here — the longtime headquarters for the company's Performance retail division — were laid off Wednesday as it became near certain that the chain's remaining stores will close for good by next month. The layoffs ended hopes that Performance, once the country's largest bike retail chain with 104 stores and nearly 1,700 employees, would continue to operate brick-and-mortar stores.

Posted in Industry News

Pedego, with 107 licensed stores, tests IBD sales

February 5, 2019

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Pedego, the e-bike brand with over 100 licensed U.S. stores in operation, is testing a program to sell its bikes to independent retailers through a "store-within-a-store" program.

Posted in Industry News

New owners say they are committed to running ASI wholesale business

February 5, 2019

PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Part of the group that has agreed to purchase the assets of Advanced Sports Enterprises said Tuesday that they are committed to operating ASE's wholesale business, Advanced Sports Inc., and will continue selling ASI's brands including Fuji, Kestrel, SE, Breezer, Tuesday and component brand Oval Concepts.

Posted in Industry News

Tiger Group wins bid to buy ASE assets

February 2, 2019

GREENSBORO, N.C. (BRAIN) — A group of four companies called the Tiger Group submitted the winning bid to buy the assets of ASE for just over $23 million on Friday. A bankruptcy judge approved the bid; a closing is expected Tuesday.

Posted in Industry News

ASE explains why it rejected the largest bid for its assets

January 22, 2019
At last week's auction, a group led by Ideal Bike outbid Head Sports for ASE's assets by $1 million. But ASE said Head's bid was best, and charged that Ideal had sold Fuji and Kestrel bikes last month in violation of a court order.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (BRAIN) — Two sales hearings, scheduled for Tuesday morning here for the assets of Advanced Sports Enterprises, have been continued to Feb. 1.

Posted in Industry News

Partial government shutdown means CPSC is not announcing recalls

January 18, 2019
Specialized announced its recall on Twitter.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The partial federal government shutdown means that at least two active industry recalls have not yet been announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, although the companies responsible have issued recalls on their own and with government agencies in other countries.

Posted in Industry News

Emerald floats ideas for new Interbike, combined with OR show(s)

January 17, 2019

DEL MAR, Calif. (BRAIN) — Emerald Expositions, which announced last month that it was canceling its 2019 Interbike Expo, is talking to industry members about two options for a revived bike trade show as soon as this year.

Posted in Industry News

Head Sport agrees to buy most ASE assets for $22M

January 17, 2019

DURHAM, N.C. (BRAIN) — At a bankruptcy auction Wednesday, Head Sport — a European sports company best known for its skis and tennis rackets — agreed to purchase most of the assets of Advanced Sports Enterprises for about $22 million. The agreement is subject to court approval later this month.

Posted in Industry News

Specialized agrees to pay $700k for Roubaix trademark in the US; ASE bid deadline pushed back

January 11, 2019

DURHAM, N.C. (BRAIN) — Specialized Bicycle has agreed to pay bankrupt Advanced Sports Enterprises $700,000 for rights to the Roubaix bicycle trademark in the U.S.

Posted in Industry News

Pages