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

SRAM ends sales of internal gear hubs

February 15, 2017
SRAM's I-Motion 3 disc brake hub.

CHICAGO (BRAIN) — SRAM is stopping production of its internal gear hubs and related parts due to declining sales, the company told customers this week. SRAM will accept orders for the parts until March 3 but will review each order to see if it can be fulfilled with available inventory and production capacity.

Posted in International

Dave Wiens named executive director of IMBA

February 8, 2017
Yeti's Chris Conroy named board chairman.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Retired racer Dave Wiens has quickly moved from the board chair of the International Mountain Bicycling Association to becoming its executive director. He replaces Mike Van Abel who resigned as executive director last summer.

Posted in Industry News

Chris Kegel, influential Milwaukee retailer and industry leader, dies at 63

February 7, 2017
UPDATED with reactions from John Burke and others.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (BRAIN) — Chris Kegel, owner of the Milwaukee retail chain Wheel & Sprocket and a longtime advocate for cycling, died Tuesday after a months-long struggle with bile-duct cancer.

Posted in Retail News

Felt president: Rossignol and Felt are 'a perfect match'

February 3, 2017
Bill Duehring

IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — The coupling of a 110-year-old French winter sports brand and a teenaged American bicycle company was a perfect match, said Bill Duehring, president of Felt Bicycle.

Posted in International

SE Bikes gets some Super Bowl visibility in Skittles ad

February 3, 2017
UPDATED: It all started at a bike shop, of course.

PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Super Bowl viewers may see at least one bicycle during the ad breaks on Sunday (and on Youtube before and after the game). In a Skittles candy ad, retired NFL player Marshawn Lynch pedals an SE Bikes Fat Ripper around Houston.

Posted in Industry News

Velotooler app up and running, adds insurance and new partnerships

January 26, 2017
A screenshot of the Velotooler iOS app.

HAMDEN, Conn. (BRAIN) — Velotooler, a web-based program that matches up consumers with independent bike mechanics, is getting off the ground with a trial run in New England, where about 80 transactions have been completed this month. The company now offers its mechanics a group insurance program.

Posted in Product/Tech

Mechanics association working with UBI on certification program

January 26, 2017

AUSTIN, Texas (BRAIN) — The newly formed Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association is working with United Bicycle Institute to develop a standardized mechanic certification. Once completed, the certification process would allow instruction and testing by organizations including UBI and others.

Posted in Retail News

Why was Huffy's CEO at the IBD Summit?

January 21, 2017
Bill Smith at the IBD Summit on Wednesday

TEMPE, Ariz. (BRAIN) — Bill Smith doesn't see a distinction between the mass market and IBD channel. And he'd like to send some of his customers to bike shops.

Posted in Industry News

Suits fly as LeMond Composites fires its CEO

January 20, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) — Greg LeMond's company has fired and is suing Connie Jackson, the CEO of LeMond Composites and a co-inventor of a key technology for the company. She has filed a countersuit.

Posted in Industry News

Pinarello says it needs more information on Velocite patent infringement claims

January 12, 2017
Company says it 'will not tolerate' public charges of thievery.
Art from Velocite's Taiwan patent.

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Pinarello has responded to public claims that its newest road frame, introduced this week, infringes on patents owned by Velocite related to a concave downtube, intended to smooth airflow over waterbottles.

Posted in International

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