Bicycle Retailer and Industry News - Retail News

Dealer Tour steams through New York

bradmin — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:03:44 +0000

NEW YORK, NY (BRAIN) Thursday July 19 2012 6:22 AM MT—The BRAIN New York City Dealer Tour's second day included some triple-digit temperatures, an uncontested visit to Coney Island's Nathan's Frankfurters, and a late-day cloudburst that brought a bit of adventure to our 40-mile jaunt.

Along the way, we found another diverse group of retailers — four shops that had little in common other than a desire to serve bike lovers.

R&A Cycles

It’s been a flat 2012 at R&A Cycles—and that suits the retailer’s Albert Cabbad just fine.

“This year has been kind of awkward,” said Cabbad, son of R&A founder and owner Philip Cabbad. “We took big steps back to change our way going forward. … But I’m content; I’m fine. I’m having a good year.”

The 36-year-old shop, an early adopter of e-commerce that has become a major online seller, is bringing to fruition two key projects aimed at boosting its fortunes in the long term: A revamp of its website—the initial stage of which was set to launch the day of Bicycle Retailer’s visit Wednesday--and the consolidation of its myriad storage spaces into a central warehouse as large as 20,000 square feet to, in part, streamline processing of web orders.

Meanwhile in R&A’s storefront in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood, Cabbad keeps refreshing product displays every three months, and separate rooms segment product for high-end road bikes, tri gear and family bikes.

R&A's impressive inventory of high-end road bikes.
R&A's store front
Roy's service entrance
Roy's is a Sheepshead landmark
Web editor Steve Frothingham couldn't figure out how to text from Roy's phone
BRAIN managing editor Toby Hill chats with a staffer at Roy's
The crew fueled up at the original Nathan's on Coney Island
Bicycle Habitat's bright and sunny store front
By the time we got to Bespoke, the rain was starting
Bespoke lowers a bike into the service area
Waiting out the cloudburst at Brespoke

Pointing out R&A’s variety of hybrid, kids’ and flat-bar road bikes, Cabbad commented: “No one is buying a $10,000 bike without owning one of these first.”

Roy’s Sheepshead Cycle

We dropped in on this retailer at Sheepshead Bay, which separates Brooklyn from Coney Island, to catch up with owner Allen Trepel—a fool’s errand, it turned out.

The silver-haired Trepel, who has run the 81-year-old shop since 1977, was far too busy with business on the shop floor despite it being a sweltering Wednesday morning. He fielded phone call after phone call. Then a young woman looking to buy her race road bike commanded his attention. He started walking her through Roy’s Sheepshead’s myriad brands (it’d be easier to list the bike lines Trepel doesn’t carry than the ones he does).

Fortunately, Frank Barrios could spare a couple minutes to talk to us. Barrios, New York-area account manager for Cycling Sports Group, was moving about Roy’s 1,500-square-foot expansion designed as a Cannondale-exclusive store-within-a-store.

The new space still needs some finishing touches, but the open layout and new accessibility of product—many of the brand’s accessories previously were set behind counters rather than on the shop floor, for instance—have already shown dividends, according to Barrios. “Clothing and accessories have doubled over the past few months,” he said.

Keith Trepel had little more time for the BRAIN crew than his father did. “I’m on vacation starting tomorrow, and I just have to finish this order. I told my wife I already left,” he said.

Still, he said business is strong at the family concern, with sales up 10 percent or more each of the past six years.

With that, we walked outside to our bikes, and to say goodbye to our shop owner/host, who was on the sidewalk attending to a test-ride for a customer who hadn’t ridden a bike in 30 years. Trepel gave him an encouraging push on the saddle and sent him on his way. Head down, he gave a cursory wave as he passed us and headed back into his shop.

Bicycle Habitat

After years of advocacy work and pushing for more bike lanes and bike access on city bridges with local advocacy group Transportation Alterntives, Charlie McCorkell is seeing the fruits of his labor—more New Yorkers on bikes. And his one-year-old Brooklyn location is meeting this new demand. The shop’s sales have steadily grown since it opened in May 2011, and many of the customers are first-time adult riders.

A few blocks from Prospect Park, and surrounded by freshly painted bike lanes, the 3,000-square-foot Park Slope store serves the community’s growing commuter and recreational rider crowd. Libby McComb and Emily Samstag co-manage the store where one third of the 13 employees are women—something that has helped it connect with female consumers. Bicycle Habitat also sponsors two women’s road racing teams.

McComb, who worked at Bicycle Habitat’s Soho store for nine years before moving over to the new location, said from the onset, they aimed to be an all-around shop. The Brooklyn shop carries some of the same brands as Soho—Trek and Specialized are its main suppliers—but sprinkles in more utility product like Yuba cargo bikes.

Brightly lit, well-merchandised and with visible signage throughout, it’s an inviting shopping environment for the first-time shopper. Another way it feeds interest from walkers by: one of its service stands is in the front of the store where walkers by can see how a bike is repaired.

Bicycle Habitat is one of New York’s longest standing shops; McCorkell opened the Soho store in 1978.

Bespoke Bicycles

Stepping into Bespoke's tiny Fort Greene showroom feels like walking into the living room (or the walk-in closet) belonging to a connoisseur of a very particular style of bike. Think of lugged frames, leather saddles, waxed cotton bags, hammered aluminum fenders and hubs polished to a mirror's shine.

Longtime Bicycle Habitat employee Cassidy Vare opened the new store about three years ago. Bespoke carries complete bikes from Raleigh (the Clubman, a steel touring bike, is a favorite) but prefers to put together custom porteur and randonneur bikes starting with Velo Orange, Rawland and Soma frames.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, you can swing a cat in Bespoke's showroom, but not without considerable damage to the cat. Service is done in the basement. After moving in, Vare realized that the stairway was too narrow to carry a bike down, so he cut a hole in the showroom floor and installed a pulley system to lower bikes into the store's bowels.

Manager Jonathan Pastir said the store's clientele is often young professionals with an appreciation for art, design and history.

"They are people who understand bike history and appreciate classic bikes," he said. Many work in fashion or graphic arts. "They want to specify every part and they don't care if it costs $4,000," he said.

Longtime Toronto retailer Murad Hassanali dies at age 77

DeanYobbi — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:47:16 +0000

TORONTO (BRAIN) — Longtime retailer and cycling advocate Murad Hassanali, who owned and operated three Giant/Liv stores, died in a hospital Oct. 26. He was 77.

Hassanali battled numerous health complications over the years, including pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes. An early discovery of pancreatic cancer allowed him to undergo a complex procedure to remove his pancreas.

He continued another 10 years enjoying his passions for cycling, travel, and photography. Visiting numerous countries and cities, Hassanali had a photograph vault with more than 200,000 pictures.

The three stores he owned — Giant Toronto, Giant Vaughan, and Giant Scarborough — are continuing to be operated by sons Jabir, Hassan, and Assif.

Hassanali was born in 1948, and it was in Zanzibar, Tanzania, that his passion for cycling originated. His entrepreneurial drive later brought him and his family to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and ultimately to Toronto in the late 1980s.

In addition to his three sons, Hassanali is survived by nine grandchildren.

Pinkbike's BuySell program updated with seller and buyer reviews

Steve Frothingham — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 17:15:14 +0000

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The BuySell feature on BRAIN's sister site Pinkbike.com is popular with many bike retailers who use it to sell new and used merchandise. This week Pinkbike announced some improvements to the program, including a peer rating system for buyers and sellers.

"Buying and selling things online relies on trust between buyers and sellers. Historically, the BuySell has benefited from the Pinkbike community: actual riders buying and selling their gear, where active users could earn reputations and scammers stood out. But as the platform has grown, scam attempts have gotten more sophisticated and effective," said Brian Park, the executive director of cycling content at Outside.

"To more easily identify good sellers and bad actors, we've introduced BuySell User Reviews, a system that lets people rate and review their communications and transactions with other users. At the same time, we're updating the pricing for boosted listings and increasing the number of active listings allowed," Park said.

On BuySell, Pinkbike doesn't handle payments or verify transactions. Exchanges are entirely between users. Now, buyers and sellers can leave public feedback after their interactions, helping others decide who to deal with and who to avoid.

Buyers and sellers can leave a review for another user when they've had a two-way conversation about a BuySell listing through Pinkbike messages, or a seller marks an item as sold to another Pinkbike user.

When marking an item as sold, sellers can tag the buyer's username, either by selecting them from the message list or adding it manually if the sale happened elsewhere (like a shop or local meetup). Once the sale is marked, both users can leave reviews for each other.

If a review is linked to a completed sale, it will indicate that a product was bought or sold.

Anyone who gets a review they don't agree with can communicate to resolve the issue directly or dispute the review with Pinkbike, which will hide the review while moderators review it.

If the review stands, it returns to public view. If it's removed, it's gone for good and can't be re-posted for that item.

Alongside the launch of User Reviews, Pinkbike also rolled out a few updates aimed at improving how the BuySell marketplace works for everyone.

In the past, Pinkbike limited the number of active listings to distinguish private sellers from businesses. Now those limits have been raised so private sellers don't have to bundle multiple products into a single listing.

Pinkbike also increased prices for Boosted Listings to reduce search clutter and improve visibility for quality listings. This is intended to maintain the revenue needed to continue improving the platform, while decreasing the overall number of boosts. Fewer boosted posts means each one gets more meaningful exposure, and buyers get more relevant search results, Park said.

Currently free accounts are allowed to make up to 20 active listings, with Boosts costing $20. Outside+ account holders can make up to 30 active listings, with $5 Boosts. Powerseller accounts can make unlimited listings, with $2 Boosts.

More information on Pinkbike.

Upcoming holiday shopping events divide retailers over their worth

DeanYobbi — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:19:54 +0000

PORTLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — For Tom Martin, owner of TomCat Bikes, Small Business Saturday never contributed much to the bottom line, and that was the general opinion of the shops BRAIN contacted in the days leading up to the shopping event that encourages buying local.

"Small Business Saturday is a usual workday without fanfare," he said. "Again, not much reason to promote because it doesn't increase revenue or margins for my shop. In the past, I've pre-wrapped gifts, offered holiday discounts, seasonal product, etc. Nothing really stuck as my primary business model is repair and used bike sales."

However, Martin noted how another Portland area shop is approaching it.

"With all that said, I really like the messaging that Nomad Cycles in Portland has put out regarding this weekend of conspicuous over consumption."

Nomad Cycles — which specializes in e-bikes, conversion kits, adaptive cycles, and service — circulated an email touting 25% off storewide while dismissing the pomp and circumstance of Black Friday and leaning into Small Business Saturday.

'No pressure. No gimmicks'

"This year, we're opting out of the Black Friday frenzy," the email reads. "No pressure. No gimmicks. No race for the cheapest deal.

"At Nomad Cycles, we believe in thoughtful, human-centered buying, and supporting the people who build, repair, and care for the things you use every day. When you choose small, you're choosing craft, community, and connection. Thank you for continuing to choose us!"

Founder Brad Davis told BRAIN that while Black Friday isn't Nomad's style, Small Business Saturday strikes a chord. Nomad participated for the first time last year and sold a high-end bike that day. Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010, and the Small Business Administration began cosponsoring in 2011.

Vote in BRAIN's current Weekly Survey on its homepage: Retailers, are you participating in Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29?

"The Black Friday thing was not really palpable," said Davis, whose shop just marked its 10th year. "But when I heard about Small Business Saturday, I was like, 'Well, that makes sense.' I like that. We can do something for that. But we're on the dark side of the year right now, and we could use some dollars coming in for sure."

With the exception of the first couple weeks of December, Davis said sales dip afterward.

"The last couple of years, it seems like I should be closed for all of January," he said. "It really dries out."

Julie Gabay, Pacific Cycling & Triathlon owner, said she sees no increase in Black Friday and Small Business Saturday shoppers at her Stamford, Connecticut, shop.

"We're a higher-end bike shop where, honestly, people buy stuff for themselves," she said. "A lot of the bikes that we sell can't go on sale. No one's going to be like, 'Oh, I'm gonna wait till Black Friday to buy a bike.'"

Pacific Cycling & Triathlon does sell kids bikes, but Gabay said because of the price increases, they aren't in demand like in years' past. "The price for kids bikes has just skyrocketed," Gabay said. "It's crazy. They're $599 for a 24-inch bike, and they're going to outgrow it in two years. The prices on the lower-end bikes have gotten very high, which is why we don't sell a lot of low-end bikes. It's not worth it."

Discounts on some shoes and helmets were started a week in advance of Small Business Saturday, Gabay said, but "I have small expectations. Would I like to have bigger expectations? Sure."

Touright Bicycle Shop's David Sperstad said it's hard to justify investing too much into Black Friday or Small Business Saturday. "People just want something for next to nothing," said Sperstad, whose shop is located in Little Falls, Minnesota. "I know a fast nickel is worth more than a slow dime, yet that's how I've been since we opened. I tell people I'm in business to help them enjoy riding a bicycle and to stay in business. Not to give them a deal so I can go out of business, and the locals have come to understand that it is who I am and pretty authentic to who I am, which keeps me healthy."

That was echoed by Jason Bauer, owner of Bauerhaus Bikes in Boise, Idaho.

"We close on Thursday and are back on Monday. We don't participate in the hijinks. I'm not going to be on our deathbed, wishing we would have worked that day."

NBDA offers advice to retailers

For those retailers who will open Black Friday and want to participate in Small Business Saturday, NBDA Executive Director Heather Mason urges shop owners to view both days as "invitations" to welcome the community into their business.

"This is the time to embrace the holiday hustle, not as a burden, but as a chance to share what we love with the people who support us all year long," Mason wrote in an email to NBDA members this week.

Black Friday suggestions Mason shared with members include "Turkey Trot Rides," creating Strava challenges with prizes for those who ride the most miles, and hosting a shop clinic. For Small Business Saturday, she recommends instead of prioritizing shopping and sales to celebrate "the fabric of our communities. I encourage you to share your story authentically."

For example:

Post images from when you first started: let people see where you began.
Showcase your shop's evolution over the years through photos and memories.
Celebrate how the community has supported you and highlight the ways you've given back.
Feature your team members and share the stories of families you've helped discover the joy of cycling.
Create a "community wall" in-store with photos of customers and their bikes over the years.

To help retailers widen their reach during the holiday season, adventure brand content platform Popfly announced this week it is expanding its technology to help small businesses with Popfly Local, connecting small businesses with local creators and influencers.

While Martin said he has no desire right now to participate in Black Friday, he lightheartedly said in an email he could be persuaded.

"So in the spirit of Gen-X Adbusters snark, 'TomCat bikes has +Black Friday pricing, where everything is 20% higher.' If they want me to take time away from my family, it will cost them."

Dick's net sales rise 36%, completes acquisition of Foot Locker

DeanYobbi — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:45:27 +0000

PITTSBURGH (BRAIN) — Dick's Sporting Goods net sales increased 36.3% year-over-year in the third quarter while the big-box brand completed the Foot Locker acquisition and announced it will close an undisclosed number of the underperforming shoe stores.

Net sales for the quarter ending Nov. 1 was $4.17 billion, compared with $3.06 billion at the same time last year. Dick's will raise its full-year guidance for comparable sales growth to a range of 3.5% to 4.0%, an increase from 2.0% to 3.5% previously. Dick's also reported 5.7% comp sales growth.

Year-over-year net income for the quarter was down 67%, from $228 million to $75 million, and earnings per share decreased 69%, from $2.75 to $0.86.

"At Foot Locker, we've assembled a world-class management team and are taking decisive actions to 'clean out the garage' by clearing unproductive inventory, closing underperforming stores, and laying the foundation for a fresh start in 2026," said Ed Stack, executive chairman.

Dick's announced the appointment of Matthew Barnes as Foot Locker president, effective Dec. 3. Barnes will lead the business' international operations with a focus on driving growth. Barnes has nearly three decades of leadership experience from across the United Kingdom, Europe, U.S., China, and Australia.

Dick's opened 13 House of Sport locations and six Field House locations during the quarter.

Dick's Sporting Goods is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the DKS symbol. More information: DKS stock quote at NYSE.com.

Saddle platform offers consumer and retailer benefits

Steve Frothingham — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A version of this story ran in the October issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Saddle is a platform that lets bike owners track their rides, set maintenance schedules, book service appointments, and even set boundaries for kids rides.

For bike retailers, the platform includes retail operations features including service scheduling and zero-cost payment processing. More importantly, it is meant to provide something akin to an AI-augmented digital salesperson that suggests tailored upsell options and service visits to customers. The platform can also use customer base habits to inform retail stocking decisions.

The startup was founded by Ben Menahem, who worked in the venture capital industry before getting bike retail exposure in his father’s shops during the COVID pandemic. Besides being a shop owner, Menahem’s father, David, is the founder of the Phat Cycles bike brand, which he sold to ASI in 2015. Ben’s uncle, David’s brother, was industry legend Ben Lawee, the founder of the Univega brand. Lawee died in 2002.

Working in bike retail during the COVID boom — and bust — Menahem saw the challenges facing the industry.

“I think every single store owner will tell you it comes down to two issues now: One, no one is coming into our stores, and two, if they do come in, our employees are having a tough time selling to them,” Menahem told BRAIN.

Menahem feels the challenges run counter to the industry’s strengths. “We are now witnessing the most health-conscious generation in history. The gyms are full, the Pilates classes are full. So what is happening in the cycling space that we’re not keeping up?”

Ai ABC?

He says the solution lies in creating “the perfect salesman.” No, Saddle doesn’t offer a robotic Alec Baldwin who’ll Always Be Closing until he replaces all the industry’s showroom pros. Instead Menahem said Saddle’s digital tools “help mesh the best of e-commerce with the retail, in-person platform. Because even if we look 100 years down the road, you’re still going to need repair and locations and mechanics that actually have a deep understanding and knowledge of the space.”

Saddle is designed to integrate with cycling applications including Strava and use available data and AI to create detailed customer profiles. The app then sends smart notifications to spur sales and service at participating shops.

“We are able to predict their needs, optimize the timing and personalize it to the extreme. And over time it just gets better and better,” he said.

The smart notifications are especially effective, he said, because the platform has its own frictionless payment system to reduce purchasing resistance. “There’s no card, no cash. Just a yes or no button on your phone,” he said.

He envisions the platform as something of a trusted marketplace for consumers — a bit like Uber Eats, delivering bike sales and service, instead of pizza and burritos, from multiple locations. “The biggest issue that consumers have with bike shops is lack of trust. What we’re trying to do is have a platform that’s holding both sides accountable.

“So a general consumer comes in and doesn’t know if it’s time to overhaul their drivetrain. By providing them with an application that is tracking their riding, it’s shows them the proof in the data. So the shop says, ‘here’s the data, from a trusted third-party source that’s not owned by us, not owned by the (bike) brand’ … People are no longer using Papa John’s delivery direct, right? They are using Uber Eats.”

The platform recently announced an agreement with the National Bicycle Dealers Association that provides three years of free service and a lifetime discount to the first 100 NBDA members who sign up.

More information at RideSaddle.com.

REI to close three stores, including NYC SoHo location

DeanYobbi — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:38:13 +0000

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — A week after announcing a strategic plan to employees that would involve difficult decisions to grow sales, REI Co-op said it will close three stores next year, including the New York City SoHo location.

In addition to the New York City store, REI will close its Boston location in late 2026. Its Paramus, New Jersey, store will close in Q1.

In conveying a three-year plan last week, CEO Mary Beth Laughton said the co-op will update its membership program. In May, when REI announced its yearly net sales, it said a million new members joined in 2024, with its total now more than 25 million.

Net sales for 2024 declined 6.2% year-over-year as Laughton acknowledged a challenging marketplace. Net sales for the year were reported at $3.53 billion, compared with $3.76 billion in 2023. Net loss for the year was $156.4 million, compared with $214.6 million in 2023.

The SoHo location was the first REI location to unionize, after a vote in March 2022. A year later, workers with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union filed 80 nationwide unfair labor practice complaints against the outdoor retailer for bad-faith bargaining practices. That came after worker walkouts at the Boston; Chicago; and Maple Grove, Minnesota, locations.

Moab-area retailers say new e-bike rule is not a big deal

Steve Frothingham — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 17:20:34 +0000

"You can be a jerk on any type of bike” — local retailer.

MOAB, Utah (BRAIN) — Last week's announcement by the Bureau of Land Management that it will open 200 miles of mountain bike trails in the Moab area to Class 1 e-bikes has industry folks buzzing with both trepidation and eager anticipation.

The new policy takes effect March 1. Depending on who you ask, this BLM regulation change is an impending disaster, a boon to tourism and shop revenues, or as one iconic shop owner told us, “...just not that big of a deal.”

Chile Pepper Bike Shop's Chase Cauthey said he supports the BLM’s new policy. “It’s a great thing for Moab and for our business,” the store's service manager said. “It’s where the industry is going, putting more people on bikes to get out there and enjoy our trails. We were deterring people from coming here because no e-bikes were allowed.”

Chile Pepper has 90 rental bikes now and plans to grow to 110 bikes, with 30 being e-bikes. “We were already gearing up for the change,” Cauthey said. “We didn’t get a heads-up, it was just an educated guess. It's gonna happen, so we might as well get out in front of it.”

Rider education is a big concern at the shop, he said. “We do our best at telling people what they can and can’t do with their ability,” Cauthen said. “Most people are pretty good about listening since their safety is at stake. Some may find out the hard way.”

E-Bike Moab is a rental-only shop. Owner Mick Vallantine told BRAIN he welcomed the BLM announcement. “I certainly hope that business will pick up with the changes. I expect 15 to 20% growth in my business year over year as the word gets out. We have 80 eMTBs to rent now so we won’t need to expand the fleet,” he said.

Current renters are mostly over 40, Vallantine noted. “We recommend trails that will combine their skill set and health issues. We're able to assess the ability of the rider and if they don't have the skills for the trail system, then we advise other options.”

Poison Spider owner Scott Newton shared his positive perspective on the BLM rule change. “I’m glad the BLM took a fact-based approach and didn’t give in to fear-based rhetoric,” he said.

Poison Spider Bicycles has shifted more toward rentals. “Riders from all over the world come to Moab to rent and ride. When they have a great experience, we aim to convert that into a sale. Unfortunately, in many cases, the customer ends up purchasing the same bike from their local bike shop instead,” Newton noted.

Newton described himself as “a complete hater” of e-bikes initially. “That all changed once I rode one,“ he said. “While I've seen lots of illegal e-bike use, in my experience, I’m not seeing trail damage or user conflicts. In fact, I often find e-bikers to be more courteous than some seasoned mountain bikers.”

Concerns about overcrowding are overblown, Newton contended. “Over the last couple of years, tourism in Moab has actually been down. I don’t think we’re about to be overrun with e-bikes. There are just too many incredible new places to ride nearby.”

Ashley Korenblat, owner of tour organizer Western Spirit Cycling, said the decision to open Moab trails to e-bikes was both positive and inevitable, with some limitations. “A motor does not give you skills,” she said. “If you don't have the experience to keep both wheels weighted or know how to time your pedal strokes, an e-bike will not help on a technical trail.”

“E-bikes will allow riders with less fitness to join longer distance tours with more confidence, but it won't allow them to ride technical trails that are outside their skills level. Renting an e-bike for your friend who is a beginner will not make riding gnarly singletrack fun for them.”

The last word from an icon

Troy Rarick, owner of the four-store Over the Edge Sports stores, was instrumental in Fruita, Colorado's trail-building and promotion starting in 1995. “E-bikes were legalized on our (Fruita) trails in 2019 and it really didn’t change anything,” he noted.

Rarick observed that e-bikes were already common on Moab’s trails. “When you see everyone else doing it without enforcement, you do it too. The BLM lost control of the situation and this is their way of getting it back,” Rarick said. “Cracking down on enforcement wouldn't have worked.”

“It’s like when weed got legalized and nothing really changed,” he noted. “It’s a relief that we haven’t seen the knee-jerk fears people predicted. It’s really about people and their attitudes. You can be a jerk on any type of bike.”

IMBA supportive

International Mountain Bicycling Association CEO Kent McNeill said he supports BLM’s decision. “We commend Moab for their responsible effort in making this decision through public process and local input. We support Class 1 access to non-motorized trails,” he said.

Concerns about enforcement are well-founded, McNeill noted. “To make it easier and effective there needs to be clear labeling of eMTBs. Doing so helps avoid the slippery slope of difficult-to-detect technology. Combined with appropriate penalties and clear signage, labeling goes a long way to help provide effective enforcement.”

The BLM’s environmental assessment and an interactive map are available online at the BLM NEPA register.

FDNY responds to fire at illegal battery repair business

DeanYobbi — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:21:10 +0000

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Firefighters extinguished a lithium-ion battery fire Sunday in the cellar of a Queens home operating as a battery repair business, according to the Fire Department of New York.

About 100 lithium-ion batteries in various states of disassembly were on fire when the FDNY arrived at 164-18 Pidgeon Meadow Road. No injuries were reported.

FDNY Haz-Mat units removed about 600 battery cells from the location. The FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention issued a summons to the owner for illegal storage of e-mobility devices. Additionally, an FDNY summons was also issued against the property owner for miscellaneous fire code infractions.

As of Monday, the FDNY has responded to 172 lithium-ion battery fires this year, five more than this time last year, officials said.

In 2023, the City Council's lithium-ion battery safety package was signed into law, prohibiting the sale of e-bikes and other powered mobility devices and their batteries that don't meet UL certification.

Fuel Goods expands to larger facility, invests long-term in Western North Carolina

DeanYobbi — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 17:31:26 +0000

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BRAIN) — Sports nutrition e-commerce brand Fuel Goods Inc. announced earlier this month a $1.7 million investment in a fully integrated facility here that it said will create 47 new jobs in the next five years.

With an average wage of $42.91 an hour, the jobs will be in logistics, marketing, and technology, with the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville Buncombe County saying it will grow the city's "economic mobility" and enhance the region's reputation for outdoor recreation and wellness.

"I have always believed that there could be more industry here than there is," said Laura Jorgensen, who along with Courteney Lowe, launched Fuel Goods in 2024, merging their RunnerBox and RiderBox subscription businesses. "I think one of the things that probably attracts us all to Asheville and the surrounding area is the low-key vibe. I think sometimes that comes at odds with building a company like this because a lot of people want to work for six hours a day and then go ride or whatever. So I think sometimes finding the right people can be more challenging."

Fuel Goods recently moved into the new facility it leased that's about four times larger than its predecessor and now includes in-house fulfillment. Tropical Storm Helene in September impacted the previous off-site fulfillment location along the French Broad River. Fortunately for Jorgensen and Lowe, none of their inventory was ruined despite extensive damage to the facility. The natural disaster forced them to accelerate some of their long-term plans.

"It was a fork in the road in that we have a vision and the goal to scale," Jorgensen said. "We thought we'd be able to stay in that facility for a lot longer, but with the damage they had, it was clear we had to move on. And that was the impetus for us to even consider bringing the warehouse in-house, move the whole facility, and staff it ourselves. We knew we would do that eventually, but it happened a lot sooner than we had imagined."

During the relief efforts, Fuel Goods collaborated with Asheville-based sustainable sportswear company Pressio USA to create shirts to raise more than $20,000 for WNC outdoor companies affected by the storm.

Fuel Goods has resumed raising a seed round of funding, which was paused because of the storm. "Hopefully, there'll be more to come as we move further along our expansion," Jorgensen said.

She took over The RunnerBox as a side gig in 2013 from two friends who were becoming overwhelmed keeping up with demand. "Because I have some business chops since I came from that world, I knew what I needed to do," said Jorgensen, who previously worked at Royal Caribbean Cruises in Miami as a business analyst.

A year later, fellow cycling pro Lowe joined, and they launched The RiderBox for cyclists in 2015. Fuel Goods then was created nine years later to encompass both subscription platforms. Runner subscribers outnumber cyclist subscribers about 60-40, but Jorgensen said that side has potential to grow.

With the sports nutrition market evolving and expanding, the sheer number of products can be overwhelming for the average endurance runner and cyclist seeking fueling options, Jorgensen said. While The Feed caters more to the professional and elite athlete, Fuel Goods markets its subscription boxes to what she calls the everyday athlete.

"I think The Feed has really become a lot bigger in the past couple of years," she said. "I think they do a really good job at what they do. And I think it's really hyper-focused toward the more elite athlete. So we're a little more low key, not as intimidating, especially coming from women in a male-dominated industry. I think for a lot of women, they're still scared to go into bike shops. They don't want to be mansplained to. No offense or anything, but we just wanted to create a space where anybody could go that was inclusive."

With about 500 SKUs — including gels, chews, healthy snacks, bars, and recovery nutrition — Jorgensen said they offer auto-ship and one-time purchase options and constantly evaluate adding additional products — up to a point.

"I don't see any reason to carry 40 different gels that people have to decide which one," she said. "I think it's just too many, and it's too overwhelming, where we prefer to have a more vetted collection of stuff that we really, really want to get behind to help people navigate that."

Fuel Goods combines larger brands like Skratch, Honey Stinger, GU, and Alete Active Nutrition — which owns Bonk Breaker and SaltStick — with smaller brands that might manufacture only one product.

"I think part of our strategy is we want the big-brand-name people in there, but we also want products that you may never find. So that gives those brands a really excellent opportunity."