If you’ve been a cyclist for a long time, you remember the days of getting the Bike Nashbar catalog in the mail, often because you signed up for a bike racing license. I fondly remember thumbing through the pages in the 1980s and early 1990s, looking at all the great cycling gear that I wish I could afford but couldn’t, since I was a broke college student.
In the years before ecommerce existed and became commonplace, Nashbar was one of only a few mail order bike companies — and also one of the biggest. But by 2000, the other big catalog company, Performance Bicycle, purchased Nashbar. Nashbar was founded by Arnie Nashbar in 1974 in Ohio. Performance was founded in 1982
The two brands were run separately at that point, with Nashbar positioned as the discount brand, and Performance as the high end cycling products brand. Performance also opened up a series of brick and mortar bike shops around the country in the 2000s, with as many as 106 locations at their peak.
In 2016 Advanced Sports International (ASI) purchased Performance, along with all its brands including the Scattante bike brand and Nashbar. ASI also owned the bike brands Fuji, SE, Kestrel, Breezer, Phat Cycles and component brand Oval Concepts.
The parent company of ASI was the similarly named Advanced Sports Enterprises, or ASE. Unfortunately, ASE ran out of money and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November of 2018. The bankruptcy was said to be due to the high costs of the leases of the brick and mortar stores and their low sales and profits.
During those bankruptcy proceedings, an ecommerce company called Amain.com Inc. purchased the Performance and Nashbar trademarks and web domains, as well as trademarks for Performance house brands, for $1.245 million. Amain did not acquire any store leases, warehouses or inventory.
Amain.com currently runs both the web sites https://www.nashbar.com/ and https://www.performancebike.com/, where they are again fully operational and in business as ecommerce sites.
they are a rep-of i order a spank white /blue grips and they sent the wrong grips so nashbar and performance bike are owed by amine sports and hobbles in colic ,calf
The good deals and deep discount prices on bicycles and parts is gone. I have bought several bikes from Bike Nashbar, on clearance, for very low prices. Those days are gone forever.
Does anyone know of an online site that is at least similar to what Nashbar used to be? I always bought discounted “last year’s model” equipment, and saved a ton. There has to be some place that is selling that type of equipment.
If you are interested in a complete bike try “bikesdirect”. They have two warehouses, one in Jacksonville FL and one in Garland TX no salesmen no overhead overhead, or advertising etc so bikes are discounted 60-70 %. I have bought two hybrids from them. One Gravel and the other a combo of 3-4 types of bike both flat bar Rosd types. But they do sell many other types. One of mine had a MSRP of 2500 and I paid 1300. The other MSRP of 1800 and my price was 700. Solid performers and you get the bike within one week. Check them out.
One place you could check out is BikeTiresDirect.com. I’ve purchased items from them in the last couple years and they’re reliable and prices aren’t too bad. They have a good selection, and not just bike tires.
Thanks. That is funny. I actually live right next to Garland.
I was wondering because the nashbar website doesn’t have any high end bikes any more. They had the best deals on close outs. I bought from nashbar for years. 😕 All good things come to an end, I guess.
They probably went out of business from all the people just buying old models on closeout. I do miss nashbar though.
As soon as Performance Bike bought Nashbar I knew it was only a matter of time before they were both drug under. PB’s brick and mortar stores just weren’t cutting it anymore and were a drain on both businesses, the same thing happened when they swallowed up SuperGo. And now I see the whole thing starting up again with their new owners, they’ve essentially killed Nashbar’s old market segment in favour of another ego driven mid/high tier “if you can’t afford it you don’t belong” bike shop. Very sad.
For more info about the mergers and bankruptcies, see “The Long Story Behind the Bankruptcies of Performance & Nashbar” at BikeRaceInfo.com: https://www.bikeraceinfo.com/Cycle-Industry/Performace-Nashbar-bankruptcies/performance-nashbar-bankruptcies-01.html.
I miss Bike Nashbar! They were my go to place for shoes. They often had perfectly good discontinued lines of clothing and footwear on special and I was always happy with the fit.
I was devoted to Bike Nashbar starting in the very early eighties. They had cheapo newsprint catalogues. I bought constantly from them. They had great and continuous dicounts. And yes, their prices on year end closeout bikes were fantastic. PLUS they had all the Campy small parts!!! I would pour through their catalogue each time new one arrived. I stumbled on this site and had a blast with others sharing their Nashbar memories! THANK YOU!!!
Like many others, Nashbar was my go-to for bike stuff, mostly clothing, gloves, tires and tubes for years, starting with mail order and then moving to online. Being in Ohio, I would get my stuff the next day. I really liked their private label Nashbar stuff as well but that’s all gone now and I haven’t used Nashbar for years. I now bounce around several websites to compare prices and all of them beat Nashbar regularly.
Hi all,
I started Bike Nashbar with the aim of growing into a company with the lowest prices, fastest service, and nicest employees. It worked! It helped that I was an avid cyclist, parts junkie, and had many friends with similar interests. My friends were my secret ingredient. When I wanted a new line of products, I would let the word out and I would sell enough product (at cost) to take on that line.
I am 80 years old now, moved to Florida, and still enjoy talking with my old employees and friends.
Oh, the employees that worked for me, were wonderful, We would have theme days, a Massage Therapist, popcorn, and so on. People had fun working and so did I. [email protected]
Thank you; you provided a valuable service to the do-it yourself bike enthusiast; I built 6 bikes while relying on Nashbar; my go to online bikeshop.👍
Hi Arni! You are correct as I worked for Bike Nashbar as well as the other two companies for almost 10 years. I stayed until the very end. I enjoyed working there. I have yet to see a company run as smoothly as you ran it. Hope you’re enjoying your retirement. Take care!
In the RR recession of the early 80’s, we had two toddlers and no cash. Nashbar’s great catalogue and excellent service gave me hope for the better things to come. I cycled around Filly, Bux and Montgmry county. Taking I rebilt my old Motobecane Astra w N-bar parts and totrd it to Florida. and kept the bicyling habit alive, till the kids matured. My daughter went my way, buying a first class racer and commuting in Brooklyn to Manhattan.. N-bar made it exciting and within reach for a yung father like me, and I watched them grow towards an active lifestyle and the mechanical, mathematical, mental, geographic, geological, climatological and meteorological development. bicycling requires and inspires.
I remember when Nashbar went by Bicycle Accessory Warehouse. I liked the fact that they’d ship C.O.D. too. Bought several sets of wheels, shorts, Detroit Pietro shoes, caps, the list goes on. Recently I bought a stem from them and had to call as I could not get my order to go through. The staff was helpful and friendly. I wish I still had my old catalogs from them though. I can remember when they also started selling Specialized and Briidgestones.
I bought a Nashbar leTour (“cool blue”) by mail order in 1986 and was entirely thrilled with the bike. It was a great bargain, with a triple butted chromoly frame and decent components. I rode the wheels off of it for years, often with a local group here in south central PA. I rode up in the mountains, in the valleys, on centuries, etc. Then sometime I rode less and less and finally hung the bike up for decades. This spring I got it down again and replaced some rusty components, got new tires, repacked all the bearings, got new chain, chainwheels, derailleurs, and got it going again. Shined up with car wax, it looks new. I’m in love with it again, and am having fun. I too am 80 years old, just like Arnie!
Thanks, man!
You’re what it’s all about. I would love to help you in any way I could, but my stroke of 20 years ago
has limited that to nothing.
Watch your Blood Pressure and keep riding.
Arni
Thanks, Karen!
You’re what it’s all about. I would love to help you in any way I could, but my stroke of 20 years ago
has limited that to nothing.
Watch your Blood Pressure and do some riding.
Arni
We never went by BAW. I hope you were happy with them. We would ship C.O.D. in many cases.
Arni
Thank you from the N-bar Family.
As a kid of the 80s, I got hooked when I saw Lemond and TDF. The Nashbar catalog was great and helped me get things I needed at a low cost. Plus they gave free water bottles when you gave them 3 names/addresses. I still have a couple. Besides great inventory at great prices, I loved the unique bikes they sold and unique jerseys you could only get from Nashbar. I have a couple of old catalogs. I’d love to see a website developed to the history of the catalogs to see all of those unique bicycles and jerseys again. Thanks Arni for helping fuel my cycling hobby.