What Happened to Bike Nashbar?
Bike Nashbar went from a 1970s mail-order giant to a casualty of its parent company's bankruptcy. Here's the full timeline, why it declined, whether it still exists in 2026, and where to shop instead.
If you’ve been riding for a while, you remember Bike Nashbar — the thick budget catalog that landed in cyclists’ mailboxes for decades. So what happened to it?
The short version: Nashbar was a mail-order pioneer that got absorbed into a larger retail group, and when that parent company went bankrupt in 2018, the original Nashbar disappeared. The brand name still operates online today under new ownership — but it’s no longer the independent direct-mail giant riders remember.
The Origin: From Bike Warehouse to Nashbar
Bike Nashbar started in 1974 as Bike Warehouse, founded by Arnold “Arni” Nashbar in Youngstown, Ohio. With a background in advertising and design, Arni built it into a mail-order powerhouse — at its peak the company mailed catalogs to 14 million cyclists a year across the U.S. and Canada and shipped over 6,000 packages a day. It was later renamed Bike Nashbar.
Timeline: How Nashbar Changed Hands
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1974 | Founded as "Bike Warehouse" by Arni Nashbar in Youngstown, Ohio |
| 2000 | Sold to rival retailer Performance Bicycle |
| 2016 | Advanced Sports International buys Performance + Nashbar; forms parent Advanced Sports Enterprises (ASE) |
| Nov 16, 2018 | ASE and subsidiaries (incl. Nashbar Direct) file Chapter 11 bankruptcy |
| Dec 2018 | All 102 Performance Bicycle stores closed and liquidated |
| Feb 6, 2019 | Bankruptcy court approves sale; Performance & Nashbar brands acquired by AMain.com (AMain Hobbies) |
Why Nashbar Declined
The reasons were structural, not a single bad decision. Online retail competition and Amazon eroded the catalog/mail-order model that made Nashbar famous. On top of that, the brand became tied to a corporate structure — ASE — that the bankruptcy filing described as “undercapitalized from the start” and unable to reverse declining retail sales. Once ASE collapsed, the lean direct-mail Nashbar was gone; what survived was the name and the website.
Is Bike Nashbar Still Around in 2026?
Yes — but as a legacy brand, not the original company. As of 2026, Nashbar operates as an online-only retailer under AMain Hobbies. After the acquisition it was redesigned (by the agency SixSpeed) with a friendlier, “yellow-gold” identity aimed at entry- and mid-level recreational riders.
Today it’s regarded as a solid source for bike parts at fair prices, with deep selection across brands like Shimano, Garmin, and Bell. Its sister site, Performance Bicycle (also AMain-owned), carries a slightly larger inventory and more DIY resources.
Where to Shop Instead
If you’re chasing the budget parts-and-gear niche Nashbar used to own, buying secondhand is one route (work out what a used bike is really worth before you make an offer), and these retailers are the common go-tos for new parts:
- Performance Bicycle — Nashbar’s AMain-owned sister site, larger inventory
- Jenson USA — broad parts and component deals
- Worldwide Cyclery — strong for mountain-bike parts
- Cambria Bike and Universal Cycles — wide brand selection, competitive pricing
- BikeTiresDirect — tires, drivetrains, and consumables
- REI Co-op — house-brand accessories and sales
- Amazon / eBay — when price is the only priority (eBay is also good for discontinued store-brand items)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only as an online retailer owned by AMain Hobbies. The original independent mail-order company no longer exists — 'Nashbar' today is a legacy brand name operating as an e-commerce site.
All 102 brick-and-mortar Performance Bicycle locations were closed and liquidated during the 2018–2019 ASE bankruptcy proceedings.
AMain.com, Inc. (AMain Hobbies) acquired the Performance and Nashbar businesses and trademarks in February 2019, after a bankruptcy court–approved sale.
Arnold 'Arni' Nashbar founded it in 1974 in Youngstown, Ohio, originally as 'Bike Warehouse.' It grew into a mail-order giant that sent catalogs to up to 14 million cyclists a year.
Generally yes. Under AMain it's rated a solid, fair-priced source for parts and gear across major brands. Its sister site Performance Bicycle has a larger inventory, and Jenson USA and Worldwide Cyclery are strong alternatives.
Sources
- Bicycle Retailer & Industry News — Arni Nashbar obituary / brand history
- Advanced Sports International — Wikipedia
- Performance Bike — ASE 2018 bankruptcy FAQ
- ASE bankruptcy filing — Amended Disclosure Statement, Case No. 18-80856, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of North Carolina