My first “fond” memory was my first Interbike as publisher of Bicycling Magazine. I was verbally pummelled in my first 3 meetings (YOU GUYS KNOW WHO YOU ARE !!!). I guess it was a way of roughing up the new person in the industry, since I’m friends with those guys now. But after a morning of onslaught from people I’d never met before, I went back to our booth and there was a note waiting for me from Felix Magowan of Velo News — supposedly our competitor. At that point, I wouldn’t have been surprised if it had been a death threat. But the note was a very nice one, welcoming me to the bike industry and saying that Felix would stop by again to introduce himself — which he did. I was able to take a deep breath and know that every meeting wasn’t going to be like the first 3. You never know when something nice will really help someone out. In this case, it really came at the right time. So I’ll never forget that.

The second memory was the first Interbike I went to as part of the Interbike team (as Advocacy Director). I couldn’t believe how hard these people on the Interbike team worked, and how much work went on behind the scenes, putting on a Show. It immediately made me feel guilty for any times when I had given the Interbike staff a hard time. Despite long hours, it’s fun working the shows.

One final positive (and repeated) moment is any time Gary Sjoquist brings me a Diet Coke at the Show. I’d like to stay in the industry as long as possible, unless the convention centers start serving the wrong diet soda.

Now I’m with my third company in the industry, as an exhibitor, and living out a dream as the Brand Manager of Masi Bicycles (yeah, you can read my blog for more details). I think this will be just my 8th Interbike as an exhibitor, combined with another 4 as a retailer, and I’m still just as excited. Last year, I got probably my 4th autograph from Eddy Merckx and still got lightheaded and sweaty when it was my turn. “Hi Eddy.” was all I could think to say. Again.

Interbike is the chance of a lifetime for a bike nerd like me to see people and products I’d never otherwise get to. How often am I going to get the chance to talk to Merckx, Tomac, Ritchey, Landis, Hamilton, Backstedt, Petachi, Fisher, Roll. So on and so on? How often will I get the chance to stare at bikes that I will never afford or ever touch? How often will Marco Pantani’s bike be right in front of me? Only Interbike provides that for me. Plus, and this is the biggest and bestest part; how often do I get to have a face to face conversation with my customers from all over the country in the span of a week? The show is such a wonderful social event, on top of the business opportunities that exist. Meetings with old and potential vendors. Conversations with friends and retailers. Meeting new friends and retailers. Interbike is great! Sure, the stress of getting there and set up and then standing for 10 hours a day and then tearing down and all of that can be a bit wearing on the body and mind, but it is so worth it to me.

Now, I hope to be able to blog from the booth and conduct some interviews for podcasting and possibly even a bit of video. This year will otherwise be like all the others; a great time.

Thank you for starting the blog. I hope that it proves to be a great success and I will be checking it every day to see what is new!

About 17 years ago I attended my first Interbike in Reno. I was embarking on a nonprofit venture called Trips for Kids, a mountain biking program for inner city youth. I needed bikes but did not know where to go for donations or how to raise money to buy them. Someone suggested I check out Interbike. Although I decided to go, I was skeptical that I would have any luck. It was the first bike show I had attended and I was in awe at the number of booths and people that filled the convention center. Armed with a single piece of paper explaining my dreams to start a program, I was nervous about approaching anyone with my request. Incredibly, the first four manufacturers I approached were extremely receptive and almost offered me bikes on the spot. When I returned to the Bay Area I followed up with some phone calls. Dave Staub, who at the time worked for Schwinn, was the first to come through with 15 bikes and our program was off and running!

Since then, Trips for Kids has grown into a nationwide program with 45 chapters serving over 5,400 kids each year. During these years we have had the support of hundreds of companies in the bicycle industry who donate new items for our rides and outdated or overstocked items for our Re-Cyclery Bike Thrift Shop.

Each year I return to Interbike to personally thank our donors and ask for their continued support. But I will never forget my first Interbike and how amazed I was that the first four companies I approached offered to help. I love cycling, I love Interbike, and I love the bicycle industry for being so kind to us.

Marilyn Price
Director Trips for Kids