Dec
20
So, like most of you, I check my blog RSS feeds daily (or “Live Bookmarks” as FireFox calls them) for interesting headlines. We all have our favorites that we hope have been updated with fresh posts or content and look forward to reading. When they haven’t, you get that “awww, there’s nothing new” reaction similar to finding your postal mail box empty. I don’t harbor any dillusions that Interbike Times is anyone’s favorite blog, but, occasionally, I’m reminded that people are reading it and pay attention to it. And noticing that I haven’t posted in a while. Both were pointed out to me recently, so here’s a posting to, hopefully, get things going again.
My notice that people are reading came about a month ago when we got together with Tim Blumenthal of the Bikes Belong Coalition for lunch. In the initial chit-chat that invariably precedes any serious talk, Tim kindly mentioned that he enjoyed reading my postings here. It really caught me off guard that someone of Tim’s stature in the industry was following the blog. Belated thanks for the complement, Tim.
However, what really got me going again was a posting from what has recently become one of my most anticipated RSS feeds, the Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable podcast. Not a blog, technically, but I access it the same way as my blogs, so it’s close enough. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a lively bike industry panel discussion hosted by David Bernstein of Fredcast podcast fame. It’s an entertaining and informative talk on the various topics that are going on in and affecting the industry and is produced every couple of weeks or so. David does an excellent and impressively professional-sounding job as the host and the guests have been from a variety of backgrounds, positions and constituencies within the industry.
On Monday, I saw that there was a new episode available and that iTunes had downloaded it. I also noticed that one of the the topics of discussion was the Eurobike-USA situation that went on during the month of November. I usually put new episodes of the podcast on in the background as I work, but I knew that Lance (Interbike’s Show Director) and I were driving down to San Diego for a meeting with a potential partner for Interbike’s sister show, the Health+Fitness Business Expo, on Tuesday morning and it would make an interesting listen during the drive. I burned a copy of the episode onto a cd (don’t own an iPod) and we brought it along for the ride.
It was an interesting and entertaining listen, even though it’s still a little disconcerting to hear people you don’t know that well talk about you or your work in a public forum. All of the panelists have great insight and experience that they bring to the table. I highly recommend listening to them regularly and catching some of the archived episodes if you have the time and, especially, if you are an “industry goober”, as Tim Jackson referred to himself in Spokesmen #9. I have especially enjoyed listening to Tim Grahl’s opinions on various European pro road racing subjects. Tim and I had a laugh about that in Vegas this year – he’s such the Euro-Pro road snob…
We eagerly fast forwarded straight to topic #2: “The Eurobike Invasion”. Without spoiling the show for anybody, it seems like the group reached similar conclusions about EB-USA, host cities, labor and Bootleg canyon [thanks, Carleton] that we have. It was a nice, reasoned conversation about the issues (or lack thereof) that led EB to “launch” the competing show and the realities of trade shows and how they relate to the feelings that some in the industry may have about Interbike. [On a related, but tangential, side note, for another unique take on the Vegas-as-host-city topic, here's what Guitar Ted thinks about it: The Two Faces of Vegas. While not exactly a glowing review or resounding endorsement of LV, it's a compelling post that I've been meaning to comment on, or at least link to, for some time.]
So what got me to write again? Well, this Spokesmen episode is the year-end edition and each guest had the opportunity to bring up their “industry story of the year” for discussion by the panel. Carlton Reid, of BikeBizUK, brought up Floyd and the doping controversies, Tim Jackson, of Masi Bicycles, felt the EB-USA topic worthy and Donna Tocci, of Kryptonite, thought that the way the cycling community has embraced the “New Media” was the most important subject of the year. In her musings on the topic, she mentioned how some events, such as our little show, had gotten on the blogging bandwagon. It was obviously a complement to our efforts and decision to launch this, but then she added the swift kick in the butt: “but I wish they would post more frequently…” Thanks for the motivation to get back on track, Donna. As you can tell by the hour that I’m posting this, I forced myself to get this up today (tomorrow, now, actually). More meaningful posts to come… Thanks for reading.
Comments
3 Responses to “Thanks, I Needed That”
Hahaha… yeah I’m such a Europro snob! What’s funny is during the show I’m hearing most everything for the first time and coming up with my “professional”, extremely under-informed opinions on the spot.
Thanks for listening to the show!
Yeah, Rich is back! Yippee!
Man, been missing the posts here. Been too quiet… far too quiet.
The Spokespeople (ha!) podcast is awesome and I thoroughly enjoy being on a panel with the folks. It’s pretty amazing really… it’s pretty funny how we get going some mornings before we’re recording and then after we’re done. In the end, we all really love the show and the industry/ sport that it covers.
My hope is that the whole Euro-USA- Bike situation simply helps to refine Interbike to something that makes us all feel better about our homegrown show. I think a lot of people heard the news and it made thm a little excited, but also made them stop and take stock of why Interbike is still important to them. That’s my gut feeling anyway.
I certainly hope that you’ll keep listening to the show. Thanks for the kind words (and keep posting here).
Hey there, Rich.
Welcome back! First off, I completely relate to your odd feeling of knowing that people talk to you about the blog that you never dreamed woud be reading your little musings because it is the same thing I feel! When people come up to me at Interbike and tell me “oh, I like reading your blog”, I’m blown away!
I can take that a step further, though, now people, important people in the industry, are listening to me in their car together. Wow! AND, stranger still…that I produced a call to action with my little opinions. That’s just dang cool.
I truly meant good things by what I said, Rich. I very much look forward to the posts here and hope that time allows in the new year for you to post more often. I can completely relate to the time issue, though!
Thanks for the compliment for the show. We’ll try to bring you even more great shows in the new year – without the technical snafus and the ‘ums’.
Thanks for listening, Rich.
Happy Holidays.
Donna