Jun
22
The Bikes Belong and Interbike Story
Filed Under Advocacy, Industry News, Interbike
So here it goes. I started to get the feeling we were becoming conspicuous by our absence on the subject. Last week when the Bicycle Retailer story that Bikes Belong was to consider a trade of their own at their next board meeting, the whole Interbike crew was in Vegas for a couple of days. Well, almost the whole crew. Andria, Interbike’s sales manager, had just had her baby (a little girl) a few days before, so she wisely stayed home. We were in town for a few reasons.
First and foremost was to inspect the Bootleg Canyon home of OutDoor Demo. Boulder City has been doing some “reorganizing” and landscaping of the site and we needed to see things in person. After many hours spent out in the desert sun, we can rest assured that new layout for the Demo will be a big improvement. I took some photos and will try to post some soon.
That was last Tuesday. On Wednesday morning we headed over to the Sands Convention Center (the home of Interbike) to attend the inaugural SGMA Spring Market Trade Show. It’s strange seeing “our” house occupied by someone else. Some of you may know that the team that puts on Interbike also organizes the Health+Fitness Business Expo in Denver each year (no, we don’t have an exclusive deal with Vegas), and the SGMA show was related to that side of our business.
Before flying out that evening, Lance (IB’s show director), Chip and David, from our pr agency, and I paid a visit to the Regional Transit Commission of Southern Nevada. The RTCSNV is the local gov’t agency responsible for all transportation issues in the Vegas metro area including buses, roads, highways and bike paths, lanes and trails. The planning manager responsible for bike issues is a passionate cyclist himself and the group that we met with are very enthusiastic about - and proud of - the work they are doing to improve alternative modes of transportation in their region - not the least important of which is cycling. We want to try to leverage our industry’s presence their each September to help them with their efforts. Stay tuned for more on this important work.
So that Wednesday morning at breakfast, David showed us the BRAIN piece that had hit the web on his Blackberry. We knew that the story was coming, but not when it would hit the web. I hope all of you have had the opportunity to read the more complete print version of the article and not just the “teaser†online by now.
I hate to say it, but there isn’t much to say about this story. The 18 month discussion that the article references all started because Lance here felt that Interbike should contribute more to the BBC. We are strong supporters and believers in their mission (I’m wearing my blue BBC t-shirt as I write this). Being part of a large, public (at the time) corporation, we couldn’t just simply write a big check (we tried). Contracts have to be drawn up, and non-compete and other clauses have to be put in. With the change in ownership here at VNU/Nielsen during the process, a contract would also “lock in” any new management into supporting the BBC through any of the conspiracy theorists’ worst scenarios.
While we are not privy to any of the discussions that may be going on among the BBC board members leading up to the next meeting, we do know that our intention with the BBC discussion has been to give more money to the BBC - not to get a non-compete clause out of them. We also know that our relationship with Tim Blumenthal and the entire BBC staff remains strong and positive. And no, I don’t have any plans to remove the Bikes Belong banner ad that has been running at the top of the Interbike website.
Friday morning when I’m riding to work in my Interbike jersey, I will be proud to be wearing the BBC name and logo that’s sublimated on the back pocket [and upper right chest, I just noticed Fri morning getting dressed for my commute].
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5 Responses to “The Bikes Belong and Interbike Story”
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Rich,
Very well put, my friend.
I really do hope that a peaceful resolution comes to this. I’d prefer to see improvements to Interbike, as opposed to a competing show materialize.
I love both Interbike and Bikes Belong. I feel like a child in the middle of a divorce… but I love both you guys.
Needless to say, I will be following this whole thing closely- as all of us in the industry should.
Thanks for the info about this. When I saw that news I was wondering what was up.
It’s wonderful that you guys are working with the Vegas transportation people!
Although I missed your post last week while I was on vacation, I think you covered everything quite well, Rich.
This ongoing Interbike/Bikes Belong interplay is obviously a topic of great interest to the entire cycling industry – manufacturers, dealers, cyclists, advocacy groups, etc. – whether the individual players know it or not. And it’s very clear that this is an evolving, multi-faceted situation with multiple players (and competitors), some wearing multiple hats with allegiances that can at times seem to be at cross-purposes.
For its part, I recognize and applaud “Bicycle Retailer†for its attempts to keep its readers informed on all matters it deems to be most important (even if we might, at times, wish that we had greater control or influence over what is written and how).
The truth is that freedom of the press is one of the marvelous inventions that makes America great. The same can also be said for free enterprise.
At the end of the day, my two-part advice to all participants in this matter is this: Get more people on bikes and get them riding more often.
If, collectively, these are the overarching objectives of what Interbike, Bikes Belong, the manufacturers, dealers, other advocacy groups, etc. are trying to accomplish, then we (as an industry) will be headed in the right direction.
To me, it’s that simple: Get more people on bikes and get them riding more often.
If, however, these are not our overriding goals – in other words to “grow the pie†– then we as an industry will continue to be stuck in a virtual rut, with annual growth of two percent or less and everyone scrambling to steal market share away from competitors.
That’s a null sum game, and it’s a game with very few winners.
“Grow the pie,†people. Get more people on bikes and get them riding more often.
Sincerely,
David (“Poppa Pâ€) Politis
Poppa.p@soarcomm.com
One more thing.
My partner, Chip Smith, wanted me to make sure I disclosed the fact that he and I run, SOAR Communications, the PR agency for Interbike.
So . . . consider it disclosed.
Sincerely,
David (“Poppa Pâ€) Politis
Poppa.p@soarcomm.com
David,
Amen brother, amen! I’d throw in a Hallelujah too… but…
Excellent comments- all of them- but the best one is about the bigger pie. The constant infighting is actually hurting the industry, not helping it. Sure it sounds too altruistic to believe, but if we do work together to grow the industry, we’ll all profit. Supporting advocacy groups is one big thing- we need to get more people thinking of cycling, at what ever level they want. Advocacy helps provide the infrastructure new cyclists want and need.
Skipping advocacy, simply working together as a more unified group, we’ll all work to bring more people into the marketplace and then all make a little more money… and, bonus, we’ll get to be friends again. I can remember when it was common to call the dealership down the street/ across town to see if they had a bike in stock so we could sell it to a customer. Many times, the other shop would even deliver it to us. It feels like those days are largely gone as we fight and fight for marketshare in this downward marketplace. I don’t know about you… but it bums me out. I look forward to getting back to those “better days”.
So, David, thanks for your comment!