Jul
27
CrossVegas Wheelers & Dealers
Filed Under Cycling, Events, Interbike, Racing | Comments Off
From Brook Watts of CrossVegas comes news that registration for this year’s races will open on August 1. Also note some updates to the event for its third year. We will again be providing complementary shuttle service to CrossVegas from the Sands for registered Interbike attendees, exhibitors and media (bring your badge!). Here’s their press release:
July 26 (Boulder Colo.) The rush is on for entry into the biggest cyclocross race in the U.S. CrossVegas registration opens on August 1st at Noon Eastern Time for all categories. Categories include Elite Men, Elite Women and the Wheelers & Dealers presented by Mountain Bike Magazine race for bicycle industry members attending Interbike.
The 2009 edition of CrossVegas is scheduled Wednesday Sept. 23rd in Las Vegas following the first day of the Interbike show. Heading into its third year, CrossVegas has become a fixture on the U.S. cyclocross calendar attracting almost 10,000 spectators to the stadium setting of Desert Breeze Soccer Complex in Las Vegas.
Exclusive online registration is at BikeReg.com. Registration is limited for each category to 100 racers and is expected to fill rapidly.
In addition to competitor registration BikeReg.com will offer general admission ticket sales for the event. An admission of $8 per person has been created this year to cover the expense of fencing mandated by park authorities. “We’re victims of our own success,” explained CrossVegas co-promoter Brook Watts. “There have been serious traffic hazards created by fans parking in adjacent businesses and jaywalking major thoroughfares. As a result the fencing was required to mitigate the traffic issues as well as control fans hauling in prohibited beverages.”
Food and beverages sales, including beer, are available at CrossVegas beginning at 6:00 pm. In addition, Interbike will again provide a free shuttle bus throughout the night from The Sands Convention Center. “It’s the best bargain in Vegas,” explains Watts, “what else can you do in Las Vegas for eight bucks?”
Avoid the crowds at the gate and purchase tickets in advance for pick up at the Will Call window at the event or at the CrossVegas booth at Interbike.
The Wheelers & Dealers presented by Mountain Bike Magazine offers divisions for Men, Women, Media, Manufacturer, Retailer, Distributor and Advocacy. New this year will be Wheelers & Dealers number pickup at the CrossVegas booth at Interbike on Wednesday allowing racers a chance to avoid the rush at race time. In addition, the Wheelers & Dealers start time has been bumped to 7:00 pm to give racers and fans more time to get to the event after the show ends.
CrossVegas 2009 promises a great show for racers and fans alike. “If you’ve been to CrossVegas you know what an incredible show it is. If you’ve never been then you’ve got to come see the biggest race in the U.S. ” Watts concludes.
Complete information at: www.crossvegas.com
About Cross Partners LLC
Cross Partners LLC is a Boulder Colorado based group headed by Chris Grealish and Brook Watts that stages international cyclocross events including CrossVegas. The team has a combined 40 years experience creating and managing cyclocross events at every level.
Jul
20
Video: Tompkins & Fries on OutDoor Demo East 2009
Filed Under Cycling, Industry News, Interbike, OutDoor Demo East, Racing, Video | 1 Comment
Here’s a brief video we filmed back at Sea Otter earlier this year with Interbike show director, Andy Tompkins, and New England race promoter and announcer extraordinaire, Richard Fries. As we’ve announced, our OutDoor Demo East event in Providence, Rhode Island, will have two days open to the general public (Oct 10 & 11) following the trade-only days (Oct 8 & 9). We’re partnering with Richard’s company, GSD Promotions, to hold the public expo in conjuction with their Providence Cyclocross Festival. Lots of bike gear and cross racing – what could be better?
Public day registration isn’t open just yet, but if you’re a retailer, you can go ahead and register to attend here. Retailer badges allow access to all four days of the event – both trade-only and public. Find info about OutDoor Demo East here at the main Interbike website.
Jul
13
Bike sharing and retail bike sales
Filed Under Advocacy, Industry News, Interbike | 2 Comments
Here’s a mini-post (not micro enough for Twitter) on something that I heard at the Bicycle Leadership Conference back in April. I was cleaning my desk off and found my little Embassy Suites notepad with some things I jotted down that caught my attention during the sessions. This one is from comments made by Gilles Vesco of Lyon’s urban mobility government agency presentation during the bike sharing panel.
I’ve heard some discussion of the effect that a bike sharing program would have on local retailers. Would the availability of free or low-cost loaner bikes cause less people to buy bikes for themselves?
Not so, according to Mr. Vesco. “Bike sharing spurs retail sales of bikes,” he stated emphatically. Paraphrasing his reasoning, he said that all of the additional bikes on the road as a result of a sharing program “rebalance” the public space and the relationship between bikes and cars. Bike sharing places a critical mass (in the most positive and sharing sense of the term) of bikes onto the streets causing people to see cycling in the city as safer.
And safety, as we’ve all heard from so many non-cycling friends of ours, is one of the major points of resistance for more mainstream adoption of cycling. With more bikes on the streets, though, drivers are more aware of and are more accepting of their right to be there. The perceived added safety of so many other fellow cyclists encourages more people to get into cycling and to buy a bike.
Here’s a recent piece of local bike sharing news for those of us in Orange County, California: “European style” bike-sharing to begin in Newport Beach.”
As Mr. Vesco said at the beginning of his presentation: “Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come.” Amen.