Jun
29
Increased interest from international and returning exhibitors results in demand for more booth space
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – June 28, 2010 – With just under three months until Interbike’s International Bicycle Expo 2010, Interbike today announced net-sold, square-feet exhibit space at the Sands Convention and Expo Center has surpassed the 2009 show, with only limited amount of exhibit space still available.
Exhibitors from Europe, China and Taiwan have shown increased interest in Interbike’s marketplace necessitating the expansion of all of the show’s international pavilions for 2010. In addition, the show is welcoming the return of several significant domestic brands to the expo.
“As with any trade event, Interbike has been part of the normal ebb and flow of the bike industry’s business needs, marketing plans and the economy,” said Andy Tompkins, Interbike show director. “As this year’s floorplan suggests, Interbike continues to be an important business destination on the industry calendar, and has only become a stronger venue for domestic and international brands and retailers to gather.”
All of the International Pavilions have increased their booths for Interbike 2010. The China, Italy, Japan and Taiwan areas will each have a larger presence on the show floor, featuring more international manufacturers from their respective countries.
Additionally, the rapidly diminishing available booth space at Interbike 2010 is in part due to key manufacturers, including Advanced Sports, Shimano, Specialized and SRAM, upsizing their displays.
Several brands such as Santa Cruz, Swobo, and Castelli are returning to Interbike in 2010 following time away from the show to propel their marketing and sales objectives into 2011.
“While we are still huge fans of the OutDoor Demo, indoors is really the best venue for the social part of the business,” said Scott Turner of Santa Cruz Bicycles. “What we missed while being away from the indoor Interbike for the last few years is the ability to see all our dealers, industry partners and media friends in one place at one time. We’re excited to have the three extra days in a more relaxed atmosphere to talk about bikes. We are also bringing Swobo brand along with us this year, so there’s a lot to talk about!”
In addition to its comprehensive exhibitor list, Interbike continues to meet the needs of the industry by providing open lounges, fashion shows, indoor electric bike demo track, a variety of seminars and a highly effective venue for conducting business in the bike industry.
“The convenience of convening the industry at one time and in one place is unbeatable,” Tompkins said. “Interbike will always be a cost effective and straightforward business solution for the industry.”
For more information on procuring a booth at Interbike 2010, please contact sales manager Andria Klinger at 949.226.5745 or andria.klinger@nielsen.com.
About Interbike
Interbike (a business unit of Nielsen Expositions, the parent company of the Outdoor Retailer (OR), Action Sports Retailer (ASR), Health+Fitness Business, and Fly Fishing Retailer trade shows) is a full-service trade show company that creates, markets and produces high-quality expos and educational conferences. Producers of the OutDoor Demo and Interbike International Bicycle Expo, Interbike is the leading bicycle industry business-to-business event management company, bringing together top manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of cycling. Interbike (www.interbike.com) gathers more than 1,100 cycling-related brands and close to 23,000 total attendees annually.
The Interbike 2010 trade-only events begin with OutDoor Demo (September 20-21, 2010 in Boulder City), followed by the Interbike Expo, September 22-24 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Jun
28
Taiwan Bike Industry Makes 3 Year Commitment to Bikes Belong
Filed Under Advocacy, Cycling, Industry News, Interbike | 1 Comment
Just a quick post today resulting from some the good news I just received from Bikes Belong concerning Taiwan’s bicycle Industry announcing today that they have made a three year financial commitment to support BBC’s efforts to grow cycling in the US. Good for society and good for business.
The Taiwan Bicycle Exporters Association (TBEA) has committed $50,000 per year for three years to the Bikes Belong Foundation. The investment will go toward Bikes Belong’s Bicycling Design Best Practices Project, which works to increase bicycle use in America by adapting and implementing state-of-the art international best practices in infrastructure and urban design to make bicycling safer, more comfortable and more appealing. The SRAM Cycling Fund has matched this $50,000 contribution for 2010.
Read the rest of the news release here.
Jun
2
You know, when we launched the Urban Legend fashion show at the 2008 show, we really tried to create a different kind of fashion show. The focus of the show would be on urban and utilitarian cycling wear, emphasizing the growing community of designers of cycling apparel that deliberately didn’t look like traditional technical cycling clothes. This was apparel designed so that the wearer would not draw a second glance from others when not astride a bike. With the growing use of bikes for everyday transportation in recent years, we endeavored to give members of the industry a glimpse at a trend that was largely being created outside of the mainstream bike industry.
While the concept of models dancing on a stage in bike wear seems to work in Europe, we didn’t believe that the format was ideal for the US market and the style of apparel we were looking to feature. In search of the right format to showcase this apparel at the show, I came across a video of Momentum Magazine’s small fashion show that they had put on in an art gallery in Vancouver the previous year. The concept of the models actually showing the outfits while riding bikes on a small bike path throughout the audience was genius. A quick phone call to Mia at Momentum got the ball rolling and we’ve had two great fashion shows so far that have really struck a cord with the industry and cycling community.
But while the dancing-models-on-a-stage concept might not have worked for Urban Legend in the late 2000’s (aughts? ’00’s?), it obviously has worked at Interbikes past. Take a look at this scan that I took from the 1984 Interbike event guide.
In 1984, Interbike was in Las Vegas and the Rams were still based in Los Angeles. For those not in North America, the Rams – now based in St. Louis – are a professional gridiron football team. I can’t think of a choice of models more diametrically opposed in both appearance and spirit to those we’ve used in Urban Legend than pro football cheerleaders. Though judging by the number of ads in the magazine for super shiny bright skin-tight Lycra jerseys and shorts, I suppose they were an appropriate choice for the styles popular at the time.
There are some choice quotes from the text to enjoy along with the mental image that the thought of mid ’80’s cheerleaders conjures, too:
Star attractions of the show will be the L.A. Rams Cheerleaders, fresh from an appearance on the George Burns television special.
I’d bet that they’d also been featured in an episode of the Love Boat.
While she wouldn’t reveal specifics prior to curtain time, she hinted at some truly memorable moments–including a slow-motion triathlon…
Now that’s a coincidence. I performed a slow-motion triathlon once, too. But unfortunately, it was at the Cape Cod Sprint Triathlon back in ‘93.
Not surprisingly, it was my one and only tri.
I’m clearly having some fun at the expense of my predecessors here at Interbike who worked hard to bring you this show. But lest you think that I have something against cheerleaders, here’s a photo of me at the Tour of Palm Springs a few years back with the Xavier Prep School Saints cheerleaders who were enthusiastically welcoming all riders into one of the rest stops.
