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Jun
28
Cycling Celebrities at Interbike
Filed Under Interbike, Interbike's 25th Anniversary, Photos | Comments Off
Over the years Interbike occasionally conflicts with some of the race schedules, but when it doesn’t it’s great to have racers there as ambassadors of the sport and the brands they represent. Here’s a post by Graham Tracey of GoClipless.com about meeting his favorite racers at Interbike.
“Interbike 2005 was my first and I have to say it was quite overwhelming (in a good way).
“I have so many favorite memories, but they are a bit of a blur. A bit like trying to remember all of the events of your wedding day if you’ve ever been married. So I culled through the Interbike archives of my blog to try to pick just one. There was the Outdoor Demo and all of the 29ers we rode, the world premier of Unchained, and the after hours Vegas shenanigans.
“But, perhaps the best thing about Interbike is the ability to get up close and personal with your favorite cycling celebrities. So you can imagine what fun it would be to meet and talk with Alison Dunlap, Shonny Vanlandingham, Katerina Hanusova, Kathy Pruitt, and Marla Streb, some of the most famous female mountain bikers. Only at Interbike!
Jun
27
In digging through the archives for classic Interbike photos and stories, I came across a quote from Interbike’s founder, Steve Ready:
“Interbike is a cultural event as well as a business event. At the close of each show, we want people to return home feeling a little better about the business they’ve chosen to be in.”
As an exhibitor from 1999 through 2005, despite all the hard work during setup and tear down, I know I’ve always felt better about the industry while at the show. Usually, this as a result of some great people that I met at the show. At the last show in 2005, I had the pleasure of running into Tim Jackson of Masi Bicycles the morning of the last day.
At every Interbike, I always made a point of arriving super early on the last day of the show before the doors were opened to attendees to walk the floor while it was quiet and mostly empty Read more
Jun
22
Interbike and Camaraderie
Filed Under Interbike, Interbike's 25th Anniversary | 7 Comments
I have so many memories of attending Interbike while I was in the industry from 1991 to 2000 that it’s hard to pick one. During those years I attended as a Shimano sales person at first, then as their trade show manager and toward the tail end of my bike industry insider career as a marketing communications manager for Specialized. In 2005, I had a chance again to attend Interbike as a marketing agency guy looking to drum up some business and ended up gaining Interbike’s business as its public relations agency of record. I’ve always liked going to Interbike. It can be hectic getting ready for it, but once there I get a feeling of camaraderie. It’s one of the few times the industry has a chance to get together to talk some business, catch up on the latest gossip and have some fun with friends.
Since our agency is helping Interbike with Interbiketimes.com, I felt I should be one of the first to post something and I had a hard time coming up with one specific event to write about. I thought about the time Schwinn staged a big Elvis parade (big Elvises small Elvises and Elvises of all nationalities) down the crowded aisles of the show in the early Interbike Vegas years. I thought about shaking the hand of my childhood hero, Evil Knievel at the show (I was Evil Knievel for Halloween when I was a kid and my mom made me a cool jacket, just like Evil’s, out of that tacky ’60s-era vinyl. After Halloween I wore the jacket when I rode my mini-bike down the horse trails behind our house). And I thought about the many passionate conversations I’ve had with people during the show about cycling, about what products were good and which were not so good.
One of the most significant memories for me was the year Lance was diagnosed with cancer. I was the tradeshow manager for Shimano and was in charge of the Dura-Ace Design Contest display that was traveling to the Anaheim and Philly Interbike shows. One of the Shimano employees suggested making a huge get well card for Lance (it was about 6′ high and 3′ wide) and placing it in the design contest booth for people to sign.
It turned out the card wasn’t big enough. By the time I had a chance to sign the card in Philadelphia, I could barely find a place to put my name. The card looked like a huge scribbling exercise by a bunch of kindergartners. It was covered with signatures. After the show the card was shipped to Lance in Austin and we heard he really appreciated it.
This memory probably comes to my mind the most, because the following year while I was setting up the Shimano booth at Anaheim I got a call from my future wife crying because she was just diagnosed with cervical cancer. Wow, what a way to start a trade show.
Every year during Anaheim Interbike Kozo Shimano put together a company team to play in the hockey tournament. That year he had all the team members sign his hockey jersey and he gave it to Debbie. She still has it hanging in our closet to this day.
I guess my point of sharing these thoughts is that my best memories of the show are the feelings of camaraderie I get when I go to Interbike. The bike industry’s filled with great people and I love being a part of it.
Chip Smith
President
SOAR Communications
Jun
21
We want to hear your Interbike stories
Filed Under Industry News, Interbike, Interbike's 25th Anniversary | 5 Comments
Do you have a great story from Interbike past that just needs to be shared?
Please feel free to submit it because we are collecting as many outrageous stories as possible.
Got a great photo of Interbike past that we just need to see? Send your photo to photos@interbiketimes.com, and it could make it into the show directory. Questions? Contact Chip Smith, csmith@soarcomm.com.
photo by ndanger.
Jun
21
Interbike Calls for Memories for 25th Anniversary
Filed Under Industry News, Interbike, Interbike's 25th Anniversary | Comments Off
Interbike is inviting attendees and exhibitors to share their most memorable experiences, celebrity sightings or product launches through its blog, http://www.interbiketimes.com/, to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The blog is part of Interbike’s goal to bring some nostalgia to its 25th annual bike show. In addition to memories submitted via the blog, Interbike is also collecting attendees’ and exhibitors’ favorite historical products and swag from the last 25 years of Interbike for use in a special 25th anniversary space at the 2006 Interbike International Expo. [ via Bicycle Retailer ]
Jun
19
Interbike Celebrates 25 Years!
Filed Under Cycling, Gear, Industry News, Interbike, Interbike's 25th Anniversary, Photos | Comments Off
Help Interbike celebrate 25 years as the place to be, see, touch and test the latest cycling innovations from more than 1,000 top brands from around the world. Share your favorite memories of the best or infamous products launched at Interbike, an inspiring moment with a pro racer, memorable conversations with a retailer or exhibitor, ground-breaking advocacy moment, most informative seminar or craziest moment – There are many to be sure.