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Aug
12
New Interbike Jersey by Hincapie Sports
Filed Under Interbike, Photos | 8 Comments
“Our jerseys arrived!”
Is there a more anticipated event than the arrival of your new custom designed bike jersey? The agonizing (arguing?) over the final design with your team mates or co-workers is well behind you, and now you’re just waiting for the actual physical manifestations of that illustration that you all agreed to. Well, for us, the payoff for the wait happened this week.
Several boxes from our long time (8 years now?) jersey partners at Hincapie Sports arrived, and were summarily ripped open. We’re super happy with the design that Jennie Brewton, our art director, came up with celebrating the 30th edition of the show this year. I goes without saying the quality of the jersey and the sublimation of the designs are first class. Big thanks go to the team at Hincapie for always doing a great job!
Aug
10
In one of the most anticipated announcements leading up the 2011 edition of the show, Interbike organizers today announced the line up of beers that will be available in the new “The Pub” on the Street Level of the show. The pub will feature a wide selection of beers – listed below – and pub-style food such as brats for showgoers.
The new Pub will be a place where retailers and exhibitors can relax, have a casual meeting and grab a beer, drink or quick bite to eat on the floor of the show. The Pub will be located between the new street level Urban Yard and Circulus Velodrome. For more food options, there will also be a new Interbike Cafe also located on the street level show floor. I’ll post more food details as I get them. This will be a big upgrade to the dining options and also eliminate the need to walk back to the food courts in the Venetian hotel.
Here’s what we have lined up for beer choices:
Fat Tire
Blue Moon
Bud Light
Sam Adams
Newcastle
Stella Artois
Heineken
Corona
Tenaya Creek
Widmer Bros
Jun
24
Preview of the Las Vegas Ironman 70.3 Worlds Course
Filed Under Interbike | Comments Off
Our friends over at Wattie Ink have posted a video preview of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship course that will held held in Las Vegas this year for the first time on September 11, the day before our OutDoor Demo opens. The race will be centered in Henderson at Lake Las Vegas, not too far from Bootleg Canyon, the home of the Demo. The bike course will take racers down around Lake Mead, a place many in the industry are familiar with from the annual Tour de Lake Mead industry ride on the second morning of the Demo.
We’ve made arrangements with Ironman to provide a retailer-exclusive viewing area at the race at the finishing straight – so consider coming out a day early if you’re into tri. It’s a limited opportunity and we’ll be sending out details soon.
We’ll also be having more news and details on some more awesome triathlon-focused events and content at Interbike 2011 coming soon!
May
19
The Art of Bike to Work Day
Filed Under Advocacy, Cycling, Green Efforts, Interbike | Comments Off
On my commute to work, I ride through two counties, San Diego and Orange, each with their own government and transportation authority agencies tasked with promoting Bike to Work Day. I’ve signed up in that past with both the San Diego Association of Governments’ and Orange County Transportation Authority’s BTW programs, so I receive postcards and emails inviting me to participate each year. Being a marketing guy, SANDAG’s effort this year stood out as especially nicely done. They definitely have a real graphic designer work on it, and it made me think about how other regions do on the design front for bike to work day.
Here’s this year’s San Diego County logo from a postcard they sent out to promote the day. I also like their tag line for the program: “Bike to Work Day: Give it a Spin!” Cute, right? Local SD bike company, Electra, is a sponsor.
Orange County has a more generic, on-going bike to work theme. They seem to do nicely with the local OC-based bike industry sponsors, though, with Jax Bicycle Center, Nirve and Oakley on board. Not the most stellar of efforts from a design standpoint, but I’ll give them props for past efforts where I’ve received buttons from them along the lines of those “I Voted” stickers you get on election day letting you feel smug and superior among your coworkers. At least in the bike industry your coworkers will consider you superior for biking to work.
And let’s not forget our friends just south of us in Tijuana who are also promoting bike to work day this year in conjunction with San Diego’s. About 90,000 people cross the border into San Diego on their commute to work every day. Some of those must be on bikes. Judging by the border wait times I hear on the radio each morning, I would definitely try to ride as much as possible to avoid the 2 hours sitting in traffic. Anyway, back to the design element, I think TJ’s work is great. Very clean and professional:
Have you seen any other good design efforts for Bike to Work promotions in your area? Let me know and I’ll share and help recognize and celebrate the quality work on our behalf.
Apr
28
Retailer Registration Opens with a Bang
Filed Under Attendee News, Industry News, Interbike | Comments Off
So retailer and buyer registration for this year’s Interbike and OutDoor Demo is now open. We decided to open reg a few weeks earlier than we typically do, and interest has been really strong so far. As of the release of our press release with the reg update (below) we’ve had more than 2,300 buyers register to attend the show – about a 160% lead on last year this far out from the show. From all the reports I’ve seen and from speaking with people in the industry over the last few months, I think it all points to a strong outlook for bikes this year.
And thanks for the early commitment if you’re one of those who’ve registered already!
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Retailers Registering Earlier and In Larger Numbers for Interbike 2011
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – April 26, 2011 – Interbike opened buyer registration a month early this year and retailers are responding. Registration for the 30th edition of the industry’s leading trade show is currently at more than 2,300 qualified buyers, a 160 percent increase over last year during the same time span.
“As a buyer, Interbike offers me a chance to spend two days evaluating product at OutDoor Demo, then transition into the indoor show to look at product, reconnect with vendors, and cement deals on the products I decide that I have to have in the store,” said Ted Arnold, bike buyer at Mellow Johnny’s in Austin, Texas. “I also handle the social media for the store and our followers love the fact that we can include them in updates from the show and what we’re doing.”
The yearly pilgrimage to Interbike also offers shop owners a chance to learn from other retailers as well as leaders from across the cycling industry.
“Interbike is a great educational opportunity. I always attend as many seminars as I can and they help me rethink my business strategies,” said New York City’s Bike Habitat Owner Charles McCorkell. “Plus, we’ve found a lot of new products at Interbike that have been very successful for us. There’s just so much there if you open yourself up to it.”
“2011 registration opened with a bang, indicating retailers continue to look to Interbike as the place to be,” said Show Director Andy Tompkins. “Interbike strives to create an efficient and effective forum for a wide variety of retailers. From top 100 dealers, multi-unit and single door shops, to a growing number of dealers from South America and Asia, Interbike provides a platform to get their business done.”
Manufacturers, retailers, press and advocates representing categories across the cycling industry will converge on Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada, September 12-13 before their meetings and presentations at the Interbike trade show at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas September 14-16.
Interbike recently provided the industry with a status update on the more than 560 exhibitors that have committed for the 2011 show. Notable returns to the show include Kona, Easton-Bell and Norco, along with a debut presence by legendary outdoor brand The North Face. To read the release in its entirety or for a current exhibitor list please visit www.interbike.com/pressreleases and www.interbike.com/exhibitorlist, respectively.
Interbike and OutDoor Demo attendee registration is available at www.interbike.com/register.
Apr
8
Buyer Registration for 30th Interbike is Now Open
Filed Under Attendee News, Industry News, Interbike | Comments Off
Registration for qualified retailers, distributors and other buyers is now open for Interbike 2011. Click here to register.
This year’s show will be the 30th edition of the bike industry tradeshow. Interbike was first held in 1982 in Las Vegas.
By the way, we haven’t mentioned or strongly promoted the anniversary until now, and this new 30th anniversary graphic will first be appearing in the next issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News to come out (April 1 edition). Our art director, Jennie Brewton, did a great job on the design. As a nice touch, she used a Campy Nuovo Record chainring and spider that would have been available for sale back in 1982 when the show was founded.
Apr
4
For Those That Say Cycling is the New Golf
Filed Under Photos | Comments Off
.
.
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I say, why give up one for the other?
This was one of the finalists in the International Bicycle Design Competition shown at the 2011 Taipei Cycle Show recently. All of the finalists were displayed as models. To see a few more of the bikes from the competition, visit our Facebook page here.
Mar
31
Key Brands Committing to Interbike 2011
Filed Under Exhibitor News, Industry News, Interbike, Press Release | Comments Off
We released the press release below this morning as an update on where-we’re-at for the 2011 show. Along with the notable returns to the big show by companies like Kona, Easton-Bell and Norco, we’re proud to have legendary outdoor brand The North Face making it’s debut in front of the the bike industry this year.
As for the overall number of exhibitors signed up so far, we’re just over 560. That number might not sound that impressive, but is primarily contracted companies and not all of the multiple brands that each of them may represent. When it’s all said and done, there should be well over 1,000 brands on display at the show this fall.
Also, I think this is the first time we’ve said anything about 2011 being the 30th edition of the show. Look for more about that in the near future.
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Key Brands Committing to Interbike 2011
Excitement builds as brands prepare for the industry’s annual gathering
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – March 31, 2011 – Interbike, the cycling industry’s annual flagship trade event for the last 30 years, is quickly selling out as exhibitors large and small lock up their space for the September 14-16 show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
“Interbike 2011 is already shaping up to be one of our biggest shows ever,” said Show Director Andy Tompkins. “The mix of established brands that exhibit every year and companies new to the cycling industry or just new to the show provide retailers with the opportunity to see the latest offerings from every corner of the cycling world, something that can only happen at an event as broad based and well-attended as Interbike.”
Among 2011’s new exhibitors is outdoor apparel giant The North Face, which will join the apparel collections of long time exhibitors such as Louis Garneau, Pearl Izumi, Primal Wear, Gore Bike Wear, Canari Cyclewear, Hincapie Sportswear and Champion System.
“We’re steeped in mountain heritage and that doesn’t stop in the summer time– when the snow melts we love to bike,” said Aaron Carpenter, Vice President of Marketing, The North Face. “We are launching a Spring 2012 product line built around the concept of protection from the elements. Interbike is the best avenue for us to reach the independent bicycle retailer channel and we’re looking forward to participating in the bicycle industry’s annual gathering.”
In addition, several key brands are returning to the show after short absences including Easton-Bell Sports and Kona Bicycle Company. Santa Cruz Bicycles returns for 2011 after rejoining the show in 2010.
“Coming into 2011, we have a number of new products and initiatives to roll out for 2012, and we see Interbike as a critical component to telling those stories,” said Pat Hus, Director of Sales for Easton Bell Sports. “We were pleased with the date and location changes that Interbike brought to the table this year, which made our decision to come back very clear.”
These returning brands join cycling’s biggest names exhibiting at Interbike in 2011 including Advanced Sports International (ASI), Electra, Gita, BH Bikes, Raleigh, SBS/Redline, Scott USA, Pivot Cycles, SIDI and Specialized.
This year Interbike celebrates its 30th anniversary of producing trade events for the bicycle industry. Last year’s edition of the show was attended by 24,700 industry professionals, of which were 12,200 retail buyers from every state in the U.S., along with more than 1,800 international retailer buyers from 67 countries and 560 journalists.
Prior to the Interbike expo, more than 3,500 bicycle retailers and media will gather in Bootleg Canyon’s world-class cross country mountain bike trails, downhill-specific courses, pump track, closed road course and eBike demo track for hands-on experience with the industry’s latest bikes and accessories. This festive outdoor event is the leading bicycle industry demo event, imitated by many others around the world.
For more information about Interbike 2011, visit www.interbike.com.
Mar
17
Economic Advocacy at the National Bike Summit
Filed Under Advocacy, Deep Thoughts, Events | 1 Comment
There was a shift in focus at this year’s National Bike Summit and the bike industry stands poised to play an even larger advocacy role.
For ten years, the Summit has made the case to the Federal government that cyclists are deserving of more transportation infrastructure funding and other bicycle friendly legislation. The bicycle is an efficient mode of transportation, we say, and it can have a positive impact on many of the greatest challenges that we face: our health, the environment and energy usage among them. But with the economy recently joining this unfortunate list, some in government see investment in cycling infrastructure as frivolous or a spend we can’t afford right now. Add to this the fact that most of the recently elected officials would more readily describe cycling as purely recreational and would not consider cycling a legitimate form of transportation, a change in tactics was in order for this edition of the Summit.
This reality was not lost on Summit organizers, the League of American Bicyclists. There was an enlightening moment at this year’s Summit during one of the final sessions prior to unleashing us all on Capitol Hill. With all of the nearly 800 delegates gathered, League executive director, Andy Clarke, asked members of the bike industry to begin speaking and pure advocates to remain quiet. To me it seemed as if nearly half the audience was talking. While an impressive display of industry support for advocacy, Andy’s next statement made his point. He suggested that this was exactly how the meetings with Congress should go: let the delegates in the business of bicycles lead the conversation to describe the economic impact of cycling in their district. Let the bike industry make the economic case for cycling.
The League provided us with reports with the number of bicycle related retail businesses, jobs and sales in each district. While a powerful resource, I believe they fell short by leaving out the impact from other economic sources such as bicycle manufacturers, events, tourism and reduced health care costs. I was proud to tell my congressman of the importance of the bicycle industry in his district, home to brands like Electra, Haro, Canari Cyclewear, RavX and some 48 retailers. As an industry, we can do a better job making our importance felt by our elected officials.
USA Triathlon recently reported that the annual impact of their sport on the US economy was $2.4 billion. That’s an impressive number, yet cycling could dwarf that. Sales of bicycles and related gear through specialty retailers, alone, is nearly $6 billion. The Wisconsin Bicycle Federation made news last year by reporting that the bicycle adds $1.5 billion to their state’s economy each year. Congressmen are famous for doggedly supporting the military, tourism, corn, steel industry or other interests in their districts. We can do a better job convincing our government officials that the business of bicycles is worthy of the same support and have the numbers to prove it.
Oct
13
News: Interbike Returns to September in Las Vegas in 2011
Filed Under Attendee News, Exhibitor News, Industry News, Interbike, OutDoor Demo | 5 Comments
Here’s the press release we sent out last night announcing a change of dates for 2011 that supersedes our initial plan to move the show to August in Anaheim that we announced just prior to this year’s show.
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Interbike Returns to Las Vegas in September for 2011 Show
Show organizers respond to support for September dates and Las Vegas
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – Oct. 12, 2010 – In response to feedback to its announcement three weeks ago that it was moving the show to August in Anaheim for 2011, Interbike today announced the 2011 edition of the show will stay in Las Vegas and will be held September 12-16.
“The announcement that we were moving the show dates and location elicited a very real response that surveys and discussions alone couldn’t accomplish,” said Andy Tompkins, Interbike show director. “Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to this year’s show and the countless conversations we’ve personally had with exhibitors and retailers regarding the future dates and location of Interbike, we are reversing our earlier decision to move the 2011 show to Anaheim in August. We are hearing loud and clear that, at this time, the industry prefers September dates and the convenience of Las Vegas.”
The indoor portion of the show will be held September 14-16 at the Sands Convention Center, with the OutDoor Demo being held in Bootleg Canyon September 12-13. The 2012 show also will be held at the Sands in Las Vegas September 19-21 with the Demo September 17-18.
The attention brought by news of moving the show to August allowed the entire industry to examine how it utilizes Interbike, what the show means to the marketplace, and helped solicit real and frank opinions from every sector of the industry. Based on this feedback and the success of Interbike 2010 (see press release), the show will move back to September in Las Vegas.
“Interbike has always been and will continue to be the industry’s show,” continued Tompkins. “We have heard the market’s passion and commitment to this event and we want you to know that we are listening. We believe the new direction will best serve the current needs of the marketplace.”
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.
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