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Organisers of The Cycle Show and The London eBike Festival have confirmed the new show dates for 2021 as 25th-27th June.
Immediate Media has also announced that long-term Cycle Show organiser Chris Holman has resumed his role at the helm as it returns to London in 2021. Holman takes on the role of event director for both shows which will be held at Alexandra Palace for the first time next June.
Holman’s career in cycling events extends back to the Bike Show, launched by Future Publishing, in the 1990s and the Backyard Jam BMX events in the early 2000s. He became the event director for The Cycle Show in 2012 before taking over the organising role for the Rouleur Classic in 2018. Holman will continue to stay as a consultant to Rouleur whilst organising the shows at Alexandra Palace.
“The switch back to Upper Street Events was a very easy decision to make,” said Holman. “After chatting to several of the distributors and brands at the last COREbike show it was very clear that Alexandra Palace was a venue that Upper Street needed to look very hard at.
“As the event requirements of cycle brands have developed, the concept of hosting shows in box-like venues seems to be very much a thing of the past as witnessed internationally with many trade shows closing their doors or having to radically change their USP. The enthusiast market also clearly increasingly wants something truly engaging and is willing to travel to multiple locations to get their cycling fix. Plus, there’s now a greatly expanded new audience in London who want to find out more about cycling too.”
Immediate Media’s ownership of Upper Street Events was also a key factor in the appointment, and a recent research project into consumer cycling habits undertaken by The Cycle Show has shown how ‘critical’ being a part of the Immediate umbrella is. “Our research allowed us to speak to an incredibly diverse audience and get insights from various demographics that may never have thought about cycling before the lockdown, but since March have reengaged with it in new ways,” added Holman.
“The research piece will be the start of a Cycling Intelligence programme where The Cycle Show, in tandem with the Immediate titles, can start to give cycling brands invaluable information about audiences that are traditionally very hard to reach and understand.”
The first release of research results under the Cycling Intelligence banner, ‘After a pivotal summer and record bike sales, what’s next for the UK market?’, will be available to the trade at the end of October.
On the announcement that the show dates will move to 25th-27th June 2021, Holman said: “While the current dates fall outside the six-month restriction period for events, the venue was able to offer us the June alternatives, so after consulting with the exhibitors it seemed prudent to move things back two months. It helps alleviate current concerns from brands about stock availability given the backlog of supply and the new dates just give everyone more breathing space to prepare.
“A happy bi-product of the date change is that June also means longer daylight hours and a much better chance of sunshine. We’re planning a lot of activity in the parkland with the hill outside home to two demo tracks as well as MTB races and skills masterclasses. Plus, the new dates coincide with the Grand Depart for the Tour de France so we’ll create a destination to watch the race outdoors with a jumbo screen, bar, plus those amazing views of London as a backdrop.”
Madison has agreed to re-up its partnership with The London eBike Festival with Shimano Steps, as well as having a presence for some of its non-electric bike brands in The Cycle Show.
Madison’s marketing director Kellie Parsons said: “We were disappointed when The London eBike Festival with Shimano Steps couldn’t go ahead at Battersea Park, but after seeing the new venue first hand it’s clear that Immediate will be able to deliver a much more engaging experience for visitors and brands.
“We’re looking forward to showcasing Steps in a milestone year for Shimano as well as the latest Ridgeback eBikes and other key products for us.”
Read the October issue of BikeBiz below:
