BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
In a move raising the bar for bike trade giveaways, Canadian e-bike retrofit-kit specialist BionX is to provide e-bikes to the editors attending Lifeboat Events’ PressCamp in June.
Started last year, PressCamp is an intimate and hands-on meet-and-greet event, with suppliers and journalists living cheek-by-jowl for three days of testing, slap-up meals and one-on-one product sessions. The 2010 PressCamp takes place June 22-25 at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah.
BionX were not at last year’s Sun Valley kick-off event.
"BionX coming on board to PressCamp is great news," said Lance Camisasca, president of Lifeboat Events.
"They’re our first e-bike brand, which is an important and growing segment of the industry. The bikes they provide will be a convenient and fun way for the editors to get around Park City."
For many of the editors – the majority of whom are keen roadies or MTBers – this will be the first, extended period they’ve experienced e-bikes.
Vincent Lamoureux, global sales and marketing director for BionX, said: "We believe our products are a great way to reduce carbon emissions and change the mode of transportation. PressCamp is the perfect venue to tell our story to a key group of influencers."
A Canadian company, subsidiary of Magna Marque International, BionX designs, develops and manufactures electric retrofit systems for bicycles.
"By giving each attending journalist a bike powered by BionX to use during the event and back at home, we hope to help change commuting behaviour," said Lamoureux.
Representatives from nearly every US bike industry publication and major website will attend PressCamp, as well as Euro magazines such as Singletrack, Bike Europe and, of course, BikeBiz.
The event has also attracted mainstream media journalists used to high-level schmoozing, including writers from The New York Times, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Journal, Los Angeles Times, Wired, and Outside.
24 brands will be filling up the event schwag-bags: BionX, Blue Competition Cycles, BMC Racing, CamelBak, Cannondale, Cateye, CLIF, Dahon, EFX, Fox Racing Shox, Freedom, Gore Bike Wear, Gore RideOn Cable Systems, GT Bicycles, Lazer Helmets, Mongoose, Pedro’s, Ridley, Rudy Project, Saris Cycle Racks, Schwinn, Scott USA, Sugoi and WTB.
In addition to PressCamp, Lifeboat Events is also hosting DealerCamp in July to create a similar opportunity for suppliers and retailers.
