BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
More than 1,400 exhibitors presented the latest technological innovations to more than 60,000 international visitors from the trade and the general public at Eurobike 2019.
This includes 39,834 trade visitors, 1,345 media representatives and 21,240 bike fans on the final Festival Day coming from 99 nations (international proportion: 59%).
“Eurobike 2019 was an innovation-driven mobility show, where manufacturers from all over the world shined a spotlight on the bike and all its components as a sports vehicle and sought-after mode of transport,” said CEO Messe Friedrichshafen Klaus Wellmann.
“Established exhibitors and large numbers of new companies all demonstrated the current upbeat mood on the market with their products. Powered by the particular impact of electrification, it was made very clear in Friedrichshafen that the bike will play an increasingly important role – whether in town or country, for leisure or the daily commute.”
Siegfried Neuberger, managing director, German Bike Industry Association (ZIV), said: “The response from ZIV members is positive in every respect and the return to the later show date has been met with widespread approval. Trade visitors to the show are very interested and the discussions are of high quality. This year we have also witnessed particularly strong resonance from the media and politics.”
“Our mission is to provide exhibitors and trade visitors with the best possible opportunities to conduct business,” said Stefan Reisinger, head of Eurobike. “I’m delighted that Eurobike has met the high expectations and that both manufacturers and trade visitors rate their participation or visit as positive.
“Eurobike has established itself as the leading, international bike business show that draws a notable who’s who to Friedrichshafen. In addition, we are creating a networking and knowledge transfer platform that creates real added-value and goes far beyond the reach of the product itself. Many of the newcomers are established technology companies who are bringing their approach to the current mobility megatrend.”
The extended Cargo Area was one of the “hot spots” of Eurobike 2019. In particular fleet managers and transport logistics experts are very interested in this area. “Cargo bikes are the ‘Yes, We Can’ in the bicycle industry,” says cargo bike expert, Arne Behrensen, succinctly.
New mobility offers and digital innovations in the bike market might well be becoming more significant, however, Eurobike continues to be an important stage for product innovations in the sport-orientated bike sector. And there are new developments in this segment at Lake Constance too.
“We’re particularly satisfied with the B2B-take-up and meet many of our German retailers at Eurobike, as well as welcoming visitors from other European countries and Asia,” said Andrea Gastaldello, CEO of Italian manufacturer Wilier Triestina.
“We’re also delighted to receive a Eurobike Award for our e-road bike. And as a sport-orientated brand, we’re very pleased to see the large numbers of people who are passionate about powering their bikes solely by muscle power.”
New this year, Eurobike rolled out the well-attended ‘Bike Biz Revolution’ congress format for manufacturers, retailers, decision-makers and representatives of the media the day before the show. The new format addressed the fact that digitalisation is well established in the industry and that it’s important to get informed and hear also controversial approaches.
“I was highly impressed by the ‘Bike Biz Revolution’. There were exciting highlight topics, great speakers – and a relaxing atmosphere. It was the right setting to talk to many clever minds and get ahead with new ideas,” said Thomas Sauter-Servaes, head of Degree Program Transportation Systems, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).
In addition, Eurobike Connect – the first business network for the bike and mobility industry – was presented at the ‘Bike Biz Revolution’. The new digital platform connects manufacturers, suppliers and retailers during and beyond the show and enables easier product finding, comparing and selling.
Infotainment showing the new bike trends formed a major part of the Eurobike Festival Day, which attracted 21,240 visitors to Friedrichshafen on the weekend. “The resonance is very good, and we were able to provide plenty of stimuli to get more and more people on bikes in the future,” said Eurobike project manager Dirk Heidrich.
Eurobike 2020 will take place from 2nd to 5th September 2020 on the exhibition grounds in Friedrichshafen.
