BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The event will be held in Providence, Rhode Island, October 21st-22nd.
The aim is to "better support retailers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions," said Lance Camisasca, Interbike’s industry consultant (pictured).
The Interbike Outdoor Demo East event will be based on the Interbike Outdoor Demo held before Interbike, Las Vegas and will include product testing, National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) seminars and networking events. The new event is aimed at servicing retailers who do not attend the West Coast event.
"We recognize there are members of the industry that have difficulties attending the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas," said Camisasca.
"Interbike Outdoor Demo East is a hands-on, no-hassle, inexpensive regional style event that allows retailers to not only test new products but also educate staff members on the latest trends and network with industry members in a historic and event friendly location."
Manufacturers who have already committed to exhibit at the event include Advanced Sports (Fuji, SE Racing, Kestrel), Fox Racing Shox, Giant Bicycles, Kenda USA, Pacific Cycle (GT, Schwinn, Mongoose), Pedro’s Total Bicycle Care and Santa Cruz Bicycles.
"The genesis of an opportunity to reach out to the other half of cycling is perfect," said Chris Zigmont, general manager of Pedro’s Total Bicycle Care.
"We will now be able to meet with the guys and gals who work the shop floor and who can’t attend Interbike’s Las Vegas trade show because of time and money constraints."
Roger Williams Park is located just south of downtown Providence and has been the host city for the 2006 and 2007 National Cyclocross Championships.
The Outdoor Demo Day at Interbike Las Vegas has guaranteed fine weather. Rhode Island isn’t a desert state.
Interbike’s Rich Kelly said:
"One event…that will not be happening – at least this first year – is a consumer demo day. The possibility of a consumer day at any of the Interbike events always generates alot of excitement and discussion, but we really feel that we need to fully serve the needs of the industry first before we try to open things up to the end users of all this great gear that we showcase.
"Key ingredients of this decision were both formal and informal surveys of manufacturers and retailers that did not give us a strong consensus that a consumer day was important or demanded at this point. Given the enormous additional logistical and infrastructure needs that having a consumer day would place on us and exhibitors to implement successfully, we decided to get through the first year as a trade-only event."
NB
The guests on the Spokesmen industry podcast – aired before Christmas – discussed the pros and cons of a not-yet-announced East Coast Interbike.
