[UPDATED] Peter Eland's final trade show report from Koln, Germany.

In the September edition of BicycleBusiness, the monthly print version of this website, our IBD-cum-supplier columnist takes issue with the Erl Wilkie Chain Reaction slot in the August mag. SpokesMan says IBDs don't get involved with cycle campaigners because of time restrictions. And, anyway, to paraphrase, he asks 'what have cycle campaigners ever done for us'? Well, here's two things from just today!

"How can it be that the bike with its current total of 27 gears, its rear and front disc brakes and comfortable suspension is also regarded as the favourite toy of the rapidly growing Internet generation?...The bicycle requires some degree of physical fitness, in order to be fun, the Internet requires some basic knowledge. On the one hand, you can virtually surf to the most wonderful places which mankind can conceive, on the other, on a completely real level, with all the senses." This is from a press release from the IFMA marketing team...

In effect, Cycle Bid Co. – a new company set up to own what was once the Derby Cycle Corporation – becomes the ‘stalking horse’ to flush out any other bidders for the owner of Raleigh and ex-owner of Sturmey Archer

In effect, Cycle Bid Co. – a new company set up to own what was once the Derby Cycle Corporation – becomes the ‘stalking horse’ to flush out any other bidders for the owner of Raleigh

This weekend's CTC ride with CTC president - and TV commentator - Phil Liggett, now has 308 entrants for a tough 90 mile ride up and down Peak District hills. CTC expects 500 entrants by the time the ride kicks off on Sunday at 7.30am

“We’re going to make sure we make money from it,” Tandem’s Paul Vicary told bikebiz.co.uk today. Dawes had been losing money for some time and had been on the market since last year. Many UK cycle companies sniffed around the Dawes plant, but only Tandem believed they could rescue the business

The Outdoor Industries Association has carried out another survey of its 300+ members. This showed that four in five businesses trading in the outdoor leisure sector saw significant reductions in turnover during April

Customer Relationship Management (CRM in buzz-speak0 is cheap to buy, but expensive to repair. In this salutary tale LES WOODLAND tells the story of a bike shop that lost a customer for good. A customer with a loud mouth...

It's not over till the fat lady sings but yesterday's announcements by the DETR's Michael Meacher are at least a step (pedal revolution?) in the right direction