By James Dando, Business Director, SHIFT Active Media

As the global cycling trade show calendar evolves, Eurobike 2026 is now done and dusted.  SHIFT Business Director, James Dando, reflects on some of the international trade shows so far. From a sun-drenched Sea Otter Classic to the bustling expo halls of Taipei Cycle, the expanse of China Cycle, and the quality of Velofollies. Not forgetting Eurobike…

With nearly two decades working in the cycling industry, I have walked more trade show floors than I care to count. I have hauled bags through Friedrichshafen and Frankfurt in the summer heat, navigated the labyrinthine halls of Taipei’s Nangang Exhibition Centre, and dusted off many pairs of shoes following busy days at Laguna Seca for Sea Otter Classic. Each show tells a different story about where this industry has been, where it is now, and where it might be heading, not only regionally, but internationally. This year, those stories have never felt more divergent.

The European Crisis

And so to Frankfurt and Eurobike. It’s no secret that Eurobike has been facing considerable headwinds. The 2025 edition was much smaller than previous years, and the trajectory heading into 2026 had been marked by some notable departures. Germany’s two most influential cycling industry bodies — ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad, which together represent a great majority of the German cycling industry — withdrew their collaboration. Bosch eBike Systems weren’t there, Shimano scaled back, Orbea, Mavic, Giant, Pinarello and many others were all absent with physical space.

This, of course, follows the exit of many others in years past. That said, Eurobike 2026 provided a location for many great conversations, a sentiment echoed by everyone I spoke to. September, in my opinion, would be much better timing, and so a return to that could be positive, but I left there on Friday with little confidence that there’d be a ‘next year’. 

It’s been well documented that the show is planning to have a fallow year every other year, which definitely doesn’t support the industry’s need for regular in-person connection. Not only that, they’ve come under significant threat from rival shows, not least one organised by ZIV that is billed to take place in Cologne only a few days later than Eurobike 2027. The people I spoke to about this had divided opinions; some felt they’d attend the new Cologne show, wishing to try something new. Others suggested that maybe they’d get behind Taipei Cycle or China Cycle in a bid to position them as the new international show. Regardless, I heard many suggest (maybe in the heat of the moment) that they’d not be making the pilgrimage to Eurobike again. I guess only time will tell.

The Festival Solution

Let’s contrast that with what is, frankly, the most fun anyone in the cycling industry is likely to have at work (Christmas party aside). The Life Time Sea Otter Classic, which just celebrated its 36th year in Monterey, California, this April. Coming back bigger and more commercially significant than ever before.

The headline numbers are remarkable. Over 1,000 brands from 33 countries exhibited at the 2026 edition, with more than 75,000 attendees across the four days — alongside some 6,000 ‘racing’ athletes and 6,500 campers who made the Laguna Seca site their home for the weekend. This is as close to a festival as a trade show gets. Record registration numbers were reported, with a 30% increase in industry professionals attending the expanded Industry Connect programme and a striking 44% increase in on-site media. These are not the metrics of a show in decline, nor an industry for that matter—these are the metrics of an event that has found a new level.

The Discovery & Innovation Hubs

If Sea Otter Classic is about energy and excitement, then Taipei Cycle, which I attended for the sixth consecutive year, is about something equally valuable: discovery. There is a reason that senior figures from across the global cycling industry make the journey to Taiwan every spring. Taipei Cycle occupies a uniquely important position in the calendar. It happens ahead of the summer madness, the European shows and before the season has truly begun. That timing feels key. It offers buyers and vendors the opportunity to discover and discuss innovations in technology and manufacturing methods at precisely the moment when those conversations are most productive: before budgets are committed, before ranges are finalised, before the following year’s commercial trajectory is set.

This year’s show brought together over 900 exhibitors across 3,450 booths, with international buyers and visitors arriving from 90+ countries. The show floor felt structured to facilitate efficient networking, enabling the industry to connect directly with those manufacturers that sit at the heart of the global supply chain. As Dominic Langan, CEO of Madison, put it simply: “Taipei Cycle is about relationships, insight and momentum. It is about meeting face-to-face with key suppliers, aligning on future development plans and gaining a clear view of where the global cycle market is heading.” I can find no better summary of what makes this show so enduringly valuable.

Beyond the show floor itself, it would be a disservice not to mention the extraordinary backdrop that Taipei City itself provides. The Taiwanese capital is a genuinely wonderful city to spend time in; it’s a sophisticated, vibrant metropolis with world-class restaurants, buzzing night markets and a hospitality scene that punches well above its international profile. For those of us attending Taipei Cycle, the evenings are as important as the days. Post-show dinners, private meetings over excellent food and drink, late-night conversations in rooftop bars overlooking the city skyline (thanks to the many of you that came to our party this year) — these are the moments where relationships are cemented, and long-term partnerships are formed.

Then there is China Cycle. 2026 was my first year at China Cycle, which was held in Shanghai this May. Calvin Chan, CEO of Factor Bikes, encouraged me to attend, claiming I’d not be disappointed. He wasn’t wrong. If you’ve not been, I would strongly encourage you to do so. And if you have been, you already know why. I have a feeling that we’ll see a lot more Western brands there in 2027. The 2026 show stretched across 13 exhibition halls and attracted in excess of 120,000 visitors, with around 1,400 exhibitors participating. Those numbers alone set it apart from virtually every other cycling trade event on the planet. But the scale is almost a secondary consideration — what matters more is what you find when you walk those halls. Its size and diversity are mind-blowing.

We all know that Chinese manufacturing has undergone and continues to transform. The brands and products on show in Shanghai in 2026 were not the imitative, budget-focused offerings of what one might have expected to see a decade ago. They were innovative, technically sophisticated, aesthetically considered and, in some cases, ahead of what Western brands are offering at significantly higher price points. We are seeing technologies and products emerging from Chinese manufacturers with a speed and confidence that should command the attention of every buyer, brand manager and product developer in our industry.

Dare I say, for Western visitors, China Cycle represents an unmissable opportunity to engage directly with innovation that is coming from China. Brands are there from East and West, the factories are accessible, and the appetite for international partnerships is strong; and as with Taipei Cycle, this is undoubtedly a valuable show to be at if you’re to stay informed.

As with everything in life, there are winners and losers, but it strikes me here that there are some show organisers who are listening to the industry, striving to support for the benefit of all. While others seem to be working with blinkers on. My personal belief is that we need a strong and globally minded show in Europe, the US and Asia. We have strong offerings in both Asia and the US, but something needs to change here in Europe. I’ll be watching with great interest over the coming weeks. However, I’ll not be booking hotel rooms in Frankfurt just yet.

Later this year, you can find SHIFT at the Italian Bike Festival, Roc D’Azur, Sea Otter Europe and Rouleur Live (London). Our industry is built on collaboration, and trade shows are essential to that.

James Dando is Business Director at SHIFT Active Media and has been working in the cycling industry for nearly 20 years. He and SHIFT work with some of the world’s most progressive cycling brands on communications strategy, media and creative projects.