PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — The Philly Bike Expo began as a show catering to the custom framebuilder, but it evolved into a gathering of the whole bike industry with large and small brands mixing with single-person frame, paint, and manufacturing shops.
"The Expo has always been intended as a presentation of the entire cycling world, but in the first couple of years, we focused our messaging on the custom framebuilders, considering it was founded by a framebuilder," show director Bina Bilenky said.
Bina's father Stephen Bilenky, a noted Philadelphia-area framebuilder, launched the show in 2010. Bina took over as director and show owner in 2016.
While custom framebuilders comprise about a quarter of the exhibitors, the majority come from the overall cycling industry. For the 24th Expo that begins Saturday and ends Sunday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 140 exhibitors will be on hand with some introducing new products.
Online attendance registration is up for what she termed "essentially the season kickoff for the Northeast."
"We'd like to have all types of bike companies at the Expo, so we've changed our messaging accordingly but continue to honor the framebuilders as they are our inspiration and provide innovation and beauty to the show," said Bilenky, who added three retailers will be exhibiting.
In the past, the Expo offered free retailer access, requiring pre-registration. Bilenky said there were too many showing up day-of wanting industry registration, and the Expo doesn't have the capacity to do involved on-site registration.
Some product launches announced include:
- Wolf Tooth Components, EnCase Pump 30cc Crane Bell Co., Stealth Black versions.
- Haute Bicycle Co., Haute Streak cross and road race bike.
- VAR Tools, second-generation disc brake mount facing kit.
- LūMA Cycles titanium performance bikes.
- Industry Nine new hub platform.
There will be 28 seminars covering everything from tech to cycling safety to a deep dive into titanium manufacturing.
"We actually have to be a bit selective and limit numbers," Bilenky said of the seminars offered. "Word is out that you'll get a large, educated, attentive audience here, so people doing interesting things in cycling want to present here. We're not quite the TED Talks of the cycling world, but we'd like to be."
Demos also will be offered, including bike maintenance and chain waxing for all conditions.
Started in 2010 — but not held in 2020 because of COVID — the Expo was held at the Armory before the event outgrew that space and moved to the convention center in 2013. The additional space also allowed for the introduction of children's activities to appeal to families, Bilenky said.
"If the entire cycling world could be squeezed into one tiny capsule, Philly Bike Expo is it," she said. "The products expo is a big thing, but a lot of people come for the bike culture activities and the seminars."
