BELLINGHAM, Wash. (BRAIN) — Kona Bicycle is skipping this month's Eurobike tradeshow for the first time in nearly 20 years, instead holding 2015 model year product introductions for its U.S. dealers in Washington last month and for its European dealers with three events there in August. Kona also will hold an event in Austria for its dealers during the Eurobike period.
"For 2015 we really felt it was important to extend our focus on presenting our bikes to dealers and press," said Mitchell Scott, Kona's communications director. "Of course, in true Kona style, we need to do that in fun, cool, great riding locations where both dealers and press get to mingle and share notes, and most importantly, spend lots of time riding choice selections of all our new 2015 bikes."
At two events in Bellingham, Kona hosted 169 stores, out of the brand's 500 North American stores.
A few weeks later, Kona's U.K. retailers attended an event in Birmingham, England; then dealers from across Europe came to an event at the brand's European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. During Eurobike, Kona will host retailers in the Austrian town of Serfaus Fiss Ladis.
The 2015 Kona bike line is the brand's largest ever, with nearly 70 complete bikes and frames. The line includes a new Endurance Road category with three models. Bikes in the line have Scandium aluminum frames, carbon forks and disc brakes. Retail prices are $1,000, $1,400 and $1,800.
Besides the new road models, the 2015 bike line includes new additions to Kona's Process Enduro line, a new downhill bike and new models in the Freerange line of touring and utility bikes.
