MUNICH, Germany (BRAIN)—While some concerns over show dates, thin crowds and bad weather swirled through exhibitor booths at the Bike Expo show last week, most agreed that it is worth having a presence at the second-year trade and consumer show in Munich.
Bike Expo ran Thursday through Sunday at the Messe München expo hall in Munich, Germany, and attracted 260 exhibitors and 400 brands, up from 210 exhibitors and 270 brands in its first year.
The show is backed by Germany’s powerful ZEG retail group, which has the largest booth at the show, and many exhibitors said they have a presence at Bike Expo to support ZEG. ZEG’s biggest clients like Derby Cycles, Hercules, and Panther, are also among the largest Bike Expo exhibitors.
ZEG president Georg Honkomp said 95 percent of ZEG’s retailers write orders for next year’s products at Bike Expo, and more than 800 of the organizations’ 1,000 shops attend.
Honkomp said he thinks July timing is ideal for brands to show new product.
“Everybody is ready. American brands have been ready for two months,” Honkomp said.
But some question the timing in late July, just a month before Eurobike and a time when much of Europe is on holiday.
Gloria Radaelli, marketing manager for FSA, said she feels June would be more appropriate timing for FSA since the it has the following year’s product prepared in time for Taipei Cycle in March.
Still, Radaelli said FSA used the show as a venue to present its new product line to its 40 European distributors, something it typically does at its Italian office every summer.
Matteo Paccagnella, sales and marketing manager for Selle Royal, said he feels October would be a better date for Bike Epxo as the current selling season is over for dealers.
“Distributors and dealers are still working with 2010 range. It’s difficult to change their mindset to focus on new product,” Paccagnella said while manning the Selle Royal booth on Saturday.
Bike Expo show director Markus Hefter said show organizers are currently in discussions about 2011 dates, but hadn’t made a decision as of last Friday.
Verena Wastl, of Passione Bici, the distributor for De Rosa in Germany and Austria, was a new exhibitor at the show this year, and De Rosa was one of few brands at Bike Expo with no affiliation to ZEG. Wastl said Bike Expo courted De Rosa and De Rosa opted to attend to show its early support for a new industry event. De Rosa was one of the first exhibitors at Eurobike when it began, Wastl added.
“You never know how a show develops. To be here is very interesting for us and a good opportunity to see how it goes,” she said.
The weather during the four-day show was sunny and warm for the first trade day on Thursday before the wet weather set in on Friday, causing much of the outdoor portion of the show to close their booths early. The rain continued on Saturday.
—Nicole Formosa
nformosa@bicycleretailer.com
