BOULDER CITY, NV (BRAIN)—Hundreds of retailers will brave the desert heat today and tomorrow to test new road, mountain and electric bikes in Bootleg Canyon trails and paved roads outside of Las Vegas for the last time before Interbike moves to Anaheim next year.
About 116 exhibitors representing 200 brands have set up pop-up tents.
“Some brands only exhibit there and it will be bigger this year with expanded road loops,” said show director Andy Tompkins.
New this year is a separate paved demo track for retailers to test pedal-assist bikes. Interbike partnered with the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA) to promote e-bikes via a Hill Climb Challenge this year, which will pit e-bikes and non-powered bikes against each other Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Some of mountain biking’s biggest names including Ned Overend, Joe Breeze and Hans Rey will lead a one-hour mountain bike ride Tuesday morning. The Mountain Bike Legends Ride is open to retailers and vendors.
Also on Tuesday morning, police will escort the start of the Tour de Lake Mead, a 24-mile road ride through Lake Mead National Park to the lake and back that starts at 8 a.m.
On Wednesday the show moves indoors to the Sands Expo Center where Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a staunch cycling advocate, will update the industry on cycling legislation during a press conference before Interbike officially opens its doors at 8 a.m.
Retailer pre-registration overall is down compared to last year, according to Chip Smith, who handles public relations for Interbike. The ramp up in registration that typically begins two weeks prior to the show didn’t occur this year, he added.
But media interest is on the rise with 543 pre-registering for both Interbike and the Health+Fitness Business Expo held next door at the Venetian on Wednesday and Thursday.
As in years before, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News is providing show coverage in a 56-page daily magazine distributed at the expo entrance. But this year, a digital version will be posted online each show day.
For a list of Outdoor Demo events, click on the link above.
—Lynette Carpiet
lcarpiet@bicycleretailer.com
