Interbike and OutDoor Demo (ODD) closed to an energized group of attendees last week, as retailers and exhibitors met to conduct the business of cycling at Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada, and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
OutDoor Demo
The week kicked-off with some unsettling weather that made for incredible riding conditions at OutDoor Demo, but the organisers note that flight delays caused lower than expected attendance on Day 1. The event ‘rebounded on Day 2 under clear skies as bike racks were empty most of the day and the trails were full of retailers and media testing the latest products from Giant USA, SRAM, Prodeco, Marin, NUUN, FSA and many more.’
Day 2 attendance was stronger than in most years, as police had to direct drivers to park on the road leading to the event due to all parking lots on-site being completely full. Total attendance for both days was flat compared to 2013.
“We had our eye on the weather since the week before OutDoor Demo and were preparing for rain,” said Justin Gottlieb, PR & Communications Director for Interbike. “The few sprinkles of rain on Sunday and Monday helped keep the dust to a minimum and the temperatures down, but overall this was one of the best ODD’s to date.”
Andrew Herrick, CEO of Intense Cycles, said his company had a great experience at both OutDoor Demo and Interbike. “We committed fully to the OutDoor Demo and were rewarded with a great response; all of our bikes being ridden for most of the event and many new dealer friends as a result,” said Herrick. “The indoor show was equally successful as we hope, when all the dust settles, that we may have added as many as 35-40 new Intense dealers for the 2015 season.”
Interbike
Interbike 2014 featured a number of new additions to its busy calendar this year, including an all new Interbike Awards night, Media Reception and the largest Industry Breakfast event ever produced. The organisers noted that the NBDA Super Seminars, on-floor education and Interbike University educational sessions were packed, and the new Mann University course offered at no charge to retail store managers on Friday filled-to-capacity with more than 80 participating.
‘The positive energy on the show floor could be felt by most, and with a new food court & returning attendees now familiar with the ins & outs of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center facility, the attendee and exhibitor experience at the show was much improved.’
“After being in business for 4 years, we made our first trip to Interbike this year,” said Tony Cousins, Co-Owner of Bike Works in Gainesville, Florida. “The seminars were extremely informative with great lessons to take back & apply, and it was great to meet up with company representatives to learn about products and services that would make great additions to our current line-up. I can’t wait for next year.”
Attendance on Friday for the Customer Appreciation Day was up 31% over 2013 and traffic remained steady throughout the day. Exhibitors also commented that many dealers stayed through Friday to finish up meetings and to see smaller brands they may have missed in the first two days of the show. Overall net square feet was comparable to 2013, as were the number of exhibiting brands (1400+).
Attendance was down slightly over 2013 and was attributed to a number of factors including the date proximity to Eurobike in Germany and the massive rain storms that delayed flights and closed Interstate 15 leading into Las Vegas.
There were two other significant points, highlighted by the organisers:
- ‘The Health+Fitness Business Expo (HFB) contributed a large part to the shortfall due to the three largest brands opting out of this year’s event. The retail fitness industry has been in a state of decline since 2008, and the number of retailers is lower than ever before. Combine this with the fact that the product cycle for the fitness industry is every 6-7 years, and manufacturers just don’t have the need to show new product at an annual trade show. As a result, our fitness show will no longer operate as an independent event in conjunction with Interbike. We have many exhibitors that have liked the connection to Interbike over the past few years, so we’ve decided to create a new HFB neighborhood on the Interbike show floor in 2015.’
- ‘IBD’s operated in a difficult business climate during 2013 and the early part of 2014. In the months leading up to Interbike, show management hired a third-party telemarketing firm to poll non-registered retailers on why they have not planned to attend Interbike. Results indicated that more than 75% of those called could either not afford the trip, or could not afford to leave their store as they needed to help drive sales due to the poor overall 2014 business climate.’
“While attendance numbers are certainly a measurement tool when gauging the success of an event, it’s not the only one,” said Pat Hus, Vice President of Interbike. “At the end of the day, the quality of the show experience is most important. When we hear that retailers brought in new brands, purchased product, met with company executives, networked, learned from the seminars, etc – we know that the show was a success.”
Laurens VanRoojen, interim editor in chief for Cyclinfo – Switzerland’s b2b bicycle magazine, attended Interbike and OutDoor Demo for the first time and made several comments on his experience…
“Besides offering a more laid-back platform for face-to-face communication and networking, Interbike has also given me some interesting insight into to differences of the American market. The test tracks in Bootleg Canyon were Interbike’s real highlight to me though, certainly when compared to what other trade shows have to offer. And side events such as Cross Vegas and the Social Ride top off the package. Interbike has both been informative and highly sociable.”
Interbike returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center beginning with OutDoor Demo in Boulder City, Nevada, on 14-15 September 2015, followed by the Interbike Expo on 16-18 September 2015.
