Debut Fall Cyclofest draws over 500 bike dealers to Charlotte, NC
Interbike’s inaugural Fall Cyclofest drew over 500 retailers and 3,000 consumers, organisers have said.
Comprising two days of trade only event, followed by two for the public to check in with the latest goods, the National Whitewater Center in North Carolina was given the thumbs up as an ideal venue.
Numbers were not quite what organisers had hoped, with Interbike Vice President Pat Hus stating:
“We were disappointed in the retailer turnout for the trade days, but at the same time understand that this is a difficult time for the industry. With that said, most of our educational sessions were filled to capacity, and those retailers that attended had engaging conversations with exhibitors.”
Of the consumer element, the reverse was true. Hus continued, “The consumer days exceeded our expectations, as aisles were very busy, bikes were off the racks and traffic was solid over both weekend days. There were so many things going on for attendees to enjoy, from off-road racing, to activities for kids, to live music and of course bike demos – all of which contributed to a fantastic inaugural event. We received some great feedback from our constituents, and plan to make a number of tweaks to improve the experience for all vested parties.”
The NBDA Super Seminars and The Mann Group talks were reportedly well-received by those retailers who did make the journey. technical seminars from SRAM, Shimano, Campagnolo and Fox Racing during the 1st two days of the event were also applauded by trade visitors.
Generally feedback from those within the trade centres on seeing new faces. Ken Miner, Director of U.S. Sales for Haibike stated that it was a different crowd to the established west coast event.
“None of us knew what to expect, we were hoping for good things, and overall we were happy with the event. I’m used to going to Interbike and seeing the same people we’ve seen for the past 12 years, but out here we’ve seen all new faces – from dealers to independent reps. We saw folks from Minneapolis, New York, Florida – even Puerto Rico – and most did not go to Interbike. The facility was great, and the event was well run.”
