German bike association ZIV launches ‘Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show’, arriving September 2027

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 Jonathon Harker

Cologne, September 2027, will see the first ‘Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show’ take place – with the backing of Germany Bicycle Industry association ZIV and Koelnmesse GmbH, marking a new direct rival to Eurobike which has already announced it is going to move to September in 2027. The timing of the new show has surely been calculated – coming in the days before Eurobike 2026 opens – and will undoubtedly be a big talking point within the halls in Frankfurt.

ZIV (and fellow association Zukunft Fahrrad) have been vocal in their criticism of Eurobike and ended their cooperation with that show in October of last year, noting: “we could not see that both shareholders were equally committed to supporting the measures that would be necessary to make the trade fair fit for the future of the bicycle industry”. Some notable names have dropped out of the show since then (while Shimano has been out and then back in) while Eurobike organiser fairnamic has sought to stabilise the situation and announce new initiatives to counter the unrest, not least moving the timing of the show to September for next year.

This latest salvo from ZIV and Koelnmesse seems to indicate bridges have been well and truly burnt between fairnamic and the associations, but it was actually clearly signalled back in October, when ZIV MD Burkhard Stork said: “The issue of an industry platform needs to be resolved in a forward-looking manner, as we all recognise the enormous political and economic challenges facing our industry.”

For bike trade execs looking for *the* European cycle show to attend, Eurobike has largely been the go-to, but in recent years others have garnered increasing attention and headlines, not least the likes of Belgium’s Velofollies. The arrival of a new show into the fray, with the not inconsiderable backing of ZIV, will mean that pundits will be eagerly watching the international bike show calendar to see how the dust settles.

Here’s the official press release from ZIV and Koelmesse: “The ZIV and Koelnmesse today presented the new leading international trade fair for the bicycle industry: the «towards tomorrow – European Bike Show» will debut in Cologne from 6 to 8 September 2027. This new event will take place annually and bring together retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and service providers from Europe and beyond. Koelnmesse will host the event, while the ZIV will act as the industry partner and brand owner. Together, the two partners are creating a central meeting place for the global bicycle industry – by the industry, for the industry. Countless key industry players, including all of the major retail associations, have already confirmed that they intend to participate.

A new world’s leading trade fair with a European profile

With the «towards tomorrow – European Bike Show», a new platform with clear ambitions to be a leading authority is taking shape: it will combine the international appeal of a world-leading trade fair with roots firmly in Europe. The trade fair will showcase the bicycle industry’s innovative power, value creation and future viability to policymakers and the wider public – and serve as a strong voice for the bicycle industry as an economic sector. Leading figures from the federal and state governments as well as from the city of Cologne have already pledged their support.

A unique partnership model

The new trade fair’s unique selling point lies in its consistent industry focus. According to the motto of «By the industry, for the industry», its content, formats and key themes will be developed in collaboration with key players from the bicycle industry. The trade fair is intended as a platform for the entire value chain and is consistently geared towards a B2B audience.

Cologne as the ideal venue

Cologne is well established as a venue for international trade fairs and affords extensive expertise in mobility solutions and a global reach. Koelnmesse will contribute its many decades of experience in establishing and developing leading industry platforms and at the same time build on Cologne’s long-standing tradition as a venue for bicycle trade fairs.

Kick-off in September 2026

The joint project team from the ZIV and Koelnmesse has already begun its work. All interested exhibitors and media representatives are invited to attend the official kick-off event that will take place in Cologne on 9 September 2026.
To pre-register and for regular updates, see show.twrds.com.”