New handmade bike show steps in to North American void

A new handmade bike show launched under the MADE banner is to fill a gap left by the NAHBS event that has now been postponed for three years.

Set for the 30-acre Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon, MADE will occupy the area from August 24th to 27th. The event is to be organised by a bike industry PR business – Echos Communications – who are already laying claim to having interest from more than 170 brands.

Billy Sinkford, the VP at Echos explained that the event will avoid moving around year after year in order to try and maintain consistency and predictable cost management.

MADE plans to adjust the known formula, building in a demo element to the event, which will be held outdoors rather than inside. The visitors format will also be different, with the opening two days set for trade visitors and media, which the organisers hope will give the community time to reconnect and forge new links.

“MADE is the next evolution of handmade consumer and trade events, creating an inclusive, exciting, and supportive format, based on the mission to truly celebrate the builders and makers who are dedicated to their craft,” said Billy Sinkford, vice president of ECHOS Communications.

As some events in the bike business do, new builders and upstarts may be offered preferential rates in order to give the show a youthful energy. Bike Flights, a logistics business, is also offering discounts to exhibitors using its services to ship in bikes.

The event may well prove a welcome void filler with the longest running and largest event of its kind – The North American Handmade Bike Show –  first announcing a 2022 comeback, but in summer being forced to pull the plug citing “an unexpectedly low number of commitments to attend from exhibitors.”

The NAHBS event does hope to return in 2023, pledging to have another go in Denver. The event, however, is currently without a website.