Terror Attacks and Shrinking Market Couldn't Harm Interbike 2001

LAS VEGAS, USA (October 5)- Celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year's Interbike Show (held from September 29 to October 3) wanted to top last year's record breaking results again. But how does this work out after what happened in New York just two weeks earlier and with a shrinking US and European bike market? Despite these circumstances and despite two top manufacturers in deep trouble, Interbike 2001 can look back on a successful show. With regard to the last two companies - Derby Cycle Corp. and Schwinn/GT - both were able to make a last-minute reservation for their Interbike presence. Already at Interbike's retail bike festival, the now called OutDoor Demo Day in Blue Diamond held one day prior to the opening of the show, it became clear that this year's Interbike would be 'business as usual'. And maybe even more that that because a record number of 100 exhibitors were overwhelmed by the huge amount of retailers checking the newest bicycle products. According to Interbike attendance reached a record high of 2,800 retailers. The show itself reached about the same number of visitors as last year, about 20,000 visitors. Al lot of these visitors went looking for alternatives especially with regard to Schwinn/GT. New owner Pacific Cycle announced that it is targeting the mass merchants channels as well as IBD's. Many long time Schwinn/GT retail partners showed up at Giant and Raleigh for example. Despite the fact that the terrorists attacks definitely led to a sharp decrease of international visitors, the largest number of trade pavilions was at the 2001 Interbike. There was the first Chinese pavilion; several Taiwanese joint booths and even a European joint stand organized by the European association for component makers COLIPED. Five European companies debuted here, German Büchel and Heinzmann, Dutch Accell Group with Be-One and British suppliers with Weldtite and Fibrax. With regard to new trends at Interbike, Comfort bikes are coming on stronger and stronger. While this segment wasn't clear in the past, it now becomes a more defined category. Bike Europe's October edition will feature a complete Interbike 2001 Show report.(JB)