The Urban Legends Fashion Show at Interbike 2009 will
showcase hip, sexy business attire that is compatible with
biking to work. Source: Richard Masoner on flickr.
Tomorrow Interbike begins, the biggest bike industry expo in North America. Any bike geek as obsessed with equipment as he or she is about riding would give their first bike to be able to attend the expo at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas. Unfortunately (and perhaps to control the drool that would have to be mopped up off the floor at the end of each day), Interbike is only open to bike industry professionals, organizations, and press. The five-day cycling extravaganza's timing is no accident. Arranging the affair in September gives manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers a chance to meet with plenty of time to plan the spring rush, and gives the press enough time to generate buzz about the new lines that are unveiled at the expo.
Traditionally, major retailers like Specialized, Trek and Cervelo have used Interbike as a stage to release their new lines and strut their stuff. However, all three cycling giants have already released their 2010 lines, and Trek and Cervelo haven't reserved booths for this year, although they will probably still have a presence. The 1,100 smaller manufacturers who will participate at Interbike this year still find the expo invaluable in their buying, selling, and networking process. Advanced Sports, who make Kestrel and Fuji bikes will be rolling out their new lines at Interbike this year. "Interbike provides us the opportunity to tell our complete brand story and meet new and existing customers," said Pat Cunnane, president of Advanced Sports, Inc. "Even with a tough economy, Interbike is the place to be... [T]his year we are looking forward to a successful relaunching of Breezer mountain bikes," Cunnane explained.
Interbike begins tomorrow and Tuesday with the Outdoor Demo, a feature unique to the Interbike expo,\ where attendees will be able to ride the new bikes on outdoor courses in Bootleg Canyon, located in Boulder, NV. Closed courses for mountain biking, downhill, cyclocross, BMX, and road bikes will all be available to showcase whatever vendors have to sell. On Wednesday the expo goes indoors, featuring product launches, business meetings, and other special events. The Urban Legend Fashion Show will be a twist on a new theme as models ride around an indoor "catwalk" loop, pedaling among the audience and giving all who attend a close-up view of the new professional and trendy fashions designed to make work attire compatible with commuting by bike.
This year's expo will be centered around commuting and electric bikes. Electronics manufacturer SANYO will be among the sixty-five new companies attending Interbike 2009 to release their new line of electric bikes, or e-bikes. "While SANYO is exhibiting at Interbike for the first time, we are not newcomers to the cycling industry," said SANYO's business development manager David Cabanban. "Our first product was a bicycle lamp, and Interbike offers us the perfect stage to place our latest innovations in electric bike technology in front of top industry influencers and allow retailers and the media to ride the future."
After the expo on Wednesday Interbike attendees can watch the CrossVegas cyclocross races, where elite male and female competitors will race along with representatives of the retailers at the expo. Thursday night, the USA Crits finals will be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on a 1-km technical course. Both professionals and amateurs will take part in the USA Crits finals.
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