Interbike Confidently Welcomes Eurobike to U.S.A. Trade Show Market

San Juan Capistrano, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/02/2006 --Interbike, a division of VNU Expositions, today responded to Eurobike’s announcement of its plans to launch a competing show in Portland, Oregon in fall 2007.

“I was interested to hear the news of Eurobike’s proposed show,” said Lance Camisasca, Interbike's group show director. “We welcome competition, as it will help us do a better job. However, we are also greatly concerned about the dividing effect Eurobike’s announcement may have on the industry. Many will remember the time when the industry suffered through multiple shows resulting in additional expense and heartache. We hope the industry will continue to support the Interbike show and we promise to continue to do everything we can to make Interbike the best show for the North American market.”

Interbike is the leading bicycle industry business-to-business event in North America, bringing together top international manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of cycling. Interbike consists of two events: the two-day OutDoor Demo, held this year in Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada, and the three-day International Bicycle Expo held at the Sands Convention Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The 25th anniversary and 2006 edition of Interbike OutDoor Demo and International Bicycle Expo had the largest exhibit footprint in its history and an attendance increase of twelve percent, compared to 2005, which is a good indication of the health of the industry and the support it receives from exhibitors and retailers.

The OutDoor Demo occurred September 25-26 with 61,400-square feet of outdoor exhibit space filled with more than 130 bicycle and accessory manufacturers. Three thousand five hundred individual buyers and journalists tested bicycles and accessories on cross country mountain bike trails, downhill-specific courses, a professionally built BMX track and a closed road course. Total overall attendance for the two-day demo was more than 6,000 individuals. In terms of square footage and attendance, it was the largest OutDoor Demo since the pre-indoor expo was started 11 years ago.

The indoor portion of Interbike, the International Bicycle Expo, ran September 27-29 and consisted of displays from 735 individual bicycle and accessory manufacturers representing more than 1,000 brands covering approximately 15 acres of the Sands Expo and Convention Center. With a total of 310,000 square-feet of occupied exhibit space, this year's event had the largest footprint in Interbike's history.

Total attendance was close to 22,000 individual exhibitors, manufacturers’ representatives, buyers and members of the media, which represents a 12 percent increase versus 2005 attendance. Buyer attendance was close to 10,400 individuals, which equates to a six percent increase versus 2005 and represents a little more than 3,100 stores.

“We understand the Interbike show may not be perfect,” Camisasca said. “But we have always tried to listen to retailers, exhibitors and advocacy groups to improve the show and to help the industry grow. For example, when the industry wanted more space, all on one floor, we moved the show to Las Vegas. We have also kept exhibiting costs below the tradeshow industry average to maintain affordability for exhibitors both large and small.”

Interbike believes the industry thrives in good and bad times through strong partnerships, so it regularly provides significant financial, in-kind and moral support to the National Bicycle Dealer Association (NBDA), Bikes Belong, The League of American Bicyclists, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), Trips for Kids, Sprockids and other such organizations.

The next 25 years of Interbike start with the OutDoor Demo in Bootleg Canyon, Boulder City, Nevada, September 24-25, 2007 and the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 26- 28, 2007.

For more information about Interbike, please visit www.interbike.com.