New date for Eurobike in 2018

For many years, the Eurobike event has taken place towards the end of August and the beginning of September but organisers have announced a shift in the calendar which will see 2018’s event held in the beginning of July. Also, the consumer days have been removed meaning that the event will be for trade visitors only.

Even though the change has been announced, the event in 2017 will remain untouched between August 30 - September 2 which will see two trade days followed by one consumer day. In addition to this, the demo areas of Eurobike will remain outside the ‘B’ hall. As of yet, organisers are undecided when it comes to the length of the show with some rumours suggesting three trade days and others suggesting that it might be increased to four trade days. However, they have said that more details will be announced closer to the event itself and when exhibitors have responded to surveys. In addition to the length of the show, Eurobike organisers are also said to be asking exhibitors about dates, the possibility of consumer days after 2018, and numerous other topics.

CEO of Messe Friedrichshafen, Klaus Wellman, has said ‘The bike market is enjoying great dynamism and seeing numerous changes to the value chain. By taking place earlier in the year, Eurobike will be even more relevant and strengthen its position as the leading trade show for new trends and innovations.’

Stefan Reisinger, Director of the Eurobike show, said that the industry has changed significantly in recent years with the growth of certain dealer events that are held in the summer. When it comes to the stakeholders, the current path wasn't sustainable for retailers, manufacturers, and even the media - ‘By announcing the new 2018 dates now, we're giving the bicycle industry the chance to orientate itself, providing planning security and the required advanced notice to readjust and regroup for the significantly earlier future Eurobike dates. We are aware that this might prove a challenge for certain market players. However, we're creating the conditions for the industry to present itself in a more unified fashion at the Eurobike show in the future.’

Even though the event has been moved, the dates are still a struggle for the organisers because hotels can be a problem. In the past, attendees have had to stay in Austria or Switzerland meaning that they have to travel to and from the event every single day. With this in mind, the problem could be about to grow that little bit more because it now falls mid-summer when tourism in Germany is high. From all over the country, many people visit Lake Constance in the summer which makes it hard for exhibitors and can make the event redundant.

Not long ago, we saw the 25th edition of Eurobike and attendance figures fell for the first time in its history. With the market declining as a whole and the in-house shows becoming ever-more popular, numbers dropped from 46,000 to just under 43,000 trade visitors. On the other hand, attendance from consumers actually increased because there was an extra consumer day compared to the year before. In 2015, there were 20,000 visitors and this rose to 32,000 over the two days this year.

Additionally, we have also seen some big retailers and brands leave the event in recent years in order to focus on their own shows. As well as Derby Cycle, Orbea, and Pinarello, we also no longer see BICO and ZEG at Eurobike. Whilst the others chose to attend the event once more, many decided to go for smaller booths and only show their most popular models as opposed to their whole collection.