For an average cycling blogger from India to reach the global stage of the Euro Bike Show was a dream. Gladly, this dream was realized in July 2024 with careful planning and support of family and friends. Thanks to everyone who helped me make it possible.
Watch the full video of the Media Tour:
There are many observations, learnings and takeaways from the mega cycling expo which I would like to share it with my loyal readers and the cycling community at large. Starting from what the show is all about to what happens in the show and how can one benefit from the business side of it to general entertainment it offers to the public, I have tried to cover everything.
What is Euro Bike Show?
Euro Bike Show is the world’s leading annual cycling expo which is held at the Messe Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt city in Germany. The expo is divided into two parts: three ‘Business days’ are reserved for B2B meetings with investors, distributors and dealers from across the globe. And two days are open to welcome general public called the ‘Festival days.’
International brands and local brands from Germany exhibit their cycling products such as bicycles, tricycles, quadricycles, cycling merchandise, technical components and equipment, bicycle maintenance and safety equipment and accessories. Almost everything, from A to Z of cycling is on display. Visitors have to buy a ticket online from the Euro Bike website to get an entry. You can purchase a one-day ticket or a five-day pass depending upon your interest.
In Numbers:
The latest Euro Bike Show 2024 in its 32nd edition saw 1800 brands participating from over 60 countries at the expo with approximately 70,000 footfalls exploring 1,50,000 sqm of indoor and outdoor space, over 5 days converting into business deals running into undisclosed value of millions of euros. Small and big players get into several discussions, meetings and hours of negotiations before signing contracts. These dealings unfold job opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers right from business development and retail sales, to technicians and cycle tourism etc. Hundreds of industry leaders gather at various forums at the show to have focused talks on pre-planned subjects, panel discussions and presentations delivering their own perspectives on the cycling ecosystem and its future.
A diverse platform for cycling enthusiasts:
The Euro Bike Show is a crazy world of bicycles and can be called as a ‘Bike Planet’. The offerings are so diverse that it will overwhelm you in minutes. The expo unveils a wide range of bicycles and related products bundled with latest technologies and innovations, creative designs and hands-on solutions for sports, touring, commuting and cycle logistics, sports performance, monitoring and enhancing gadgets and things that are way beyond our imagination.
India at the Euro Bike Show:
India being one of the largest bicycles producing nations in the world, I was happy to see a few names in the exhibitor list. My trip would have been incomplete without visiting them and therefore, I commenced my exploration by visiting them on the first day. The product line offered by Indian exhibitors are budget friendly, elementary designs with low maintenance cost targeting lower to middle income groups. The bikes meet the EU standards and are made in India and made for the world. The bikes displayed are specially manufactured for the European market catering to the needs of the local population, that suits their infrastructure and adheres to their riding styles. It won’t be fair to compare it with the ones produced in European nations since their components and technology is advance and equally expensive. Every product gets sold on its merit and has acceptance in the market and I felt proud to see the Indian Tri-Color flag embossed on the frame.
Messe Trade Fair, Frankfurt:
The Messe Trade Fair area comprises of different halls – for example hall 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. And in each hall there are levels 8.0, 8.1, etc. And every level has multiple exhibitors showcasing their best-in-class products displayed inside massive stalls. The halls are beautifully formatted into dedicated themes such as cargo bike area, start-up area, handmade area, media and networking area etc. spread across every hall. Apart from the exhibition stalls, there are numerous activities that takes place simultaneously like talks on different stages – Pink Stage, Yellow Stage etc., new launches and awards, consumer engagements, BMX competition, cargo bike race and road bike race in the outdoor area and test tracks to ride your favorite bikes.
For how many days you should visit?
To sum-up the expo is larger than life and so huge that it is almost impossible to cover it in a single day. Maybe five days are not enough is what I realized. The truth is, I wanted to make as much content as possible and meet as many people I could. But if you have a limited vision, and exactly know whom you want to meet and what you want to do than two days should be enough. My top tip for you is to list down your preferences and allocate time accordingly so that you have a focused visit or else you will be easily lost.
Secondly, you will have to walk a lot as the Trade Fair premises is vast and expansive and stretches over from one building to another building and has to be covered on foot. There are plenty of amenities like pop-up cafes, sitting places, music area with live performances to relax and toilet facilities. You will get enough opportunity to recharge your energies at the venue and balance out your visit between work and fun.
Now that you have got an idea about the Euro Bike Show, let me highlight the major takeaways from my visit:
- Electric bikes are trending and in good demand specially with the ageing population and the comfort and convenience they provide with many brands showcasing their ebike commuter models at the expo.
- New innovations and aesthetic designs in the Electric Cargo Bikes category which offer utility and efficiency in everyday mobility and logistics has renewed consumer interest in cycling and has given business owners an opportunity to scale and grow.
- Automotive engineering led technologies like advance Pinion gear systems, Gates carbon belt drives, integrated Bosch motor systems; all applied in cycling gives you an enhanced riding sensation with low maintenance and high longevity and off course high cost of acquisition.
- Gravel bikes are gaining popularity amongst the cycling fans who wish to venture beyond the smooth asphalt and enjoy its versatility and are seeking challenging adventures over and above the routine outings and add thrill to their lifestyle.
- Despite a strong potential of combining with public transport used by billions of commuters daily across the world, lack of affordable variety in folding bikes and its high value making it out of reach in price sensitive markets is a disappointment.
- I see a scope for athleisure clothing which is an untapped segment because a majority of population around the world don’t cycle wearing Lyra. I believe, clothing designed keeping in mind a cyclist’s need will facilitate riding in different weather conditions and provide flexibility which will encourage more people to stay comfortable and choose cycling as their commute option. Contrary to this fact, the focus of most of the manufacturers/exhibitors stayed on the Sports side of cycling and missed out on the Transport side of it.
- And finally, three brands whose products I was attracted to the most are Riese & Muller, Tarran and Cago. Surprisingly, all three are Cargo Bike brands. Perhaps, since I had never tried a Cargo Bike before in India; their product line was impressive and looked promising. For instance, Tarran has an aircraft like wheels that opens and closes automatically with the press of a button while parking. It has an integrated camera feature and the company has collaborated with Insta 360 to capture your real time candid moments while riding. Apart from standard features of a cargo bike, both Riese & Muller and Cago bikes were flawless during the test ride.
What happens on the Test Track?
While the test track is open for all five days of the event, it is accessible to general public only on Festival days. The mood at the test track is high enough to pump you up. Pre-registration is mandatory at the Euro Bike Show test track desk and subsequently with the brands whose bike you want to test ride. Do not forget to carry a photo ID card such as a Passport since the bikes are expensive and given only on submission of a valid ID proof at the respective stalls.
I rode a variety of bikes, ebikes cargo bikes, scooters etc – Simplon, Flyer, Fazua, Kettler, Kalkhoff, Tern, Canyon, Giant, Bastille, Ruffle, Brompton, Advance, Velotechnik, Fuell, Orbea, Cago, Stromer, Bulls, Riese & Muller, Raymon, Head, i:sy, igus, myboo bamboo bikes and many more. The test track is circular in shape and I ended up riding 20 kms over two days. This was the best part of attending the expo and alongside me, there were thousands of visitors who grabbed this unique opportunity of riding the latest and the greatest bikes on earth.
Why the Euro Bike Show must be a Rolling Event?
In my view, the Euro Bike Show must be a Rolling event and a new country every year should get a chance to be the host nation. When we say ‘Cycling is Global’ and ‘Cycling for All’, then why should Europe have all the Fun? Isn’t it a better idea to give every country in the world a chance to plan, prepare, execute, learn, and grow from the expo? If cycling has to be nurtured in totality, then there has to be a well-rounded approach. I don’t deny the advantages of European nations hosting it consistently given the fact that they are far too evolved when it comes to ridership and infrastructure which makes business sense and achieves the bottom line. At the same time, I feel traveling to Europe to attend a business trade fair for one week turns out to be expensive for the rest of the world. The high cost discourages potential interested exhibitors and individuals to participate. This turns out to be a scenario of incomplete representation of cycling industry and remains limited to a few high net-worth neighboring countries doing business amongst themselves and seeking growth. While the value may come from the European market, the volumes will come from emerging markets. Hence, it is important to make the event accessible to everyone. Further, when a new nation will host the event, it will give a chance for KTN: Knowledge Exchange, Technology Transfer, and provide New Markets to trade their products with price rationalizations.
That’s it from me! You are welcome to have a counter view but this is what I believe and I respect your opinion.
Closing Thoughts:
The 2024 season of the Euro Bike Show was a well-organized expo and everything was planned and executed to the T. There were adequate directional signs at the venue which helped me find my way.
The Press Pass given to me by the PR team is highly appreciated as I could be a part of the eighty-member expert Journalists from across well-known European media houses and to witness the Media Briefing, Presentation and Media Tour prior to the expo was a fabulous feeling. Maybe, I am the first blogger from India to cover the event – I am not sure 🙂
Meeting and networking with Industry professionals was a great experience and I am looking forward to collaborating and working with some of the few interested brands. I want to thank the Euro Bike team and hoping to be back next year at the same place, but with new thoughts and perspectives.
I am also open to receive sponsorships for my next year’s visit and in exchange willing to create content for the sponsors. If interested, you can be the first to grab this opportunity by writing to me pedalandtringtring@gmail.com and secure your spot.
Coming up next, Euro Bike Cycling Parade in Frankfurt City.
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Author: Vijay Malhotra, Mumbai
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