Exhibit Hall 2019: E-xcitement in the Exhibit Hall

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by Maureen Becker
Executive Director

2019 was not the first time electric-assist bicycles made an appearance in the IPMBA Exhibit Hall, but it was definitely a record-setting year. Nearly half the exhibitors were marketing an e-Bike, and for awhile, it seemed as if e-Bike companies were going to be riding circles around the rest of the exhibitors.

While the adoption rate of e-Bikes by public safety agencies is still low relative to the number of agencies, it is safe to say that the number of agencies that have added or are considering integrating e-Bikes into their operations has been increasing. It seems nary a day goes by without a news item involving public safety and e-Bikes. In response, IPMBA has released a position statement, created an e-Bike resource page , and is developing a training module to help ease the transition of skills from conventional to e-Bike.

So it was fitting that a number of e-Bike companies should choose to exhibit their wares at the IPMBA Conference. The Exhibit Hall was situated in the Crystal Ballroom of the Historic Hilton Hotel, the room in which President Kennedy delivered his last speech.

GeoOrbital, one of IPMBA’s newest Corporate Members, traveled from New England to demonstrate and display their GeoOrbital Electric Wheel, which transforms any bicycle into an e-Bike by simply changing out the front wheel. Long-time supporter and Corporate Member Police Bike Store has added the iZip E3 Dash and the Raleigh Lore IE electric police bicycle to its inventory. Trek Bicycle Corporation, which recently renewed as a Corporate Member after a hiatus of several years, showed off the Bosch-equipped Police Powerfly, while Volcanic Bikes has whet the appetite of its fans with promises of an e-Bike “erupting” in the near future.

In 2011, a century after its founding in 1911 as a motorcycle manufacturer, Benelli launched a line of e-Bikes, which has grown to include a rear hub drive model for law enforcement. They must have impressed a few agencies, including Cypress Creek EMS, which purchased five within three months of the conference.

Austin-based MOD BIKES, inspired by the mod designs of the 1960’s, made the relatively short trip to demonstrate and display their customizable, high-performance, full-suspension e-Bikes. They also sell a variety of accessories, such as an e-Bike transport rack built to withstand the additional weight.

Pedego Electric Bikes Fort Worth had an even shorter trip; Vicki could have easily pedaled the Ridge Rider Patroller across town if she didn’t also have to bring all the accessories it comes with – lights, sirens, kickstand, rack bag, and everything else a well-equipped public safety bike needs.

Regardless of whether you ride an e-Bike or a conventional, strictly pedal-powered vehicle, the quality of the clothing, equipment and accessories you wear and carry can make all the difference over the course of a long shift.

IPMBA prides itself on the quality of the goods and services provided by our partnering companies, like ISM Saddles, offering a unique saddle design that is “changing the culture of cycling”. Steve Toll, one of the company founders, is a former Tampa bike cop, so he (along with his wife, Laura) knows what public safety personnel need. ISM also provided nifty, custom pens sporting the Fort Worth and ISM logos for the welcome bags.

MOCEAN Tactical, manufacturers of bike patrol and technical law enforcement uniforms – in addition to sponsoring the opening reception – continued the tradition of outfitting the Instructor cadre shirts featuring the conference logo and “Instructor” embroidery. In a reversal of roles, this time the instructors wore red while the Command Staff wore blue. Sound Uniform Solutions (Bratwear and Olympic Uniforms) were the source of those sharp-looking shirts that continued the patriotic color scheme associated with not just the US flag, but also the Texas one.

Police Bike Store donated their excellent water bottles, sponsored the PESC/IC Night Operations, and provided a Fuji Code 2 Police Mountain Bike as a raffle prize. Volcanic Bicycles’ bright blue lanyards were embellished with a red longhorn; a real standout! And, of course, Eric Kackley provided hours of mechanical support, helped by FWPD Officer and Bike Mechanic Bradley Herle.

It was great to welcome 4Bike-Police.com back to the exhibit hall. Mark Leonard recently converted to a mobile operation, so he has been roaming the towns and cities of the US, bringing a wide array of bike patrol products and repair services directly to departments’ front doors, including “On-Duty” CBD Oil and similar things that “make you go hmmm”.

And, of course, Mark Eumurian of Patrol Bike Systems brought just about every Park Tool a cyclist ever coveted, and then some. We are so grateful for Mark for procuring the 6th Edition of the Big Blue Book of Bike Repair right at release for the Maintenance Officer Course students. And for having Calvin Jones autograph the one presented to Eddy Croissant in recognition of his work updating the course curriculum.

As the use of Bicycle Response Teams continues to increase, we were thrilled to welcome two “tactical” companies to the exhibit hall. Haven Gear manufactures riot equipment, gear and accessories, and protective equipment. They worked with the Palm Beach County (FL) Sheriff’s Office to develop lightweight gear suitable for use by bike officers that has desirable features that recreational riding gear lacks, such as stab, blunt force, and fire resistance; integrated cooling and hydration; and MOLLE and body camera attachments.

On the subject of attachments, BLAC-RAC offers a truly unique one: a “revolutionary weapons mount for bike patrol units”. The INADO ™ Law Enforcement Bicycle Mounting Platform works in conjunction with a lightweight, aluminum bracket which attaches to the handlebars, creating a bike-mounted weapons retention system for bicycle patrol officers.

Enough about law enforcement; EMS providers are at least as important, and it was a delight to have not just one, but two, well-respected distributors of EMS supplies and equipment available. In addition to a wide array of EMS supplies, Boundtree Medical offers EMS panniers and AED backpacks. They were also displaying the RexONE Rapid Extraction Mobile Stretcher, complete with a bicycle towing attachment. Philips Healthcare provides, among many other products and services, a full range of defibrillators and AEDs for use by medical professionals as well as the public at large.

Last, but not least, IPMBA welcomed two very important non-profits to the exhibit hall: the Code Green Campaign and the Fort Worth Police Bike Support Group. The Code Green Campaign’s mission is “to bring awareness to the high rates of mental health issues in first responders and reduce them, eliminate the stigma that prevents people from admitting these issues and asking for help, and educating first responders on self- and peer-care and to advocate for systemic change in how mental health issues are addressed by first responder agencies.

The Fort Worth Police Bike Support Group, through donations from citizens and companies, provides equipment, uniforms, specialized training, and recognition for members of the Fort Worth Police Bike Unit. As an extension, they also provided financial support and human power for the IPMBA Conference, to include the barbecue from Riscky’s!

Although they were not present, Cygolite Bicycle Lighting Systems once again sponsored the Nightlife District Operations & Tactics workshop, providing demo units for the attendees to test during the hours of darkness. iFORCE Patrol Bicycles similarly maintained a virtual presence via the online exhibit hall page.

Speaking of support, we thank the companies and members who contributed products for the annual Silent Auction, which raised almost $4000 in support of IPMBA programs:

4Bike-Police, Arkel, Barmitts, Bellwether Clothing, Borealis Fat Bikes, Boundtree Medical, Cateye, Cygolite, David Millican, Elizabeth Bouchard, Framed Bikes, GeoOrbital, Haven Gear, Hero Kit, HGNR/Dumond Tech, IPMBA, ISM Saddles, Kenda Tire, Legacy Safety & Security, Light & Motion, Maureen Becker, Pedaling Innovations, Pedego Electric Bikes Fort Worth, Police Bike Store, Primal Wear, ProGold, R&B Fabrications, Rance Okada, Showers Pass, Sigma Sport, SKS-USA, Sound Uniform Solutions, Stat Packs, Street Crimes Seminars, and Visit Fort Worth.

The top three items (and highest bidders) were the Visit Fort Worth Gift Basket (Craig Lepkowski), the R&B Fabrications Rack Bag & Pannier Set (Harry Ford) and the Police Bike Store C3Sports MaxPatrol-600 DLX Light System (Liam Pierce).

The welcome bags from R&B Fabrications would not be as welcoming without Cera Products, EMS World, HGNR/Dumonde Tech, Highland Village Police Department, NuGo Nutrition, and Police magazine.

IPMBA thanks all of our industry partners for their support both during and in addition to the conference. We urge you to show your appreciation for their willingness to serve this niche market by patronizing these companies whenever possible for your on- and off-duty needs.

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