Interbike 2018: Goodbye, Old Friend

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by Clint Sandusky, former PCI #849/EMSCI #159
Riverside (CA) Community College District Police Department (ret.)

In its heyday, Interbike was “the” bicycle trade show and outdoor demo to go to in North America, attracting manufacturers, retailers, inventors, designers, and more. It was a great place to learn about the coming year’s new product lines and to maintain and/or create relationships within the bicycle industry. However, it may be time to say, “Goodbye, Old Friend.”

A press release posted on Interbike’s website on December 6, 2018, stated: “Interbike owner, Emerald Expositions, announced today that the Interbike tradeshow will not take place in September 2019 in Reno as previously scheduled. Instead, the company will research alternative plans for 2020 and beyond, including the opportunity to launch events featuring bicycling and bike-related components within or alongside its various successful, multi-sport trade show franchises.”

Under “About Interbike” it read: “Established in 1982, Interbike has been the leading bicycle trade event in North America, bringing together manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates, distributors and media to conduct the business of cycling. Interbike and its events have provided an important platform for face-to-face business interaction, product line previews and media launches, sales lead generation, trend setting, networking and retail education. Interbike is owned by Emerald Expositions, a leading operator of business-to-business trade shows in the United States.”

In a VeloNews article entitled, “Interbike is dead. Now what?” (December 18, 2018), the author noted, “Numerous factors and changing dynamics contributed to Interbike’s death: the shrinking number of American retailers, big brands launching their own dealer camps, and the rise of e-commerce, among other things.”

The author went on to say, “Pivot and other brands are looking to regional bike shows as a way to reach retailers. Cocalis plans to attend the Chicagoland Area Bike Dealers Association (CABDA) show. CABDA holds its Chicago event in February and will launch a second event in San Diego this January.” This may be the future of bicycle trade shows in the U.S.

My hope and the hope of others is that Interbike can somehow reinvent itself and return in 2020 or beyond. A January 17, 2019, posting on Bicycle Retailer and Industry News announced that Emerald Expositions is considering adding a bicycle component to one or more of the Outdoor Retailer shows, which are also operated by Emerald. At press time, the Outdoor Retailer website indicates that bikes will be coming to the Winter Market, to be held in Denver in November.

On a personal note, I have enjoyed every Interbike show I’ve attended over the years. Seeing all the new and cool stuff was a blast. I also learned a lot from presentations such as the e-Bike ones conducted by BOSCH eBike Systems and PeopleforBikes.

But the relational aspect of attending Interbike with friends, meeting up with California POST and IPMBA instructors, and nurturing and establishing new relationships with exhibitors were the most important reasons I attended.

Everyone who has attended multiple Interbike shows will tell you that the 2018 show in Reno was much smaller than in recent years, when it was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Aaron Roesler of American Bike Patrol Services (an IPMBA Corporate Member), said of the 2018 Show, “you could roll a bowling ball from one end to the other,” comparatively speaking.

In my opinion, the best part of this year’s Interbike was the Outdoor Demo. It was truly a FANTASTIC way to highlight mountain bikes of all makes and models, including e-MTBs. It was held over three days at the very popular Northstar California Resort and Village, in beautiful Lake Tahoe, and included the Northstar Free-Ride Festival for the public.

As part of the festival, an e-MTB race known as the “Boogaloo Class One Electric Mountain Bike Race” was held at Northstar California’s Bike Park. Race categories included Pro, Open, and Youth. It was my second e-MTB race of the season, and it did not go well.

However, the race experience was invaluable for me, both as an e-Bike enthusiast and a member of IPMBA’s e-Bike Task Force.

COPSWEST 2018

So you think that was the ONLY fun I had on this trip up north?

NEGATIVE. Prior to attending Interbike, I had the honor of assisting IPMBA Board Member Mike Wear at the 2018 COPSWEST Expo, held in Sacramento, capital of the State of California. We staffed the IPMBA Booth and had the opportunity to do some bike patrol demos during the Expo. Of course, I used my police model e-MTB to highlight and demonstrate its use and effectiveness as a patrol tool!

Mike and I spoke with and promoted IPMBA to numerous attendees. We even had a long conversation with a top California POST representative, who attended one of our demos. He appeared genuinely interested in IPMBA and the e-Bike as a patrol tool. Will IPMBA become more accepted and taught in California in the future? We all hope so.

The COPSWEST Expo generated some excitement and controversy, attracting a crowd demonstrating over a past Sacramento Police Department OIS. It was cool to see the Sacramento Police “BIRT” (which includes several IPMBA Instructors) in action, helping to protect all us exhibitors and attendees. Great job, Sac City PD!

Clint retired in 2016 after a 24-year law enforcement career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's and the Riverside Community College District Police Departments. He helped form RCCD PD's Bike Team in 1993 and has been an active California POST Bike Patrol Instructor since 1994. Clint has attended numerous bicycle patrol and bicycle safety courses, seminars, and conferences. He joined IPMBA in 1994, completed the Advanced Police Cyclist Course in 2000, and the IPMBA Instructor Course in 2005. He taught at the 2006, 2007 and 2018 IPMBA Conferences. He is currently a member of IPMBA’s e-Bike Task Force. He can be reached at clint.sandusky@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy Clint Sandusky.

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