Today Eurobike 2022 kicks off in a new location and a new time of year, so what do we expect from the biggest remaining cycling industry trade show? The buzz seems to suggest that everyone is psyched to be back meeting and person, after a couple of years of pandemic chaos and product shortages.
Will everything get back to normal this week?
Eurobike 2022 goes to Frankfurt in July
Plus, between a ton of teases of new bikes and a constant flow of new product launches over the last few days, it’s clear there will be plenty of new bikes and bike gear to see and share. It still remains up in the air when all of this new “2023” product will actually make it into consumer hands, though.
Of the big shifts, the move to the heart of Frankfurt, Germany has made access much easier, being a global air travel hub. But let’s just not talk about the current chaos of airports, lost baggage, and delayed flight.
In any case, it’s also a solid railway hub, and I arrive in the comfort of a train that dropped me just a 15 minute walk from the Expo.
It feels strange to be in the middle of a big city instead of the familiar apple orchards of a decade of shows in rural Friedrichshafen. But it is also nice to have plenty of hotels actually close to the show itself. And even nicer to see the vast majority of the industry showing up by foot or city bike, instead of the old ludicrous morning traffic jams of cars & vans to go talk about bikes in Friedrichshafen.
The move back to July aims to better align with actual industry purchasing schedules for the coming year. But between COVID-era bike booms, unrelenting parts shortages, and a bit of a cloud of inflation & recession worries, it’s not entirely clear what bike industry purchasing & planning schedules really look like these days anyway?
We’re curious if we’ll hear any uncertainty in our talks this week.
That’s it for now. Everyone wasn’t quite ready last night, furiously unpacking their boxes and finishing their booth builds.
But this morning the show kicks into gear, full steam. Keep you eyes peeled and we’ll bring you all the best of what’s new and coming soon…
