A certain amount of uncertainty accompanied this year's Eurobike in the run-up to the event. The early date, the new location and, of course, the ongoing coronavirus disputes put a big question mark over the trade fair's prospects for success in Frankfurt.
This made the interest shown by trade visitors and end consumers over the five days of the trade fair all the more positive and consistently pleasing. With over 1,500 exhibitors, Eurobike was even able to build on the times before the pandemic. A whopping 33,780 trade visitors and 27,370 private bike fans scurried through the new Eurobike City Frankfurt, together almost doubling the number of visitors to the 2021 Eurobike in Friedrichshafen.
Exciting new products were presented in the complete bike segment, but even more so in the accessories and clothing segment. However, many of the products shown in public - or still behind closed doors - are burdened by the uncertainty of the still tense supply situation.
Uncertainty regarding availability & prices
When asked about availability and prices, many companies only responded with a shrug of the shoulders. No wonder: in July, the current season is only just in full swing and not all 2022 products have yet arrived in stores.
So the absolute novelties of the 2023 season are still a long way off in many places. But as we all know, anticipation is the greatest joy of all. And the first opportunity to test the Eurobike innovations on single trails will be from 16 to 18 September - at the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang.
Comments on Eurobike 2022
"A high-quality and very international audience visited the 30th Eurobike. Despite travel restrictions, flight cancellations and corona-related cancellations, a level was reached that we last saw before the pandemic. Industry, trade, politics and all bike fans are sending a clear signal from Frankfurt: cycling must be further strengthened. Eurobike is the world's most important platform for the industry and a sustainable driver to accelerate this transformation."
Fairnamic Managing Director Stefan Reisinger
"What a great start! The halls were full and the exhibiting companies were very satisfied with the contacts they made. The unfamiliarity with the new exhibition centre was over after a few hours. The political perception and reporting in the public media has increased massively. The world's leading trade fair for bicycles can continue like this in the coming years."
Burkhard Stork, Managing Director of the Zweirad Industrie Verband (ZIV)
"Eurobike 2022 fulfilled our expectations in every respect: The organisation at the new location ran smoothly, we had many high-quality appointments and the atmosphere was positive throughout the days. The move to Frankfurt was a great decision for the entire industry. The topic of two-wheeled mobility has now arrived in a booming metropolis."
Susanne Puello, Managing Director of Pierer E-Bikes
"It's a good feeling to be back at Eurobike and to make personal contacts with the bike industry. The atmosphere was very professional and friendly. Frankfurt as a trade fair location is clearly a good choice: centrally located in Germany, good infrastructure, reliable transport links, a big city. In terms of visitor numbers and the quality of meetings and interactions during the trade visitor days, Eurobike 2022 was a success. As always, there is room for improvement, but we are talking about subtleties here."
Gaetan Vetois, European Retail Development Manager, SRAM Deutschland GmbH
"The debut of Eurobike in Frankfurt was convincing: the expansion of the concept into the urban area, the international connection and the reputation of a global trade fair metropolis give Eurobike a new weight as the industry's leading international trade fair. The great interest in the trade fair has shown: The new Eurobike offers a great opportunity to position the important role of sustainable bicycle mobility beyond the borders of the industry - and we very much welcome this."
Tamara Winograd, Head of Marketing and Communication Bosch eBike Systems
"After two years of absence due to the pandemic, we are very pleased to be part of the trade fair landscape again. We are very satisfied with the results and contacts we have made so far, both in terms of quantity and quality. In our opinion, the move to Frankfurt was exactly the right one. The central location in Germany, the good international connections and the excellent infrastructure speak very strongly in favour of Frankfurt as a location. We are therefore looking to the future with great confidence and are already looking forward to next year."
Gerhard Schwarz, Managing Director Cosmic Sports
"We rate the new Eurobike positively. The right timing, the commitment of strong partners and the location with good accessibility ensured a professional meeting with many of our customers. The trade is pleased to have a direct platform for personal meetings again."
Reto Aeschbacher, Chief Marketing Officer Scott Sports SA
"We started the trade fair very euphorically and treated ourselves to a completely new stand. This shows that we are convinced by the concept of the trade fair. The visitor numbers at the stand proved it: We were not disappointed. Frankfurt may have a slightly different charm to Friedrichshafen, but the connections are ideal for all visitors. Both for travelling to the fair and in the city with the short distances to the hotels."
Jacob von Hacht, Managing Director Stevens Bikes
"In terms of location, the biggest advantage is the better infrastructure. Our new products were also very well received by visitors to the trade fair. Especially our Made in Germany theme. I'm excited to see how the topic will be received by end customers. It's great to see that the demand for bicycles continues unabated. The bicycle is in the fast lane."
Jan-Philipp Schmitt, Content Manager Ergon/RTI Sports
"In my eyes, it is the rebirth of Eurobike. It's no longer as familiar, but it has the potential to grow. There is a chance that one or two big names will come back. For us, the first appearance was very positive: lots of visitors, lots of good discussions." Patrick Laible, Product Manager bc GmbH
Eurobike 2023
The date for the next Eurobike has already been set. Next year, the 31st Eurobike from Wednesday, 21 June to Sunday, 25 June 2023 together with the National Cycling Congress from 20 to 21 June. Further information is available at: www.eurobike.com.
Sebastian Brust
Editor
