Interbike Rides back to Vegas

Well, never mind then! In response to “feedback” from the industry on its announcement three weeks ago to move the Interbike Expo trade show to August in Anaheim for 2011, Interbike today announced the 2011 edition of the show will indeed not go to Anaheim after all. It will stay in Las Vegas. It will be held September 12 – 16, 2011, not in August as was the original plan.

When the Gear Junkie crew was in Vegas for the show last month, the pushback was big on the proposed changes. There was much griping on the show floor, as buyers, exhibitors, and other industry folk tried to understand the change. Interbike has been in Vegas for years, and while not Bike Town U.S.A. by any means — (that title goes to my home city of Minneapolis, not to toot any horns. . .) — Vegas is a fine place to wine, dine, walk the Strip, and get out into the desert for some pre-show on-the-bike-action. The CrossVegas cyclocross race is big and getting bigger, too, so there may have been concern there.

Many Interbike attendees also complained about the proposed August dates being too close to the dates of Outdoor Retailer, a trade show in Salt Lake City that many bike-related companies and bike people attend as well (Gear Junkie included).

And so the decision was handed down. Vegas it has been, Vegas it will be. Now, some official dish: Says Andy Tompkins, Interbike show director, “Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to this year’s show and the countless conversations we’ve personally had with exhibitors and retailers regarding the future dates and location of Interbike, we are reversing our earlier decision to move the 2011 show to Anaheim in August.” Tompkins continued: “We are hearing loud and clear that, at this time, the industry prefers September dates and the convenience of Las Vegas.”

For 2011, the indoor portion of the show will be held September 14 – 16 at the Sands Convention Center, with the OutDoor Demo being held in Bootleg Canyon again on September 12 – 13. Stretching even further ahead, it was announced today that the 2012 show also will be held at the Sands in Las Vegas (September 19 – 21, 2012) with the Outdoor Demo September 17 -18 (again, 2012).

Mark your calendars. Vegas it is. I just hope that flame-breathing praying mantis car is back at CrossVegas, and that I get to fall asleep again at a Lazer Helmets party at the Hard Rock Casino on an outdoors bed under fake (?) palm trees beside an artificial beach. . . yeah, you get the picture. Anaheim? Good riddance. Vegas, see ya again soon.

Complete Interbike 2010 coverage on Gear Junkie. . .
> 2010 Show Preview

> Interbike Outdoor Demo Day

—Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com.