BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
There are over 250 brands appearing at the Cycle Show in September. BikeBiz lists five of those making their NEC debut on both the trade and public days…
1. Olmo
Olmo has been forging bikes in its Italian styling since 1939, boasting hand-built frames and a heritage that dates back to racing legend Guiseppe Olmo himself, a Classics, Tour stage and National Champs winner. This year the brand has been reconnecting with the UK market after an absence of nearly 40 years, putting in a few trade show appearances in early ‘15, leading up to the larger scale NEC Cycle Show where it will hit both the trade and public audiences alike.
2. Lapierre
The French brand probably needs a little less preamble from us, being a stalwart of the UK scene for some years thanks to distributor Hotlines. Eagle-eyed readers will have seen Lapierre’s Dijon production line was recently awarded the ISO 9001-2008 certification, confirming very high production standards indeed at the manufacturing base. In the saddle, Lapierre has been sponsoring the FDJ Pro Tour team for twelve years, which is – according to our sources – the longest standing pro team/bike brand relationship ever. It’s not just about the road, however, with the brand taking its race bikes to numerous mountain bike world victories.
3. GT
New to the Cycle Show this year, GT will be showing off its 2016 bikes in Birmingham, mere months after seeing its Grade shortlisted for the acclaimed Cycling Plus’ Bike of the Year award. The Grade series of adventure road bikes are equally capable on road or trails through their non-conformist geometry and GT’s legendary Triple Triangle top tube design, we’re told. GT is of course also famed for its significance in the history of BMX and mountain biking, so it’s safe to assume you’ll find plenty of models from those cycle genres at the brand’s stand too.
4. Surly
The American manufacturer is to visit the Cycle Show for the first time this year, bringing its head-turning iconic frames to the halls of the NEC. Built for tough terrain and hard miles, the bikes are build to be at home on the roads as well as while tearing down a gravel track. Surly’s trend-setting bikes will be over at stand G147 during the show.
5. Zefal
With over 100 years experience of accessory and component production Zefal lays claim to being the first accessory manufacturer in the world, inventing the presta tube valve, no less. The history is littered with innovation, in fact, including the first mini pump. Now making in the region of two million pumps
a year and represented in around 60 countries, Zefal comes to the UK trade via three distributors (Bob Elliot & Co, Chicken CycleKit and Fisher Outdoor Leisure) and will be at stand D17 at the NEC Cycle Show.
+ 245 brands
These five brands from America, Italy and France will join over 250 others in September at Birmingham’s NEC for what is promised as the biggest Cycle Show yet.
It all rolls into action on Thursday September 24th when the show opens to trade and press from 9:30am to 6:00pm. The doors will be flung wide to the public from 9:30am to 5:00pm on the 25th, closing September 27th.
More information on the range of exhibitors and tickets (free for the trade and press) can be found here: www.cycleshow.co.uk/trade
