BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
How are preparations going ahead of COREbike 2019?
Plans are shaping up nicely. The rooms are all sold, which is an excellent start, and I’m pleased to say that the next COREbike will have its biggest-ever footprint and number of companies taking part.
What will be different this year, and how will this improve the 2019 show?
Regular CORE visitors will recall that a marquee was added to the Courtyard area behind reception a few years ago to create additional exhibiting space, and for the next CORE the other large courtyard space (Chequers) will get the same treatment and be home to Moore Large in 2019.
The new marquee shows real intent to keep growing the show where possible to meet the demands of distributors and this means that Moore Large will now have over 200m to display more of its brand line-up. The space vacated alongside Silverfish UK in the Courtyard marquee will now be taken by Bergamont and Syncros who are at Whittlebury for the first time. They are two great brands to have on-board and another draw for dealers looking to make the trip.
CSG has moved to one of the larger rooms and so are now able to bring Cannondale as well as Fabric to the show. Cannondale probably has the broadest appeal of all the bike brands at Whittlebury and I’m sure many of its dealers will want to catch up on what the US giant has in store for later in the year.
EBC will return after missing the show last year and as well as its own e-bike brand EBCO, it will also showcase one of the German market-leader’s Corratec. Paul and Rick have a wealth of knowledge of the bike market and the e-bike sector in particular and any dealers considering adding electric models to their bike line up should definitely find some time to spend with them.
Velobrands and Lyon Equipment are the final two additions to the 2019 line up. They have both taken syndicate rooms and, as well as bringing some quality brands to the show for the first time, their presence keeps the show fresh and helps tick some more boxes for dealers.
How do you feel about The Bike Place and its date change? How will this will affect both events?
I think it’s very important that exhibitions carve out their own clear identities if they are to have long-term success. With Eurobike switching its dates twice after the 2018 show, there’s obviously even less consensus on when is the best time for a trade show. Eurobike’s move to September could well mean there will now be a void in that early summer slot that needs filling.
Clearly, it suited some dealers for logistical reasons that both shows shared the same dateline in 2015, but from CORE’s perspective, the number and quality of companies taking part now means that dealers have a lot to see at Whittlebury. Having to leave early to get to Silverstone probably did both shows a bit of a disservice.
CORE had its best-ever attendance last time around, which is a powerful indicator that it’s in very good health and providing dealers with an important service. There aren’t that many opportunities in the year for dealers to meet up and share their thoughts about each other’s businesses and the industry. Despite the current tricky trading conditions, there are dealers doing very well, and it’s always fascinating to hear about what they do and how they’ve been successful. While some very important business gets done at Whittlebury, CORE does also offer a pretty unique opportunity for distributors/brands/dealers to relax and catch up informally.
