On both sides of the Atlantic, the bicycle industry is gearing up to tackle new challenges and seize new opportunities in the bicycle world - here's an inside look at how these conferences are going to make a big splash on both sides of the pond. 

Two conferences, Interbike International Bike Expo taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada and Eurobike Trade Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany are paving the road for the bicycle industry to generate more interest and more sales, while overall working towards creating a bicycle-friendly future in both North America and Europe.

Organizers of the Interbike International Bicycle Expo (Interbike) have announced that John Burke, CEO of Trek Bicycle Corporation is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at Interbike’s inaugural Industry Breakfast, presented by Bikes Belong and the NBDA. John, one of the founding members of ECF’s Cycling Industry Club will share his clear and gripping vision about the new methods that can transform bicycling, the bike industry and how North Americans think of cycling.

As a founding member of ECF’s Cycling Industry Club, John Burke is a respected and knowledgeable figure in the bicycle world. Charismatic and possessing significant expertise, Burke is capable of reaching large audiences and building new ones on all things bike. At Interbike, Burke will spread the news about his goal to push the U.S. bicycle business from $6B to $10B a year by 2020. “I am honored to have this opportunity to speak at Interbike about such an important topic. This challenge is something we all need to wrap our arms around and understand clearly what all of us can do to create a bicycle-friendly America in our lifetime.” Said John Burke.

Likewise, in Europe, something similar is also going to taking place, highlighting the goals and many opportunities of pairing the bicycle industry with advocacy. Rene Takens, CEO of Accell Group and Stan Day, head of SRAM are confirmed speakers at the Advocacy Summit, making it a must-see event for any cycling business looking to expand their market.  At the Advocacy Summit, the European Cyclists’ Federation will discuss how advocacy can make the main objective of all cycling businesses –selling more bikes – a concrete reality.

Like Interbike, the Advocacy Summit will showcase the crucial role that the bike industry plays in engaging businesses and consumers towards shaping a sustainable, cycle-friendly future; while also displaying how pairing up with advocacy groups can speed up this process, while generating more business and a rising demand.

The European Cyclists’ Federation echoes Burke’s statement about creating a bicycle-friendly future. Proud to have John as a major part of the Cycling Industry Club, we strive to move the bicycle industry and advocacy groups towards success in both North America and Europe. Committed to the mission of changing how cycling is viewed in North America, the Interbike conference is sure to make a big impact on the North American bicycle market. Likewise, grounded in the understanding that more advocacy means higher bike sales, the Advocacy Summit in Friedrichshafen is guaranteed to be a unique, informative and overall, excellent event for bicycle businesses .

Whether in North America or Europe, the message is the same: the cycling industry is changing and adapting to new challenges and opportunities and in the process, is getting one step closer to making the future bike-friendly. 

About the Author

Alexandra Cutean is the Communications Assistant at ECF and a long-time cyclist. With a background in conflict resolution and European Affairs, she spends most of her spare time looking for new places to visit, and mapping out bike routes.