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BikeTexas Contributes to Strong Advocacy Presence at Interbike Trade Show |
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Wednesday, 01 October 2008 |
As bicycle manufacturers, distributors and retailers gathered to wheel and deal at Interbike in Las Vegas, Nevada, BikeTexas Executive Director Robin Stallings attended to represent Texas bicycle advocacy. Interbike, the annual bicycle industry trade show, is one of the largest trade shows in the country.
"The 2008 show was the 23rd Interbike I have attended, most of them as a retailer, the last several as an advocate," said Stallings. "The industry is thriving in these times of $4 per gallon gas. However, what struck me as the biggest change from past years was the emphasis on transportation cycling and advocacy."
Retailers displayed an incredible number of new bikes and accessories
for commuting. Several excellent new cargo bikes have also hit the market, including the Mundo at www.yubaride.com.
Our friends at the Thunderhead Alliance, International Mountain
Bicycling Association ( IMBA), League of American Bicyclists (LAB) and Bikes
Belong had great visibility and lots of traffic at their booths. At
IMBA's industry breakfast, Executive Director Mike van Abel shared the
great work his organization has been doing.
The Bikes Belong affiliate "Bike PAC" threw a fundraising reception
attended by many industry leaders. Bikes Belong Executive Director Tim
Blumenthal talked about the successful partnership with Humana to put
1000 bikeshare bikes at each of the Democratic and Republican
conventions. (Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis and Texas State
Representative Rafael Anchia were among the VIPs that logged a few
miles on bikes at the conventions.)
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