Bike Trade Show Duel Fails to Materialize

A year ago Newport Beach-based Interbike, which produces the nation’s leading bicycle trade show, was gearing up for the fight of its life.

Interbike, which is owned by Miller Freeman Inc., a South Laguna-based publisher and trade show company, was under attack by a rival show sponsored by the fledgling Bicycle Industry Organization, which drew funding from more than half a dozen of the industry’s biggest manufacturers.

Both of the organizations were intent upon holding trade shows where bike shop owners can view the latest in cycling technology. That was a frightening thought for small shop owners and bike manufacturers who dreaded the idea of having to attend two expensive trade shows each year.

But the intramural tiff ended earlier this year when the Bicycle Industry Organization, which viewed its trade show as one way to raise money for legislative lobbying and other industry programs, ran out of funds and canceled plans for the competing show. BIO’s exit cleared the way for Interbike to resume its annual shows--where vendors write up millions of dollars in orders--at the Anaheim Convention Center.

“I think the whole industry breathed a sigh of relief to have the controversy over,” said Interbike founder Steve Ready, now a consultant to Miller Freeman.

The next Interbike show is slated for Sept. 19-22 at Anaheim Convention Center. The show draws as many as 30,000 delegates from 50 countries.

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Greg Johnson covers retail businesses and restaurants for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5950 and at [email protected].