Famous for its relaxed atmosphere, Taichung Bike Week was a little too chilled this week, with many product managers choosing to skip the OEM event. On Thursday, both of the German trade shows held presentations explaining their respective concepts for 2027.
About 260 exhibitors gathered across three hotels, but most had fewer meeting appointments booked than in previous years. While German buyers were there in number, there were distinctly fewer managers from other European countries and the US. Despite hopes (and some definite indicators) of general market recovery, inventory overhang remains an issue, with several exhibitors not expecting business to improve for at least another 12 months. Adding to this general mood, the Accell bankruptcy has directly affected many suppliers in Taiwan, who have been left wondering if their invoices will ever be paid.
Nevertheless, both Eurobike and the new ZIV-organized rival “Towards Tomorrow European Bike Show” made their respective pitches to Bike Week exhibitors, in particular making efforts to dispel rumours which had spread among the Taiwanese industry. Many Taiwanese company reps at TBW believed that Eurobike was in danger of becoming overwhelmed by Chinese exhibitors, while the focus of the new Cologne show would be German dealers. Both organisers made strenuous efforts to refute these claims, holding explanatory meetings at the Splendor hotel on September 18. The information sessions were held in separate rooms with just 30 minutes between them.
First up was Eurobike, whose new head of sales & exhibitor service Adrien Sockeel-Ponchel acknowledged that the show needed to change its offering to better meet the needs of the industry. Eurobike, which is now slated for June 30-July 2, will be the “first international B2B cycling fair of the year,” adding “We want the whole world to come and see what’s happening in Europe.” Sockeel-Ponchel emphasised that the organisers listened to the industry and has come up with new ideas. The 2027 show will eliminate public consumer days entirely, with a three-day B2B format that includes quiet meeting rooms which allow business discussions to take place behind closed doors without having product on general display. These modular, fully equipped bookable meeting spaces, which Eurobike calls “Your Business BASE”, allow companies to conduct confidential OEM/ODM negotiations without building expensive custom booths. Indeed, the general complaints about costs in Frankfurt, along with industry conditions have prompted Eurobike to slash booth space prices for 2027 by approximately 20%, with media packages will reduced by 50%. Early bird pricing (booked before October 31) is €164/square meter for hall stand space (regular pricing is €194/square meter). All-inclusive “Your Business Base” packages are available in two versions, with a 4-person/12 square meter room priced at €9000.
Responding to comments that past shows at the sprawling Messe Frankurt site have been too spread out and difficult to navigate, Sokeel-Ponchel said the 2027 event will take place across three halls (3,4 and 5), grouped together around a central demo area.
Shortly after the Eurobike session ended, the ZIV-organised “Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show” information event kicked off, hosted by ZIV Managing Director Burkhard Stork. Attendance was impressive, showing the interest among Taiwanese companies in finding out about the new European fair. Notably, Taiwan Bicycle Association chairman Robert Wu was seated in the front row. Stork began by introducing the history and activities of ZIV and drew parallels with the situation of the industry in Taiwan. Showing a slide listing ZIV member companies, he said 90% of all bikes and e-bikes produced in Germany are produced by ZIV members, and 90% of parts and accessories produced in Germany are done by member companies.
“Most of them are your customers. There are some very, very big firms, listed on the stock market, there are some smaller ones and there are others that are family-owned. I think it’s very comparable to the Taiwanese situation. We are led by people from the industry.” The association was behind the former IFMA fair, which began in 1949, and lessons were learned from that experience, Stork said. “The new show has to listen to the industry … and the new fair is the bike industry’s own fair. We do it together with Cologne Messe, but we, as the association, own the brand, and we are the ones behind the show.” The ZIV Managing Director emphasised that although “Towards Tomorrow” will be a European bike show based in Germany, it will have an international scope: “All the rumours that there are some countries we do not want coming, or we are only Germans looking to work with ourselves…this is rubbish. Of course, we want the whole world to come, and to take part in our new show.”
The show will represent the entire bicycle ecosystem with clear product groups focusing on bicycles, EPACs and S-EPACs, Stork said. “What is not a bicycle, not an EPEC, not an S-EPEC in Europe and the US, or which is illegal and can’t be legally sold in these countries, is simply not allowed in this show.”
The new trade fair, which takes place at Cologne Messe September 6-8, is offering early-bird pricing of €190/square meter until November 10.