WINTER 2017/18 DEVINCI CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY GEAR 2018 PLUS CYCLING DIRECTORY Lanctôt Acquires NRG Spherik Introduces MTB Bikes Hardcore Bikes Walks the Walk Trade Shows on the Move in 2018 Changing of the Guard at Louis Garneau Winter 2017-18 CONTENTS Volume 27, Issue 3 6 Industry Trade Shows on the Move in 2018 by Ron Johnson 11 Lanctôt Acquires NRG Enterprises by Brian Sheppard 12 Spherik Introduces Mountain Bikes by John Symon 6 13 Interbike Announces Move to Reno in 2018 by Brian Sheppard 14 Devinci Celebrates 30th Anniversary by Richard Whelan 18 Hardcore Bikes Rocks Edmonton by Ron Johnson 14 24 Bike Trade Canada’s Cycling Directory 2018 30 2018 New Products by Ben Andrew, Mike Sarnecki, Chris Redden, Matt Surch and Paul Newitt COLUMNS 6 Newsprint 20 Reps on the Road 21 Calendar 18 22 Confessions of a Customer WINTER 2017-18 REPOUR DEVINCI CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY GEAR 2018 Devinci is a Canadian success PLUS CYCLING story celebrating 30 years of DIRECTORY Lanctôt Acquires NRG manufacturing quality products Spherik Introduces MTB Bikes Hardcore Bikes Walks the Walk sold worldwide. Trade Shows on the Move in 2018 30 Changing of the Guard at Louis Garneau Cycles Devinci www.pedalmag.com WINTER 2017-18 BIKE TRADE CANADA 3 Bike Trade Canada Winter 2017-18 Volume 27, Issue 3 publisher/editor Benjamin Sadavoy graphic design Hope Thompson contributors Eric Anderson, Ron Johnson, Paul Newitt, Chris Redden, Mike Sarnecki, Brian Sheppard, Matt Surch, John Symon, Richard Whelan photographic contributions Cycles Devinci, Fraser Britton, E/A Photography of Victoria BC, Eurobike, Hardcore Bikes, Interbike, NRG Enterprises, SpherikBike,Taichung Bike Week, TAITRA, TIME Sports copy editing John Southerst circulation/admistration Crystal Burs production Crackerjack Enterprises advertising sales Benjamin Sadavoy Bike Trade Canada is published by CrackerJack Enterprises (a division of 1198189 Ontario Inc.) 3 times a year; Spring, Summer, Fall, at 260 Spadina Ave., #200, Toronto, ON M5T 2E4 (416) 977-2100, Fax (416) 977-9200 [email protected] Advertising rates and data are available on request. The entire contents are the property of Bike Trade Canada and may not be reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited material or contributions are welcome, but must be accompanied by return postage. Bike Trade Canada will handle all such material with reasonable care; however, it assumes no responsibility for the safety, loss of, or damage to such photographs or manuscripts. If undeliverable or address has changed please notify: 260 Spadina Ave., #200, Toronto, ON M5T 2E4 Associate Member of the Canadian Independent Bicycle Retailers Association Printed in Canada / Issued Winter 2017-18 4 BIKE TRADE CANADA WINTER 2017-18 www.pedalmag.com DIRTYTHIRTY This year marks three decades in the bike-building business for Devinci. And as we throttle it into our dirty thirties, we’re partying like it’s 1987. We’d like to thank all our dealers that helped us get to 30! devinci.com/YYZ 2015_DEVINCI_KMC_SPREAD.indd 3 2017-11-30 08:17:57 NEWSPRINT SHOW TIME 2018 TRADE SHOWS ON THE MOVE by Ron Johnson Timing is everything, they say, and as such 2018 will see some major shifts as the big four industry trade shows that dominate the global market are jockeying for position on the event calendar to meet the demands of the growing cycling market Germany’s Eurobike, the world’s largest bicycle worldwide. From e-bikes to high-end racing trade show, has moved up two months to early July. machines to the latest electronic innovations, the EUROBIKE trade shows showcase the year’s best offerings INTERBIKE, SEPT. 18-20 RENO, NEVADA while also trying to provide ideas and solutions Interbike, North America’s largest bicycle trade event, is also on the move and while the dates remain the same, the event is relocating from for the challenges the industry faces on a number its longstanding site in Las Vegas to Reno, Nevada through to 2022. The show is also introducing a new concept with the launch of Interbike of fronts, including online retailing. Here’s a Marketweek that combines three unique and compelling events starting snapshot of the coming trade show season. with a weekend consumer festival (Sept. 15-16) at epic Northstar Interbike moves to Reno California Resort, followed by the and launches Marketweek. EUROBIKE, JULY 8-10 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY trade-focused and ever-popular Since 1991, tens of thousands of industry visitors including the general OutDoor Demo (Sept. 16-17), also public have descended on Germany’s Eurobike – the world’s largest at Northstar, and finally the Interbike bicycle trade show. trade show at the Reno-Sparks But change is afoot at Eurobike as the show evolves and 2018 Convention Centre. will see a major date change to July 8-10, almost two months earlier Paul Hus, vice-president of than its traditional late-August window. Last year, the show com- Interbike, acknowledged that the pacted from two consumer days to one, and this year the consumer difficult business environment for the INTERBIKE element has been cancelled completely, moving the show back to bicycle industry resulted in a smaller its all-industry roots. Interbike in 2017 at the final event in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Eurobike is hoping the move to earlier dates will continue to Convention Centre, but said the business climate at the event was solidify its role as the world’s leading trade show for new trends and better than expected, which bodes well for the coming year. innovations. Observers point out that July is prime time for big com- “In all honesty, we feared that it could have been much worse based petition events that are core promotional vehicles for many industry on the general business climate of the bike industry, but the good news players. Others wonder about accommodation, already a challenge is that people showed up and people seemed very positive,” said Hus. in modestly-sized Friedrichshafen, during the height of the summer This year, the focus will move squarely to a higher calibre of sessions holiday season, as the resort town beside Lake Constance is quite for retailers, which have been dubbed “The IBD Summit at Interbike.” popular in Germany. At Interbike Marketweek, retail attendees can expect a slate of new “We are giving the original function of Eurobike back to the speakers, dynamic panel discussions, relevant subjects and more manufacturers and importers – namely, the first publication of the tactical takeaways than ever before. WWW.INTERBIKE.COM new collection and the associated exchange with trading partners for seasonal planning,” TAICHUNG BIKE WEEK, SEPT. 26-28 TAICHUNG, TAIWAN commented Messe Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus The new kid on the block at 10 years young, Wellmann when describing the core aim of the the Taichung Bike Week is a B2B exhibition that event. facilitates one-on-one discussions between OEM Eurobike will host 1,350 exhibitors from producers and bicycle manufacturers. Last year, around the world who are expected to attend the 488 exhibitors introduced new products to visitors event. New at this year’s show will be expand- from around the world. ed e-bike offerings along with healthy eating Taichung Bike Week TBW, which is not open to the general public, is remains popular and options. WWW.EUROBIKE-SHOW.COM unique in its use of a number of five-star hotels in continues to grow. TAICHUNG BIKE WEEK BIKE TAICHUNG Taichung City allowing both exhibitors and visitors 6 BIKE TRADE CANADA WINTER 2017-18 www.pedalmag.com to work, sleep and play in one location. Another advantage is its that the date change in 2018 is “foremost focused on elevating the low cost to participants. The event is run by bike industry profes- function of the show to be the trendsetter and innovation indicator of sionals and is completely non-profit so exhibitor costs are kept low. the cycling world.” At TBW, managers of mid- to high-end OEM bicycle parts In addition to three days of an industry-only trade show in Taiwan’s producers showcase their product lines to product managers from capital, Taipei Cycle will also feature a demo day on Oct. 30. New around the world looking to negotiate new model components for theme areas at the 2018 event include Internet of Bikes (IoT) and Start- their upcoming lines in a casual and private environment. ups Zone. Theme pavilions include Germany, Korea, Japan, Italy, The According to TBW, the event appears to have resonated with Euro and Light Electric Vehicles. participants as growth has been steady each year with last year The show is industry-only on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with the general up 15%. WWW.TAICHUNGBIKEWEEK.COM public being invited to attend Nov. 2-3. WWW.TAIPEICYCLE.COM.TW TAIPEI INTERNATIONAL CYCLE SHOW, OCT. 31 - NOV. 3 TAIPEI, TAIWAN The second major trade show to announce a date change in 2018 was the 30-year-old Taipei International Cycle Show, which moved from its traditional spring dates to the fall and put itself in direct competition with the Taichung show. Taipei Cycle is often cited as the industry show with the most in- ternational participation. The 2017 event featured 1,100 exhibitors, 27% from abroad, occupying 3,340 booths. Major industry players in- cluded Giant, Merida, Maxxis, Kenda, Accell Group, Pon Bicycle Group and Shimano. The show’s new slogan “A New Worldview on Cycling” reinforces the global positioning of the show. Although the move to October enables Taipei Cycle to compete more directly with Taichung Bike Week for OEM business, Giant CEO Taipei Cycle will now start in late October to achieve its goals as a trendsetter.