Interbike started yesterday with their annual Outdoor Demo to kick off the week long bike industry convention. This is the last year in Vegas for the show and the overall footprint is smaller than years past as a lot of the larger manufacturers are not present.  Despite the lower number of exhibitors there are plenty of retail shop owners, buyers and staff demo riding bikes and gear while talking to company reps, owners and designers.

The Outdoor Demo takes place at Bootleg Canyon Park about 20miles outside Vegas on the way to the Hoover Dam. The park did improvements a few years ago which really helped spruce up the expo area and a paved path was added that flows through an art/statue garden. 

This path was the perfect track for demo rides on electric bikes and other smooth tire bikes.  The demo trails outside of the expo area are home to some of the gnarliest trails in North America.  With some of the most rocky and challenging terrain around, these trails are well suited for comparing different bike designs, components and of course testing the latest e-bikes.

The OutDoor Demo

Over 60 brands are here at Outdoor Demo to showcase their products while allowing any registered attendee to demo ride any of it.  We’ve already come across people from all over the country using the Outdoor Demo to figure out which products and brands they should consider stocking in-store.  Because of the smaller foot print we are already seeing how it’s benefiting the companies that did decide to exhibit.  Almost all of the brands’ tents are empty – their demo bikes are all being ridden and people are actually waiting around for bikes to return so they can get their ride in.  We spoke to a shop employee from Vermont’s Killington Mountain Bike Park who was participating in Outdoor Demo to find the perfect bike brands to carry in their shop. “This is the perfect place to do this…to ride these bikes and figure out what works and what doesn’t”, he told us, and we heard the same thing from others as they were waiting in line to demo bikes and gear. 

Going Indoors

As the Outdoor Demo wraps up today we’ll head inside to talk with Brands about their plans for product demos and events for 2018.  We’ve already talked to a handful of companies that will be expanding the number of events they’ll be exhibiting at this coming year.  These brands know customers want to try their products before they buy.  And when it comes to things like all of the new e-bikes, giving people the chance to demo these products is really opening some eyes and providing them with a real opportunity to see what all the fuss is about.  Stay tuned for more coverage from the 2017 Interbike show to learn about new brands and their products.