SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Specialized has told its dealers that it will be off the tradeshow floor at Interbike, but will continue to provide test bikes for Outdoor Demo. The company will continue staffing a 20-by-20 foot booth for its water-bottle program and will help sponsor the IBD Summit in April.
The company plans to hold its dealer event in Monterey, Calif., not far from its Morgan Hill headquarters, sometime in July.
Meanwhile, Specialized announced Monday that it was pulling out of Eurobike, joining Trek in hosting a separate dealer event for its European customers.
Pat Hus, vice president of the cycling and fitness group, confirmed Specialized’s decision to limit its footprint at Interbike. “Our concern, honestly, is how would it impact dealer attendance,” he said. But, he added, it could be a boon for other exhibitors.
“We will continue investing in new events and working closely with the National Bicycle Dealers Association on education. We will continue to offer dealers a great place for them to come. Last year we had 250 new exhibitors, so there are lot of good reasons for dealers to show up,” he said.
Specialized’s decision comes on the heels of its pullout announced late Monday from Europe’s biggest show, Eurobike. Specialized now joins Trek in putting on a stand-alone event for its European dealer base.
Stefan Reisinger, Eurobike’s project manager, in an interview with Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, said Specialized privately informed him of the decision a week ago and made the announcement late Monday through its European office.
“It is a big loss for us in the short term and it’s a pity they won't be joining us this year. Of course, I would have preferred that they stay on board,” Reisinger said. However, he added, this could be just a one-year move by Specialized.
“They told us they may not pull out for all time—just for 2014 to see what happens with their dealer event,” he added. Nonetheless, losing two of the biggest brands in the global market is a blow.
But Reisinger pointed out that Eurobike is—for all practical purposes—booked solid for the late August show. “It’s not a question of renting out the space, it’s just a pity that we lost a major brand and the partnership they bring to Eurobike,” Reisinger said.
Specialized occupied about 800 square meters of space in the back of hall A-3. Reisinger said this allows show organizers to expand booth space for other companies or make additional room for companies now on a waiting list.
Whether Specialized will return depends upon how successful its European dealer event will be, Reisinger added.
In a press release, Specialized’s John Glett said the decision would offer the company a chance to better serve its dealers by letting them see and ride the company’s bikes at a dealer-only event.
"In our opinion there is no better way for our dealers to get to know our products than test riding. Our dealer event allows us to put the dealer and the riding experience first,” he said.
