PeopleForBikes unveiled the daily detailed agenda for the 2026 Bicycle Leadership Conference (BLC), taking place March 17–19 in Dana Point, California. The BLC is the premier annual gathering for bicycle industry executives and senior decision-makers to come together in person, align on priorities, and shape the future of bicycling and the bike business.
The 2026 program content is built around four content themes: leadership and vision, market forces and public policy, innovation and technology, and data and intelligence. BLC attendees will learn from top experts in and outside the bike industry, gain practical strategies for navigating uncertainty, leverage the latest market data to make better decisions, and leave with a sharper understanding of what's influencing the bike business in 2026 and beyond.
"The speakers and sessions at this year's conference will guide the hard conversations we need to have at the most critical time for our industry," said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. "I look forward to rolling up our sleeves and working alongside the other leaders in attendance as we decide what comes next."
Leadership at the Highest Level
Industry leaders Phoebe Liu, CEO of Giant Group; Mike Sinyard, founder of Specialized Bicycle Components; and John Burke, president of Trek Bicycle, will lead the industry dialogue, bringing together some of the most influential voices shaping the global bicycle market.
Lectric eBikes co-founders and lifelong friends Levi Conlow and Robby Deziel will share how they challenged assumptions around pricing, distribution, marketing, and connecting with new customers to rethink the industry playbook and become one of the fastest-growing e-bike brands.
Keynote speakers Chip Conley, former head of global hospitality and strategy at Airbnb, and Jon McNeill, former president of Tesla and former COO of Lyft, will offer cross-industry leadership lessons on building resilient teams, navigating complexity, and staying focused on what matters most.
Addressing the Industry's Most Urgent Issues
Reflecting the growing intersection of industry leadership and public policy, California State Senator Catherine Blakespear (38th Senate District) will join the conference to discuss emerging state-level regulation around high-powered electric motorbikes (e-motos) marketed as electric bicycles and the long-term implications for industry credibility and rider access.
The BLC will also feature Heather Dietrick, chief media officer at Outside Interactive, who will challenge industry leaders to rethink how they engage casual riders and expand participation by learning from adjacent outdoor and media sectors.
Other high-impact session topics include:
- Inside the 2026 tariff landscape, leaders from SRAM and Revelyst unpack the real-time cost of federal trade policy and how companies are adapting to ongoing global uncertainty.
- Profitability and merchandising lessons from REI, focused on margin management, inventory turn, and post-COVID retail realities.
- Leveraging bikes as a path to youth sports, exploring why bicycling is essential to expanding access to youth sports and fostering lifelong physical activity with the Aspen Institute's Tom Farrey.
- AI and the bike business, with leaders from Specialized, Zwift, and more, sharing real-world applications and how artificial intelligence is reshaping operations, marketing, and athlete performance.
- What riders, leaders, and the market are telling us about 2026, with SHIFT Active Media delivering exclusive rider research, real-time search demand signals, and new global executive data revealing where industry leaders are investing next.
- PeopleForBikes NEW Data Suite insights, helping business leaders translate participation trends, inventory intelligence, and channel data into decisions they can control now and in the future.
- Supporting the next generation of riders, highlighting the Peloton Project in Payson, Arizona, and how competing brands collaborated to build a pipeline of new youth cyclists.
- The story behind the iconic American bike brand Schwinn, featuring the exclusive premiere of a new documentary trailer showcasing the brand's lasting influence on American culture and bicycling.
Explore the full 2026 BLC agenda here.
Registration for the 2026 Bicycle Leadership Conference is now open. Space is limited and more conference details will be announced soon.
Learn more and register at: bicycleleadershipconference.org
About PeopleForBikes
PeopleForBikes is the U.S. bicycle industry's trade association, representing more than 340 bicycle industry supplier members. Through our three areas of influence — infrastructure, policy, and participation — we accelerate the construction of safe, fun, and connected places to bike; advance pro-bike and pro-bike-business legislation; and reduce barriers to welcome more people to the joys of riding a bicycle. Our goal: help the United States become the best place in the world to ride a bike. Learn more at: peopleforbikes.org.
