PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Nearly 5,000 people attended the Philly Bike Expo on Saturday and Sunday at the Philadelphia Convention Center, with show director Bina Bilenky saying the show is returning to pre-COVID numbers.
According to a Philly Bike Expo release, many of the 140 exhibitors said attendance was a three-digit increase over last year, with 1,500 more attending than in 2022.
"Pre-show attendee registrations were up, but you never know how things will play out on the show days," Bilenky said. "Tariffs are set to hit soon, and companies are laying off staff, but the message from consumers at PBE is loud and clear: Cycling itself is alive and well."
Some of the exhibitors introduced new products. Bivo, makers of metal gravity-flow water bottles, arrived with eight boxes of bottles and left with only one, Bilenky said. Handlebar bag and cup holder maker Handlestash reported better sales than at last year's Sea Otter event, she added.
Framebuilders in attendance awarded the Frame Builders' Award to a bike built by Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H Cycles. He was awarded a Columbus tubeset from Metal Guru. Memento Cycles was selected for the second consecutive year as The People's Choice Award winner.
