FRANKFURT (BRAIN) — Eurobike’s organizers say they were taken by surprise when two German trade groups announced Thursday that they were pulling their support for the show.
A representative from Eurobike — which is scheduled for next June in Frankfurt — told BRAIN that "we remain in constructive dialogue with the industry," but a statement from the two groups had a note of finality.
“Following lengthy discussions with the Eurobike operators, we have decided to end our cooperation. We could not see that both operators were equally committed to supporting the measures that would be necessary to make the trade fair fit for the future of the bicycle industry,” said Bernhard Lange in a joint statement Thursday from the two associations, ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad.
Lange is managing partner at the German distribution company, Paul Lange GmbH & Co., and a member of ZIV’s three-member "Presidium" executive board.
Other association board members from companies including Bosch, JobRad and Zedler Group were also quoted in the release in support of the separation from Eurobike.
The groups hinted at launching their own show, saying “Both associations are now looking to the future with determination.”
“We will move forward with the process very quickly,” ZIV CEO Burkhard Stork said. “The issue of an industry platform needs to be resolved in a forward-looking manner, as we all recognize the enormous political and economic challenges facing our industry.”
The joint statement referenced a 10-point plan that the trade groups presented to Eurobike. The groups did not immediately respond to questions from BRAIN or share the points.
Eurobike’s statement said the show organizers have already agreed to make some changes suggested in the plan, including adjusting the show’s length. The 2026 show is planned to have just one consumer festival day, instead of the two days it has held in recent years. The number of trade-only days remains three. The 2026 show will also be bifurcated, with an e-mobility trade event held concurrently with the bicycle specialty show at the Messe Frankfurt.
“Over the last few months, we have been in close and constructive dialogue with industry players and have received valuable input from across the sector – through industry surveys as well as requirements from the associations themselves in the form of a ’10-point plan’ – on how to develop Eurobike further,” the show said in a statement released to BRAIN.
“In light of this, we are surprised by the decision of the industry associations, as the dialogue between all parties was conducted in an objective and solution-oriented manner. … It is our goal to work together with the industry and our partners from trade and politics to continuously develop Eurobike and strengthen its standing as the leading trade fair in a national and international context,” the Eurobike statement said.
Eurobike's 2025 show lacked some major brand exhibitors and attendance was down slightly, which the organizers attributed to a recovery bike market in Germany. They said shortening the consumer festival for next year will reduce exhibitor costs and return focus to the trade.
