SHANGHAI, China (BRAIN)—Trek, Specialized and Pacific Cycle, three North American pioneers in the Chinese bicycle market, are skipping this year’s China Cycle show. But many new foreign brands will be on display through distributors, show spokesman Kevin Zhou said.
China Cycle will run April 25-28 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.
The Shanghai show, China’s largest, is expected to be more subdued this year as rising costs have dampened exports. A big shakeout among Chinese electric bike manufacturers has also led to a decrease in exhibitors.
“We’ve seen in the past years that there are many new agents and distributors,” Zhou said. Taiwan’s Sin Sheng Yang, for example, will display such brands as FSA, Crank Brothers, and Orbea while Colmax is showing Campagnolo, Continental, Park Tool, Kool-Stel, Selle Italia, Finish Line and others.
The show helped Trek and Specialized launch retail stores in China. But Zhou said the companies no longer need the show as much. Trek now has 54 stores in 23 provinces, and Specialized recently opened its second China store, Zhou said.
“Our show date would be kind of late for them, as in April or May their new products are already shown in their own stores for about six months,” Zhou said.
China Cycle is launching a bicycle design competition this year. It is unusual because it will run over three years. The top 100 sketches will be selected this year, followed by the top 20 models next year and the top five final bikes in 2010.
To commemorate the upcoming summer Olympics in Beijing, the Shanghai Show will host a mass ride of 1,000 cyclists from the exhibition center to Century Park, about two miles away.
Zhou said Ernesto Colnago also will attend the show and will sign Chinese-language translations of his autobiography, which he introduced at last year’s Interbike.
—Doug McClellan
