It's INTERBIKE 2016!

Ann M.

Ann M.

Well-Known Member
A lot of flash, a lot of pizzaz and a Lot of Bikes n' Stuff at Interbike; the annual gathering of all things bike at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas this coming September 21-23. There's an OutDoor Demo two days before the main conference for those who want to test ride bikes and some ebikes at Bootleg Canyon - it's hot & dusty with a long shuttle ride to get there but it's real riding on real trails. Complementing that is The Circuit test track with an opportunity to demo electric bikes indoors. There's the Electric Bike Theater sponsored by Bosch with a series of discussions relevant to the ebike industry, laws, mountain bike trails and more. Our own Chris Nolte of Propel Bikes will be on a panel focused on who's test riding electric bikes. Bicycling advocacy is an important part of Interbike, too; People For Bikes will have a strong presence there and I appreciate the projects this group funds and the education they share with everyone.

Outdoor Demo Map.jpg


Thought I'd share the (Link Removed - No Longer Exists) and Floor Plan of the conference with everyone so you can browse through and see what electric bike companies will have displays at the Show and get a peek at some of the less well known independent manufacturers or foreign ebike manufacturers looking for US distributors. There will be the large block of Asian companies that produce whole ebikes there as well as the lithium battery and various motor and component manufacturers with booths displaying the technology of now along with the technology of tomorrow. And let's not forget, there will be every kind of gear, accessory, lights, stands, lubes, skate boards and even special bike carriers for your favorite pet on display. It's overwhelming! The Exhibitor List is searchable by category and other features so you can find a lot of information.

Interbike Floor Plan Small.jpg


It's always a blast for me to go to Interbike, albeit an exhausting one once it's all over and I'll be sharing my experiences over those 3 days with all of you on the EBR Forum. Court's going to be there reviewing bikes and brands and doing what he does best, so look for posts from us both. Look over the exhibitor list and floor plan and if you see something you're curious about, let me know. It's one big, noisy chance to explore :D.
 

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  • Interbike Floor Plan PDF.pdf
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@Ann M.
@Court

One thing you guys could consider is a look back at last year. Seems like Accell and BH both had bikes that were a response to Sondors. The BH was a $1300 bike with a small battery. The Accell was one of the Currie drive deals, I think, an $1800 mid drive. Curiously both these bikes featured recently in heavy promotions from some dealers. I think the mid-drive sold for $700, a truly deep discount, and the BH for $1000 with some kind of financing.

Was there a response to Sondors? He won't be there, but he brought out the Thin which sold over a thousand. He sells the Thin and the Fat direct now, taking orders for future delivery. That makes inventory pretty easy, keeps his cost low. Be interesting to see if they have a better response this year.

The other thing from last year was the cheaper Yamaha Haibike. I don't know if it was a success. They weren't around and I don't know where I would find any Haibike. Too far, basically.

Not much innovation in DIY. Maybe they are the most successful area, anyway. I've given up thinking there will ever be innovation in DIY. I work on my boondocking travel trailer now, and just ride the bikes.

The hype in these shows is not that interesting. We know we have low end bikes, DIY bikes, and upscale status bikes. Only one group is really at the show, right?
 
I can't wait to hear updates from attendees so we can see what's in store for 2017. I was hoping to see Kalkhoff on the exhibitor list (but didn't) as I'm anxiously awaiting Court's video reviews of the Integrale models.
 
@George S. I think the Yamaha was a success. In one of court's videos they talked about some of the models being sold out before inventory even hit US retailers. If the new Yamaha motor for the 2017 models is as good as it sounds, they'll really be giving Bosch a run for their money.
 
@Cnugget it doesn't look like Cube will be at Interbike; however, there are some mods to the manufacturer's list with the final updates. It would be cool if they were. Went to the Cube website to learn a little more about the company and read a bio of the owner. Didn't realize that Cube had been around for at least 20 years! Just recently started marketing to the US. Another issue, that may also be the case for Kalkhoff, is that Eurobike, the big European bike show which is happening right now is a bigger event for a lot of the European based manufacturers. US sales of the newer european ebike brands is pretty miniscule compared to other markets. Guess we're a stubborn lot ;).
 
Darn. I won't get my Kalkhoff review anytime soon then! Probably as well offers a hint as to why I should consider North American brands (Trek and Ohm for example) over other continents' manufacturers. More range of service/dealers and less likely that the manufacturer will just up and leave the market.
 
Ann M. said:
A lot of flash, a lot of pizzaz and a Lot of Bikes n' Stuff at Interbike; the annual gathering of all things bike at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas this coming September 21-23. There's an OutDoor Demo two days before the main conference for those who want to test ride bikes and some ebikes at Bootleg Canyon - it's hot & dusty with a long shuttle ride to get there but it's real riding on real trails. Complementing that is The Circuit test track with an opportunity to demo electric bikes indoors. There's the Electric Bike Theater sponsored by Bosch with a series of discussions relevant to the ebike industry, laws, mountain bike trails and more. Our own Chris Nolte of Propel Bikes will be on a panel focused on who's test riding electric bikes. Bicycling advocacy is an important part of Interbike, too; People For Bikes will have a strong presence there and I appreciate the projects this group funds and the education they share with everyone.

View attachment 9393

Thought I'd share the Exhibitor List and Floor Plan of the conference with everyone so you can browse through and see what electric bike companies will have displays at the Show and get a peek at some of the less well known independent manufacturers or foreign ebike manufacturers looking for US distributors. There will be the large block of Asian companies that produce whole ebikes there as well as the lithium battery and various motor and component manufacturers with booths displaying the technology of now along with the technology of tomorrow. And let's not forget, there will be every kind of gear, accessory, lights, stands, lubes, skate boards and even special bike carriers for your favorite pet on display. It's overwhelming! The Exhibitor List is searchable by category and other features so you can find a lot of information.

View attachment 9399

It's always a blast for me to go to Interbike, albeit an exhausting one once it's all over and I'll be sharing my experiences over those 3 days with all of you on the EBR Forum. Court's going to be there reviewing bikes and brands and doing what he does best, so look for posts from us both. Look over the exhibitor list and floor plan and if you see something you're curious about, let me know. It's one big, noisy chance to explore :D.
Click to expand...


Is there usually a forum or discussion re national ebike laws?
 
Ann M. said:
@Cnugget it doesn't look like Cube will be at Interbike;...
Click to expand...
@Ann M. Ya.. It was a long shot. They have a few floating around here in Vancouver. One of their touring options was quite reasonable in price when I was looking at step thru's. The Elly was a dream to ride like the Electra Townie but better comfy fit. If they could only mount the battery mid frame and keep the step thru. No one really wanted me to test it out at the shop because of it's cream tires.. but I got a few laps in and realized it was a sweet sweet ride I could never afford. :oops:

Big thing for me in the upcoming event is what next season's batteries will be like. Geographically I think a bigger or higher capacity battery here seems like it would be a big plus to get us to further away places... and then also back again. :D Some of the Euro bikes seem to have smaller battery sizes? Maybe that's my imagination though.
 
Smaller batteries, perhaps, @Cnugget but not necessarily less powerful or with less range. With improvements in the design of the cells that make up the packs by Samsung, Panasonic & Sony primarily, we get more range from batteries now in similar size packaging. I'm very interested in the battery technology, too and plan on exploring what the manufacturers offer at Interbike. There are other shows that focus more on battery technology; however, I think there will be something to ferret out.
 
Well it's crunch time now before the convention and I'm going to be making the rounds to lots of manufacturers. This is a good time to let me know if there's anything particular company or product you'd like to hear about. You know both Court and I will see all of the big brands, just go through the Exhibitor List and let me know if there's something special that you're interested in and I'll see what I can find out. You can focus the search on electric bike specific distributors & manufacturers.
 
Ann M. said:
...This is a good time to let me know if there's anything particular company or product you'd like to hear about...
Click to expand...
You've opened the door for everyone to send you their shopping list!
1. For city commuters, any 2017s that are new to the scene? Perhaps Euro bikes being introduced here (like Moustache)...
2. I know Kalkhoff will not have their bikes at Interbike but maybe they have some representation - any changes to Integrale models for 2017?
3. Or the Kalkhoff motor - Impulse system - any improvements planned? Any other bikes with that system you can try just to judge the motor?
4. The Giant Quick-E+ (https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/series/quick.e/26010/) - a first hand look/test ride?
5. First hand look and/or test ride of the 2017 Ohms?
6. Same for some of the models we've been discussing here: Trek Super Commuter, Specialized Vado, Stromer ST1X

Can't wait to hear the news coming out of Vegas.
 
For those who are going, can you check out the Bulls Lacuba Evo e45? The specs online seem awesome, and would love to hear any reviews about the model while you are there! I appreciate it very much!
 
Hello Ann - I see Bafang has 2 exhibit areas: 4253 and another one that may be outside CIR 29. Would be interested to see what they are showing. Luna Cycle is not listed, but if you come across anything, that would be great to know.

Thanks and have a great time!
 
Ann, I'd love to meet up with you but we are jammed with appointments. Our business is growing rapidly and we are knee deep in vendor discussions. We will spend most of Wed. in seminars about the eBike industry. Lots of interesting topics. Have fun and travel safely.
 
JayVee said:
...While you folks from the press are busy schmoozing with the VIPs, attending free banquets, and getting all sorts of goodies, we the people are sitting out here in the cold with no information...P.S. Just kidding...
Click to expand...
Lol! I was thinking the same thing when I checked the forum this morning and there was no news from Interbike. "let's see. would they be sitting in their hotel rooms writing reviews for us or out partying, schmoozing with the VIPs and testing bikes?" (but maybe not in that order). Well, I know what I'd be doing were I in their shoes. Hope they're having a blast and I'm sure eventually some info will trickle out!
 
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