Due to being in the UK somewhat rarely it has been a number of years since I have made it to a bike show. I remember as a youth getting all excited in the run up to The Bike Show (held at the NEC in those days) – what new products would I see, which famous faces would be there, what massive trick would so-and-so do at the display!?
So it was with a little disappointment that after waking up yesterday morning in aforementioned excited state, barley able to finish my Country Crisp for breakfast, that I found none of these things at The London Bike Show.
No, not really - maybe next year
For one reason or another the show is held alongside The Boat Show and The Outdoor Show and it seems to play second (third?) fiddle to both of them. The number of exhibitors was really quite low and if it hadn’t been for Madison and their associated brands (think Shimano, Commencal, Saracen…) then there would have been very little at all to see.
London bike for the London Bike Show
It would be nice if companies used shows like this as a platform to launch new and exciting gear that would really generate some public interest. I’m not sure where products get launched thesedays but it seems to be mostly in the background and ‘leaked’ to the media. Think of shows like The Motor Shows and you get big product launches and concept cars – it would be great to see a similar scenario in the bike world.
It seems somewhat a 'drop in the ocean' if we're expected to use ecologically friendly oil on our bikes after BP dumped 4.9 million barrels of un-ecologically friendly oil into the sea. But I guess every little helps.
However, I did have a nice time looking at boats that I can neither afford nor sail and rock climbing gear, which I can use to somewhat more affect than a boat.
One of the few new bikes on show - would like to have a go on one of these
Perhaps one of the most overkill road bikes I've seen, but I kinda want one...
Written by Paul Thomas – www.riders-retreat.co.uk
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Were it not for that goppingly heavy Nexus hub… I’d be quite tempted by that Saracen. Looks like a rather sporty pub bike!
I got some of that fine green oil White running on my chain… works a treat and a great ethos behind the company. jolly nice people too.
Can you feel the love!
It’s a nice bike that Sarcen. In fact their whole line up is looking pretty bang on the money.
Dave, I was just making a quip about the ‘ecological’ bit of the product – in fairness, I’d be quite tempted to use it. It was well presented and seems to be a good product. Anyone that tries to make this planet better gets a thumbs up from me, even if the twats at BP have to spoil it for the rest of us ;)
Why the boat show ? That’s naff. There was one year the bike show went tits up, that was around 2007…since then I’ve not bothered!