November 28, 2006 (Friedrichshafen, Germany) – About one month after announcing that they were launching a new U.S. bicycle trade show in Portland, Oregon, Germany’s Messe Friedrichshafen, organizer of Eurobike. the leading European bike show, has postponed the idea of starting direct competition with Interbike in 2007.

According to Messe Friedrichshafen’s CEO Klaus Wellmann, “we definitely want to step into the U.S. market”. Instead of starting a new show in Portland in 2007 the Germans will now strengthen their strategic partnership with the bicycle festival Sea Otter Classic (April 12-15). Aside from their latest announcement to sponsor the catering service at the Sea Otter Classic’s VIP tent, they plan to introduce a new show format at the huge Monterey-based bicycle event.

With this decision Messe Friedrichshafen will not be in direct competition with Interbike. This is an important step taken after several U.S. industry participants were concerned about having two international bike shows each year as in Germany (IFMA in Cologne and Eurobike in Friedrichshafen). Two shows are too expensive for everyone they say.

Nevertheless the idea of a new fall U.S. trade show isn’t over. At Sea Otter this year, Messe Friedrichshafen intends to continue discussing the possibility of a fall show in Portland beginning in 2008, or creating a new show format at the Sea Otter Classic. Several U.S. industry players seemed to be interested with the idea of an early product preview show for their dealers. An event of this kind at Sea Otter could be managed at lower costs.