Interbike 2011 drew more than 23,000 total attendees and 1,200-plus exhibiting brands to the Sands Expo and Convention Center the week of Sept. 12. Preliminary attendance numbers show nearly 4,000 unique stores sent more than 11,000 buyers. International buyer attendance exceeded 1,300.


“This was one of the most productive show's we've ever had. If you come into Interbike with a focused approach for what you want to accomplish, there's really nothing like it,” said Tom Henry, general manager at Landry's Bicycles in Boston, a perennial Top 100 and 5-Star retailer. “The biggest thing for me is what I call the 'Beehive.' It's the one time each year when everyone is in one place and everybody you talk to has talked to 12 people who have talked to 12 people and so on. It's a moment when you feel like you're hearing the whole beehive bit by bit. I wouldn't want to miss that and it only happens at Interbike.”

More than 550 journalists attending Interbike from all corners of the globe. And cycling publications weren't alone in their interest in new products: journalists from outlets such as Consumer Reports, Outside Magazine, ESPN, Wired Magazine, Mashable.com, The Huffington Post, Playboy and MSNBC came to Las Vegas to see the latest cycling gear.
 
Interbike kicked off with two days of testing at the Interbike Outdoor Demo, Sept. 12-13, at Bootleg Canyon outside Las Vegas, where a new “Oasis” area provided seating, food options and complimentary ice cream and beer to riders demoing the latest mounts. 

Educational seminars on topics from suspension fork technology to retail tips were consistently crowded as industry insiders took up expanded opportunities from Interbike University, the National Bicycle Dealers Association and show exhibitors.
 
“We had consistently good attendance at our seminars, and by the time the show was over, we reached about 1,800 people,” said Fred Clements, executive director of the NBDA. “We see a fair number of retailers each year who are dedicated to the seminars and the educational opportunities are a big part of why they come to Interbike.”
Interbike 2012 will return to Las Vegas with the OutDoor Demo on September 17-18 in Boulder City, Nevada, followed by the Interbike Expo, September 19-21 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.