Events: 15th NEC Cycle Show Birmingham: 23rd-25th September 2016

[Kudoscycles]

Must say I regret not exhibiting Kudos this year,it was especially important because we had so many new models to show but the date conflicted with other commitments.
We also have changed the direction of our marketing spend to more magazine advertising.
The problem with the NEC show is it attracts customers very local to the NEC but e-bike customers are far and wide in the UK,it is also very expensive.i do other shows in the NEC, with a much greater footfall that are half the price of the cycle show.
Was it well attended?
Did customers feel that the cost of attending was overal value for money?
Having said the foregoing it is probably the best e-bike show in the UK.
KudosDave

 

[RobF]

No doubt the show has the most ebikes in one place, but overall I've found it a bit underwhelming on my two visits.

Tickets about £12, but you can double that due to the cost of parking.

That's a lot to pay to have a look around what isn't a lot more than a very big shop.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

No doubt the show has the most ebikes in one place, but overall I've found it a bit underwhelming on my two visits.

Tickets about £12, but you can double that due to the cost of parking.

That's a lot to pay to have a look around what isn't a lot more than a very big shop.

parking was only £1.00 this year I think. But it is really also designed to encourage use of public transport. There is a train station on site.

 

[RobF]

parking was only £1.00 this year I think. But it is really also designed to encourage use of public transport. There is a train station on site.

I think 'gone up by a pound' might be nearer the mark.

A mate who went this year told me it was £12, I'm fairly sure I paid a pound or two less than that in previous years.

The website says 'parking charges apply' - with a hyperlink.

The link suggests £12 is the minimum.

http://www.thenec.co.uk/visiting-us/car-parking?

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

ah, well I was told by a number of people they'd paid just a £1 this year so were happy.

But I've just checked and according to the NEC it's £12.00 so perhaps they were in a car park they shouldn't have been in.

 

[RobF]

ah, well I was told by a number of people they'd paid just a £1 this year so were happy.

But I've just checked and according to the NEC it's £12.00 so perhaps they were in a car park they shouldn't have been in.

Or possibly one a bit further out.

 

[Crockers]

I paid £12 to park. £13 entrance so it was a £25 cost. Not sure at that price I'd go again though, but it was a nice day....or should I say a nice few hours.

 

[Izzyekerslike]

Must say I regret not exhibiting Kudos this year,it was especially important because we had so many new models to show but the date conflicted with other commitments.
We also have changed the direction of our marketing spend to more magazine advertising.
The problem with the NEC show is it attracts customers very local to the NEC but e-bike customers are far and wide in the UK,it is also very expensive.i do other shows in the NEC, with a much greater footfall that are half the price of the cycle show.
Was it well attended?
Did customers feel that the cost of attending was overal value for money?
Having said the foregoing it is probably the best e-bike show in the UK.
KudosDave

Just an idea..Maybe a crap one !

Is there anybody brave enough to consider hosting an e-bike only show at Stoneleigh Park. I presume it would be a lot cheaper and more flexible.
I've attended a few shows there and found it to be a much nicer atmosphere to the NEC.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Just an idea..Maybe a crap one !

Is there anybody brave enough to consider hosting an e-bike only show at Stoneleigh Park. I presume it would be a lot cheaper and more flexible.
I've attended a few shows there and found it to be a much nicer atmosphere to the NEC.

It's actually a good idea, but the e-bike industry is not big enough to have a bespoke show at Stoneleigh.
I have a big stand at the National Kit Car Show ,early May. Kit Cars and e-bikes would be an OK mix.
I put it to the organiser of the kit car show,he has a lot of spare space about combining the shows ,he wrote to the e-bike industry but the response was not good.
The problem is getting people to come,I organised a good show at the Redbridge cycling centre in north London... It is a wonderful test venue and I worked hard to get attendees but the response did not justify the effort.
Stoneleigh has a lot of private roads to provide a test venue and stand cost is only a few hundred pounds not thousands like the NEC. I will have another word with the organiser to try again.
May is a good time of the year to buy a new bike.
KudosDave

 

[Kudoscycles]

The NEC was sold by Birmingham council to a consortium backed by Lloyds banking for £307 million in January 2015.
The council had to sell its golden asset to pay off huge debts.
These debts were caused by a cleaner who took the council to court over unfair pay female to male staff. She won and the council had to pay back pay for a number of years to all similar staff.
The only way to pay this debt was to sell its prized asset.
IMHO £307 million was cheap for an asset the size of the NEC.
KudosDave

 

[Warwick]

I went on Sunday. I got my ticket discounted to £11 via Cycling UK, but the 'fulfilment fee' swallowed that! I parked at Birmingham International and thought I'd been ripped off at £9.

I was rather underwhelmed by the show. Plenty there for the lycra brigade, but the eBike Village was disappointing in scale and scope, IMO. There were no show-stopping offers on display, but I did have chats with some decent folk on a couple of stands.

I won't be returning.

 

[EddiePJ]

I can see the logic and business sense behind a bike manufacturer that offers both normal pedal cycles and EAPC being at a show such as the NEC, but not for a company that just sells ebikes. Having never been as I hate crowded places, I'd imagine that the majority of people that attend shows such as the NEC, are serious pedal cyclists, looking to view 2017 race bikes, and perhaps getting clothing bargains.

I would also have thought that an ebike only show would more than likely just fall flat on its face, as you would be preaching to the converted who already have bikes, and it would just become a social.

I have no idea if this would work or not, but if I was a dedicated ebike dealer, I'd be more tempted to take on stands at national county shows, and inspire new customers who might not ever have considered an EAPC before.

In respect of EAPC only events, I'd still love to see an eMTB race endurance event held at Pippingford Park. I spoke last year to the owner/events organiser Richard Morris about the possibility, but don't have pockets deep enough to organise or risk it. I do feel that it could be a very supported attended event/race though.

In the dry.

In the wet

 

[Warwick]

The council had to sell its golden asset to pay off huge debts.
These debts were caused by a cleaner who took the council to court over unfair pay female to male staff. She won and the council had to pay back pay for a number of years to all similar staff.
KudosDave

It probably wasn't your intention, but this does rather unfairly reflect what happened. Birmingham City Council had for decades undervalued the contribution their female staff had been making. Male staff doing different 'manly' work were offered bonus schemes and overtime, whilst many of these benefits were denied the women doing traditionally 'women's' work. Finally someone had the guts to stand up and be counted and a group won a test case and BCC had to concede defeat and repay the money denied to thousands of women over decades. So it was more of a BCC mismanagement cause than a lone malcontent. I dare say BCC are not the only employer to do so.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/apr/11/equal-pay-women-birmingham-city-council

 

[redcup1999]

I bought an advance ticket on offer and parked at my work's car park nearby - so total cost was 11 quid. I think charging 12 quid to park is an outrageous ripoff when you've already paid a small fortune for tickets.

The show was worth it for me- but then I'm a mamil who is getting older and fatter so have an interest in getting an e-bike as well as drooling over the carbon and titanium exotica.

I enjoyed the opportunity to try out plenty of different bikes on the test circuit, but think I missed out on looking at all the manufacturer stands and talking to suppliers due to the sheer size of the show.

I would welcome a smaller show and the opportunity to try out a range of bikes on a bigger circuit that includes some half decent hills.

 

[Kudoscycles]

H

It probably wasn't your intention, but this does rather unfairly reflect what happened. Birmingham City Council had for decades undervalued the contribution their female staff had been making. Male staff doing different 'manly' work were offered bonus schemes and overtime, whilst many of these benefits were denied the women doing traditionally 'women's' work. Finally someone had the guts to stand up and be counted and a group won a test case and BCC had to concede defeat and repay the money denied to thousands of women over decades. So it was more of a BCC mismanagement cause than a lone malcontent. I dare say BCC are not the only employer to do so.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/apr/11/equal-pay-women-birmingham-city-council

I thought what I said was broadly in line with what happened but respect you are in touch with the detail.I did not intend to judge the merits of the lady's action but respect that the detail can change the emphasis.
I was advised by a senior member of staff who was retained by the new owners.
KudosDave

 

[Wisper Bikes]

I spoke to the organisers yesterday. They agreed that the £12 parking charge is a rip off but it's down to the NEC. They said that they could lease the car parks but they couldn't afford to do so without charging the exhibitors or the visitors more or both. They also said if they did it would not be fair on those using public transport. They also put together a deal with Virgin to offer reduced fares.

The organisers confirmed it was by far the best attended to date.

The show at times was absolutely packed, on the trade day I did not stop talking to people from the time the Show opened until 16.00. We sold nearly 70 bikes and opened several new dealers in areas we are currently not covered. We met people from all over the UK, including people from Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall and Kent. We even opened a stickist in the south of Spain.

Importantly we also met many of our current dealers who took the time to come and see what we were doing.

Visitors had the opportunity to test ride about 80 different models from most of the big brands. In my oppinion this is the best EBike show in the year. The tickets aren't cheap but a visitor can see more ebikes here than anywhere else in the UK in one place, and try met of them out.

It cost us the best part of £15,000 to be there, so not cheap, but if a manufacturer or importer wants to get face to face with a lot of their customers and future customers it's a pretty good deal.

All the best, David

 

[lozw]

My sister in law goes to events at the NEC and she gets the train in from Milton Keynes for just £3 on a special deal outside of the rush hour. I would have gone and parked at her house and she would have dropped me at the station, but she was on holiday. But if I go again that's what I would do.

As it is, I looked at attending the cycle show as a 'day out'. Go anywhere for a 'day out' these days and its going to cost you a similar price in terms of entry fees and parking. The cycle show and NEC wasn't really that much different.

I was disappointed there seemed to be so few retailer 'special offers' that might have made the journey more beneficial financially (I wasn't looking for a new bike, but did want to buy some accessories). The problem perhaps these days is the 'special show prices' they had are little different to everyday prices on Amazon, Wiggle and such...

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

My sister in law goes to events at the NEC and she gets the train in from Milton Keynes for just £3 on a special deal outside of the rush hour. I would have gone and parked at her house and she would have dropped me at the station, but she was on holiday. But if I go again that's what I would do.

As it is, I looked at attending the cycle show as a 'day out'. Go anywhere for a 'day out' these days and its going to cost you a similar price in terms of entry fees and parking. The cycle show and NEC wasn't really that much different.

I was disappointed there seemed to be so few retailer 'special offers' that might have made the journey more beneficial financially (I wasn't looking for a new bike, but did want to buy some accessories). The problem perhaps these days is the 'special show prices' they had are little different to everyday prices on Amazon, Wiggle and such...

The show, and all the brands to be honest, don't like doing "special show prices" for one key reason. The Cycle Show that used to be at the NEC back in the 90s got huge with loads of retailers all doing show specials and it turned into a jumble sale. The bike industry needs a show, not a market, so there is a fairly well respected policy of not selling to keep things looking good, and not upsetting all the dealers we support.

 

[lozw]

The show, and all the brands to be honest, don't like doing "special show prices" for one key reason. The Cycle Show that used to be at the NEC back in the 90s got huge with loads of retailers all doing show specials and it turned into a jumble sale. The bike industry needs a show, not a market, so there is a fairly well respected policy of not selling to keep things looking good, and not upsetting all the dealers we support.

Yes, there is merit in that. It is a showcase, not a shopping mall.

 

[trex]

Yes, there is merit in that. It is a showcase, not a shopping mall.

the consequence of that policy is reduced participation due to high cost.
Contrast this show with Redbridge where anyone could come and show their wares for free. If you like the spirit of Redbridge, perhaps you should encourage traders on this forum to band together to take this format outside London.