Italian Bike Festival: a place to be

The 2023 edition of the Italian Bike Festival has come to an end. Here's a? summary for those who missed it (with a recommendation to mark your calendars already now for 2024).

- Sixth edition. Since the fair left Rimini to take up residence at the Misano motorbike circuit, it has acquired an identity: free entry remains, but the public has a more defined profile.?

- There is plenty of space (80,000 square metres well used), the stands have the right size and there are opportunities for testing. The location is excellent.

- This year the number of visitors exceeds 50,000. The event is very consumer-oriented (counts up to 83% of attendees), but the Friday day is excellent for B2B meetings.

- Approximately 7,000 professionals were accredited, of which 2,800 dealers, 500 distributors and 880 operators from manufacturing companies.

- Almost 600 brands present and 300 exhibiting companies: Italian ones and many interested in the market south of the Alps (this year the fair registered visitors from over 40 countries).

- Italian bicycle manufacturing accounts for about 14% of the European value and deserves a dedicated trade fair.

The IBF, Bike Festival Garda, Eicma and the Bicycle Trade Fair succeed in representing the national movement. It is confirmed by the gradual decline in the number of Italian visitors and journalists at Eurobike, despite a scenario of growth in the sector.

- The Italian bicycle market is worth 3.2 billion, 2.1 billion of which is invoiced by domestic manufacturing. Following, the remaining over one billion is the value of bicycle imports.

In turn, 30% of the Italian bicycles value (another billion) is made up of semi-finished products or components purchased abroad: 48% frames, 42% chains, crowns and sprockets, 38% brakes, forks, gears and accessories are imported.

If you are a manufacturer, Italy is a place to visit.

- A propos Bike Festival Garda. I've been asked by several colleagues: what's better Riva or Misano?

I personally attend and recommend both, but the place to see what happens in Italy is the Italian Bike Festival. If you have to choose just one, unless you are a mountain bike brand, I say Misano.

- The reason? The number of brands (more than double) and the 15,000 people attending from central and southern Italy that Riva can't compete with.

The amount of visitors is similar, but at Riva there is a large traffic of tourists strolling by; that of Misano is a select audience, enthusiasts and sector operators: you have to come here on purpose.

Riva wins for its internationality (the strong German presence), the mountains on which to ride and the panorama of the lake. Misano for the Italian character, the central location, the size. It is our Sea Otter Classic.

- Hinault and Moser were here in 2023. Nibali, Colbrelli, Cipollini and Petacchi. Balsamo and Paternoster. Bugno, Savoldelli, Cassani and Chiappucci (and many more). This should be enough to convince you.?

- The event is also a testival: you can touch and try the products. Do you want to try the thrill of a lap on a MotoGP track, even if it is on pedals?

- Let's grade: 8,5/10.

A ten can't be reached due a few traffic problems: the off-road tests lack an adequate track (on the other hand you can't ask the organisers to build mountains in the middle of a plain), the organisation at the entrances (the officials are poorly informed; journalists are rigidly kept waiting outside the gates in the morning even when it rains, despite the existence of an internal press room).

Pictured are the two Vitamina C - PR & Communication colleagues with whom we organised press meetings at Alé Cycling , Ducati Motor Holding , Pirelli , Q36.5 and THOK E-Bikes .

See you in 2024?