Interbike 2017 marks the curtain call for the largest bike expo in North America, and also for Outdoor Demo (Dirt Demo to most), which will be remembered as the most important innovation to spring forth from the show's organizers since its inception in 1982. Bootleg Canyon's now popular trail system was slated for development when local trail builder Brent Thompson and his friends rallied Boulder City residents to set some of the land aside for mountain bike riders and outdoor recreationists. His dream came to fruition and Bootleg Canyon was designated as an official park. Boulder City became a mountain bike destination and shortly after, the Interbike las Vegas Expo adopted it as their outdoor annex for two days each year. Outdoor Demo at its peak was crammed with exhibitors large and small, and its interlocking circular walkways were jam packed with bike-curious retail employees. most of whom begged or coaxed their bosses for passage to Las Vegas for the opportunity to actually test ride bikes and gear that, in many cases, they would never have run across in the wild. Busloads of roadies and mountain bikers made the 35-minute journey, suited up and ready for action and, while many returned to the air-conditioned halls of Interbike with limbs bound and bandaged, the novelty to try before you buy was a win for retailers, for bike brands, and for the show itself. Changes in both wholesale and retail buying, the direct access that the web provided to customers, and the fact that most brands were releasing new products much earlier in the season all began to take their toll on Interbike and one by one, larger brands began to opt out from the big show. But even then, most felt that Outdoor Demo's hands-on experience was essential to their message and many maintained their presence there. All good things usually come to an end, and last year, while the indoor show reportedly did well, attendance by both exhibitors and retailers at Outdoor Demo fell noticeably. Not being privy to the business end of the show, I can't speculate if the downturn was due to a business decision or a change in the wind, but it was disheartening to see. This year, attendance seemed to drop further, but it wasn't for lack of enthusiasm. Retailers who did show up ready to rock were as stoked as ever, and the solitary circle of wholesalers who were on hand were standing in empty tents waiting for their charges to return. Interbike announced that its new home will be Reno, Nevada, and Outdoor Demo will be staged at Northstar California Resort, a proper lift-access bike part 30-minutes up the mountain, near Truckee, California. The ski-area venue is expected to breathe new life into the outdoor event. The trails there offer something for everyone, and the scenery is wonderful. Better still, the dirt will be more forgiving for riders who fail to keep the rubber side down. Boulder City's volcanic rock was like falling on chipped porcelain. So, goodbye Bootleg Canyon, you've been a good friend. We're pullin' up stakes and heading north for greener pastures and a new batch of casinos. Before I leave this town, however, I'm raising my glass to Brent Thompson. Cheers mate! To you and to the trails you carved into the history books.
Pinkbike was always reporting on weird stuff from Trade shows. Remember a pic of a fat woman on fat bike with TT helmet on? Fatbike with drop bars is a fkng gem, I'd rather ride this push bike...
@TEAM-ROBOT - you may as well take a harvester, preferably 16V diesel, make a clearcut to get to the trail, Pinkbikers won't say anything. But put a battery with servo motor on a freaking damper and everyone's loosing their fkng minds
I'm just saying, because it's funny!
Everyone relax. Breath deep and see it as humor. Yes, I would not be cought dead with that thing. I rather see someone else be insane to show that...
It's just a joke people. Maybe the inner workings of PB intentionally likes all this banter about E-bikes because of the response and histaria about it. The comment section is just entertainment for us to go with. We are the ones in the outer sphere being laughed at and the E-bike craze will soon dissapere into the history books! I hope? ????
Chill out!
Pinkbike surely doesn't need these pricks, they need educating, it's a f*cking face palm farm on here, if more of you spoke out and corrected some of the complete bullshit that gets banded around from comment section to comment section, a lot of them would listen, they are sheep, a bunch of deferential vacant zombies that simply need input from people they respect, and if they still whine and moan, f*ck 'em.
I want to see more ebike content, more weird shit like this and just more of anything that isn't the same bike being built over and over again by multiple manufacturers, trying to sell the same thing to the same people that bought the same shit last time...
What ....is......happening.....to......
Oh, don't panic. They said I have to progress because I won't be happy if I just be me...I mean stay the same...I mean stagnant. They said I'm not allowed to stay where I'm at....I have to move my house...keep moving, progress....wait.
What....is......happp......
He's got a sweet trailer to haul tools to build trail. It's relevant. Stop with effing whingeing already.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7JNPolgxDk
look in the background. Bike path, no motor vehicles. Too perfect!
I wanna see him zip off down that path with his PB tshirt on.
Rant to be continued.
Now time to go press some coffee......