I asked Andy how this idea came about:  “I had the idea for a bike show 4 years ago. The idea has morphed over time, changed by experience, interactions and more time.

Since the initial idea, I have had the good fortune to interact with a number of local builders including Darrell McCulloch, Darren Baum, John Bosevski, Ken Evans, Ewen Gellie, Daryll Perkins, and Bryan Hayes.

I have naturally fostered the frame building scene because I love hand made bicycles to the point of mild obsession. Australia has a rich history of locally made marques and those who rode them, and above all nothing is cooler than a bike made for an individual with a true purpose.”

The Australian custom scene is no different than overseas; it is small, however the frame builders and brands are known by name well beyond their customer base. Attracting all of the key players to one event is no mean feat and Andy White discusses the reception of the Australian Custom Bicycle Show by newer frame builders.

“There has been great interest from builders who to this point have been building as a hobbyist, and considering it as a full time profession. This years shows two stipulations are Australian Made products, and all builders have insurance which I see as critical to promoting their offerings.”

There is no single reason why a cyclist gets a custom made bike, the audience is very broad. I was interested to know what type of visitors Andy anticipates will attend the Australian Custom Bicycle Show.

“The audience will be varied,” says Andy, “from old to young, current and past customers, enthusiast builders looking for inspiration, cyclists looking for something different,  those who embrace cycling as a lifestyle and not merely a recreational activity or transportation alternative.  Hopefully a large majority will be those looking for something built with a purpose and not to a price point.  The show will provide an opportunity for these small scale craftsman to showcase their skills in an intimate setting.”

Exhibitors
Baum Cycles, Busyman Bicycles, Cycle Designs, Fikas Bikes, Gellie Custom, Kenevans, KUMO Cycles, Llewellyn, PATEBURY, Peter Bundy Cycles, Primate Frames, Teschner Bikes

Show Details
Location: 167 Gladstone Street, South Melbourne 3205, Victoria, Australia
Opening Hours: Saturday 1 December & Sunday 2 December 9am – 5pm
Entry: $10 Adult / Children $5 (under 6 free)

Online: www.acbs2012.com

I spoke with the show organiser Simon Head about Ausbike. He was relaxed and had a smile on his face, while we spoke were no mini-emergencies or issues he had to tend to, I got the feeling that all was well.

Ausbike is the bike show that Australia needs, when the Bicycling Australia Bike Shows stopped there was a gap – as time passed it became harder and harder to setup a big show because winning the support of the industry takes time. By moving the show back, after Eurobike and Interbike, wholesalers can return to Australian and present the next seasons gear.

“You can’t run a bike show in September because of the AFL finals and NRL final” notes Simon Head. “We responded to our exhibitors and if they want the show on at this time of the year so that they can get their [new] product, then that what we do.”

The new location has been welcomed by exhibitors and visitors alike. “We have been able to make the move from the showgrounds which doesn’t attract people to the royal exhibition building which is a magnificent expo and suits the bike industry.” says Mr Head “It’s light and airy situation in beautiful parklands in central Melbourne. All of the exhibitors are very excited that we are here and we have just signed on for the next three years.

“They have allowed us to do a lot more next year, in particular a demo track upstairs [in the 2nd level observation level that circles and overlooks the hall].”

Based on the exhibitor list on the Ausbike website, I was expecting a few brands to be exhibiting that were however not at the show (as exhibitors) and asked Simon Head about this.

“It is not as if we don’t invite them. Trek bikes don’t do shows, they don’t even do Eurobike or Interbike, they do Trek World. Giant was listed as an exhibitor and you will notice that they have bikes on some of the stands. Giant had other commitments.”

Simon Head continues “There are probably about 20 top companies, mainstream big companies. If we can get ten of those each year we are really happy. From the trade perspective, most retailers have stitched up their number one big brand so they come to look at niche markets, second brands, parts and accessories. The show started for the small to medium wholesaler who cannot afford a fleet of reps driving around the country. The shops come to look for things they haven’t seen before. Certain products in certain years have just excelled because they have been the product of the show, people who don’t have them, they miss out.”

There was a healthy mix of products, both SRAM and Shimano were well represented along with top brands such as BMC, Focus, Felt, Fuji, Specialized, Jamis, Rocky Mountain, Cervélo and Zipp. The stands for these big name brands were big with lots of gear on display.

Simon Head discusses the stands and response from exhibitors, “One of the biggest things we have notice this year is the amount of effort and resources people have put into their stands, it is really noticeable. And the amount of work that exhibitors have put into getting trade here such as with show only deals for the trade. I know that some of the exhibitiors did very well [getting orders on the trade day]. Like all of the trade shows, you only need one really good retailer who you don’t deal with to come to your stand and it can make an amazing difference for the whole year.”

Ausbike Show Organiser Simon Head

The trade visitors day was also conveniently placed on the Friday followed by General Public days on Saturday and Sunday. Even with the improved schedule it remains tough to encourage interstate retailers to visitor Melbourne for the show: retailers already get regular visitors in their stores from brand reps and bigger brands often have roadshows in each state to present the next season gear.

The trade day this year was particularly cold, an open door out to a test-ride area put some exhibitors in this area on the test, many returning of Saturday rugged up and prepared though warmer weather made it more bearable.

As expected, on the friday with entry restricted to trade visitors, the visitor numbers were low though many of the stands remained busy. On Saturday a long waiting line out the front was welcome news for exhibitors now looking to present their products to the public. It was a busy day and I asked Simon Head whether he was happy with the attendance.

“Yes very, we charge $5 [concession] and $10 [adults] on the door, it is not about making money on the door tickets, it is about getting a good crowd in. I am happy if the exhibitors are happy, and the exhibitors are happy.”

I spoke with exhibitors and received a lot of good reports, for smaller brands exhibiting and trying to get into stores, some confided that they were able to connect with retailers who were interested in taking them on board. As expected, visitor numbers on Sunday were down on Saturdays numbers.

I was expecting a well-executed show, assuming that the organisers were able to build on their experiences since first launching in 2009 and wasn’t let down. I hope to see growth and more big wholesalers and brands committing to the show next so that it really is “the place to be”.

This also makes it more attractive to the general public and retail visitors, including interstate visitors who can then justify the time and expense to come to Melbourne. This however shouldn’t be at the cost of loosing younger brands and entrepreneurs. Though the exhibition was well planned and spacious, it was also booked out so brings the challenge of how to use the available space to cater for more exhibitors.

Photo Highlights from Ausbike

The 2013 BMC Roadbike Range

Brown Jersey Machined Wheels

Calfee Bamboo Roadbike with Mad Fibre Wheels

Cardo Bluetooth Cyclist Communication

Cervélo is now under Derby Australia

Emma of Cyclette for Women's Cycle Fashion

Jono and Rob of Tineli

Lombardo Best Quality Imports

Lombardo prime exhibition stand at Ausbike

Long Haul eBike test ride at Ausbike

View of the Exhbitition Halls at Ausbike

Lots of bikes on display

New Shimano Hydration Backpacks

Rubena Phoenix Road Tire

Schindelhauer at Ausbike

Shimano Mechanical Training

Simon Head at Ausbike

Specialized S-Works Road Shoe

SRAM stand at Ausbike 2012

SRAM Rockshox Australia

Test Rides at Ausbike

Thule Roofracks and Shimano Australia

2012 Ausbike in Melbourne

While the crowds on Friday night after work were a bit thin, even with the promise of live telecast of the Tour de France from 10pm – 2am, Saturday and Sunday saw better weather compared with 2011 and healthier crowd numbers so that the most exhibitors had a constant stream of visitors at their stands.

Though the show was double the size and had more ongoing peripheral activities, one industry professional commented that it was missing the energy, for example to let visitors know which activities are currently running which workshops or stage presentations are starting, a hall-wide announcement from an energetic MC would have been useful. That said, they commented that it was none-the-less positive show and a healthy improvement on the first year.

The show was held back from reaching its full potential as the ticket price is quite high, $22 for adults. There were concessions available and also in combination with RIDE magazine or Cycling Australia, discounted entry was available. The pre-booked internet tickets actually ended up more expensive than a (single) door ticket with ticketek adding a hefty $5.30 booking fee. Although the organiser has running costs and needs a balance between exhibitor costs and entry ticket costs, this is still a young Expo so the entry costs have kept some people away while others who attended expected even more for their money.

Sydney needs an annual bike show so it would be fantastic to see more importers and brands getting in on the show and making this a bigger show in 2013 which would give both audiences and exhibitors more.

UPDATE: Speaking to the organiser from Cycling Australia, they reported an increase in visitor numbers and noted that the Friday night live Tour de France viewing was signficantly smaller than last year though with positive feedback from exhibitors will now go into a review phase before planning 2013.

The bike show show is run by Cycling Australia and partnered by SBS who are promoting this event and hosting a live broadcast from the Tour de France on Friday night. As a consumer show (rather than trade show) there is strong representation of cycling organisations such as BMX Australia, MTB Australia and cycling events such as the Tour Down Under. Many of last year’s exhibitors return including the crowd favourites, Shimano and Nutcase Helmets. Some big brands will be represented by retailers including Velosophy and Atelier der Vélo while Giant Bicycles, Cell Bikes and 2XU are also booked in as exhibitors.

The ticket prices are hefty, $22 at the door ($18 concession) though the show organisers have taken on feedback from the last year and visitors can save a few dollars by booking online (begins in about a week), $18 adults and $15 concession prebooked. The show is also bigger that last year with exhibitor numbers increasing from 48 to 84 and non-stop entertainment and activities will be running throughout the show including the popular Bike Polo competition as well as MTB trials and on-stage shows – so more bang for your buck.

The Bike Valet service is also running, you can get your bike looked after during the show (free) and new for 2012 is also a bike test area.
Further information about the Bike and Lifestyle show is online: www.bikeshow.org.au

Encouragingly, Ausbike wasn’t all about the eye-wateringly expensive race machines. The growing popularity of commuting was represented by most manufacturers offering a purpose built workhorse, with internal gear hubs and belt drives far better represented than 12 months earlier.

For those with an inclination towards dirt, Ausbike demonstrated that 29ers are here to stay, and most manufacturers exhibited their interpretation of the emerging All Mountain genre. These newer styles of MTB are yet to kill off the 26″ wheel, countless World Cup XC inspired race hardtails stood prominently on almost every stand.

The presence of adventure tour operators is encouraging for those seeking a cycling themed holiday close to home, and demonstrates that Australia is catching up with popular riding destinations in Europe, America and New Zealand. Bike Buller deserves a special mention, with their array of road, XC and downhill rides definitely worthy of a visit this summer.

Of the 154 exhibitors my top five of to watch this year are:

1. Ghost
Massive throughout Europe, this German brand is looking to expand into Australia. Already familiar to fans of World XC and the European road scene, Ghost offer a wide range of mountain and road bikes, appealing to everybody from the weight weenie road racer to big-hitting downhiller.

Ghost are recognised for a high tech approach to design, and every model is the massive range reflects the extensive research and development they conduct. Their bikes are hand made in Waldsassen and competitively priced throughout European markets.

The featherweight XC MTBs that made Ghost famous are leading their push into Australia, but their impressive road bikes were also present and sure to find their way here when distribution details are finalised.
The aesthetically striking range drew many Ausbike attendees to the Ghost stand, suggesting that if Australian pricing is comparable to Europe they will soon develop a strong following.

2. Focus
Another established European brand new to Australia, Focus were in attendance at Ausbike with their massive range of road and mountain bikes and after recently announcing an Australian based company (Derby) for the brand, they are solidifying themself here.

Focus require little introduction, already sponsoring Russian Pro Team Katusha and present at all three Grand Tours. The German brand is at the cutting edge of technology, but likes to describe their design process at a more soulful blend of racing experience and engineering expertise.
Their road offerings are comprehensive and sure to have something to appeal to everyone, while the extensive XC and All Mountain MTB range will appeal to racers and weekend warriors alike.

Focus already has an established dealer network across Australia – see focusbikes.com.au for your nearest outlet.

3. KTM
A new player to the world of self-propelled bicycles, KTM presented a massive range of beautifully finished road and MTBs. Mojo bikes have committed to distributing KTM in Australia and are clearly excited by the latest offering from the successful Austrian motorcycle company.

The large KTM Ausbike stand was MTB heavy, but their range includes the full spectrum of road, recreation, triathlon and touring bicycles. The Ausbike crowd was clearly intrigued by the industry newcomer, and surely impressed by KTM’s commitment to their new products and the Australian market.

Having been in the motorbike business for the best part of 80 years, it is clear that KTM can play the game and it looks as though their bicycle division is set for big things. Although pricing could be sharper to compete with established brands in Australia, their enormous and well-finished range is sure to appeal and well worth investigating when their local network is finalised.

4. De Vinci
This Canadian brand has flirted with the Australian scene for a couple of years, but is yet to establish themselves outside of Queensland. Offering everything from basic recreation bicycles to the epic Wilson downhill rig, De Vinci are making noises about expanding into the southern states and demand is growing fast on the back of their formidable reputation.

While De Vinci produce some serious machinery, their Ausbike stand catered more to the recreation end of the spectrum. While these bikes may appeal to many, their working class offerings aren’t revolutionary. The standouts at Ausbike were clearly the heavy-hitting Wilson downhiller and Dixon all-mountain rig, but overseas they offer a diverse range of high-end bicycles to suit every need.

If De Vinci find a way into the local market with their 2012 range, look out for the high-tech and beautifully finished road bikes. Their representatives were not sure of the brand’s future in Australia, but they would be a worthy addition to our cycling landscape.

5. Adventure Brands: Jamis & Rocky Mountain
Arguably the most impressive exhibit at the show. Adventure Brands are an established distributor with a deserved reputation for good post-sale support, and the addition of Canadian Rocky Mountain provides a fantastic opportunity for local riders to access some sensational bikes.

The 2012 Jamis range is huge, with a number of niche road, mountain and urban offerings complimenting the expected standard models. The extensive range of steel road and MTBs sets Jamis apart from its rivals, especially with their competitive pricing when compared to local boutique alternatives.

Adventure Brands have been distributing Rocky Mountain for a couple of years, but have had little impact until now. The massive display of Rocky Mountain MTBs at Ausbike suggests this is about to change, with their epic range including something for everybody who enjoys getting off the beaten track.

It is clear from the crowded Adventure Brands exhibit that local riders are welcoming Rocky Mountain with open arms, and the quality, hand built bicycles are a valuable competitor in local market.

For more information about Jamis, Rocky Mountain or Bauer bikes, contact Adventure Brands.

Ausbike Futures
This year there was a shift with two public days and one trade day (instead of two trade followed by one public day) which may have made it more challenging for bike shops to attend. It would probably be an advantage if Ausbike could move the show back after Eurobike and Interbike so that the local brands have a chance to bring in more of next seasons bikes and in this way encourage more local bike shops to attend and use Ausbike and a ‘get to know the new gear’ event – which goes hand-in-hand with ordering next seasons stock.

As the biggest bike show in Australia, it was refreshing to see brands with little or no current representation in Australia exhibiting and while each year is seeing more and more Aussie distributers exhibiting, a complete representation of all brands in Australia would benefit everyone, from the general public, to retailers and the exhibitors.

Although we didn’t get to ride using APEX, we spoke at length with SRAM about their new groupset. SRAM Apex borrows many technologies from SRAM’s RED group.

Once again, the chain, the 10 speed Powerchain, features SRAMS Powerlock connecting link making it easier to break and clean or swap. I love SRAMS Powerlock, I now use it across all of my chains to clean, replace or swap over to a racing chain and I don’t have to have a chain tool.

The new APEX PG 1050 cassette has done away with triple chainrings allowing for fewer gears, where in a triple you can have a series of gears that are simply not used. The APEX cassettes has a wider range of gears, 11-32, 11-28, 11-26, 11-23T which means faster shifting than three chainrings and it is lighter through out, saving as much as 274 grams on its rivals. Interesting on the largest cassette, it is one notch up on Campagnolo’s 12-29, although theirs can be retro fitted to 11 speed reach derailleur’s.

APEX receives the same technology as the higher end groups with the SRAM’s DoubleTap controls feature, dual reach adjust, dual cable routing and a high picot brake lever. The levers are made from aluminium to keep the price down. Carbon levers are the only option I would have preferred, but with the grouppo being compatible across the range we can upgrade to Rival or Force to get our carbon fix.

The Apex crank arms are made out of forged AL 6061 T6 with AL-7075 hard anodized chainrings and alloy chainring bolts finished in sleek jet black gloss which looks very nice! The APEX is available in 53/39, 52/38, 52/36, 50/36, 50/34 and 46/38 chainring combinations. It feature gears that are both lower and higher than existing triple gear ratios.  The 2×10 chainrings have a improved Q factor adjusting the bottom bracket height which has improved heel clearance. And the crankset comes at all the usual lengths and hits the scales at 890g. The cassette is finished with a black spider, lock ring and spacers with nickel plated cogs.

The front derailleur also incorporates all the characteristics of the 11s groupsets and is compatible with compact and standard chainrings. And features WiFLi and ZeroLoss trim from the other SRAM groupsets. The body is aluminium with a steel cage.

The Heart of SRAM Apex
The heart of the groupset, and its key player, the rear derailleur, is constructed to allow 32-tooth cog and a 28-tooth cassette. The rear mech has an aluminium body, alloy outer cage and steel inner cage to keep weight down and for precise shifting. The derailleur uses SRAM’s Exact Actuation? and WiFLi? technologies.

The APEX brakes use Swiss Stop compound pads using a Dual Pivot design on forged alloy calipers, featuring external centering adjust.

We don’t have a RRP for Australia as yet for the APEX groupset, though we will keep you informed about all the latest from SRAM.

In 2009, while the show was a success, many of Australia’s larger bicycle distributers shied away. This year sees a much better representation, so many more of the bigger and more well known brands plus Australia will also benefit from the first public showing of 2011 bikes and gear for some brands.

Unusual for a trade show, the public day is the first day, rather than the last. To cater for the public visitors there are competitions, demonstrations and incentives to arrive by bicycle, visitors on bike save $5 off the normal entry price of $17,50. Concession is $10 and children/teens under 18 are free.

For the public, Ausbike is open between 10am and 5pm on Saturday 21 August at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds. The origanisers are recommending purchasing your ticket in advance online in advance.

Trade visitors have Sunday 22nd (10am – 5pm) and Monday 23rd (10am – 4pm). It is assumed that attending trade visitors have already registered.

More details from www.ausbike.com.au

Public Visitors
The public day will be the opening day (rather than the final day). On Saturday 21st August 2010, doors open at 10am at the Exhibition Pavilion at The Royal Melbourne Showgrounds (Victoria).

In addition to exhibitor stands, there are a host of activities such as demonstrations, seminars, cycling fashion parade and a test track.

Visitors from the public will get a $5 discount off the regular entry price of $17.50 if they ride their bike, concessions are also available.

Trade Visitors
Following the Public Day, ausbike welcomes trade visitors on the two following days on Sunday and Monday – August 22nd and 23rd. Trade visitors will also benefit from seminars – details to be announced.

Registration is required for the Trade Days and is open to:
- Bike Shops-owners and staff
- Specialist sport stores-owners and staff
- Cycling/sports clothing retail trade
- Cycling/sports wholesale trade
- Department store/chain stores
- Bike Industry/supply industry
- Event planning companies
- Cycling purchasing association
- Outdoor/Leisure retailers

Ausbike are also planning a Queensland show in October 2010.

For further details about Ausbike and the complete exhibitor list, visit: www.ausbike.com.au