FEATURE
To cut to the punchline, my preconceptions couldn’t have been more wrong. Where I had pictured a small, highly local, perhaps regional trade show, run mostly by retailers and distributors, I was met with all the glamour and the polish you’d expect at more well-known shows like Eurobike or Taipei. The big halls were packed with brands
and teeming with consumers and energy. While there was a leaning towards local brands and certainly, local teams, I was pleasantly surprised by the international attendance of some of the big players in the industry, including our client, Van Rysel. Consumers will have felt the same bustle too, with plenty to see, products launched, beer to drink and a general buzz reminiscent of Rouleur Live, in London. This observation poses a question, what do people really want from a trade show? While that varies hugely based on the person, as an agency, what we want is a healthy dose of inspiration, a cocktail of the right people in the room and enough going on socially to provide a good atmosphere for work. After all, most shows require days away from home, hotel room pillows and tens of thousands of steps per day, so there has to be some balance.
I think Velofollies delivered on all three of these things. This year saw multiple new bike launches aligned with the show - which as a bike geek is always welcome - plenty of ex-pros from the Benelux, DACH and French regions wandering the halls or signing autographs on their stands.
A great brand mix, from smaller local brands or Benelux distributors to large international brands with a mix of central and local teams. Lastly, a great vibe, with the trademark Belgian spirit highly visible in every hall, from music to food to Belgian ales. An honourable mention to Kortrijk too, certainly one of the lesser-known Belgian towns from my perspective, but with easy transport links, decent restaurants and affordable hotels. Overall, Velofollies earns itself a solid 9 out of 10. I’m going to dock a point away for a few things. Firstly, how early it is in the year. You’re barely back from Christmas break and you’re hopping onto the Eurostar and across France. Undoubtedly this makes sense for the sales cycle, but as an agency, January is
hectic enough, why not combine it with the early Classics season, that would really dial things up. I also think the organisers are yet to fully grasp what international potential they have for the show, with transit, booking and information all a little harder to navigate than the big German shows. Also, I can’t help but feel that more could be made of the amazing urban mobility in Kortrijk, encouraging transit into the show on e-bikes, for example. Finally, the weather. Not their fault - it is Belgium - but it was hideous the whole time we were in Kortrijk, meaning you’ve little choice but to spend all your time in the halls, no daylight, no respite. All relatively small things, but as someone who attends perhaps 10 shows a year, you notice these things.
www.bikebiz.com March 2025 | 17
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