Or Taipei Cycle 2011 as the abbreviation will go. March 16-19 in the Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall (TWTC Nangang). It will also feature the 15th International Bicycle Design Competition.
It seems that each year as soon as it’s over you start orienting yourself towards the coming year’s program. Applications opened a few days ago on June 23; the cycle (!!) begins anew. If you are thinking of participating, you have until August 31 2010 to get an application in.
Booths range from the extremely large and lavish with eye-catching designs, to the single-person representative. I recall this year upstairs, on the 4th floor, there was one gentleman in a tiny booth with one pipe-cutting machine. There was just enough room for him and the machine. It would have made getting in and out quite difficult. But, that’s where it starts. That’s business.
Why should you go? Well, from a business point of view here’s a wrap of Taipei Cycle 2010 along with an overview of the show’s anatomy. One increasingly important element is the seminar series and the International Bicycle Design Competition. The 15th IBDC has been accepting entries from 1 April–entries close 15 July.
Taipei Cycle is mainly about component production finalization. The production cycle for coming model years begins a good deal in advance. Throughout 2009, with an increasing emphasis towards the end of the year, product mangers were getting around the component makers researching what’s new and negotiating specifications, quantities and prices.
The main questions are “what’s new?”, “what’s good?”, and, of course, “what’s the price?”. All of these combine together in complex ways depending on the economies of scale relevant to each situation. By December 2009 thru February 2010 negotiations continue and prototypes are made available. Provisional and final decisions are made.
Come Taipei Cycle buyers expect to see prototypes realized into finalized samples of new products. They can then make final decisions, depending, on costs and quantities. So, as it stands at the moment, the 2011 model year is just about to swing into production. At the same time, thoughts are turning to 2012 with the outlines of Taipei Cycle 2012 beginning to appear over the horizon already.
All the brand scouts are out scouring the place for anything new, or to catch up with someone who may have been new a few years ago, or even the previous year. If these “newbies” are still around, it could be that they will make a good business partner in the future. Watching and evaluating these smaller companies is as important as actually entering into negotiations.
Taichung Bike Week has been around for a while and is assuming greater importance in the production cycle. This is basically a series of meetings between the larger components manufacturers and suppliers, not an exhibition per se. More product managers are opting to skip March’s Taipei Cycle, having done their deals in early December the previous year.
So, what would be five reasons to attend Taipei Cycle?
1. The number 2 show behind Eurobike
2. Seminar series looking into the future
3. Mingle with industry movers and shakers
4. Fast forward your escape from winter, or take a temperate break (Southern Hemisphere visitors) from the heat. Taiwan’s central location make it a great launch pad into the rest of Asia.
5. Delay the launch and simply tour Taiwan.
Ok, so there are five reasons to go on with. Can you think of any more? Lets take it out to 10, or more.
Anyhow, bikes, components, seminars, displays, cycling events, some of Asia’s best travel destinations. What’s not to like about that? I can’t think of anything not to like about that.