Dorky Biker Convention moving?

From Vegas back to the wasteland shadow of Disneyland?

I heard it first somewhere. And man who's the moronic dumbass who decided that? Esp with Denver on the table. Okay - I know. It is business and you can't spill all the beans behind choices like this. I'm not going so I don't care one way or another, well i do. but whatever.

I read this.

It was a good read.

I always liked going to CABDA "back in the day." Boss man would get a couple hotel rooms in Rosemont and we'd drive down, prowl the floor looking at all the new shit checking the new lines of bikes we'd be fixing or selling. Some people would see how much schwag they can score, I liked the schwag. But I also liked talking to folks like Deitrick Rolf about the cool shit they designed and are selling. Seeing the new people with new products all dripping with blind enthusiasm that grips and takes down all but the best ideas. Guys with ridiculous stuff like the Crack Wax chain folks. Or avoiding the the pathetic Magura hydraulic cantilever brake display despite the pleading looks of "Hey come talk to me about it, no one is buying or spec'n it and I'm lonely and bored!"

The Boss man had a specific goal and lots of meetings. Every rep needed him to sit down and talk about the orders and commitment and if they couldn't land that then at least they would have bodies to demonstrate that they are working hard even if they aren't moving much product.

I don't suspect much has changed. Other than Trek and Specialized do their own show for their folks and someone else too? Do they show up at Inner-dorky-bike?

I tend to agree with the last comment there. Trade shows are dead.

Spend the money on a damn good internet campaign get RyantTKelly on it. Or give Results boy loads of product and let him get all spastic on it.

Most everyone at the trade show has seen everything thing there on the internet already, or will w/in weeks of the show. What do they get out of being there? Touching it? Yeah. Well. When you order the product and have it on your shelves, touch it then. Demo days? That is a good idea. Consumer demo days? EVEN BETTER.

Esp with shops carrying less and less diverse inventory (or so it seems). Consumer days might be a pain but man - there were lots of people seriously going from booth to booth trying different groups of bikes out at the show in PVD last year. Consumers are also more savy and know often as much or more about what they want than the shop employees do. Now that said, there are plenty of people who have no clue who need help at a shop.

Anyway

I got my run in this morning. 5:30am is f'n early. Not 4:30am early like Gary Loony Toons David, but it was nice. Tomorrow is intervals. On the trainer. At 5:30, with the iPod. In the dark. Maybe outside (tandem in the bike room is taking up trainer space - i hope it isn't raining).

heddwch
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