IMBA busy at upcoming bicycle trade shows
IMBA Trail News
Volume 12, Number 4
September 1999
While more than 70 percent of IMBA's funding comes from individual members, corporate support remains crucial to our work. IMBA maintains steady contact with most of the companies that back us. Nevertheless, the annual fall trade shows offer special opportunities to solidify and expand our partnerships.
This year IMBA will be out in force at Interbike in Las Vegas, Sept. 9-13, at the Interbike Open Air Trade Fair in northern New Jersey, Sept. 26-27, and at the CADBA World Bicycle Expo in Chicago, October 8-10.
At Interbike-Las Vegas, IMBA is hosting its late summer board of directors meeting, September 9. Our Trails Resource Director Kurt Loheit (as well as members of our staff) will assist Interbike in preparations for On-Dirt Demo Day, which is an all-day test riding opportunity for bicycle dealers that is held on the outskirts of the city in Blue Diamond. On Saturday evening, September 11, IMBA and the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame & Museum are co-hosting a reception where the 1999 IMBA Model Program award winners will be announced (see story, page two) and the '99 Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductees will be presented (see page 12). Later that evening, Kona Bicycles is sponsoring an IMBA-benefit bowling tournament that may attract more than 50 teams representing various bike companies.
The Interbike Open Air Trade Fair is a new event that replaces the traditional East Coast trade show in Philadelphia. The focus here will again be on bike testing, using the trails of Mountain Creek Resort. IMBA Trail Care Crew No. 2 Joey Klein and Kathy Summers will be on hand to help prepare the trails for what will unquestionably be a busy couple days of riding.
At the CABDA World Bicycle Expo in Chicago, IMBA will staff a booth and members of our advocacy team will join in a regional meeting of IMBA state reps and club leaders.
The producers of both of these prestigious shows are Above-and-Beyond IMBA corporate members. Interbike is sponsoring a new IMBA Trailbuilding videotape that is currently in production. CABDA recently awarded IMBA a grant to produce a new trade show display that we'll use during the coast-to-coast September-October swing.
