Average Joe reviews... The Cycle Show 2008

Last years show got a resounding thumbs down from the mountain bike community for its lack of appeal and ability to stimulate those of a dirt persuasion. While it would seem that mountain biking could hold its own standalone show based on its growth in recent years, this has not yet become a reality. Mixing several different breeds of cyclist who often struggle to acknowledge each other in passing was always going to make things a little schizophrenic. I mean how many folding bike companies does a man need to see in his lifetime? The show was pretty well set out and feedback from last year had certainly been listened to with a decent mountain bike orientated test track with real dirt berms and some north shore. The main show area was definitely fat tyre oriented with bmx and trials displays going on for most of the day. The temporary grandstand also made for a useful resting up point. The balance of distributers seemed to be about right and it didn't feel like one cycling tribe had been favoured over another. Most of the big names were there and highlights included a pretty nice looking range of KTM machines, a closer look at saint merchandise and a Dirt stand with yet more excellent photography. Charge had a great stand the big hitters like Specialised and Shimano were there in force. If there were disappointments then they were focussed around two main areas. Firstly, shows like this used to be packed as people went to spend their hard earned cash on ‘show discounts’ and a lot of shops and distributers would see the events as useful paydays. The lack of things to buy at shows like this is probably due to the extortionate prices exhibition halls now charge for a tiny pitch meaning that the margins simply aren’t there. The organisers really need to twig that people are staying away in droves as they cannot pick up anything for purchase. If you want to look at new bikes, then the internet is just as good as standing there and looking at them for £14. It seems that the days of people wandering around shows with tyres and new frames are long gone. If the setup was more like the pits at Fort Bill then I think the crowds would come back. Secondly, there is a perpetual irritation of the way downhill is ignored (almost completely) at events like this by British Cycling. We had World Cup winners and World Champions this year (and last year) and yet the closest British Cycling came to promoting mtb at the show was a single banner of a xc rider. The Animal stand was stuck in the broom cupboard round the side of the ramps and even though it had the whole Atherton family there, it wasn’t easy to find. Sure, the Athertons were being interviewed daily on the main stage but the programme gave them two lines while the gold medallists from the Olympics got the whole coverage. Even Shazne Reade got more coverage. Hopefully sometime soon, British Cycling will see downhill as a point of pride and feel the need to promote the groundswell of talent we have in this country rather than treating it like the ugly sister of every other cycling genre. All in all a few hours for £14 is not the best value the world has ever seen. Bring back the shiny bits, I want to leave relieved of the contents of my wallet and with a bag full of goodies for my bike. www.cycleshow.co.uk