# Interbike 2017



## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Just reporting:
Received information from Interbike they sold out the indoor e-bike test track with more than 30 vendors reserving space. Looks like another banner year for hype.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

Maybe the sales increase is warranting the booth space?

The next 5 years will be very telling to see if the public will be spending the money to purchase these or not.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

KJ, agreed; to me the marketing aspects are especially fascinating because the manufacturers have committed so much money adding these to their lines while realizing that the incorporation could alienate some of their core customers. I wouldn't be surprised to see an onslaught of advertising and other prompts to get the public on them. Doesn't matter to me if they proliferate since I like the community now, which is way under the radar.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

They can really recoup their investments in the EU though, so it's not a huge risk. And the motors can be configured any which way up to 350w, so they can sell them anywhere. Aside from price, the biggest problem with them taking off here is if properties are fragmented regarding access with the USFS/BLM being key.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Harry, maybe there is enough EU coverage to make the exposure worthwhile. The really fun part of Interbike (for me) is taking the various models to Bootleg Canyon and bypassing the hamster loop to get some desert riding. The frustrating part is that Bosch has made such a splash, most offerings are imitations of their system (probably some better, some worse). Doubt we'll see e-bikes on forest lands for awhile, if ever though, and don't care.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

Haibike has kept their company afloat with ebikes in the EU for years, so it's big enough for that. The US companies are the Johnnie come latelys. There are new systems coming, so they're not all going to be Bosch clones. Continental has an integrated motor & tranny system they'll unveil at euro bike, pinion has an ebike specific gearbox, I'd expect to see things like that evolving moving forward.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

I'm waiting for a 200w motor in a bottom bracket which is mounted coaxially, in the crank area with a 24V, 8-10 a-h battery, but doubt that it's economically feasible for the manufacturers, so probably a small rear hub configuration or a seatpost motor will be my next conversion. Should add less than seven pounds, so total bike weight less than 30 pounds with my scandium Niner and carbon fork plus light DT wheels.


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