#2 - Philipp Ferger & Matthias Pietsch - How EUROBIKE is Shifting Gears

00:00:00: Hello everyone, Jose here.

00:00:02: Just a quick disclaimer before we start.

00:00:04: this episode was recorded live at Eurobike and as with any live recording technical hiccups can happen.

00:00:11: so you may notice a few imperfections in the audio.

00:00:15: thankyou for your understanding.

00:00:17: enjoy

00:00:27: Everyone, either it's in the industry or retail, associations and stakeholders.

00:00:32: Everybody loves bikes!

00:00:37: Hey everyone I'm Jose Binh a cycling journalist and commentator.

00:00:41: Welcome to Shift Happens The official Eurobike podcast.

00:00:46: Every month i sit down with leaders innovators and change makers from across the cycling world To explore trends technologies ideas shaping the future of our industry.

00:00:56: After all In our industry shift happens every day.

00:00:59: Thanks for joining us.

00:01:01: Let's get into todays episode!

00:01:05: Shift happens, this is the final day of Eurobike twenty-twenty six and one of the hottest days of the year And we also saw some very hot new things here.

00:01:15: My name is José Bain.

00:01:15: I'm with two important guys for the Eurobike Matthias Pietz, show director and Philipp Ferger The managing director.

00:01:24: so actually you're a big boss.

00:01:25: This is Day four.

00:01:26: everybody is a little bit tired But I also see a lot of happy faces here.

00:01:30: How did you experience the past four days?

00:01:32: Definitely on the fourth day, You are always tired off affair but you're always full of energy from all the impressions you had through the whole fair and there were many Impressions And many novelties and many innovations we saw From On The last Days from our eight hundred exhibitors from forty Four Countries.

00:01:50: and these exhibitors Were very Very Happy and Satisfied with Eurobike twenty six

00:01:56: Matias pitch.

00:01:56: you are new in this bear environment.

00:01:59: You come from ASO as an organizer of bike races.

00:02:03: Had you been to trade shows before?

00:02:06: I have been trade shows, yes because To Have meetings with our partners from the from our races and so on.

00:02:15: So i was more a visitor.

00:02:17: And um...I was on The auto bike show here in frankfurt..i think two or three times and also back when it wasn't I was visiting the pair.

00:02:29: Your head must be full with everything that you saw and experienced for the past four days, what is your biggest... What's it best thing that you've seen?

00:02:40: Like Philip said, the innovations of all the exhibitors here are very impressive.

00:02:49: when we look on the technique to see what's upcoming next It's wonderful to see and it will be a good, an interesting future for the bike industry.

00:03:01: A new job?

00:03:01: New people?

00:03:02: A new environment.

00:03:04: when they asked you what was that thing made you think yes this is what I want do.

00:03:09: As you know i worked in the cycling industry as you mentioned for ASO When Philip asks me A new opportunity for me, working more closely together with the cycling industry.

00:03:26: I'm with this cycling since... Since i am a youngest guy and kid in my childhood And then it was yeah next steps For sure we have some challenges as well.

00:03:40: This makes things exciting.

00:03:42: We'll get into the challenge later but you mentioned that You've been on bikes since your kids.

00:03:46: What is first memory?

00:03:47: of bikes when you were young?

00:03:50: I think the freedom to ride away from your home, yeah...from your parents and so on.

00:04:01: And that would go more in focusing my last experience because i'm a father with four children And the last thing was my younger child to bring from the balance bike... ...to a normal bike and help him do his first steps.

00:04:20: This is again very exciting!

00:04:23: You're father as well, Philippe?

00:04:24: Yes Do you remember when you first rode a bike...?

00:04:27: And did he see that same in your kids?

00:04:29: Absolutely it's exactly at this moment I remember being a kid.

00:04:35: When i was a kid there were no balance bikes.

00:04:38: So you had to really start with a real bike.

00:04:40: and I remember when my father teach me.

00:04:44: To ride a bike, it was exactly the path between be afraid that he gets his hand off my back and I am on my own.

00:04:56: And then the other side of the path, than the freedom you are telling really?

00:05:00: This was...I remember where it was!

00:05:06: The feeling that riding a bike is exactly like this.

00:05:10: Of course also with three kids i teach them to ride a bike which is very special moment.

00:05:17: Do you see the same love here with all over the world?

00:05:20: Like he said, we have got eight hundred exhibitors.

00:05:22: We've also got the media.

00:05:24: but do you feel the same passion for bikes in Eurobike?

00:05:30: Absolutely!

00:05:31: I'm not a guy from the bike industry... ...I am working at the trade show industry and experienced many different industries.

00:05:41: But what I experienced right hand at the beginning of this industry is, What you said.

00:05:46: The passion.

00:05:47: every person that is working in this industry Is passionate about bikes.

00:05:53: everyone either it's In the industry and the retail the association stakeholders everybody loves bikes And these give such a high passion and Passion gives energy.

00:06:04: an energy is good for the challenges For us ahead

00:06:07: Of course, Matias.

00:06:09: You know passion from the pro cyclist that you worked with?

00:06:12: I remember vividly how Rory Townsend won the C-classics in Hamburg last year.

00:06:17: That was a beautiful moment for me because i worked for the team

00:06:21: Do...that

00:06:23: is very professional.

00:06:24: These are professional athletes.

00:06:27: How do you translate your experience of cycling to the mobility we're seeing here?

00:06:33: In general

00:06:35: transfer all the experience I made to run mayor events in a public area, this kind of shows.

00:06:44: And also work with a lot partners we had in the past make things happen and everything successful.

00:06:54: This is only possible if you work together With everyone here Of course with industry with suppliers and so on.

00:07:05: So this is not for me, from the professional cycling here.

00:07:09: it's more of an organizational work.

00:07:14: We are at a trade show.

00:07:15: we all know that this world of cycling has changed a lot.

00:07:21: You mentioned in your introduction there also challenges coming up.

00:07:25: if you look back few years what were our biggest differences Philip?

00:07:32: When we were preparing this show, it was very clear that Eurobike XXVI will be a trade show of transformation.

00:07:42: And... This is what it actually.

00:07:45: because the bike industry is in transformation.

00:07:50: Especially Eurobike but also other big industry shows saw development over the past years That Big Bike Brands were missing.

00:08:02: Yeah,

00:08:02: because they decided to go another way.

00:08:06: They decide it to go their own way by the showroom shows etc.

00:08:12: and we also see that markets are shifting.

00:08:16: We also see new suppliers New brands from other regions of the world heavily stepping into market And these suppliers implement Really innovative solutions.

00:08:33: And I think what this Eurobike really showed up to the industry is that, The industry in a

00:08:41: deep

00:08:42: transformation itself and That the task of a show like Eurobike is To be also a platform for this Transformation.

00:08:54: How do you see where we're coming from?

00:08:55: The transformation?

00:08:56: Where are going?

00:08:57: What's biggest characteristic of the transformation

00:09:02: that you're describing.

00:09:28: to get a media value that you don't get anywhere else.

00:09:32: We had almost four hundred forty million media reach only in seven days.

00:09:40: we have six hundred registered journalists and content creators, forty percent out of the whole world international.

00:09:48: so this is where he... This what you don' t get anywhere else!

00:09:52: And maybe it's kind of transformation happening and no longer A real national or European footprint.

00:10:02: It is a global worldwide footprint.

00:10:05: what this show was offering it's

00:10:07: no longer you go here with your order forms and You say I need that one hundred frames?

00:10:11: No, I mean one note the front engines.

00:10:13: i'm

00:10:13: just

00:10:14: learning about The new things.

00:10:16: of course i had assumptions About a trade show like That as a consumer And then What do you get back from the industry themselves.

00:10:22: Of Course over the past four days and also the months before you talk to a lot of people, what their expectations are.

00:10:29: Many brands they're spending or investing considerable sum-of money to be here?

00:10:33: What did we expect from YOU in providing them the

00:10:36: platform?!

00:10:37: What do you hear back form the industry and what they need from Eurobike?

00:10:41: So as I said, Eurobike XXVI is show of transformation!

00:10:45: And we communicated that very clearly to our customers... ...to our exhibitors & visitors in advance.

00:10:51: so everybody knew.. ..that this will be different.

00:10:54: EurobikeXVI although our exhibitors were satisfied with the results we had.

00:11:03: We have an increasing quality of our visitors, Of the decision-making visitors of top management that was here.

00:11:13: We got a feedback, all decision making authorities and CEO from big bike brands were there.

00:11:21: so all relevant industry players at least as visitors especially suppliers are very happy because they met their customers here made one thing clear that a platform like Eurobike is a platform to meet personally, network and get together the world on three days here in Frankfurt.

00:11:49: Yeah!

00:11:49: That's an interesting thing you're saying because of course we are all on Zoom or Teams nowadays but having the quality face-to-face meeting still something very powerful at this online age?

00:12:04: Yes... You can sum it up as follows People do not have to meet, but they want to meet.

00:12:11: One of the great things that I saw online is that... ...the politicians you invited and also visitors had a test track outside where they can test all sorts of vehicles from postal delivery vans for their newest bikes.

00:12:24: What's your best bike or vehicle that you've tested personally?

00:12:31: For me it was also looking at innovation.

00:12:34: It was Haifa's bike.

00:12:35: This one was very cool because I saw the possibility to have an easy bike to ride and also with this kind of new innovations, riding very easily for everyone.

00:12:49: And having a design product as well.

00:12:52: but i tried other products too.

00:12:56: But that was one highlight For me.

00:12:59: Of course you're the big boss here Matias.

00:13:02: You are also consumer, your dad, you ride your own bike.

00:13:05: What is it?

00:13:07: looked at or the vehicle that he looks like.

00:13:09: I want to have it.

00:13:11: i just need to have that one.

00:13:13: me personally, and looking forward too because that was my plan is a set of not out-of-the-bike industry in an personally also not a bike expert but i wanna have look into future on a gravel bike because this gives really the viarity of biking, because I'm living not in Frankfurt City.

00:13:34: Uh i'm leaving outside and a very landscape uh area where you can do many many rides outside And this is the one.

00:13:41: what?

00:13:41: What am looking to in the future?

00:13:44: We have to look back at the years that everything went so smoothly That we really had a boom in the bike industry.

00:13:49: The post-covid year's end were little bit if a slump.

00:13:52: right now Do You see any progress happening Right Now that we're getting on top Of that hill again that we're on the upward trajectory again from more difficult years.

00:14:04: Also, exhibitors and producers experience?

00:14:07: I think when you have a look at numbers... ...you see at least stabilization especially in this year.

00:14:15: if you take a look to retail side of Germany You can also see further slowdowns of stocks.

00:14:24: You see also in combination with that a further decrease and the prices.

00:14:31: So, there is this sign we maybe have went through this valley or at bottom of the Valley which was at least caused by situation during Covid pandemic when really had double digit growth rates on bike industry.

00:14:51: I've not seen these growth rates in any other industry.

00:14:55: In this intensity, where also really the mergers and acquisition deals were increasing every private equity player wants to step into the bar into the bike industry?

00:15:06: And at the end it really collapsed on them.

00:15:08: The way you went up It also went down.

00:15:10: that way I think we are now not yet back on a growth track

00:15:14: but was stable.

00:15:15: We're stable.

00:15:16: from stability You can start to look at growth again.

00:15:20: How do you see What is the most important part of growth that we need to look at for the next years, Matias?

00:15:27: Do you have already an idea about it?

00:15:29: or more like a question?

00:15:31: Philip needs to answer because... You're the new guy.

00:15:34: The new kid on block!

00:15:36: What are areas where we focus from getting stable level and growing again?

00:15:41: Because every industry wants to grow?

00:15:43: I think there's two general growth options.

00:15:51: The one is to really get more people, To ride a bike.

00:16:20: Ways in the day-to-day urban mobility usage and delivery etc.

00:16:27: so it Increased to usage potential of using a bike, um And we had a and that I found really interesting too.

00:16:37: The first growth segment.

00:16:40: We had a discussion on the press conference at Eurobike from the group of women in cycling That for example Women Underestimated growth target group because they are a stand for fifty one percent of the population I think.

00:16:56: but we have not yet reached The whole potential of women and there really growth potential in using a bike.

00:17:03: you read my mind Because that was, Of course as woman riding bikes.

00:17:06: My next question on these kind of trade shows As a woman You always feel like very unique person.

00:17:12: It's a very male oriented thing For the future.

00:17:15: materials is it also?

00:17:18: Are there specific things that we can do to make the industry more open for women, not only as consumers but also in innovation?

00:17:25: Is there anything that could be done about making the entire industry a little bit more balanced.

00:17:32: What I find very interesting and what was presented on the press conference is That when you search for footage material, footage pictures etc.

00:17:47: stock photos.

00:17:48: For your communication that you only find adventure rides mountain bike rides etc.

00:17:54: with with the man not with women.

00:17:59: but to be honest we also really have Strong women in the industry.

00:18:04: We have strong leadership woman in the Industry.

00:18:07: we Have for example, and we have Raymond.

00:18:11: ahead of Raymond is Susie Puello.

00:18:14: She's a really strong woman in The bike industry In our advisory board of Eurobike.

00:18:20: We have many strong women like Isabel Eberlein, for example, and Elisa Chu from Anchor Global.

00:18:27: so really has a strong connection to this leadership woman in the bike industry.

00:18:33: but I think they will agree with me that it can be improved into future and Eurobike is a platform for that.

00:18:42: We're talking about change or shift happens... But are there also things we just need keep as they work?

00:18:50: Yes, are there because we're always talking about change.

00:18:53: This needs to improve and this needs to get better.

00:18:56: But what other things that you saw the past few days?

00:18:58: He said yeah That works fine We just which is keeping this.

00:19:02: You don't have to change everything.

00:19:06: I'm always the fan of not out of changing but off looking on how things How things went and then looking inside and see okay What we can improve but what went very well.

00:19:16: And also Philip mentioned it already as his kind of networking on the fair.

00:19:21: So everyone said to us and when we had talkings, it was a great network with quality very high-quality networking here.

00:19:31: so this is already good.

00:19:34: but as an organizer of this kind of trade where then you're thinking about improving this?

00:19:40: how can build up the stage better in future for these kinds?

00:19:47: Let me add one thing to that, because there is really a clear USP and we will definitely not change.

00:19:52: We'll definitely stick with this.

00:19:54: And it's the internationality of our visitors!

00:19:57: It's the fourth day actually but... ...we have already good forecast for final numbers which are almost sixty percent.

00:20:06: Sixty percent of all visitors are coming from all around the world.

00:20:10: So I'm not from Germany, sixty percent international visitors and this is something very successful where we want to further grow on.

00:20:18: How many cups of coffee do you think were consumed over the past four days?

00:20:23: Because every stand has their own coffee.

00:20:27: You must have drank a lot of coffee.

00:20:28: Me personally yes definitely yeah but i didn't count them

00:20:33: Because always like in networking on LinkedIn, it's like yeah let's have a coffee.

00:20:36: Coffee is still one of the most important things that are in networking.

00:20:41: Or currently water with this kind of temperature?

00:20:44: That is very true!

00:20:48: Are there already ideas Matias from the past and I'm... Of course you have to let it land because they must've been so many new oppressions.

00:20:54: we all know what its like.

00:20:55: start a new job.

00:20:57: your head goes completely crazy but all the impressions.

00:21:02: But we're already thinking ahead to next year, when we are back early September in twenty-twenty seven.

00:21:07: Are there things that you want?

00:21:08: Yeah!

00:21:09: That is something I really wanted to take on and... We know it's going be a new concept but focus very much on the BtoB aspect from next year onwards.

00:21:18: Are they ideas in your head yet?

00:21:20: or do you think

00:21:23: yes?

00:21:23: Personally i have some idea but all our own ideas.

00:21:28: currently this situation When you talk to so many people on the fair, You have twenty-five talkings and thirty feedbacks And thirty opinions.

00:21:43: So basically The team worked well in last months.

00:21:48: They worked hard To make this show happen.

00:21:52: Now we are Yeah, in the face of bringing everything together.

00:21:56: So it's clear that we want to move with this kind of fair more on the eastern part after the massive Frankfurt and yes We will have this speed-to-be focus.

00:22:07: But there are so many things too yeah, so many thing to discuss And we all really on the move.

00:22:14: What do always as a professional BTOB show organizer is?

00:22:18: That way evaluate the results of our market researchers.

00:22:22: We are asking all our exhibitors, we're asking all visitors different and various questions to get their feedback about why you are exhibiting here?

00:22:32: Did your reach targets or were visiting

00:22:34: etc.?

00:22:35: This really takes a while after this show to evaluate these results read and interpret them then develop adaptions of things you may be decided before the show.

00:22:48: You have to maybe adapt and change for the future after a show?

00:22:51: Yeah, you are a mind reader Philip because that's what I wanted...

00:22:54: This is my job!

00:22:54: ...of course visionary.

00:22:56: how do we go into the future Because these four days this is what people see.

00:23:01: but Matias What will your job look like in next month?

00:23:05: Is it going through all evaluation forms?

00:23:09: Are there follow-up calls with exhibitors?

00:23:13: What went well, what went wrong?

00:23:15: Are you coming back or are not coming back?

00:23:17: and why aren't they coming back.

00:23:19: How do you see the next months here in Frankfurt?

00:23:22: Months I think it's days and weeks now what Philipp said.

00:23:26: so we look on everything from evaluation.

00:23:31: We look on our own discussions, we wrote down everything what we heard.

00:23:36: We had already with our advisory board a strong meeting where everyone tells the feedback to

00:23:46: us... When it's still fresh and you feel energy of the fair?

00:23:50: Of course!

00:23:51: Basically everybody loved our vision for talk together and making things happen together for the future, now we are on it.

00:24:04: We will try to do best of everything what we heard.

00:24:10: What is feedback that would make you most proud when you get it from either visitors or exhibitors?

00:24:17: You really want people take away from being here this week.

00:24:24: If you have a thought about first...

00:24:26: So we all know another Eurobike send than the last year.

00:24:32: But when we're talking to exhibitors and they were, are you happy?

00:24:36: We had a lot of meetings.

00:24:38: my calendar was full all day... They come to us say hey it is good that The whole team here listen to everyone And now hearing everything want go next step.

00:24:57: this makes me proud.

00:25:00: The exhibitors see what we do.

00:25:03: That they feel the energy that you, as organizers put into it... ...they take at home and put in their brand?

00:25:10: You can see the energy flowing around on the floor here is really going all over the world to the exhibitors or producers

00:25:18: But also not only because of the organization but from your point Clearly listen to the demands of the industry, our exhibitors and visitors.

00:25:33: And that they appreciate what is our claim?

00:25:38: This not only a claim it's shaping whats next together.

00:25:43: so we really work on the next Eurobike in future of the bike industry together!

00:25:52: We felt last three days that the industry appreciated Our behavior and that the change of mind of the whole team And really feel there is something different for the future.

00:26:07: Then we have a very brief look into the future because Yeah, things are happening in five years from now maybe will be here on this podium again.

00:26:15: Maybe I'll be visiting your bike in five or six years.

00:26:18: What would it be biggest changes?

00:26:27: The

00:26:34: the bike, the international and the International Bike Industry.

00:26:39: Definitely all players from around the world meet at Eurobike in Frankfurt that they meet personally of course... That have identified for themselves what is their added value.

00:26:57: why are coming to this show?

00:26:59: They're telling us there demands And that we, as a Traitio organizer find the individual solutions for them to get them here in Frankfurt.

00:27:10: As teamwork?

00:27:11: Definitely!

00:27:13: One last piece of advice.

00:27:15: until he started his job four days ago... He's probably buzzing with all sorts ideas and impressions.

00:27:22: What is this piece of advise you would give him when there was no role?

00:27:27: Listen Keep your steering wheel Stable in the hand

00:27:34: or your handlebars.

00:27:35: The handlebars, right?

00:27:36: To keep the handlebars in your hands stable and you're hand think out of the box.

00:27:43: don't be impulsive but we always flexible to adapt Your behavior and your concepts to change requirements.

00:27:53: I see a lot of love and passion in both of you for this trade show So I wish you all the best and hope to be back next year.

00:28:01: And maybe already see some new changes, but most of all... ...I hope to see the energy in a passion from you two guys From the exhibitors for all the innovations that i saw as like wow is even possible Because there's so much happening in the bike industry.

00:28:15: As a bike rider myself it has given me a lot of energy To go out on my bike tomorrow again and really spread word because bikes are just the best thing ever.

00:28:24: Thank You!