The London Bike Show 2015

roubaixtom

Hi,

Just a couple of questions to anyone who has previously been to one of the bike shows. Im looking to buy a Rose or a Canyon and both of them will have stands at the show.

Will they have a large range of Road bikes or just a few to look at?

Can i buy a bike when i am there?

Cheers

Tom

alex222

They have a reasonable range there. Last year Rose had about 4 different road frames, but not all the range. Canyon had all their road frames. Not sure about ordering, I would guess not but you can talk through what you want with the staff and just order when you get home.
I believe you can have a brief ride in a small indoor area but I didn't take advantage so not sure of the details.

iron-clover

Last time I went a couple of years back most of the manufacturers had a decent selection of bikes, but some didn't, admittedly they were usually smaller companies with fewer models.

There was also a test area which had some bikes to try, but they seemed to be organised by a third party so there's no guarantee that a said manufacturers bike will be there. It might be possible to organise one with the people at the display themselves, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

lakesluddite

I think these things are good to have a drool/gawp at some nice bikes, but the chance of them having the model you like in the size you need would be fairly negligible, but I have been to seldom few of these things and never with the intention of buying a bike.

I am however going to this one, as we are down in the Smoke at the right time (the other half wants to go to a ballet, so the only thing I need to do is find somewhere to go while she is there!).

ugo.santalucia

LakesLuddite wrote:

(the other half wants to go to a ballet, so the only thing I need to do is find somewhere to go while she is there!).

All my sympathy...

redscouse

at last years bike show...was able to ride a number of different canyon models on the 200m test track carbon and alu...and eventually got a canyon endurace in the summer. I think there was 1 Rose bike to test, both had extensive display stands.

strangely both planet X and ribble had large stands but no test bikes

lakesluddite

ugo.santalucia wrote:

LakesLuddite wrote:

(the other half wants to go to a ballet, so the only thing I need to do is find somewhere to go while she is there!).

All my sympathy...

None required Ugo - it is London after all, I can't imagine I will be stuck for something to do while she is watching men in tights jump around a bit!

Although it will probably consist of trying to find a decent pub that is showing the football.

Tiesetrotter

That might be difficult. Good pubs in London don't show chavball. I'd go to a good pub and then nip into a shit one to watch the chavball and return to the good pub.

mallorcajeff

You can order while there but no discounts or increased lead time or anything. Only had a few on show last year too. The whole shows really not worth bothering with to be honest. Usual over priced uk rubbish

marpick

mallorcajeff wrote:

You can order while there but no discounts or increased lead time or anything. Only had a few on show last year too. The whole shows really not worth bothering with to be honest. Usual over priced uk rubbish

So no deals on gear at all across the stands?

alex222

Last year I found a nice soft shell for a big discount. Clothing or energy gels / bars are probably the only things you can get a deal on

mallorcajeff

Ive never found a single deal. Only thing i saw was 25% off a pair of shoe covers. The entrance ticket and parking a drink and some food easily gets to £50 just go to a good bike shop locally with £50 and buy something its far easier and probably better.

MountainMonster

I've been told many times that the only bike show worth going to in Europe is Eurobike in Germany. I'm waiting until I can go to that, as that is where everyone is!

lakesluddite

Anyone based in the top half of the country, there is another bike show in March:

http://www.bikeexpo.co.uk/

It is what used to be called the Bike and Triathlon Show, which I have been to a couple of times. It was okay, but I wouldn't bother if it weren't just an 80 minute train ride.
It used to be based in the GMEX, or whatever it's called these days - Manchester Central I think, but it's shifted to just next to the Trafford Centre - so better parking but crap for public transport! This Event City muct be bigger than the old place (anyone been?) I am presuming, so there should be more to see this time. I'll probably pop along anyway.

arran77

ugo.santalucia wrote:

LakesLuddite wrote:

(the other half wants to go to a ballet, so the only thing I need to do is find somewhere to go while she is there!).

All my sympathy...

The ballet might be the better option I went to the bike show last year and thought it was shite

oldbazza

Thought about going to this but have instead put what I would have spent on travelling/ticket/food and drink towards a Sportful Fiandre no-rain jersey.

mallorcajeff

It seems after the last few years the penny has dropped with regular good cyclists that there is just not enough there. We all get caught up and think oh hell why not its probably better but it just gets worse. We all go to look at the stuff but we all go to buy stuff. Nothing better than a good show deal and this fails on every level. Last years nec was the worst yet. I wont ever go to another. You can its mainly newbies walking around too its marketed at the newbie rider as something worth attending but when you get there its not much good to anybody really. Lots of pro stuff most cant afford or don't want, virtually nothing to buy, madison had one stall virtually all rrp so a quick google renders that useless, then you looks at what can only be described as the organic section. Bikes made by people called "Brian" or "Fred" often sporting a beard. These guys would have designed and made a bike in their shed that runs on cooking oil and old baby wipes, weighs as much as a small house and invariably costs just as much, then expect you to join them by buying one. By the time you seen twenty stands like that you wonder why you went in the first place.

As i said take fifty quid to your bike shop have an hours chat and buy something then go for a ride on your bike. Far more fun than meeting brian and fred.

curto80

I work in Canary Wharf and popped over for an hour on the Thursday morning on some cheap tickets I'd booked in advance. It was quiet and easy to test a couple of expensive Canyons on the track for half an hour. That was worth going for alone, plus I got to have a good chat with the UK Rose rep and also picked up a few freebies. For people who are in the area anyway it's worth dropping by in my opinion, but yeah I wouldn't make a special journey for it. I thought the Ride Lobdon registration expo was miles better.

alex222

Curto80 wrote:

I work in Canary Wharf and popped over for an hour on the Thursday morning on some cheap tickets I'd booked in advance. It was quiet and easy to test a couple of expensive Canyons on the track for half an hour. That was worth going for alone, plus I got to have a good chat with the UK Rose rep and also picked up a few freebies. For people who are in the area anyway it's worth dropping by in my opinion, but yeah I wouldn't make a special journey for it. I thought the Ride Lobdon registration expo was miles better.

^This. I work in the City so the show was easy for me to get to and transport cost me nothing. But as per above I wouldn't make an effort to go if I was further away or cost money to get to.

Anonymous

Curto80 wrote:

I work in Canary Wharf and popped over for an hour on the Thursday morning on some cheap tickets I'd booked in advance. It was quiet and easy to test a couple of expensive Canyons on the track for half an hour. That was worth going for alone, plus I got to have a good chat with the UK Rose rep and also picked up a few freebies. For people who are in the area anyway it's worth dropping by in my opinion, but yeah I wouldn't make a special journey for it. I thought the Ride Lobdon registration expo was miles better.

The RideLondon Expo was super sh1te apart from the free photo thingy they had last year!
The only reason I will pop in this year is:

A/ I would have already gone in to get my number/pack.
B/ In the hope it will be better than last year and the year before.
C/ To confirm my belief that it will be just as cr4p as last year and the year before.
D/ To do a few of the photo things.
E/ I think it might be the last year Prudential are sponsoring it, so there may be something even better than the photo thing.

So basically you are saying the London Show is super sh1te unless you want to try German mail order only bikes that you cannot see anywhere else!

As has been said, go to a really good bike shop and spend the £50 on something useful (unless you need to add £50 and a wasted day to the cost of your Canyon/Rose purchase).

mallorcajeff

Agreed

veronese68

I went a couple of years ago and the highlight was probably taking the cable car across the river afterwards.

foxydan

I went last year to this. I have to agree with others and didn't think it was worth the bother. Certainly not going this year as found better deals online. Parking is pricey at the excel!