March 23, 2022 - (Calgary, AB) Cycling fans in Calgary were stoked as the new Alberta Bike Show was held this past weekend, March 19-20, in the BMO Center at Stampede Park in tandem with the Outdoor Adventure and Travel show.
With pandemic restrictions being lifted, show organizer, National Event Management, held the Alberta Bike Show in Calgary two weeks after staging the BC Bike Show in Vancouver, March 5-6.
Consumers were eager to get out and enjoy the event, and show manager, Seamus McGrath, estimated that about 10,000 people were in attendance over the two days.
The theme of the show was primarily e-bikes with fewer regular bikes on display as the industry has been dealing with supply chain issues given the booming demand for bicycles worldwide resulting from the pandemic. “Many of the larger manufacturers had no bikes stock and were not able to attend,” said McGrath.
The show was a big success as bicycles remain popular, and with spring in the air, consumers were eager to kick some tires looking for deals.”With over 40 exhibitors, there were lots of e-bikes on display, with many from Canadian-based companies,” added McGrath.
There were also plenty of activities to enjoy including the Kids Kikes Canada Kids Zone where younger riders had a chance to try different bikes and see how they could navigate obstacles.
There was also a demo track for adults to test out a wide variety of e-bikes on hand. The out-and-back track was short but just enough to get an idea of how the e-bikes accelerated, and handled, including their braking performance.
A Jump Jam demonstration saw pro riders show off their skills, and one rider even managed to get a Pedego e-bike in the air! Some of the highlights of the show included:
Canadian e-bike brand, iGo Electric, is based in Montreal and offers a wide variety of models that feature urban, mountain bike, road, gravel, and fat bike models. Many of their e-bikes have Bluetooth connectivity allowing access to their iGo App which offers additional features. According to Sales Manager, Adamo Forian, “With the 55+ crowd and commuters driving demand , the popularity for e-bikes continues to be strong.” For more information visit here.
The new BIKE eRACK from the BC-based company is the world’s first self-loading electric bike rack. Developed with e-bikes in mind simply attach the e-bike to the sturdy aluminum hitch-mounted rack and use the wireless remote control to raise the rack and put your e-bikes in place. From 1–5 e-bikes can be secured and custom order racks can hold 6–7 e-bikes. For more information pls visit here.
Pedego boasts 250 stores worldwide and is known for their partnership with William Shatner of Star Trek fame, who rode one of their bikes on the launch pad of Blue Origin before his recent trip to space. Their diverse line of e-bikes includes cruisers, mini fat bikes, city bikes and mountain bikes, and all bikes come with a 5-year warranty on the battery and motor. For more information pls visit here.
Montreal-based, Velec, has big aspirations with six great urban e-bike models in their line-up including both mid-drive and rear hub e-drive systems. All models feature lights, fenders, kickstands and a rear rack and are designed to look like regular bikes but with power to spare. Currently building a factory in Quebec where they plan to manufacture and assemble their ebikes, the 16-year-old company claims to be the largest seller of e-bikes in Canada, moving 20,000 units a year. For more information pls visit here.
Vancouver-based OHM offers premium electric bikes designed for commuters for year round enjoyment and the four e-bike models in their line all come equipped with fenders and lights. Celebrating their 15th anniversary last year they sell directly to consumers with minimal assembly. For more information pls visit here.
Launched four years ago, Quest aims to provide sustainable electric mobility and offers two e-bikes and an e-scooter. A sister company of iGo Electric, all models are designed in Canada at their Montreal offices. Offered through London Drugs, the brand is also available directly to consumers who can receive and assemble the e-bike themselves with instructions and a video. For more information pls visit here.
New for 2022 is the 2.2km Electric Avenue e-bike trail at Silverstar Mountain Resort. While e-bikes are allowed on the resort trails, the new Electric Ave will offer a trail built exclusively for e-bikes and their strengths. While most e-bikes are accepted, some larger e-bikes i.e. fat bikes may not qualify due to lift limitations. Look for Crankwerks to be back again this year. For more information pls visit here.
