October 18, 2026 - The global cycling industry faces yet another challenge as longstanding Eurobike gains a new trade show rival with the announcement of the inaugural Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show, taking place Sept. 6-8, 2027, at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.

The new show is organized by ZIV (Zweirad-Industrie- Verband), the German Cycling Federation, and Zukunft Fahrrad (Future of Cycling), in partnership with Koelnmesse, the host venue. The new event’s tagline is “by the industry, for the industry”.

Both organizations opted not to take part in Eurobike’s 2026 show after talks about the trade show’s future direction failed. Soon after, large exhibitors such as Bosch and Shimano also declined to attend Eurobike’s 2026 event, which saw a sharp decline in exhibitors (800 in 2026 versus 1,500 in 2025) and attendees.

Despite the decrease in numbers, Eurobike reported improved visitor quality (71% executives versus
58% in 2025) along with extensive media reach, and announced Matthias Pietsch, a 15-year veteran, as new Show Director. Pietsch’s record includes the Deutschland Tour, Eschborn-Frankfurt, and the Hamburg Cyclassics.

Eurobike also initially announced new Sept. 1-3 dates for 2027, with a B2B-only focus, while cutting one day and lowering booth space costs. In addition, the show would move to Halls 3, 4, and 5, by the Agora outdoor area on the eastern side of Messe Frankfurt, to create a more compact event. The show would be held every two years.

However, on Sept. 1, 2026, Eurobike organizer Fairnamic GmbH reverted to June 30-July 2 dates for its 2027 event and announced that the show will be held annually in Frankfurt. Moving the event back to midsummer places Eurobike first on the trade show calendar and avoids a head-to-head clash with its new competitor.

In 2027, Eurobike will present itself “…as an open platform with a focus on new product launches and innovations, as well as the targeted development of international business relationships.” New participation formats include bookable meeting rooms for confidential business discussions.

Soon after, on Sept. 9, 2026, the Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show held a kick-off event at Koelnmesse in Cologne, with 150 people in attendance, to unveil their show concept and announce that “… a great many companies and key industry players have already confirmed their participation in the inaugural event”, including two leading German industry retail organizations, ZEG and BICO.

As things heat up, time will tell how the industry will respond to the new playing field for cycling trade shows in Europe. – BAS