June 22, 2026 - (Cologne/Berlin) The ZIV and Koelnmesse today presented the new leading international trade fair for the bicycle industry: the “Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show” will debut in Cologne from September 6 to 8, 2027.
This new event will take place annually and bring together retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and service providers from Europe and beyond. Koelnmesse will host the event, while the ZIV will act as the industry partner and brand owner.
Together, the two partners are creating a central meeting place for the global bicycle industry – by the industry, for the industry. Countless key industry players, including all of the major retail associations, have already confirmed that they intend to participate.
A new world’s leading trade fair with a European profile
With the “Towards Tomorrow – European Bike Show”, a new platform with clear ambitions to be a leading authority is taking shape: it will combine the international appeal of a world-leading trade fair with roots firmly in Europe. The trade fair will showcase the bicycle industry’s innovative power, value creation and future viability to policymakers and the wider public – and serve as a strong voice for the bicycle industry as an economic sector. Leading figures from the federal and state governments as well as from the city of Cologne have already pledged their support.
A unique partnership model
The new trade fair’s unique selling point lies in its consistent industry focus. According to the motto of “By the industry, for the industry”, its content, formats and key themes will be developed in collaboration with key players from the bicycle industry. The trade fair is intended as a platform for the entire value chain and is consistently geared towards a B2B audience.
Cologne as the ideal venue
Cologne is well established as a venue for international trade fairs and affords extensive expertise in mobility solutions and a global reach. Koelnmesse will contribute its many decades of experience in establishing and developing leading industry platforms and at the same time build on Cologne’s long-standing tradition as a venue for bicycle trade fairs.
Kick-off in September 2026
The joint project team from the ZIV and Koelnmesse has already begun its work. All interested exhibitors and media representatives are invited to attend the official kick-off event that will take place in Cologne on September 9, 2026.
To pre-register and for regular updates visit here.
Quotes
Oliver Frese | Chief Operating Officer, Koelnmesse GmbH
“Cologne is the ideal location for this new leading trade fair. Thanks to our experience, innovative power and modern infrastructure, Koelnmesse naturally offers the very best conditions for an international B2B event. But another crucial factor is that markets come to life in Cologne. Situated at the very heart of Europe, Cologne is a city with excellent international connections, high media visibility and an ability to inspire enthusiasm that is a perfect fit for an industry that itself stands for movement.”
ZIV – German Bicycle Industry
Bernhard Lange | Presidium member, ZIV | CEO, Paul Lange GmbH & Co. KG
“The ZIV member companies, together with the German and international bicycle industries, the retail sector and service providers, expressed almost unanimously the need for a global leading trade fair for the industry and that this should take place in Germany, which is widely considered one of the world’s leading bicycle markets. The industry associations are actively addressing this wish and expectation and I am confident that we will create precisely the right format for this with towards tomorrow.”
Burkhard Stork | CEO, ZIV – German Bicycle Industry
“Towards tomorrow reflects precisely the network that defines the global bicycle industry today – from the German retail sector to European and international players. The new trade fair will also help restore a sense of community spirit. This unique drive within the industry and the partnerships that develop from it are what make us strong together. In short: a trade fair that doesn’t simply follow the market, but leads the way. I’m looking forward to it!”
Torsten Burmester | Lord Mayor, City of Cologne
“As an international trade fair metropolis, a millennia-old economic centre and a modern city of mobility, Cologne offers the ideal conditions to become a central hub for the bicycle industry. For hardly any other industry embraces innovation, urban mobility and economic dynamism as intuitively and creatively as the bicycle and e-bike industry. (…) The bicycle industry’s decision to host this event in Cologne is far more than just the choice of a location. It will create a new, international anchor point for the bicycle industry in Cologne, with a reach that extends far beyond Germany. Cologne brings people and markets – and now once again also mobility – together. This is precisely why this forward-looking project is such a good fit for our city. This new international platform will also generate significant momentum for the local economy, urban development, international visibility and urban quality of life. Cologne is set to become an even more prominent showcase of modern mobility. I am delighted that the world of cycling will in future come together in Cologne.”
Retail associations
Georg Wagner | Managing Director, BICO Zweirad Marketing GmbH
“The close cooperation between the purchasing associations on an equal footing, coupled with the coordination with the ZIV, represents a historic opportunity for the bicycle industry and this is exactly what the market is currently – rightly – expecting. Hence we will work together to develop a pragmatic solution for 2027 that enables visitors and exhibitors as well as the BICO to participate in both the organisation and timing of these two trade fair formats.”
Fred Schierenbeck | CEO/CSO, ZEG Zweirad-Einkaufs-Genossenschaft eG
“We are first looking forward to our ZEG Bike Show, which will take place here in Cologne in around four weeks’ time. At the same time, we are looking forward with great anticipation and optimism to the new leading trade fair, which will also be held in Cologne from 2027. The ZEG will have a presence there and wholeheartedly welcomes this collaboration within the industry. A strong joint B2B platform has the potential to become a real driving force for the entire industry. We look forward to actively helping to shape this new path and to driving the future of the bicycle market together with the other associations.”
Uwe Wöll | Managing Director, VSF – Verbund Service und Fahrrad
«We are delighted that a fresh start is being made with the involvement of the retail associations. It is crucial for our retailers to have a clear overview of the German, European and global markets. If we can successfully generate significant media attention for the event together, then this will benefit the entire bicycle industry. Count us in!»
