Get your business rolling: The bicycle trade fair at f.re.e

Why are you exhibiting with ADFC Bayern at f.re.e?
We have been a partner of f.re.e for more than 15 years, and this is the platform for networking with all our tourism partners and customers.

To what extent has the cooperation between ADFC Bayern and f.re.e proven itself in recent years?
We are an established team with f.re.e and 15 years alone and more speaks for itself, I would say.

Why is it a must for you to be at f.re.e?
f.re.e is the biggest and most professional tourism trade fair for us, and we have to be there!

What challenges do you think there are in the bicycle industry and how does f.re.e help to solve them?
A big issue is digitalization and, of course, the gap between the different generations and finding suitable offers.

And the trade fair has the potential to show what is currently available in the industry?
What changes do cyclists have to expect?
In the past, the classic bike map was decisive and important when traveling and nowadays everything is handled digitally. Here at f.re.e, I have manufacturers of various GPS devices advising and informing trade fair visitors on how this works. After all, the younger generation no longer buys a bike map to plan their trips.

What trends do you see emerging over the next few years?
The trend is simply, and will remain, cycling as a vacation. Sustainable forms of travel are becoming more and more popular and the bicycle is the perfect basis for this.

f.re.e in three words:
f.re.e is a highlight, attractive, diverse, professional.

Are you planning to exhibit again next year?
We are and will remain involved because it has proven itself for us and, above all, the highlight of f.re.e is its own bicycle hall and that is so important, to show the whole spectrum on the subject of bicycles.

What are the current trends in the bicycle industry and how does f.re.e support them?
The trend is also moving towards e-bikes among the younger generations. An important topic here is safety and how to handle the bike. And that's where we see our challenge as the ADFC, to educate and offer training. So f.re.e now offers customers everything they need to plan a good bike trip, from hardware to digital maps. And apart from that, I have the opportunity here as an exhibitor to network and also to enter into new ideas and collaborations in order to solve any problems that may arise.

Why are you exhibiting at f.re.e this year?
Hercules has been here at the trade fair for many years, almost from the beginning actually, and we are in the same place every year, are satisfied and will be back again next year.

What is special for you at f.re.e?
There are a lot of visitors at f.re.e who come to see the new bikes before the season, i.e. the bike season, and perhaps remember Hercules. And that is very important for us. I think the mixture of the car show, the last two days of the motorcycle show and camping is a very big topic at the moment. Everyone wants to travel at any time and bikes are generally an interesting topic. It's the mix that makes the difference. Our last trade fair was in Hamburg. It was purely a caravan and bike fair. And here you have even more topics that people can see and look at, which of course means you get a much bigger audience.

How would you describe the cooperation with Hercules and f.re.e?
Well, the trade fair is booked by our office, i.e. Hercules, but I do all the organization here. It works very well. The set-up works very well. We can get to our stand very easily. Dismantling works very well. Every day we are asked if everything fits. So we are very satisfied with the whole organization team.

What are the current challenges in the bicycle industry?
The bike trade is currently going through difficult times. We had two years of corona, during which time a lot of bikes were sold, but there were very few bikes. Now there are a few more bikes and we need a nice spring so that the bikes flow into the trade and a trade fair like this is of course ideal so that we can be seen here again and people realize once again: There are nice things, there are nice bikes and you could possibly buy new bikes again in the near future.

Where do you think the trend in the bicycle industry is heading?
There is a very clear trend: lighter e-bikes. It used to be like this: bigger battery, longer range, more powerful motor. The batteries got bigger and bigger and the bikes got heavier and heavier as a result. Currently, every second person wants a lightweight e-bike, preferably under 20 kilos. That will happen in 2025, but we'll have to wait a little longer.

Describe f.re.e in three words:
For me, f.re.e is big, beautiful, versatile.