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As a national bicycle festival, CYCLE WEEK wants to inspire die-hard enthusiasts as well as people who happen to dive into the world of bicycles in front of the main station. The goal is more cycling for everyone.

The bicycle is booming. How does that affect CYCLE WEEK?
OC President Erwin Flury (EF): This means that many new people are discovering the bicycle and have a great need for information, for example in the area of e-bikes. We provide know-how, for example on safe riding or which bike is the right one.

Head of Expo Nathalie Schneitter (NS): Those who have recently made cycling their hobby may need a riding technique course or a workshop on how to maintain a bike, patch it or put on a tubeless tire. That provides a lot of interesting opportunities to pick people up and provide know-how.

EF: Right now, everyone is excited about the growth in the bike market. But many young people, especially those in the city, often only ride ö.V. or scooters. We want to help win over young people to the bicycle as well. Otherwise, there won't be much left of this boom in ten years.

"We must also win the young for the bicycle. Otherwise, there won't be much left of the boom in ten years."

You emphasize that CYCLE WEEK is a sustainable event. In what way is it?
EF: Our event is very easy to reach by public transport. There is also a lot of infrastructure in and around Zurich that we use instead of just setting up and taking down for the event. Zurich has a huge pump track, a dirt jump facility for pros, several mountain bike trails, a super network of natural roads for the gravel bikers, the Albispass and the Buchenegg for Gümmeler. All this we use.

Nevertheless, even the CYCLE WEEK needs tons of material, which is taken away every now and then. Or have you found a new way? 
EF: For example, we have branding pillars made of pallet boxes, instead of hundreds of meters of advertising banners. In general, we build a lot of things with pallets that are used multiple times. After the event, they go back to the pallet service. Wood as a material is a sustainable building material. Another example: we re-label the fascia boards of the CYCLE WEEK FESTIVAL booths every year, we don't throw them away. There are also several exhibitors who show visitors how to mend and maintain their products. Reusing things is a principle of our event.

In 2021, Bike Days and the Urban Bike Festival were held together for the first time. What speaks for the combination?
EF: With the combination as CYCLE WEEK, we realize the national bike festival that represents the whole bike world. For us, this is the optimal form, which we want to develop further. The industry also sees the potential and supports this path.

"As a combination of the Bike Days and the Urban Bike Festival, CYCLE WEEK is the national bike festival that represents the entire bike world."

CYCLE WEEK has two locations. What happens where?
NS: Europaallee and the surrounding area are the location of the CYCLE WEEK FESTIVAL. Here we present the whole world of bicycles, from mountain bikes to city bikes. Passers-by and interested people can satisfy their curiosity. There will be concerts, shows, food stands, the safety course and much more. The CYCLE WEEK CAMPUS is located in the Brunau. There, those interested in sports can test bikes, participate in workshops and rides.

Who is exibiting where?
Sales Consultant Expo Christian Wyss (CW): Exhibitors whose main goal is to have as many people as possible test their products are in the right place at the CAMPUS. At FESTIVAL, exhibitors can gain many new customers with whom they have never been in contact.
We advise exhibitors on the choice of location and support them in activating their product or brand, i.e. offering visitors an experience.

Will the bikes be on display at the CAMPUS in Brunau, and fashion and lifestyle products at the FESTIVAL in Europaallee?
EF: In the Europaallee, bikes of all kinds are presented, including mountain, gravel or road bikes. The exhibitors have to be aware: In Brunau, we expect around 7,000 visitors, most of whom are well informed. In the Europaallee we are talking about 50,000, many of whom will be passing by by chance. We want to show them the dynamics of the world of cycling, with cargo bikes, city bikes, but a mountain bike or racing bike is also interesting.

CW: CYCLE WEEK is also a family event. One of my goals is to create an exciting zone with products and activities for children and their parents.

Will several exhibiting brands join forces there?
CW: That would be great, of course. At Lagerstrasse we have a pump track and Kids Parcours, a bike track for kids. So we place the brands with kids' bike products near that. Of course, the more different bikes and products there are to see, the cooler the Kids Zone will be.

Is everything that the exhibitors offer included in the program?
EF: We include the interesting activities in the program. They can be at the CAMPUS or at the FESTIVAL. If a manufacturer shows how to repair his products, we can also integrate that.

Your festival also takes place on the Internet. What can visitors expect there and how can exhibitors appear? 
EF: Every day we produce a 30-minute live broadcast in which we discuss cycling topics with opinion leaders, give ambassadors a chance to speak, and sometimes also offer an action-packed show. In addition, our moderation team introduces new products and offers.

Will there be panel discussions again? And if so, on which topics?
EF: Yes, we will discuss important topics in public. Whether it's the coexistence of hikers and cyclists, the bottleneck in bicycle transport by rail, or the direction in which the bicycle boom is developing.

What tips do you give visitors to ensure that they actually experience what is most exciting for them in the wide-ranging program?
EF: We imagine that interested parties will plan their visit more. For example, "In the morning I'll attend a workshop, then I'll test the bike I've been interested in for a long time. In the afternoon I watch a show and in the evening I want to meet people." A visit can also last two days, there is so much to see and try out.

In closing, why don't you summarize again what visitors can experience at CYCLE WEEK?
EF: CYCLE WEEK is the national bicycle festival that represents the entire world of bicycles. The campus is the place for tests, workshops and rides. The FESTIVAL offers a mix of exhibition, safety and kids courses, shows, concerts and more. In addition, CYCLE WEEK takes place as a digital magazine with a daily show and much more content. And both venues are easily accessible by train and bike.

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