CHINA CYCLE 2017

2017-5-8

I was invited by exhibitors to visit China Cycle 2017. This exhibition use half of first floor (4 exhibition halls and an entrance area) and one eight of second floor. It is the biggest exhibition of bicycle industry I’ve visited.

Although this exhibition is aggregate of three exhibitions, including China International Electric Bicycle and Fittings Exhibition, Shanghai International Outdoor Riding Equipment Exhibition and International Motorcycle Part Fair China Exhibition, 99% of this exhibition displayed bicycle.

（Figure 1 was the concept wall of the main entrance.）

Beside met with director of bicycle hub industry I also allowed rich time to observe exhibits, exhibitors and management of exhibition. Overall, for the popularity of this exhibition, the number of exhibitors, even the unpopular bike industry, it is a rare event.

1. Three impressions

1) Electric bicycle is definitely the main role type in this exhibition, and it maybe become the mainstream trend in the future.

(Figure 2 was one brand’s fat-tire bike with battery supporting.)

2) Shared bike's companies (such as Mobike, OFO, etc) establish a good company image via this exhibition, they also show all the bicycle exhibitors a way to combine bicycle with internet.

(Figure 3 was exhibition hall of Mobike, it looks so beautiful and high standard in my point of view, because except one shining point which is the solo back frame design, the basic function of bicycle which is easy to ride mobike doesn’t have it, this weakness got lots of complain from the users. When you have the good hall image and entering inside, you will immediately find you make the mistake from the unprofessional staffs of Mobike are very casually can’t do the professional explanation when visitors asking some basic questions. For example, one visitor asks what’s the special character of mobike? Staff answers “our bike mainly use spacecraft material”. But I hold on my question which I really want to ask her “what’s is spacecraft material”?! Lucky thing is I control well of my mouth.)

(Figure 4 was Mobike exhibition hall. Simple concept of high-tech design, we can feel they put more attention in the showroom.)

(Figure 5, OMG, what is the ugly “ofo” exhibition hall with cheap material.)

3) Exhibitors didn’t make best use of their advantages that lead to lost many visitors. 

Last year I visited EICMA in Italy, the visitors were more than China Cycle, although Italy is a country with a population of 60 million via China with 1.3 billion’s.

(Figure 6 was the hallway looks too wide with few visitors, the reason is unreasonable space planning, it means Hight comparing with width has a international standard, but the designer miss it.)

The former 2 impressions are obvious and need no further explanation. The third one: how to choose and organize exhibitors effectively, how to issue information to particular group, how to organize the reporter at the scene are confusing domestic exhibition company. Domestic exhibition companies through constant “turnover rate” to raise revenue to complete quota. They attach importance to quantity and bargain, in this way, we can’t make well-known exhibition (only except few good exhibitions, such as: ’98 Xia Men economy & trade exhibition per year (organized by China government), Guang Zhou trade exhibition (organized by Guan Dong government), etc.).

Even the biz core of tradition given by our ancestors which is low profit with high turnover is totally right, but if we sold the low quality or copy good or fake brand or following the herd products, they we really profane our ancestors’ teachings of the deceased. One exhibitor told us (we didn’t prove he said is the truth or not) the reason that this exhibition can be failed held is they didn’t use the existing ‘Shanghai New International Expo Centre’ to open their reputation and didn’t use the experience of foreign companies for reference, because they have profit sharing conflict with foreign management company, when they can’t get what they want, so they invest by themselves, then the profit is totally entering into their account and without any shares with others. We open the door to the world already 30 years, we think we already learned a lot, so we kick away our master, we think we knew the KNOW HOW, so funny!

The development of everything has its own wisdom and value. We should do anything by heart instead of pursuing interest blindly.

2. Specific questions are as follows

1) Open before finished

I can see the determination of government from the subway exports to the exhibition but there’re still some passageways were under construction.  (construction areas with some warning tips out-of-order, rubbish anywhere did by visitors.) Can we prepare basic construction works then open? We should perfectly prepared for every situation! Do we need the 1950 3-preparing-underconsturction appear again in current market? We hurry for what?!

(Figure 7 was the subway entrance, if you enter from this exit and turn left, you will find the place we mentioned above, we do not take the photo. This pix is to show the design concept is to make no-slot joint, but the real fact is you can not get out from exit and enter into exhibition entrance directly! If without concern about the in and out, how can they make some wonderful hall?! Never!)

2）Pedestrian flow should be improved

From outside entering into exhibition hall, you should pass 30 meters’ wall, and when you entered the yard then turn back again. By my experience, the master design is stay in the conceptual stage, the green design, traffic design etc just based on each unit to do what they want to do. A project is successful or not depends on whether the chef engineer realize the chef designer completely, if use one professional word in commercial real estate industry, we call it “brand mix via tenant achievement rate”. ( for example, many people can make a screw, but when we put 10 k’s screw together to build a car, whole car quality is low than the international standard, is the same reason.) 

(Figure 8 was too much temporary fences in venue, it doesn’t mean too much visitors, I think they put the fences as they want because they think they need to move it anytime. If this is a big mass market, I could understand. But it is under a big title “National Exhibition Center” and with the modern façade design, protected by construction wood / steel fences, so I think if the master architect saw this, he will suddenly understand, this center, no need any façade design! Because any design facing the rude planning and construction, is a disaster.) 

3) Have backward service facilities

A high-level exhibition must solve the problem of the visitors’ resting, eating and communicating. It will influence the quality of exhibition, the customers’ residence time and communication effect. Foreign visitors can only stand and talk for a short time when they visit the interesting part, because there’s no room to sit down and discuss. I’ve actually seen it for myself. If there’s an open-air coffee place they can talk about 20-40 minutes and have rest and discuss further at the same time.

(Figure 9 was a float that blows cotton candy. It added some shining point but it is no useful just a decoration. It’s impossible that I would treat my customer who wear a suit standing and eating candy.)

(Figure 10 was the corridor. Too neat to show an atmosphere of new products or new technologies, because I come here is not for taking photos with depth of field, is for the happiness of new tech. and new products!)

(Figure 11 was the passageway outside the venue. Utilize the space unreasonably!)

4) Inconsequence exhibitors organization

As a lover of two wheeled, I have 2 motorcycles and 5 bicycles including road bicycle and bike trial. I know the fun and space in refitting very well. But there’s a little components company in the exhibition. You must be proficient in trade rather than rent out exhibition space.

(Figure 12 was the only part area in main passageway. Also the same prob. of design, how to plan the space with right Hight/width rate.)

(Figure 13 was the bicycle culture area (3 private half-professional experience shops), at least it added some fresh air to this show.)

3. Finally

There are 3 photos of EICMA that held in November, 2016 in Italy. It exhibited everything from various of parts to the whole motorcycles, such as screw, washing tools, seat, fender, exhaust, side-bag, accessories for fur clothing, nave of wheel, led light, Bluetooth equipment, trail car, trainer cycle supporting frame, spray paint, uncovered clutch, electric motor, motorboat, until newest concept motorbike, also classified by different types, such as street / touring / sports / adventure / off-road / children / electric / water / camber beam / classic / vintage / custom, etc. You can find whatever you need here, even you spent 3 whole days you can’t cover everything. It is the successful and meaningful international exhibition.

(Figure 14 was the EICMA exhibition hall of KTM show room which is from Austria.)

(Figure 15 was the exhibit from one Italy company: STM in EICMA.)

(Figure 16 was the exhibition hall of one Italy brand: DUCATI in EICMA.)

(You can find the report of EICMA in our official website news for details. http://www.pioneerprc.com/view_news.php?ClassID=2&TypeID=10&NewsID=309 . If you need more details you can subscribe our wechat: canglanchuxin on your phone. You can also contact us directly. If you match our applications you can have a printed report of ECIMA for free. There are 3 versions of Chinese, English and Japanese, please specify which version you need.)

In the end, I do hope our domestic exhibition sponsor can hold an exhibition carefully. Chinese customers can appreciate good works depends on whether you persist in doing best or not. Until then, I would not visit any domestic exhibition, I don’t want to waste my time.

Journalist: Louis

Translator: Sara