Uncomplicated and comprehensive
Infotech organizer Velosuisse - the branch association of Swiss bicycle suppliers - was satisfied with the fact that the two-day event (6 and 7 January 2016) at the Army Training Centre in Lucerne was once again "full house" at the start of the year. This is the 14th Infotech, where specialist retailers can get in the mood for the new season in an uncomplicated and comprehensive way. Those who attend the event will take away numerous inputs - from bicycle technology to the presentation of suitable operating software.

January 15, 2015 has a lasting effect
The Frankenschock of January 15, 2015 had a lasting effect at Infotech 2016: In several seminars, specialist retailers were able to learn how the high Swiss prices come about or how a money supply falls or rises. The event was more intellectual than ever before: economists and business managers passed on detailed knowledge to the bike dealers.

More intellectual presentations
If you had never heard of economics before, it was quite a challenge to follow the explanations. The seminar by market research company GFK, which examined the structure of the Swiss specialist bicycle trade on behalf of Velosuisse, also ensured full seats and open ears. Here there were figures that had never been determined in this way before (How many bicycle stores are there in Switzerland? What turnover do they generate? Which bicycle types generate which market shares?

A high-caliber panel ensures a lively and thoroughly entertaining discussion

Strong and polar opinions
As usual, the "Arena" panel discussion was a highlight of the industry conference. With the panel participants (pictured above: from left to right) Katharina Conradin (Managing Director Mountain Wilderness), René Albisser (Managing Director Bike-Shop Trail Rider), Bruno Hirschi (Developer/Coordinator Switzerland Mobile), Thomas Giger (Editor Ride Magazine/Head of Swiss Sports Publishing) and Christophe Unternährer (Sales Manager Flyer/Biketec), strong opinions were guaranteed. Marius Graber (journalist at "Velojournal" and "Cyclinfo", employee of bike store "Velociped") led the discussion with aplomb.

Full to bursting: The plenary chamber during the panel discussion

No e-mountain bikes until 2025
Katharina Conradin ("There is no human right to four-thousand-meter peaks"), René Albisser ("I won't be selling any mountain bikes with motors until 2025") and Thomas Giger ("Slow e-mountain bikes are anti-social") provided clear positions. There was a debate about how much e-mountain bikers should venture into sensitive areas of the Alps - or whether these riders will mostly be riding on forest roads. A consensus of sorts was also reached: specialist retailers should be made responsible for sensitizing e-mountainbike customers to possible damage to nature or disturbance of wildlife.
Click here for the full panel discussion:
http://www.ride.ch/site/index.php/10799-emotionale-infotech-podiumsdiskussion-rund-ums-e-mtb.html

Infotech 2016 - a few facts
Participating dealers / counted admissions: 630 (2015: 625, 2014: 586, 2013: 599, 2012: 611)
Participants from seminar providers/speakers: around 350
Number of seminars: around 70
(Information provided by Bernhard Loosli, Velosuisse Event GmbH)

Infotech 2017 will take place on January 4 and 5, 2017 at the AAL in Lucerne

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www.velosuisse-event.ch