iceBike* 2025 Preview

This piece first appeared in the January edition of BikeBiz magazine – not subscribed? Get a free subscription.

February will see the return of iceBike*, marking 18 years since the event was first introduced. With the 2024 edition seeing record numbers, Madison’s house show is back to highlight all that Madison and Sportline has to offer. CEO Dominic Langan reflects on the history to date, and previews what people can expect this term.

How do you reflect on how far the event has come?

iceBike* was created back in 2007 to provide an interactive environment where retailers could get closer to Madison staff and Madison’s suppliers. People buy from people and back then the perception of Madison was not great and seen as somewhat faceless. I think it was a bit unfair but at the end of the day, perception is reality. It was my mission to ensure Madison overall and I personally were seen as very much approachable and friendly – which we are of course. I think we have achieved that and I often get direct messages from retailers and I also respond frequently on industry forums as do my colleagues. 

iceBike* has evolved since then and we now really try and use iceBike* to stimulate ideas and to get visitors to think about how to move their businesses forward ahead of the season. The “ICE” in iceBike* stands for “Interaction | Connection |Education” but it is also about having some fun.

Have there been any stand out years or moments in that time?

Over the years we have had some cracking iceBike* shows. I particularly remember the very first one which we held in a tent in our car park in Milton Keynes. It was blowing a hooley outside and we held a formal dinner that evening. The lighting rigs were swinging away alarmingly above our heads and I was worried the marquee was not going to survive the night! Interesting Karaoke nights too and one or two things that probably wouldn’t be allowed now and some things that definitely wouldn’t pass health and safety. We all survived though, well as far as I know. We have certainly had some fun times over the years! What happens at iceBike* stays at iceBike*.

How do you look back at the 2024 edition and the introduction of Lee Valley?

This year was the second year of the two-venue format and I think we elevated the show in 2024 compared to 2023 and 2025 will be another significant step up again. The velodromes provide a great venue, atmosphere and backdrop to iceBike*. First and foremost, they are really easy to get to and well serviced by public transport too. They are sports venues after all and ease of access for visitors is vital to them. The Manchester Velodrome is the home of British Cycling and it was great to see future Paris Olympic medalists training whilst the show was in full swing and to be able to have a guided tour of the facility was an extra bonus. 

The London Velodrome is equally iconic from the London 2012 Olympic Games where such fantastic results for Team GB were achieved. It is also great to offer customers the chance to ride these velodromes whilst at iceBike*.  The velodromes are also nice and warm which wasn’t the case when we held the 2023 show at Tobacco Dock in Wapping. It is a fantastic historical venue but when it snows it is not ideal with all the outdoor spaces! Lesson learnt! 

Can you give us an overview of the updates for 2025 and what we can expect?

iceBike* 2025 sees another massive step up in the quality of the brand booths and displays. We have dialled our logistics and we can achieve so much more in a relatively short amount of time for set-up than we managed back in 2023.

When we held iceBike* at the arena in Milton Keynes, set up took several days. With the two-venue format, we have one day to set up. It takes a great deal of planning, organisation and management to make it all happen in a day but we are mastering it! For 2025 we aim to have the Milton Keynes arena quality of brand booths that everyone loved and came to expect from iceBike*.

We take on board all the customer feedback from our post-show surveys and apply that to the next show and this way we continuously improve and provide our customers with the best possible show experience.

For 2025 we will also seamlessly integrate our evening entertainment within the show venue, so no need to leave and go somewhere else. Instead, you can transition from work to social with a cocktail in hand from a fun list of signature cocktails based on our brand portfolio in our specially built bar area. All will be clear when you come!

Are there any brand or product highlights you can tell us a bit about?

We are launching a new and significant brand for the specialist retailers at iceBike* 2025. It will be announced early in the New Year.

We are also very pleased to say that Calvin Jones from Park Tool will also be in residence at both iceBike* venues. 

Plenty of newness across all our brands and lots of exclusive opportunities only for those who attend. I am confident that 2025 is the year that our industry will start to see a sustainable recovery from the post-Covid crash.

It is a key year to get yourself organised and ready to make the most of the upturn as and when it happens. The customer landscape in our market has seen seismic change and there are now opportunities where once there may not have been. Fortune favours the bold and those who are open-minded to new ideas and maybe doing things differently once in a while. Ultimately, that is what iceBike* is all about.

It is a chance for retailers to take some time out of their day-to-day grind to think about their businesses and look for new opportunities or ways of doing things. In my opinion, anyone who runs a business needs to do this regularly.

What can visitors hope to gain from the seminar schedule?

We put a lot of thought into our seminar schedule and for 2025 we are building a separate seminar area which will be a big improvement. There is a good mix of practical seminars based around product which are always well attended.

There will also be a Q&A session with leading industry figures from the UK, Europe and USA discussing the current market and predictions for the future. We will also be covering the various retail service initiatives provided by Madison, such as Shimano Service Centre, Freewheel and making the most of our team of in-store Product Promoters.

What else can people look forward to?

Naturally, some fantastic, fun and useful goody bags! The opportunity to ride at the velodrome and a tour of the home of British Cycling in Manchester too. Meeting with the owners and key personnel from all over the world who will be representing their brands at iceBike* as well as the team from Madison.

Lots of schwag, special offers, special staff purchase deals and great coffee too. Plenty of food and drink options of all strengths and above all a warm welcome from us! See you there!