Registration is now open for COREbike 2027, which returns to Whittlebury Hall on 21-23 February. The 22nd edition of the show is fully sold out, and several brands will be exhibiting for the first time.
As BikeBiz reports, Will Fripp, Chief Executive Officer of Extra UK, said that after two successive years of full rebooks, the organisers have been able to bring companies off the waiting list and into the line-up. New for 2027 are Ibis, Q36.5, KTM, Ezoord, Estarli, KASK and Batch Bikes, joining more than 30 returning companies.
COREbike has long been recognised as one of the most valuable opportunities in the UK cycling industry to engage directly with independent retailers
Credit to Will and the team at Extra UK. Selling out a trade show is hard. Doing it for a third year running, while also making room for newcomers, shows real loyalty from exhibitors. They have also made the trip easy for dealers, with free parking, a free hourly shuttle from Milton Keynes station, lunch included each day and show offers for those who attend.
Why it's noteworthy
The most interesting part of the story is what the new exhibitors say about the channel. Dave Hemming, UK and EU Sales Manager at Batch Bikes, described COREbike as one of the most valuable ways to engage directly with independent retailers. He pointed to the positive response to Batch's IBD Summit programme, which the brand says reinforced its retailer-first approach and its commitment to putting dealers at the centre of its growth strategy.
That is a clear statement of intent. It is not unusual for brands to treat independent bike dealers as one route to market among many. Here, a brand is choosing to make dealers central, and backing it with its first appearance at a dealer-only show.
The article also notes that several companies have stopped distributing in the UK this year. Space opening up for new brands, and a waiting list to fill it, suggests demand to reach IBDs remains strong.
Bricks and mortar still matters
For much of the last decade, direct-to-consumer was presented as the future of selling bikes. Plenty of brands built strong businesses online. But bikes are physical, technical products. Riders want to see them, test them, get them fitted and have somewhere local to take them when something needs fixing.
That is where independent shops earn their place. They bring expertise, workshop capacity and trust in their local area, all of which are difficult and expensive for a brand to replicate on its own.
D2C is starting to look more like a blend
We don't think direct-to-consumer is disappearing. What we are seeing is the line between D2C and B2B blurring. Brands that sell direct are increasingly open to working with retailers, and IBDs are now a realistic option rather than a channel to compete against. The strongest models are likely to be hybrid: a brand website that builds awareness and demand, and a dealer network that converts it, services it and keeps customers coming back.
For brands and retailers selling online, a few practical takeaways:
- Make your dealers visible online. Clear store locators and stockist pages help shoppers who research online but want to buy locally.
- Keep product data consistent. Retailers sell better when they have accurate specifications, imagery and stock information to use on their own sites.
- Treat dealer events as marketing, not just sales. Shows like COREbike shape what shops range and promote for the season ahead.
- Support the shop's own e-commerce. A dealer with a strong website extends a brand's reach far beyond its postcode.
At Push.Bike, we see every day how much a bike shop's online presence shapes what happens in store.
Congratulations to Extra UK on another sold-out show, and good luck to Batch Bikes and the other first-time exhibitors. UK dealers, workshops and press can register now.