Bespoked handmade bike show heads to London Olympic Velodrome in 2014

Growing show needs more space, says organiser

Nathaniel Moore/Hopkins Architects

Published: October 17, 2013 at 11:00 am

Bespoked, the UK's biggest handmade bike show is upping sticks and heading to a new, bigger home in 2014 – the London Olympic Velodrome.

It means the bike show, held from 11 to 13 April, will be one of the first opportunities for the public to step inside the historic velodrome, which opens on 4 March.

Changes at the original venue in Brunel's Old Station, Bristol, which has hosted the growing event over the last three years, as well as clamour from exhibitors for more space and growing visitor numbers led to organiser Phil Taylor opting for the Velodrome in east London.

Taylor said: "[The velodrome's] a cathedral of cycling and just such an amazing place to be able to have a show.

"It gives us the space we needed for a few extra exhibitors for the people attending."

The venue change will also likely increase the show's appeal to international custome frame builders and visitors. Taylor said a number of American companies had already signed up.

"It's being recognised as the European handmade bike show," said Taylor.

This year's show was a sell-out – more than 6,000 people attended Bespoked Bristol and organisers had to stop online ticket sales early.

Taylor said he had considered venues all over the country but didn't want to opt for a standard exhibitor space.

"From a mood point of view [the velodrome] ticked all the boxes," he said.