Major cycling trade show Frostbike canceled due to concerns over ICE surge

The major Minnesota bike company behind popular brands like Surly and Salsa has canceled its signature winter trade show because of safety concerns related to Operation Metro Surge.

Frostbike, the three-day gathering hosted by Quality Bike Products (QBP), was supposed to take place at the end of the month at the company’s Bloomington headquarters.

QBP is North America’s biggest bike products distributor. Frostbike was expected to attract hundreds of QBP suppliers and retailers, media members and others immersed in the multibillion-dollar industry.

The company has been monitoring the unrest in wake of federal immigration enforcement, company president Rich Tauer said in a statement, but its hopes for de-escalation have dampened.

“This decision [to cancel] did not come easy, and it was not the one we wanted to make,” Tauer said, “but we recognize if the current enforcement activities make it unsafe for some of our attendees to travel to the Twin Cities, then the event is not safe for all attendees.”

The company’s financial loss is uncertain, and QBP did not respond to emailed questions from the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“Most of the people I talk to in the industry think it was probably a good decision [to cancel],” said Stephen Frothingham, editor of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, who had planned to attend this year. “It’s sad because we haven’t had that event.”

The budget for the event isn’t “insignificant,” added Frothingham, regarding QBP’s possible financial loss. “If you are tallying up the economic impact of the surge, here is another one,” he added.

A city of Minneapolis official told the Star Tribune that Minneapolis businesses are losing an estimated $10 million to $20 million in sales each week due to federal actions.

In announcing the cancelation, the QBP president acknowledged the big turnout last weekend for a memorial ride through Minneapolis to honor Alex Pretti. An estimated 5,000 cyclists showed up in homage to Pretti, who was fatally shot by federal agents Jan. 24. The ride was organized by Angry Catfish bike shop, where Pretti was a customer. He also was known to ride a Surly Ogre.