Frostbike is Quality Bicycle Products’ annual winter dealer expo in Minneapolis. Or annual, minus this year. QBP has pulled the plug due to ICE activity.
Frostbike canceled due to ice is a bit on the nose, honestly, and it’s too conventional a joke for us to churn out into the universe. It obviously has nothing to do with the temperature: the distributor announced that the event is canceled due to “current law enforcement activities” in the Twin Cities.
The cancellation comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a local nurse and cyclist, by DHS agents on January 24. The incident has sparked massive protests and unrest in Minneapolis, including a memorial ride that drew over 5,000 cyclists braving the snow to “Take the Lane” (ironically, the intended theme of this year’s Frostbike).
“Unsafe for Some, Unsafe for All”
In a letter to dealers, QBP President Rich Tauer didn’t mince words.
“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,” Tauer wrote.
It is a bold, and likely costly, move for the industry giant. Frostbike is a key networking event where shop owners figure out what they’re going to stock for the spring.
For years, the bike industry has tried to position itself as a happy, apolitical escape. But when you hold your biggest party in a city currently occupied by federal agents and grieving a cyclist shot by law enforcement, “business as usual” becomes impossible.
So, for 2026, the convention center will stay dark. There will be no unveiling of new fat bikes, no seminars on e-bike battery safety, and no happy hour networking. Instead, the Minneapolis cycling community is doing what it does best: riding together, angry and loud, in the freezing cold.