http://www.bike-eu.com Website for Bike Professionals nl-nl http://www.bike-eu.com http://www.bike-eu.com/images/logo.gif 30 158 Bike Europe: Website for Bike Professionals http://www.bike-eu.com/news/switzerland-2011-strong-e-bike-trend-continues-5809.html Every seventh bike sold in Switzerland in 2011 was an electric bicycle. In total 351,800 new bikes were sold, more or less the same number as in 2010. Once again, a strong Swiss franc obstructed consumer spending and further market growth, this also rang true for the bicycle industry. Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/germany-2011-market-in-positive-mood-thanks-to-e-bikes-5808.html The growing popularity of e-bikes gave the German bicycle market a long awaited push. The combination of the expanding e-bike market and the growing public awareness of the advantages of cycling to solve mobility problems means Germans are continuing to spend more money on cycling. According to the 2011 sales statistics on the German bicycle market published by the country’s industry organization ‘Zweirad Industrie Verband’ (ZIV) total sales value were up 8.8% to just under €2 billion. Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/indonesia-2011-booming-bicycle-tiger-5807.html At the end of last year, bicycle component maker Shimano announced price increases. At the beginning of the year more news from Shimano led to European industry concerns. The Japanese parts maker announced that delivery delays, especially for mountain bike components from the entry-level to medium segment (Acera/Alivio), could be expected. This delay was explained by skyrocketing demand in China, Indonesia and South America. Indonesia? Bike Europe sent international editor Jo Beckendorff to report first-hand on this emerging Southeast Asian tiger. Thu, 10 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/austria-2011-breakthrough-for-e-bikes-5810.html Last year, Austrian bicycle sales were hurt by unpredictable weather conditions, especially in summer. But one segment brought sunshine to the market: e-bikes. Pushed by Klima:Aktiv Mobil - a governmental action program for mobility management to reduce C02 emissions (including promotion and funding of energy-efficient mobility) – this segment started rolling and kept gaining momentum. Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/netherlands-2011-weather-conditions-slow-down-dutch-market-5806.html In 2011 some 1,171,000 bicycles were sold in the Netherlands, a decline of 3.6% compared with 2010 when total market volume still accounted for 1,215,000 units. This trend of a slow decrease in volume has been going on since 2008, after a record year in 2007 when 1.4 million bicycles were sold. The total market value of bicycles also went down by 1.3% to €872,971,000. Nevertheless the overall feeling about the condition of the market is mildly positive, caused by the success of the e-bike. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:57:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/british-cycling-economy-boomed-in-2011-5805.html A report from the London School of Economics, published towards the end of 2011, claimed that cycling in the UK was growing and likely to grow even further in the years ahead. The 24-page report – ‘The British Cycling Economy’ - was written by Dr Alexander Grous, a productivity and innovation specialist in the Centre of Economic Performance at LSE. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:48:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bbangladesh-2011-b-meghna-marches-on-5683.html After emerging as one of the biggest exporter of bicycles to some of the high-end markets of Europe from South East Asia, Meghna Group has added another feather to its cap by setting up a technical venture in Sri Lanka. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:35:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bindia-2011-b-hero-exports-on-a-new-high-5682.html Hero Eco is on a high. The company already bought out Ultra Motors last December and group subsidiary Hero Exports has regained the markets lost earlier, recording its best-ever export performance after many years. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:26:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bchina-2011-b-rising-e-bike-price-inhibits-consumer-spending-5644.html After over 10 year’s rapid growth, the China e-bike industry experienced its first sales slide in 2011. It is estimated that 1 to 2.5 million fewer e-bikes were sold in China in 2011 compared with 2010. Besides the price increase in raw materials and shortage of lead-acid battery supplies, consumers’ high sensitivity to price also contributed to the shrinking market. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:03:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bjapan-2011-b-boosting-mobility-pushes-demand-for-bicycles-5643.html When an 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck the northeast of Japan on March 11, 2011 it led to the giant tsunami that also destroyed the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Since this catastrophe nothing in Japan is as before. With an eye on the bicycle business and after a long period of decreasing and/or flat sales this disaster let to some up-shifting unit sales. Rising pedelec sales helped to push value sales in 2011. Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:00:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/btaiwan-2011-b-bicycle-exports-in-rollercoaster-mode-5641.html The slow economic situation in Europe, in combination with a rainy summer, has forced the Taiwanese bicycle industry to start looking seriously for new markets. Market conditions in Europe have been very uncertain in the past years. 2009 showed double digit declines while in 2010 everybody was exuberant again with sales rising. Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:48:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bcolombia-2011-b-a-brand-importers-growing-5611.html For the second year in a row, Shimano’s importer in Colombia, HA Bicicletas booked double digit growth in turnover. A recent report on the sports and toys industry in this South American country gives an interesting insight in the state of affairs with regards to cycling. Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:58:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bargentina-2011-be-bike-business-is-starting-up-5610.html With a market volume of approximately 1 million bicycles per year, the number of e-bikes bought annually by Argentineans is still very low. Nevertheless they are slowly discovering the advantages of e-bikes. Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:55:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bmexico-2011-b-flooded-with-cheap-imports-5609.html While cycling enjoys a growing popularity in Mexico among children and adults – for recreational, fitness and social use, the local bicycle industry is facing its worst downturn in history. The Mexican bicycle industry is heavily suffering from low-priced foreign imports. The total value of the Mexican bicycle market was estimated at 1,200 million pesos (€57.8 million) for 2010. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:51:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bbrazil-2011-b-growth-levels-less-than-expected-5608.html Reports from the Brazilian industry organization Abraciclo indicate that the market volume for bicycles in Brazil is in decline. Last year Abraciclo expected a volume of 5.7 million units for 2010 and a growth of at least Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:26:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/bsweden-2011-b-market-slowly-but-surely-shifting-towards-sports-5471.html The Swedish bike market is typified as rock solid, with annual sales numbers only changing marginally. Last year didn’t change that while the same goes for bike sales this year. Around 500,000 units were sold. Despite these rock solid sales, something is changing in Sweden. There’s a clear trend showing increased bike usage for commuting. And the market is also slowly but surely changing towards more sporty models. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:41:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/finland-2010-market-grows-in-two-directions-5512.html The Finnish bicycle market is growing at the bottom and top end of the market. That leaves fears in the industry that mid-priced retailers don’t benefit from the growing bike sales. Sales are up about 10% this year which was helped by the most beautiful summer in history. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:56:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/denmark-2010-e-bikes-and-mtbs-saved-the-market-5470.html For traffic planners and politicians ‘Copenhagenize the city’ has become international shorthand for the promotion of cycling culture and infrastructure. For many people in the world the Danish capital provides a lot of inspiration when talking about improving urban living, mobility, and the environment. It is one of the first, if not the only city in the world with special cyclists’ “pamper areas” where you can pump up your bike tires and refill your water bottle. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:07:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/norway-2010-twenty-niners-bikes-coming-to-town-5469.html Approximately 400,000 bicycles will be sold in Norway in 2011. Considering Norway is a country of less than 5 million people; with an average temperature of 4.5° Celsius and 5 winter months per year, this is quite a high volume. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT http://www.bike-eu.com/news/beu-2010-b-eu-bicycle-imports-per-country-for-eu-27-5302.html According to EUs data bureau Eurostat close to 9.3 million bikes were imported into the European Unions markets from countries outside Europe; mainly Asia. Compared to the 8.5 million bicycles imported in 2009, this represents a 9.6% increase. The average value per imported bike stood at 112.65; up 7.8% on the 104.50 average value in 2009. The close to 8% increase is on par with the increase in sales prices for bicycles recorded in 2010 due to higher labour costs in China and an increase in material costs. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT