Online Magazine: Trade shows and industry events start again 

As the world's leading bicycle component supplier, there is no better thermometer for the industry than Shimano. For fiscal year 2025, the Japanese manufacturer reported a 2.7% increase in net sales in bicycle components - a slight glimmer of hope that an industry rebound is imminent.

For many in the bicycle industry, the third quarter financial results make uncomfortable reading. Despite optimistic signs in the first and second quarters, most Q3 results show that attaining financial stabilisation is still out of reach. As revenues drop, repeated streamlining and cost-cutting measures are being taken to ensure the health of companies in the bicycle industry supply chain. This sentiment is also echoed in the second results of the Global Bicycle Purchasing Index (GBPI), a new initiative between Bike Europe, Eurobike and IFH Koln.

The international bicycle industry, once heralded as a long-term growth story thanks to the e-bike boom, now finds itself grappling with uncertainty. Tariffs, shifting trade flows, regulatory ambiguity and fragile consumer demand are reshaping strategies across the value chain. Four leading manufacturers — Bosch eBike Systems, Schwalbe, Bafang and Velo —paint a picture of an industry both challenged and transformed, where resilience increasingly depends on innovation and adaptability.

The fact that a major player like Accell Group has been struggling under a burden of heavy debts gives a clear indication of the difficulties in the market. The manufacturer saw its turnover decline 10% from €1.43 billion in 2022 to €1.3 billion in 2023 as sales declined across major European markets and inventory levels remained high.