Jan-Willem van Schaik

NEW DELHI, India - Financial constraints as a result of the lockdown made Atlas Cycles decide on a temporary shutdown of its production facility in Sahibabad, New Delhi. For Atlas Cycles the lockdown which was lifted on June 1 took too long.

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands - In a budget e-bike test of the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) in the Netherlands, the brakes turned out to be the weakest part of the e-bikes. Eight out of ten tested e-bikes did not meet the required braking performance. It was the main reason for the ANWB to recommend only four out of ten tested e-bikes.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The production and export of e-bikes has proven its importance for Taiwan's bicycle industry last year. Throughout 2019 the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) already indicated that the export of e-bikes was expanding rapidly. The official export statistics of the Taiwan's Customs Administration and the Ministry of Finance now provides the full picture of the booming e-bike exports.

BANGKOK, Thailand - This year's Aseanbike has been cancelled. According to organisers Messe Friedrichshafen and N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer, the corona related obstacles to attend the show were too big. The Bangkok show was scheduled to be held from 29-31 October.

OSAKA, Japan - In its financial statement of the first quarter of 2020, the Shimano Group reported a downturn in sales since mid-March. The company also pulled its full-year business performance forecasts. The situation has changed drastically since last month. "Bicycle assemblers in Europe are seeing a surge in orders and retailers in the US are running out of stock," said Shimano's CEO, Yozo Shimano.

DOETINCHEM, the Netherlands - Up-to-date information on the latest market statistics has become essential to be successful in the e-bike and bicycle industry. To get all information on hand, Bike Europe has developed a new service to the industry; the market report updates.

SAALFELD, Germany - The opening of the Velosione frame production facility in Germany is an important step for production close to the market and a more flexible supply chain. Last week the company celebrated the commercial launch of its first injection-molded open-mold carbon city e-bike frame.

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany - Lightweight brandowner Carbovation GmbH has appointed Carsten Krumm as managing director. Krumm also participates in Carbovation GmbH next to the existing shareholders.

LONDON, UK - "The fascinating thing of an e-bike is that it radically changes the ethic of a bicycle," said Paul Lee, Global Head of Research for the technology, media and telecommunications industry at Deloitte. Last January this renowned consultancy firm published a study named 'Discover the Future' in which it presents detailed expectations for the new decade. In the midst of topics like 5G, robots and where the smartphone will take us; cycling is mentioned as the second subject.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - "The upcoming European Commission proposal for the Recovery Strategy will embed the main elements of the European Green Deal, building on smart and clean mobility, which is at the core of the bicycle industry," stated the European Commission DG for EU Market and Industry in a letter to the industry confederation CONEBI.