Jo Beckendorff

BOCHOLT, Germany - Despite corona-conditioned restrictions in March, traditional German D2C-supplier Rose Bikes GmbH achieved - compared with the first six months of the previous fiscal year 2018/2019 - a double-digit sales growth of over 20 percent in its first half of its from 1 November to 30 April running fiscal year 2019/20. This, according to the company, led to total sales of 56.7 million euro.

HAMBURG, Germany - Multichannel retailer Tchibo GmbH - a German chain of coffee retailers and cafés known for its range of weekly changing non-coffee products and service sales - announced a cooperation with Swapfiets, the Dutch bicycle concept known for its recognisable blue front-tired rental bikes and e-bikes, in Germany. Consumers can rent them via a monthly subscription fee including on-site all-around service.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - Just in time for the reopening of IBD stores previously hampered by the coronavirus, e-bike drivetrain supplier Yamaha announces that the OEM e-bike business in Europe will soon be coordinated from Yamaha Motor Europe NV's European headquarters in Amsterdam. It has been previously managed from the company headquarters in Japan. The complete transition is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

NECKARSULM, Germany - At last year's Eurobike, Amprio GmbH's head of drive unit development, Dietmar Greven, stated that the 2016-founded start-up intends to start series production of its own pedelec drivetrain system called "E-Track System" in mid 2021. Meaning that Amprio drivetrains with individual control unit (HMI) and rechargeable battery will first buzz onto the market in 2022. Backed by its parent company Rheinmetall Group the newcomer can now also rely on a comprehensive and customer-oriented logistics and service concept.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - While the corona pandemic forced market leader Shimano Inc. to shift down a couple of gears, two Swedish industry participants, Thule Group AB and MIPS AB, were able to keep their first interim quarter results on a solid (Thule Group) and still promising (MIPS) base.

HOLZKIRCHEN, Germany - After having launched its integrated marketplace successfully in several European countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium, US bike supplier Specialized is launching its integrated marketplace in Germany, Austria, Switzerland (DACH region) and Luxembourg.

ZIRNDORF, Germany - Metz Mecatech GmbH and charging technology provider Integrated Infrastructure Solutions GmbH (INTIS) developed what it claims to be "the world's first inductive charging option" for the Metz Moover e-scooter.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - Last year Taiwan's leading bicycle manufacturer Giant Group reached a consolidated revenue of NT$ 63.45 billion (1.90 billion euro), a historical record. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of 5.3 percent.

REICHSHOF, Germany - With the e-bike boom continuing and a positive social climate for cycling, Schwalbe supplier Ralf Bohle GmbH recorded record-breaking 2019 sales of 206 million euro. The company's net sales increased by about 10 percent and with that it broke the 200 million mark for the first time in its history.

OLDENBURG, Germany - Struggling German bike maker Cycle Union with it's brands e-Bike Manufaktur, Kreidler, Rabeneick and VSF Fahrradmanufaktur is setting out its future course. In a company statement it summarized the problems it encountered;