Katie Sawyer

VIENNA, Austria - "It's not a helmet, it's an airbag." That's the tagline for the Hövding 4, the new debut model for the Swedish brand now owned by the Austrian iSi Group. The latest wearable airbag design has been hyped as a complete reboot from previous models, the last of which came under fire for safety concerns.

AMERSFOORT, the Netherlands - The new European Union guidelines on battery repairs will soon take effect, but whether the bicycle industry is sufficiently prepared remains to be seen. NOWOS founder Prins Doornekamp said he is surprised by the limited knowledge among both manufacturers and bicycle retailers.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Ahooga, the Belgian folding e-bike brand, has raised €5.5 million in a new funding round aimed at developing its Max folding bike platform and expanding its international footprint.

FRANKFURT, Germany - The e-bike industry is entering uncharted territory. In 2025, brands are no longer just selling e-bikes, they are selling access. The practice of applying after-market subscription fees for premium features or creating tiered pricing structures for e-bikes based on software differentiation has been heralded as innovative by some, and exploitative by others.

OSAKA, Japan - Japanese manufacturing giant Shimano has been cited by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission for violating the Subcontract Act and failing to pay its 121 local subcontractors for storing materials on its behalf.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Cowboy's relationship with French brand partner Rebirth Group is evolving once again as Rebirth prepares to become a majority shareholder of the e-bike brand. An 80% stake in the company is anticipated. While the exact details are still under wraps, Cowboy's spokesperson did confirm to Bike Europe that discussions with Rebirth are progressing "very positively."

TAIPEI, Taiwan - US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Wednesday that it will detain and withhold all shipments of bicycles, bike parts and accessories manufactured at Giant's Taiwan facility based on evidence indicating forced labour. In response, Giant Bicycles Group has released a statement detailing several measures the company has taken this year to mitigate debt bondage and provide housing to its migrant workers.

SOUTHWEST UTAH, United States - Following Taiwanese accessories manufacturer Glory Wheel's acquisition of accessories brand Spank Industries just under a year ago, the company is ready to bolster the brand's industry position by adding a United States base of operation and hiring a team of industry veterans.

越南，平陽省（BINH DUONG）－過去10年來，鮮少有東南亞國家的自行車製造業能像越南的這般迅速成長。在有善的外交政策及蓬勃經濟發展之下，該國自行車製造業正大幅成長，不過此景是否能在瞬息萬變的市場局勢中延續，仍有待時間驗證。

台灣，台中－2025年對Belgium Cycling Factory（BCF）而言是重要的一年。從收購Nukeproff、成立BCF UK，到其贊助車隊首次贏得環法自行車賽冠軍，該公司正迅速擴張。