Rosie Burgin

Belgium in January was the place to be this winter, and not just for the Benelux bicycle industry, but for the global market. Velofollies , beyond capitalising on the Eurobike implosion, is centred in a growing, mature market for both performance and mobility cycling. Although market data will not start trickling in across Europe for a couple of months, figures presented during Velofollies show that Belgium is starting the year on the back of a 7.7% increase in sales volume in 2025. With sales back in the plus and renewed optimism in the local market, it was almost impossible for Velofollies not to deliver this year.

After what it called a "stabilisation process" under an ad-interim CEO, speed pedelec manufacturer, myStromer AG, will continue under the leadership of Marcel Korner, effective 1 May 2026. In the role of chief executive officer (CEO), Korner will also become a member of the myStromer AG Board of Directors.

That 2025 was not going to be a good year for the Taiwanese industry was already evident after Taipei Cycle in March when it became obvious that order books were still empty. The bicycle-producing nation closed 2025 with a 7% drop in e-bike export volume, compared to the record-breaking bad year in 2024. With just under 337,000 units leaving the country and the export value dropping another 3%, it shows the Taiwan industry is still facing an uphill climb to bring production back to pre-pandemic levels.

Pacific Glory Worldwide Ltd (PGW), owned by the Taiwan-based manufacturer Ideal Bike Corporation, has opened a new United States distribution channel, PGW USA. It will oversee sales and support for the Fuji, SE and Tuesday bicycle brands in the US market. It says it will focus on retailer success and long-term sustainability, but open questions remain regarding the current distributor, BikeCo.

Global supply chain diversification has accelerated with major e-bike brands actively seeking qualified non-China manufacturing partners. Chinese battery manufacturer, Greenway, has addressed this critical market need by securing Certificate of Origin (COO) certification for its production facility in Indonesia. This establishes a fully compliant, non-China production base for its e-bike batteries, enabling it to serve global markets with reduced trade barriers and a more resilient supply chain.

NEW YORK, United States - Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Accell Group's long-term credit rating at 'CCC', indicating that the company remains under significant financial pressure. While Accell is making progress in its turnaround, its current position is still fragile, mainly due to weak market conditions, high debt levels and limited cash generation, the agency determined.

ZEIST, The Netherlands - It became apparent within the first few months of the year that 2025 would not be the turnaround year the bicycle industry needed. A muted Taipei Cycle show made clear that the supply chain was nowhere near back to being in full swing, and despite reasonable spring sales, the European market retracted again in the summer. Business-wise, there were reports of insolvencies, closures and redundancies. Knocks came from all sides: tariffs, human rights accusations, and very public non-alignment within the industry itself on several topics. However, pockets of innovation and newcomers managed to shine through, reminding the industry that its products are well-positioned for the long term. As the industry looks to realign and prepare for 'the fix in 2026', Bike Europe looks back at the articles that shaped 2025.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - 19 environmental NGOs, consumer organisations, and tourism and mobility businesses have written a joint letter to urge the European Commission to harmonise charging systems for electric bicycles and other light means of transport (LMT). "The lack of standardisation of charging connectors is needlessly slowing Europe's green transformation," the group supported by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) writes.

TALINN, Estonia - "One of the most important mobility tools of our time, affordable, sustainable, and perfect for modern cities, is stuck in an analogue mindset. The cycling industry keeps polishing mechanical parts while the rest of the world has moved on," connectivity specialist Comodule wrote in a recent blog. The company laments at how e-bikes are creating a smoother commute, "but the bike itself is disconnected and largely dumb."

BAD HOMBURG, Germany - Existing minority shareholder, SKion GmbH has acquired "two significant business units" from the BMZ Group. BMZ Holding GmbH and BMZ Germany GmbH faced uncertainty when a sudden disruption in the customer base and subsequent legal proceedings led to an immediate financial challenge for the lithium-ion battery manufacturer. The acquisition is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.