Rosie Burgin

HASTINGS, United Kingdom - British bike brand Whyte Bikes Ltd. has changed private equity hands, from current owner Cairngorm Capital to Causeway Capital. The acquisition sees 100% ownership of Whyte transferred to Dublin-based Causeway Capital. The brand sees the move as a major step toward developing international growth.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - In the wake of forced labour accusations from the United States, Giant Group is extending its 'Zero Recruitment Fee Policy'. Originally in effect from January 1, 2025, this will now apply to all migrant workers currently employed at the company in Taiwan. "This latest expansion reflects the Group's ongoing institutionalisation and practices of human rights protection and fair employment," the company states.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Around 150,000 e-bike units were exported from Taiwan to the European Union in the first nine months of 2025, the latest customs data shows. This is a 3% increase compared to the same period last year - a welcome sign of market stabilisation for the Taiwanese supply chain. However, total exports reached just over 270,000 units from January to September, representing a 3% year-on-year decline. The spotlight is now on how this develops as the year closes, with the rollout of United States tariffs and human rights accusations on Taiwanese companies bringing disruptions to trade.

GIRONA, Spain - "We're not just replacing derailleurs — we're replacing complexity," says Marc Barceló, CEO and founder of Niche Mobility. The new player in the e-bike system market has built a fully digital drivetrain from scratch and is on course for an OEM launch in model year 2027. A significant step forward for the start-up was the display of prototypes at this year's Sea Otter Europe in its hometown of Girona.

WARSAW, Poland - Today, Poland is a European manufacturing hub for bicycles and e-bikes — not a niche player but one of the continent's top producers. Polish factories produced around 1 million bicycles annually in the early 2020s, putting the country among the EU's five largest producers and giving it a meaningful share of regional supply chains.

PARIS, France - This was the question looking to be answered at the recently held Summit Series in Paris, supported by CIE's Women in Cycling expert group. The event, focusing on the retention and recruitment of women in the bicycle industry, hoped to 'lead the change' in correcting the current imbalance in the sector. With cross-spectrum representatives from industry and academia present, the conclusion was that progress is slow, and opportunities are being missed.

MYSŁOWICE, Poland - Located just outside the Polish city of Katowice, Polana Bikes has quietly set up a state-of-the-art bicycle production facility. With its own e-bike brand already on the domestic market, the company has big ambitions to change the narrative regarding European e-bike production. Under the motto 'Passion for bicycles meets industrial precision,' the company relies on local expertise with a touch of Chinese 'Guanxi.'

GIRONA, Spain - The Spanish bicycle industry is facing 2025 with moderate optimism. 38.9% of companies have reported increased turnover in the first half of the year, while only 25.9% reported declines, according to the results of AMBE's second bicycle sector barometer, presented at Sea Otter Europe. Additionally, a new €20 million government subsidy has been secured to boost e-bike sales in the country.

GLIWICE, Poland - Lithium-ion battery manufacturer BMZ Group has been establishing a foothold within the e-bike market since 2011. To solidify this position, the German company has expanded its e-bike operations in Poland, which has become a very important centre for the BMZ Group's global e-bike business. Considered its e-bike 'excellence centre,' Bike Europe visited the vast 77,000-square-metre location to find out more.

GIRONA, Spain - Accell Group has appointed William Perrier as managing director for Southern Europe in a role that was cut a couple of years ago. The renewed focus on the region is part of the group's strategy aimed at accelerating its development in the key markets of France, Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Perrier was presented at Sea Otter Europe as the man to boost the sales of Accell brands Lapierre, Ghost, Winora and Haibike, which are at the core of sales in the region.