Rosie Burgin

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.

GIRONA, Spain - Rotor Bike Components has launched new wireless electronic groupsets for gravel and MTBs. Known for its high-end components, the Spanish company is adopting a different course with the new product range named Rotor Uno. "With Rotor Uno, we are aiming to challenge the status quo of the mainstream market," confirmed Rotor CEO Jose Garcia Alegre during the launch at this year's Sea Otter Europe.

GLIWICE, Poland - EMBS assembles several million battery packs a year for a multitude of applications from its location in Poland. Having recently transferred in ownership from UK chemical conglomerate Johnson Matthey to German company Prettl Group, the battery manufacturer has a renewed focus on expanding its e-bike battery customer base in Europe.

ZEIST, The Netherlands - The international bicycle industry, once heralded as a long-term growth story thanks to the e-bike boom, now finds itself grappling with uncertainty. Tariffs, shifting trade flows, regulatory ambiguity and fragile consumer demand are reshaping strategies across the value chain. In Bike Europe's Industry Insider series, four leading manufacturers — Bosch eBike Systems, Schwalbe, Bafang and Velo —paint a picture of an industry both challenged and transformed, where resilience increasingly depends on innovation and adaptability.

VALAIS, Switzerland - "We want to disrupt." That is the clear goal of the new project by ex-Stromer co-CEO Tomi Viiala. Joining forces with an elite set of partners, he is launching a new brand, Viiala, to push the current boundaries of innovation within the bicycle industry. The e-bike and speed-pedelec range hitting the market in 2028 will have a price tag to match its space-based technology and watch-industry backing. Is the bicycle industry ready for a giant leap?

Źródła, Poland - From their shared base on the outskirts of Wrocław, Ecobike and Mobility One have built a two-track operation: a consumer-facing brand and a production partner for external labels. It's a set-up that, in export manager Krystof Dobrowolski's view, plays to Poland's growing strengths as a hub for bicycle manufacturing while staying true to Ecobike's family roots.