Rosie Burgin

MUNICH, Germany - With a very heavy lean towards the automotive sector despite a recent attempt to diverge to all forms of mobility, one voice stood out for the bicycle industry at this year's IAA as cars dominated the halls. "Germany has more than just a car industry. The bicycle industry and public transport are also strong players - and deserve political visibility and a level playing field," Sandra Wolff, CEO of Riese & Müller said during the 'Why diverse mobility is so important' session, which was moderated by Politico.

WASHINGTON DC, United States - The number of bicycles imported into the United States in the first half of 2025 has dropped 25% year-on-year. When looking at Q2 specifically this is a 35% drop compared to 2024. The impact of tariffs and trade wars has seen China's relevance as US bicycle supplier slip considerably.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - Retail giant Decathlon and KwikFit are starting a partnership in Amsterdam for the maintenance and repair of Decathlon bikes and e-bikes. The sports retailer has three stores in the capital, only two of which have bike repair workshops. Now, Decathlon customers can also visit the centrally located KwikFit location. If successful, a national roll-out is on the cards.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - "All operational activity has ceased," reads the email from Lasse Almgren, the CEO of the Danish start-up known as Pentalock. The company, under the name of Danish Mobility System 1 ApS, filed for bankruptcy on August 11.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European bicycle industry is losing a key face in Brussels. Manuel Marsilio has officially stepped down from his position as general manager of the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI). This marks the end of more than a decade of leadership. Meanwhile, the ECF has welcomed its new CEO, who is tasked with advocating for better cycling infrastructure across Europe.

KOBLENZ, Germany - Founder, Roman Arnold, is returning to Canyon Bicycles GmbH to assume operational responsibilities as executive chairman, starting September 1st. Following a period where the ongoing challenging market environment had seen owner GBL's investment depreciate by 43% a new approach is now being taken. This means exit "by mutual agreement" for current CEO Nicolas de Ros Wallace.

LONDON, England - The UK's Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has recommended that anti-dumping duties on bicycles and certain bicycle components imported from China remain in force until 30 August 2029. While the UK government could technically reject the TRA's advice, the move signals strong continuity with EU trade policy, where similar measures remain in place.

LONDON, United Kingdom - Global container prices have fallen for the tenth consecutive week and still appear to be stabilising. Spot rates for containers on the Shanghai-Rotterdam route saw the sharpest drop. This is evident from the most recent World Container Index (WCI) published by market research firm Drewry.

 HEERENVEEN, the Netherlands - In a new move to better its financial position, Accell Group is further centralising its production capabilities. After more than a century, bicycles will no longer be produced at its site in Heerenveen, the Netherlands. The factory is expected to close by the end of Q1 2026, and production will be integrated into existing manufacturing facilities in Hungary. The closure will lead to a loss of approximately 160 jobs.

SUZHOU, China - Over the past 22 years, Bafang has consistently prioritised technological innovation as fundamental to the company's development. With this approach the motor manufacturer has successfully navigated the storm of the previous years. "Whether in good times or bad, demand-driven innovation is urgently needed," CEO Qinghua Wang explains to Bike Europe.