Europe's bicycle markets are entering 2026 on very different footing. While Italy continues to struggle with declining sales and mounting pressure on specialist retail, the German and Spanish markets are showing signs of stabilisation as higher-value segments, particularly e-bikes, drive revenue growth. In the UK, the industry recorded its first year of growth since 2020, offering cautious optimism after several difficult seasons. Together, the latest European market reports reflect an industry still navigating post-pandemic correction, changing consumer demand and the growing importance of value-driven segments.

Tektro Technology Corporation is strategically expanding its global manufacturing network through the construction of a brand-new production facility in Vietnam. The Taiwanese bicycle component manufacturer officially broke ground on this major Southeast Asian project in October 2025. Once fully operational, this state-of-the-art facility will serve as its third global production base, joining the company's established manufacturing hubs in Taiwan and China.

Cycling Sports Group Europe, part of Pon.Bike, has announced the closure of the Cannondale facility in Almelo, the Netherlands. The production of the Cannondale bikes will be relocated to Germany and Lithuania. 'Almelo' no longer fits in Pon.Bike's multi-brand strategy, which includes a flexible production network.

The Eurobike announcement to move its dates back to September from 2027 turned the international show calendar upside down again. September has always been very busy with industry events, so Eurobike's decision has prompted many show organisers to reconsider their 2027 dates. The Taiwanese industry was the first to respond, rescheduling the Taichung Bike Week to October.

SRAM has announced plans to build a new facility in Coimbra, Portugal, enabling local production of its complete component portfolio—more than 7,500 individual parts—closer to key partners and markets. "The investment will enhance our ability to serve European OEM and AM partners while improving sustainability, flexibility, and supply chain resilience," the company writes in a press statement.

Heiko Müller is stepping back from the management of Riese & Müller after more than three decades with the company he co-founded. His departure at the end of July concludes the operational responsibility of the founding generation, after Markus Riese stepped back from management in 2022.

A fully operational bicycle manufacturing facility in Jastrowie, Poland, has become available for sale or lease, presenting a potential opportunity for companies looking to establish or expand production capacity in Europe.

Automated guided vehicles shuttle components between assembly stations while robotic machines operate across three floors of production space. At Ananda's Wuxi facility, manufacturing scale and vertical integration have become central to the company's ambitions in the global e-bike market. The Chinese drive system manufacturer is building what it describes as a "closed-loop" manufacturing ecosystem: one that aims to deliver both volume and reliability. Bike Europe visited the Factory Floor to discover the industrial philosophy behind… Ananda.

The local market is becoming increasingly important for the Suzhou, China-based e-bike motor system manufacturer Bafang. Its revenue export share has slid from 35% in 2021 to 20% last year. The total operating revenue in 2025 was RMB 1.3369 billion, down 1.47% year-on-year. The net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 102.819 million in 2025, up 61.04% compared with 2024.

As the bicycle industry asks for better product data, three European bike-tech companies, NOCA, DST and BikeFolder have combined resources to connect PLM and PIM software, an independent industry data standard and aftermarket digital twins into one practical industry solution. The collaboration is being rolled out under the name Smart Bike Brand.

Herrmans Bike Components Ltd hired François Joly as Sales & Marketing Director. Joly brings broad international experience from the bicycle industry, with a strong background in OEM business, aftermarket development and distribution.

Do you know any modern electric car where you still have to shift gears manually all the time? Exactly. Yet in the e-bike world, riders are still often forced to manage support modes like they're driving a 1990s stick shift. With its new GXM e-bike system, Panasonic is pushing toward a smarter future: more comfort, more efficiency, and less distraction. Not just raw power.

The spike in oil prices has drastically changed the market outlook. Raw material prices plus the costs of production and logistics have been affected by the geopolitical situation. The high fuel prices worldwide could also attract more people to start cycling. Are you prepared to adapt to the new situation? The Global Bicycle Purchase Index (GPBI) will provide you with these insights next month.

Sweden's leading bicycle retailer, WS We Sports Group, continues its omnichannel expansion strategy with the opening of its fifth Cykelkraft-branded brick-and-mortar location. The new 2,500-square-meter flagship store in Kållered, near Gothenburg, officially opened on 21 May is a major step forward in the retail development of WS We Sports Group AB's Bike & Mobility division.

Visitors to Eurobike will miss some industry events which have become a fixed part of the trade show's agenda this year. The official industry body, European Cycling Industries (ECI) has dropped all of its presence at Eurobike. "Unlike previous years, we are not organising events like the leadership breakfast or participating in panels," confirmed ECI CEO Paul Walsh to Bike Europe.

From pre-IPO acquirers to non-traditional investors and aftermarket economics, the next opportunity for bike startups may sit outside traditional cycling. After the capital reset, the cycling industry has been asking: when will investors come back? But maybe that is the wrong question.

Kona Bicycles has appointed Charles Russell as president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective June 1, 2026. The transition reflects a long-term investment in Kona 3.0 and the brand's future. Russell succeeds co-founder Jake Heilbron, who previously served as president and CEO, as part of a planned leadership transition focused on long-term continuity and investment in the company's future.

The bicycle industry is eagerly seeking new opportunities to regain control of the supply chain after major disruptions during the pandemic. Production relocations and new component suppliers could be part of the solutions. It also opened the market to new brands and companies that are not weighed down by their history. The recent shift of the industry's attention from the once-leading trade events Eurobike and Taipei Cycle Show to China Cycle makes it clear that the global network of manufacturers, brands, assemblers, and distributors of bicycle parts is changing drastically.