TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's bicycle industry had hoped for better times on the eve of the opening its annual leading event, the Taipei International Cycle Show. The support for the show with 950 exhibitors is big, but can't mask the difficulties faced by the industry.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Early in 2023, the Czech market already reported full warehouses and uncertain sales conditions. This pattern continued throughout the year with e-bike sales suffering a 15% drop compared to the previous year. Production in the country also fell as neighbouring countries capitalised on shortcomings in the labour market.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - Operating a production facility in Taiwan and Vietnam, plus service centers in Italy and the United States, Glory Wheel (GW) has established a firm position in the market as component manufacturer. Founder and CEO Charles Lee has planned an IPO in 2025 depending on the market conditions.

HAARLEM, the Netherlands - In times of excess stock or supply shortages, Blomson international has been in the market for many years to either provide the necessary floating capital or missing components. An online marketplace is now available for the industry to source those missing components to finish bicycle assembly.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - The extent to which companies in the Taiwanese bicycle industry have adopted sustainable practices into their manufacturing varies greatly. Jeff Chen, general manager of Joy Group, told Bike Europe that this is one of the reasons why his company decided to take on the challenge of the Bicycle Alliance for Sustainability (BAS): "This project is to the benefit of the whole industry."

As the cycling industry gathers in Taipei for the much-anticipated Taipei Cycle 2024, the Norwegian company is bringing updated models of the rubber-free tyres launched at Eurobike 23.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - In 2022 and 2023, the Marwi Group embarked on a journey towards environmental sustainability. "We are ambitious," says Marwi Group CEO Coco Pai to Bike Europe during a recent visit. In the past year, the component manufacturer made big steps forward in digitisation and smart manufacturing. ESG is the next challenge.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - In 2013 Hyena Inc. started the e bike system development from the core motor controlling and driving technology. "Subsequently we extended our expertise to the whole system and software design," explains Hyena founder and CEO Charlie Chuang.

ZEIST, the Netherlands - "The market is returning back to a normal situation of pre-2020." This is a much heard comment on the current disruption of the market. The European e-bike import statistics show the market is currently in a free fall downwards, indicating that its worse than "going back to normal."

TAIPEI, Taiwan - "Hard times are also a good time to prepare exciting future products and tech from across the industry," Robert Wu, Chairman of the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) told Bike Europe last September. With this message of hope the island nation is hoping for better times as a premium supplier for the bicycle industry. The Taipei International Cycle Show is always a good moment to update the market situation, but this year 'Taipei' prepares the business to become a 'better' industry and put its focus on sustainability and other ESG topics.

AMERSFOORT, the Netherlands - Babboe has announced the inevitable recall of its cargo bikes after receipt of numerous reports of frame breakage as reported last week. For now, it regards the City, City E, Mini and Mini E models only. Whether all other Babboe cargobikes will follow in this recall is not clear yet. "We are currently consulting with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) on taking further steps."

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Registration has opened for the WBIA Sustainable Supply Chain Principles Event at the Taipei Cycle Show. Being held on 6 March, the event will bring together WBIA members, companies, and other stakeholders in the bicycle industry.

丹麥，哥本哈根（COPENHAGEN）－丹麥自行車市場的銷售趨勢一直以來都較其他歐洲國家不同，不過若參考丹麥自行車經銷商及行業組織Danske Cykelhandlere發佈的2023年1至11月數據，我們可從中推測出其他歐洲國家的銷售表現。

英國，倫敦（LONDON）－在其他歐洲市場，高價單品銷售可能足以彌補銷量減少的損失，但在英國市場情況不一定如此。該國市場在後疫時期銷量衰退，2022年總市值減少18%，2023年更進一步減少6%。此外，最新資料證實，英國市場去年「常規自行車銷量為本世紀最糟」。

日本，大阪（OSAKA）－市場庫存過高加劇對自行車和零件製造商在去年Q4表現的影響。Shimano甚至報告營收年減24.6%，淨利年減52.3%。該公司對2024年做出的預測數字也不樂觀。

台北國際自行車展一直都是一個觀察評估市場狀況的好時機，今年台北展做足準備欲讓自行車行業更上層樓，並將焦點放在永續性及其他ESG（環境保護、社會責任、公司治理）主題。除目前市場趨勢之外，本期Bike Europe英文電子雜誌亦探討幾間已開始在生產製程落實ESG解決方案的台灣企業，以應對行業未來。

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - The Dutch market saw a slight decrease of 6% from 833,366 units in 2022 to 804,101 units last year. Thanks to a higher average retail price the revenue was down only 3.7% from 2022 to €1.4 billion in 2023. According to Huub Lamers, chairman of the section bicycles at the industry organization RAI and COO at Pon.Bike, "in times of supply chain constraints, we lack the availability of high quality data. The information we share today is based on sell out data, but we only have estimates on the number of bicycles and e-bikes in the pipeline."

ELCHE, Spain - The 12,000 square meter company headquarters of MTB brand Mondraker is an eye-catcher itself: the round shape inspired by a wheel is intended to reflect the brand image of the premium brand. In Elche in the province of Alicante, administration, R&D, engineering & design as well as production and assembly are all under one roof.