HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - The recent announcement by Vietnam's government to drop COVID-19 restrictions including the opening of the borders for foreign visitors and lifting quarantine measures is expected to have a big impact on the bicycle industry.

MONTEREY, US - Sea Otter Classic is now the most attended outdoor festival, consumer show, racing venue and all around cycling celebration event in the US. This year, with the extensive market growth and expansion of e-bike offerings, there were more new companies at Sea Otter than ever before. The growing presence of international brands entering the US market did also not go unnoticed.

SUZHOU, China - At a total investment of RMB 5 billion (€725 mln), Phylion has signed an agreement for the building of a 16GWh Power Battery Project in Yancheng in the Jiangsu province. The entire production line will adopt the most advanced production equipment.

ZEIST, The Netherlands - The April edition of Bike Europe magazine (issue 2/2022) is now available to read online in our digital magazine section. Read about the French governments' plans to redevelop the bicycle industry and how Taiwan's industry is facing post-pandemic challenges.

德國，慕尼黑（MUNICH）－Fazua推全新馬達擴大產品系列，目標在重量、集成度和直覺操作上樹立新標竿。Fazua Ride 60驅動系統總重4.26公斤、扭矩60Nm，將在今年上市。

西班牙，馬德里（MADRID）－去年銷售紀錄應證了2020年電動自行車大熱門並非偶然。根據自行車產業機構AMBE發佈的最新數據，去年電動自行車銷量增加5.3%。

台灣，台中－Giant靠近上海、位於昆山的四座工廠因為疫情封城限制而暫時關閉，讓該大廠陷入難題。Giant Group董事長杜綉珍於本月接受Bloomberg採訪時表示：「情況很糟。」她不期待現狀能在短期內改善。

美國，加州（CALIFORNIA）－BMX自行車和零件供應商Haro Bicycle Corporation正擴大版圖，加強全球代理商和分銷網絡。包含歐洲據點，還有新設於台灣的供應鏈集團，並對內公告支持產品開發。

MUNICH, Germany - Fazua has expanded its product range with a new drive unit that aims to set a new benchmark with respect to weight, integration and intuitive operation. The Fazua Ride 60 drive system, with a maximum total weight of 4.26 kg giving 60 Nm torque, will be specified on e-bikes entering the market this year.

WARWICK, England - Indian two-wheeler and utility vehicle manufacturer TVS Motor Company Limited has acquired a majority stake in the British e-bike supplier EBCO Ltd. The £1.16 million (€1.39 million) deal also has a direct impact on German Iko Sportartikel Handels GmbH and its Corratec bicyle and e-bike brand.

MADRID, Spain - The hike in e-bike sales in 2020 was not a one-off as last year's sales record shows. According to the latest statistics published by the national bicycle industry organisation AMBE, e-bike sales volume increased by 5.3% in 2021.

In the music world, a contract for live concerts typically has an appendix, also known as a 'rider', that includes all kinds of very detailed technical and practical rules and demands of a band. Some bands are known for adding insane or absurd requests to a rider - rock band Van Halen was one of them. Their wish list included "M&M's (WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES!)". Their contract further stipulated the following: "There will be no brown M&M's in the backstage area, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation".

For the last two years, LEADER 96, one of the largest e-bike manufacturers in Eastern Europe, has experienced three-digit percentage growth and decided to make the best of it. In 2021 they initiated a rebranding and the result of it can be seen in the corporate outlook, products, and attitude that can be best characterised as Quality First.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - The temporary closure of Giant's four factories in Kunshan, close to Shanghai, due to the local lockdown restrictions is giving the company a hard time. "It is a hell of job," said Giant Group Chairperson Bonnie Tu in an interview with Bloomberg last Tuesday. And she doesn't expect the situation to improve on the short term.

NUREMBERG, Germany - Tao Wang holds the dual role of managing director of SFM Bikes GmbH and CEO of Zweirad Union eMobility GmbH, which took over German bicycle manufacturer Sachsenring Bike Manufaktur last year. Bike Europe spoke to her to find out about the new production synergies.

FRANKFURT, Germany - Urban mobility centered around bikes is one of the topics which the new Eurobike in Frankfurt is focusing on. The trade show found a new partner in the shared mobility provider Deutsche Bahn Connect, a subsidiary of the German railways. The 30th Eurobike takes place from 13 to 17 July 2022.

YPRES, Belgium - Cycling industry entrepreneur Filip Carpentier passed away last Sunday. At the age of 47 Filip already held a long track record in the bicycle industry as a distributor as well as wholesaler. In 2015 he acquired the Belgium bicycle factory Minerva.

In this edition: - French government to re-develop bicycle industry - Accell Group sales rise despite disruptions - German market shows no sign of turning - Dutch e-bike and bicycle market shrinks 15.9%