LOS ANGELES, US - "The bicycle industry can expect a gradual recovery with significant upside in the medium to long term, with 2026 and 2027 marking pivotal years for increased mergers and acquisitions and investment opportunities." This is the conclusion of a new report led by global investment bank Houlihan Lokey. In contrast to the current market conditions, the study indicates that another boom period for the industry is also possible before the end of the decade.

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands - Approximately 3,500 fatbikes have been seized by the Dutch authorities due to not meeting the legal requirements of an e-bike, but that of a moped. This requires a different type approval. Fatbikes, in some cases tampered with, have become immensely popular amongst younger riders in the Netherlands prompting calls for more law enforcement in the market.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - French sporting goods chain store retail giant Decathlon has announced that it will cease its business operations in Sweden at the end of this month. "The current global economic situation and its impact on our activities in Sweden have forced us to sadly make this difficult decision," a Decathlon spokesperson told Bike Europe.

BERLIN, Germany - Full-service mobility provider Cycle has acquired the Dutch delivery e-bike manufacturer, Ebike4Delivery. "This strategic acquisition strengthens our position as a provider of e-bike fleets for the delivery industry in Europe," writes Cycle in a statement. The transaction includes the staff, all e-bikes, and existing leasing contracts.

At Eurobike 2024, the ZF Group unveiled its new 48-Volt drive system for e-bikes for the first time. The 'ZF Bike Eco System' includes all drive components such as the e-motor, batteries, control units, app, and cloud connectivity. The core component is the ZF CentriX drive unit with a compact, 90 Nm mid-motor.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - A freezing order has been executed against an Italian company suspected of a major customs fraud involving the importation of e-bikes from China, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has announced. The company has been accused of evading more than €9.8 million in customs duties. This latest case raises questions about how complex it is to import e-bike components into the EU.

TOULOUSE, France - Due to the Olympic games in Paris, the Pro Days organiser, Département Beauté, had to find a new location for the 2024 edition. The company opted to hold the event in Toulouse from June 23 to 25 at the MEETT venue. Despite the shift, Pro Days managed to remain attractive for a growing number of international visitors.

CAMBRIDGE, UK - Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, Mercia Ventures, the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) and Green Angel Syndicate have invested £4 million (€3.4 million) in cargobike manufacturer and logistics provider Zedify. Since its foundation in 2015, Zedify has raised a total of £14.1 million (€11.9 million).

ANTWERP, Belgium - Drivetrain brand, Classified has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Dennis Weijers as chief commercial officer (CCO). Weijers joins Classified from Shimano Europe, where he served as director of marketing.

A&C Solutions and Higo have a shared history in the e-bike industry. Since 2008, A&C Solutions, a distributor of high-quality connectors, including Higo, has provided comprehensive and customizable solutions for e-mobility and industrial automation. Together, they have raised the standards of e-bike connectors.

比利時，泰森德洛（TESSENDERLO）－自從在2023年將倉儲及分銷外包給物流服務供應商Kühne+Nagel之後，Shimano Benelux便開始出現運輸問題。儘管Shimano未表示問題原因，有消息來源指出，兩廠之間的IT系統不匹配是造成問題的主因。

中國，蘇州－Okawa已開始準備於歐洲開設工廠。在本社近期拜訪Okawa Motor Technology Co. Ltd位中國的總部時，他們正在裝配第一條高度自動化的馬達組裝線。在完全啟用後，同樣一條產線將被運至葡萄牙。

德國，法蘭克福（FRANKFURT）－今年Eurobike會場上出現一個新面孔，那就是發表Avinox驅動系統的無人機製造商Da Jiang Innovations（DJI）。該款輕量、扭力105Nm的驅動系統在該公司於2023年推出的電動登山車品牌Amflow上首次亮相。想購入的人潮大排長龍，這是今年Eurobike最吸睛的其中一項創新產品。

台灣，彰化－去年自行車行業受到打擊，Merida Industry Co., Ltd.更是受到重創。該公司去年營收虧損超過四分之一，今年初的財務表現仍不理想。直到4月出現轉機，Merida突然再度出現明顯的成長數字。

FRANKFURT, Germany - With market challenges currently dominating business strategies, Eurobike was a good opportunity to gauge what product development is still continuing in the bicycle industry. Dutch bicycle designer Peter van der Veer was there to reflect on the latest trends in design and form. A key take-away was that e-bikes are no longer homogeneous and that the range per target group and use case is growing.

HASTINGS, UK - British bike brand, Whyte Bikes is undergoing a transformation in 2024. With a new CEO at the helm, and a new range of e-MTBs that are garnering awards, the brand is now expanding further into Europe. With a distribution partnership already in place in Germany, Eurobike marked the signing of an agreement with DSB, for launching the brands 2025 collection into the Italian market.

FRANKFURT, Germany - A newcomer on the scene at this year's Eurobike, was drone manufacturer DJI with the launch of its Avinox drive system. The lightweight, 105 Nm torque drive system was debuted on the company's 'incubator e-MTB brand' Amflow which was launched in 2023. With lengthy queues to test the product, it was one of the most eye-catching innovations at this year's Eurobike.

CHANGHUA, Taiwan - Merida Industry Co., Ltd. was particularly hit hard by the slump which hit the bicycle industry last year. In 2023 the manufacturer lost more than a quarter of its revenue. The financial performance at the start of 2024 was still not positive. The turnaround came in April, and Merida suddenly started to report strong growth figures again.