COLOGNE, Germany - Georg Honkomp's decision to step down as chairman of German ZEG, Europe's largest dealer cooperative, had a big impact on the whole organisation. But what else can be expected after he was on the board of directors for more than three decades? The Honkomp era is over as the new board announced a sweeping change of leadership in most of ZEG's subsidiaries.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Bringing together leading exhibitors from Indonesia, China, Singapore and Vietnam, this year's Asiabike Jakarta (ABJ) is set to accelerate the growth of the sustainable mobility industry with expanded exhibitions. The event is scheduled from 29 April to 4 May 2025, at JIExpo Kemayoran - a 12,000-square-foot expo space in the heart of the city.

Until recently, the world of bicycle locks was largely dominated by utilitarian designs that prioritized function over form. However, in the past decade, Leipzig-based manufacturer Texlock has been offering an alternative: a lightweight, flexible, stylish, and secure lock, crafted from high-tech fibers and steel.

SCHRAMBERG, Germany - hGears AG faced a challenging 2024 fiscal year as declining demand and high inventory levels weighed on revenue and earnings. Despite the negative effects of 2024's economic slowdown and excess inventory struggles, hGears AG remains confident that its new cost and structural measures are having a positive effect.

AMERSFOORT, Netherlands - Dutch battery repair specialist Nowos has raised €6 million in new equity funding to accelerate its pan-European growth and push lithium-ion battery repair as a main component to developing a circular economy. The round's lead investor is Paris- and Singapore-based venture capital fund Shift4Good, with participation from Fair Capital Impact Fund and Goeie Grutten Impact Fund. An additional €3 million in debt financing is still being secured.

REDDITCH, England - Contrary to the general trend in the British retail market, Halfords UK reports an increase in bicycle sales in its 28 March trading update. The company's focus on its range of premium mechanical bikes that have a price tag of more than £1,000, as announced last year, turned out for the best.

SEYMOUR, Indiana - From Shark Tank winners to full-on manufacturers, Guardian Bikes has come a long way since its inception in 2013. The American kids' bike brand, with its patented SureStop braking system, has announced the launch of its new bicycle frame manufacturing operation at its existing assembly plant location in Seymour, Indiana.

REICHSHOF, Germany - Schwalbe owner Ralf Bohle GmbH and Pyrum Innovations AG have concluded a framework agreement for the long-term purchase of Pyrum's recovered carbon black (rcb). The agreement covers the purchase of rcb at a fixed price for the next 10 years.

OTTOBRUNN, Germany - Porsche eBike Performance GmbH has brought two new leaders on board its management team to bolster the company's leadership body and shape the company's future. Denise Silva has been appointed as Director Product Definition and Thorsten Weppert as Director Corporate Quality.

SR Suntour has recently redesigned several of its manufacturing processes to enhance the precision of its suspension forks. "Our goal is to reduce friction, improve sensitivity, lower maintenance needs, extend service life, and offer a more refined suspension experience on the trail," says Fabio Sturaro, general manager at SR Suntour. Here's a closer look at what the company has been working on.

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands - Accell Group has officially announced Jonas Nilsson as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Formerly the Chief Operating Officer for the European manufacturer, Nilsson has been making the shift into the role since January, after Tjeerd Jegen announced he would step down and join the Supervisory Board as Chair.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Industry leaders dare to speak out on future developments more openly now the main hurdle of the inventory crisis has been overcome. Giant Group Chairman Young Liu spoke directly to Bike Europe about his plans for production in Europe and his focal points for his first year in this position.

Tektro offers OEM manufacturers a portfolio of innovative braking systems that meet the requirements of models ranging from entry-level to high-performance. The structured product line allows for targeted selection of suitable solutions for different mountain bike categories and applications. The latest innovation in the range is the top model EVO Pro, which opens up new possibilities for individual brake customization thanks to an innovative pressure point adjustment (PAD — Pad Activation Dial).

MILAN, Italy - After two years of double-digit declines, the Italian bicycle market seems to have stabilised. In 2024, over 1.3 million units were sold, marking a modest -0.7% decrease compared to the previous years. This positive signal comes from Italy's trade association, Confindustria ANCMA, which recently unveiled its market figures.

SEG Automotive, a leader in the automotive industry, supplies e-machines that power over 300 million vehicles globally. Building on its successful entry into the e-bike sector, the German company has partnered with the dynamic start-up Octagon to develop innovative system solutions. The first product of this collaboration is the evolution of the Kreutzer motor, a mid-engine system with automatic shifting that blends comfort and performance, designed for premium and performance-oriented e-bikes.

BARCELONA, Spain - "At Eurobike 2025 our Avinox system will be shown on a few select boutique brands," DJI Product Experience Director Ferdinand Wolf told Bike Europe this February. Among them are the Mith of the Spanish Unno Bikes an two models of Megano.

BERLIN, Germany - Several EU ministries already announced before the 2024 European elections, that regulations on vehicles would be revised, which also lead to changes in the existing e-bike regulations. It instantly raised concerns within the industry whether e-bikes will continue to be classified as bicycles. If not, the industry fears type approval and other restrictive regulations to be implemented for what is currently considered e-bikes.

美國，華盛頓特區（WASHINGTON DC）－美國川普政府近日宣布新的對等關稅政策，自行車產業供應鏈恐再受波及。依照提案，未來車架非美製的進口自行車都將面臨額外關稅。該國市場仰賴進口，此舉將推高進口商的成本，造成零售市場停滯，美國消費者購買新車的價格亦勢必水漲船高。