With sustainability at the core of 2024, many companies are moving towards using bikes for business. The low-cost accessible transport option has many benefits, but a bike chain can only withstand a few thousand kilometres before it needs to be replaced, which leaves companies with significant maintenance costs.

AMSTELVEEN, the Netherlands - The age group 25-34 made up a bigger portion of all e-bike customers in the Netherlands in 2023 compared with 2022. In Germany e-bikes enjoyed a growing popularity among women and one-person households. These are just two of the findings of the annual e-bike monitor by market research institute GfK.

KOPRIVNICE, Czech Republic - Bicycle manufacturer Bike Fun International (BFI) has appointed René Gasser as its new CEO. He will take over the position on 1 April, although he has been working for BFI since 2009.

荷蘭，海倫芬（HEERENVEEN）— Accell Group為應對財務挑戰，指派新任財務長 （CFO）Gijsbert van Zoeten，其重組管理團隊僅於內部溝通。

德國，柏林（BERLNI）— 德國去年的自行車產量和銷量之高，與2020年熱銷期不相上下。雖然消費者買氣不佳，但去年該國（電動）自行車綜合銷售額僅比2022年減少4%，降至70.6億歐元。

英國，沃金（Woking）— VanMoof去年夏季宣布破產後，在重啟之時勢必得大幅調整策略，不過VanMoof新東家McLaren Applied子公司Lavoie，並未給自己太多時間研究最佳可行的生意模式。除重新調整零售和服務策略之外，該公司也再次開啟零件供應鏈並開發新零件。

法國，安納西（ANNECY）— 法國零件製造商Mavic領導團隊出現一個新面孔，Alberto Morgando已與Jean-Michel Bourrelier共事至少五個月，他已於2月20日正式接手總經理一職。

HEERENVEEN, the Netherlands - The appointment of the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Gijsbert van Zoeten is Accell Group's next step in an attempt to counter the financial challenges. The reorganization of the board of management was only communicated internally.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - A huge increase in bicycle sales in China could not compensate for the weak demand of entry to mid-level products from both North America and Europe, reports Giant Group in its 2023 financial report. In this overview, the company reports an 16.4% decline in consolidated sales to TWD 76.95 billion (€ 2,23 billion).

WOKING, UK - The restart of VanMoof after the bankruptcy last summer had to come with a drastic change in strategy. VanMoof's new owner McLaren Applied subsidiary Lavoie, didn't give itself much time to study the best possible business model. Besides a revamped retail and service strategy, the company also restarted the supply chain of spare parts as well as the development of new components.

BERINGEN, Belgium - The Belgian Cycling Factory, owner of the brands Ridley and Eddy Merckx steps up its activity in the market with the appointment of industry veteran Eugene Fierkens. While Edward Vlutters returns back home. Fierkens will now take up the position of general manager strategy & business while Vlutters started as sales director in February.

BERLIN, Germany - Bicycle production and sales in Germany attained very high levels in 2023, comparable to the bicycle boom in 2020. Despite the generally negative consumer climate, sales value of bicycles and e-bikes combined in Germany only slightly decreased by 4% from €7.36 billion in 2022 to €7.06 billion last year.

ERKRATH, Germany - When e-bikes began to make a market entrance, global brand Giant determined that innovation in integrated in-house technologies would be the key to success. Since 2023 all R&D is carried out at the European headquarters in Lelystad, the Netherlands where a new development centre has been opened. Now, in-house service is an additional benefit to boost sales in saturated and fragmented European e-bike markets.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The leading topic for the Taiwan bicycle industry has become Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing. The industry joined forces in a coalition called the Bicycling Alliance for Sustainability (BAS). BAS representative and ESG Manager of Giant Group, Charlie Liu, explains the vision and strategy of this industry wide cooperation.

ANNECY, France - There is a new face at the helm of French component manufacturer Mavic. Having worked with Jean-Michel Bourrelier for more than five months, Alberto Morgando officially took over the position of managing director on 20 February.

台灣，台北－2024年台北國際自行車展備受矚目，可惜辜負眾望。台灣自行車零件製造商迫切期待訂單量增加，不過自行車品牌受到庫存影響而面臨龐大財務壓力。今年台北自行車展正如預期所料，無法為這些挑戰帶來緩解作用。

荷蘭，海倫芬（HEERENVEEN）－KKR旗下Accell Group的財務狀況變得更加艱鉅，一群貸方決定尋求顧問評估該公司在需求下降及營運困境中能有的選項。Accell同時面臨Babboe載貨自行車召回帶來的龐大開銷，海倫芬工廠也可能在同日面臨閉廠的命運。

英國，雷迪奇（REDDITCH）－Halfords Group於交易更新中宣布，其預測零售業務營收將同比大幅下降。該公司報告稱，其四大主要市場中（含自行車），有三個出現進一步顯著衰退。