THE HAGUE, the Netherlands - The Dutch government is making very small steps with the implementation of a new legal framework for LEV's. This will include Dutch technical requirements for electric cargocycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W, for e-scooters and self-balancing vehicles with handlebars. For LEVA-EU the process is much too slow and frustrates the market and the industry organisation doubts the legality of the Dutch LEV framework.

ZURICH, Switzerland - Rising costs, the looming threat of larger recession, low consumer confidence and continuing operational challenges are set to create headwinds, according to sports and bicycle the industry executives. This is one of the key findings from the WFSGI (World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry) and McKinsey latest annual report.

DEVA, Romania - The announced insolvency of Prophete Group last December immediately raised questions about the impact on the Eurosport DHS SA operation in Romania. Prophete holds 47.5% of the Romanian company. Reason enough for Eurosport DHS CEO Tianqi Yang to issue an official statement on the current situation.

GROSSHELFENDORF, Germany -Fritzmeier Group, the parent company of niche carbon e-bike manufacturer M1 Sporttechnik GmbH, has fallen victim to a criminal cyber-attack. Production is currently operating in emergency mode. This follows a similar cyber-attack on the Prophete Group, which ultimately contributed to its insolvency.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - After two days of intense discussions, an international panel of experts in the field of bicycles and design have selected the winners of the Taipei Cycle d&i awards 2023 from almost 140 submissions. The winners will be crowned prior to Taipei Cycle 2023 on 21 March.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - The trendy Amsterdam based brand VanMoof has seen its turn-over hike since 2017. A strong global branding made it an attractive investment for private equity. But VanMoof has also experienced the back side of the current supply chain problems, just like many others in the industry.

KORTRIJK, Belgium - "Super", "Amazing", "Best event ever"; these were some of the comments from exhibitors at Velofollies last weekend. Signs of market disruptions, cash flow problems or inventory worries were far from centre stage at the main tradeshow for the Benelux which was returning following a 2-year absence. Could this outpouring of optimism be masking the real problems in the industry?

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - Cargoroo has raised a sum of ten million euros from investors to support the growth of its shared e-cargobike concept. Having established a presence in multiple Dutch cities as well as 2 cities in Belgium and Berlin, the new investment will be used to support launches in more European cities across Germany and a market entrance in France.

KLOSTERNEUBURG, Austria - The Hong Kong-based family-run trading and logistics company Jebson Group has stepped into Austrian kids and juvenile bicycle supplier Woom GmbH. The additional capital will be used for further expansion in existing and new markets.

In many countries, the e-bike and other light electric vehicles are gaining importance. At the same time, more and more types of micro-mobility are appearing. For brands, it is a challenge to develop the perfect vehicle for their target group or specific use case. A product market misfit can cause a brand to withdraw its newly launched product and dismiss it as a failed experiment, often an unnecessary loss of potential and value as it can be prevented with proper research and design.

BERLIN, Germany - In addition to the regular market for e-bikes, the replacement market is becoming increasingly important in Germany. No less than 25% of consumers who intend to buy an e-bike already owns one. This is a significant increase compared to previous years.

MORGAN HILL, US - The announcement that US brand Specialized is saying goodbye to 8% of its global workforce, is a new sign that the bike industry has a turbulent few months ahead. European lay offs have been confirmed by the company, but no specific details are given.

ZEIST, the Netherlands - The e-bike industry has been affected by the dramatic supply chain crisis due to automotive chip shortages, largely caused by Covid-19 and other socio-economic factors. This has resulted in difficulty in sourcing smart BMS's with automotive components at reasonable prices.

KARLSTEIN AM MAIN, Germany - The international battery industry will meet again at the Battery Experts Forum in 2023. This year the event will take place from 7-9 November in Darmstadt, Germany the organisers BMZ have announced. After coinciding with Eurobike in Frankfurt in 2022, the 18th edition of the event returns as a stand-alone 3-day event.

美國，拉斯維加斯（LAS VEGAS）－經過疫情之後，美國消費電子展（CES）在疫情之後於今年重磅回歸。該展於1月5日至8日舉辦，吸引超過115,000參觀者和3,000間參展商。今年主辦單位Consumer Technology Association重點仍放在越來越多汽車製造廠重視的電動移動載具，不過也有眾多電動自行車品牌。今年熱門話題是車聯網（V2X）技術，持續成為多家企業的關注焦點。

英國，雷迪奇（REDDITCH）－英國自行車零售商Halfords於最新財務報告中表示，自行車銷售已跌至疫前水平。儘管其聲明「整體收益表現優於市場」，但自行車部門截至目前已同比下滑兩成。

德國，慕尼黑（MUNICH）－2022年對金融市場造成巨大影響，對股市來說去年是充滿災難的一年。疫情尚未結束，普丁便發起對烏克蘭的戰爭。這場戰爭中斷了全球能源和食品市場，也造成歐洲高通膨。這對（電動）自行車產業股市又帶來什麼影響？

台灣，彰化／台中－2023年還未過年，台灣第二和第三大自行車製造商Merida Industry Co.和Ideal Bike Corporation雙雙宣佈高階管理層的重大人事變動。