Germany

FRANKFURT, Germany - Having been in the hands of Brockhaus Technologies AG for the last four years, Bikeleasing Service GmbH has been sold to the investment arm of French retail giant Decathlon. With this step, BLS is looking to create a strong basis for further growth as well as the targeted international expansion of its successful company bike leasing model. Having tripled revenues under Brockhaus ownership, the purchase agreement provides for an enterprise valuation of Bikeleasing of €525 million according to Brockhaus.

ZEIST, The Netherlands - It became apparent within the first few months of the year that 2025 would not be the turnaround year the bicycle industry needed. A muted Taipei Cycle show made clear that the supply chain was nowhere near back to being in full swing, and despite reasonable spring sales, the European market retracted again in the summer. Business-wise, there were reports of insolvencies, closures and redundancies. Knocks came from all sides: tariffs, human rights accusations, and very public non-alignment within the industry itself on several topics. However, pockets of innovation and newcomers managed to shine through, reminding the industry that its products are well-positioned for the long term. As the industry looks to realign and prepare for 'the fix in 2026', Bike Europe looks back at the articles that shaped 2025.

BAD HOMBURG, Germany - Existing minority shareholder, SKion GmbH has acquired "two significant business units" from the BMZ Group. BMZ Holding GmbH and BMZ Germany GmbH faced uncertainty when a sudden disruption in the customer base and subsequent legal proceedings led to an immediate financial challenge for the lithium-ion battery manufacturer. The acquisition is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.

MUNICH, Germany - Following the successful launch of the trade-in portal in e-bike refurbisher Rebike Mobility GmbH's own flagship stores in Frankfurt and Munich, the onboarding of other major IBDs is now beginning. While the nationwide rollout is in preparation, an international scaling is already in the pipeline.

The international bicycle trade fair Cyclingworld Europe continues to grow: in 2026, the newly created Urban Hub will add a second location right in the heart of Düsseldorf. Visitors can look forward to more space, more brands, and even more bicycle culture.

FRANKFURT, Germany - The dissatisfaction within the industry about the recent edition of Eurobike and the German industry association's decision to pull out, has prompted the show to change its leadership. Long-serving show manager Stefan Reisinger is making an exit, and will support the new management during a transitional phase. Will this change mark a turnaround from the industry organisations? "It makes sense that the Eurobike will be completely revised by 2027, and negotiations could begin at the beginning of next year, provided that the necessary conditions are met," confirms Burkhard Stork, managing director of ZIV.

NÜRTINGEN, Germany — Bosch eBike Systems has acquired Magura's 50% stake in Magura Bosch Parks & Services GmbH (MBPS), taking full control of one of Europe's largest bicycle and e-bike service and spare parts distributors. Formerly equal service partners since the launch of Bosch's e-bike brand, the partners have not made it clear what prompted the buyout.

MUNICH, Germany - Sushi Bikes caused a sensation in 2019 when it whizzed onto the market with a direct-to-consumer business model and cool e-city bikes at affordable retail prices from €1,000. The initial success has now faded away, and Sushi Bikes joins the line of German companies that could not make it to the end of 2025.

WEYARN, Germany - Fritzmeier Group has announced that after 14 years, both production and sales of its e-bike business M1 Sporttechnik will be discontinued on 30 April 2026.

HAUSEN, Germany - YT Industries GmbH filed for insolvency in September after its primary investor withdrew funding, a move that ultimately led to the shutdown of YT Industries USA. On Nov. 15, 2025, the newly founded Young Talent Industries GmbH rose out of the ashes and began operations at the Hausen headquarters, once again led by founder Markus Flossmann. But the insolvency also left significant invoices unpaid in Taiwan, and questions as to where the new company will manufacture remain unanswered.

KOBLENZ, Germany - The third quarter of 2025 remained challenging for Canyon. The company's financial performance reflects current market conditions. The overall industry is facing ongoing difficulties, characterised by oversupply and aggressive discounting. While Canyon is not immune to this trend, the company reports robust sales in road and gravel segments.

SCHRAMBERG, Germany - The expected weakness in the e-bike segment in the first nine months of 2025 resulted in a 42% drop in revenue at the e-bike component manufacturer. For hGears, even the positive development of e-tools and e-mobility could not offset the slowdown in the e-bike segment, which continued into the third quarter of this year.

FRANKFURT, Germany - The introduction of MobiFuture last June at Eurobike was rather subdued and came as a surprise to many. It caused a big stir in the industry, making Fairnamic announce today: "key market participants see the need for further clarification of Mobifuture's concept and direction, which is why it will not be presented as a standalone trade show format in 2026."

INNING, Germany - With a focus on European manufacturing from its base in Southern Germany, TQ is quietly building its profile in the e-bike industry. Counting on Trek as a leading partner through its initial engineering phase, the e-bike component manufacturer's products are now specified on 18 brands across several categories.

FRANKFURT, Germany - The dispute between Eurobike organiser Fairnamics and the German industry bodies ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad will have a long-lasting impact on the global bicycle industry. ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad laid down their vision in a 10-point plan submitted to Eurobike sometime in late July, which was initially published in German only. At the request of Bike Europe, the official document was translated by the industry bodies, as this discussion concerns the wider international industry.

FRANKFURT, Germany - The disruption in the international bicycle industry has also reached the trade show landscape. The Taichung Bike Week experienced its weakest edition in years this September. This was followed by last week's announcement that German industry bodies ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad will end their cooperation with Eurobike. For over three decades, Eurobike has been the premier global platform for the German industry to showcase itself to the world. What the future holds is still uncertain.

KARLSTEIN am MAIN, Germany - A sudden disruption in its customer base and subsequent legal proceedings instantly resulted in a financial challenge for the well-known lithium-ion battery manufacturer BMZ Deutschland GmbH. The company's branch, BMZ Deutschland GmbH, was forced to file for insolvency under its own administration at the local court in Aschaffenburg on 24 October.

ZEIST, the Netherlands - Bicycle rental systems and subscription-based models, like Swapfiets, represent a cycling mobility trend that opened the market for more existing and new cyclists. Until recently, only the number of bicycles out in the streets and the number of users were available. For the first time, the social and economic impact of the trend has also been quantified in two separate market studies by the consultancy Ernst & Young (EY) and the German industry organisation Zukunft Fahrrad.