Giant Group has started 2026 with a significantly weaker January performance than previous years, posting a sharp decline in revenue of 21.6% for the first month of the year. The Taiwanese company's downturn comes following a year in which Giant dominated the headlines — and not always for good reasons.

The Indian bicycle industry seems upbeat with the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union and the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States. Both are regarded as key emerging markets for bicycle exporters, as observed at the recently concluded Ride India Expo 2026 held at the Ludhiana Exhibition Centre in India.

Accell Group announced the next milestone in its transformation, with new funding and a substantial debt reduction. Under an agreement announced today with its key stakeholders, Accell Group will receive additional funding in exchange for shares. The existing majority shareholders transferred control of Accell Group to a new corporate structure.

As part of a share deal with Asian Tri Star Inc. (Tri Star Group) on 12 February, the lifting of the insolvency proceedings paved the road for a restart of the more than 100-year-old traditional company, Sprick. It has been a long and tough ride for the responsible insolvency administrator, Axel Geese from Streitbörger PartgmbB. Since the traditional German bicycle producer Sprick Rowery (aka Sprick Cycle) filed for insolvency at the end of 2024, Geese has been searching for someone to revive the long-established bicycle manufacturer.

The total market value in the Netherlands surged by more than 60% in the past 10 years, driven by the rising average retail prices for e-bikes. In 2025, combined bicycle and e-bike sales totalled at €1.533 billion, a 1.3% decline from 2024. Market growth over the past years has masked declining sales volumes. In 2025, the market experienced a further 7% decline in units. At the same time, the average price increase of e-bikes and bicycles combined exceeded the rate of inflation more than twice. To what extent will consumers continue to pay the ever-increasing prices?

A once-royally endorsed kids' bike manufacturer has fallen on hard times, according to a recent filing from the United Kingdom brand Frog Bikes. The company has officially started an insolvency process, a move the founders hope will keep the company afloat while seeking new funding.

Robust sales for Shimano Inc. in Europe compensated for weak demand in North America and Asia in 2025. Similarly to its 2024 results, differences across markets were again significant. Despite challenging market conditions, strong sales in Europe were unable to prevent a major decline in operating income overall. The medium-term trend shows Shimano's revenue is well above pre-covid level, but the operating income and net income to the owners are both substantially lower. Shimano is the first to publish its financial results but not many will present such stable figures.

Donkey Republic's latest financing round demonstrates that investors have not lost interest in bicycles and cycling more broadly. Private equity and other investors turned away from the bicycle industry after the troubles at Accell Group, Rad Power, VanMoof, Scott Sports and many others. Donkey Republic proves the opposite. They initially set out to raise DKK 15-30 million (€2-4 million), but due to strong interest, the transaction was over-subscribed and the amount raised was upsized to DKK 75 million (€10 million).

Kron Bicycle has completed the acquisition of Nishiki bicycle brand from Accell Group, marking a shift in ownership for the well-known Northern European bicycle brand with Japanese roots. Accell Group, rumoured to be going through a second debt restructuring, has shed multiple subsidiaries this month in an effort to generate liquidity.

Sushi Mobility GmbH, the once-bankrupt e-bike start-up, has been rescued from insolvency. With its latest investment, Wealth Collect Holding GmbH (WCH) hopes to breathe new life into Sushi Mobility, which slipped into insolvency on 14 November 2025. No details of the purchase price have been disclosed.

The announcement that Austrian Spar sold its domestic sporting goods chain Hervis, including all 134 existing stores in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Bavaria, marks a major shift in bicycle retail for Central Europe. The agreement, concluded this week, includes the transition of all employees. This move comes after the Austrian sporting goods retailer, which also sells a range of bicycle products, announced a "restructuring offensive."

American e-bike company Rad Power Bikes seems to have ended its unlucky streak this week, securing a buyer to take over the company following its bankruptcy announcement in late December. Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (Life EV) has committed to purchasing the company, including its inventory, intellectual property, software, furniture and more, for $13.2 million (€11 million), according to media reports.

The micro-mobility investment fund Fundracer announced an undisclosed investment in Belgian startup Aerobag, which is pioneering ultra-lightweight, compact airbag technology designed specifically for cyclists. Aerobag set out with a clear and ambitious mission: to adapt proven airbag technology from the automotive industry into a form factor that works for cycling.

Decathlon Pulse, the investment arm of the French retail giant Decathlon, is increasing its investment in existing strategic partner, Rebike Mobility GmbH. By expanding the partnership to become a majority stakeholder, the companies have reaffirmed their long-term commitment to "promoting the circular economy in the bicycle industry and supporting the professionalisation of the European secondary market for e-bikes."

The influx of new concepts and ideas in the rapidly expanding bicycle and e-bike industry leads to market entry by less experienced company founders. "They don't have the business expertise, don't know business fundamentals when it comes to the legal set-up of an entity, marketing and pricing, let alone funding," said Zoe Rose Maddox of the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator. "We target the group that is ready to scale and fine-tune their operation."

The topic of cooperation between Eurobike and the German industry bodies ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad is back on the table again. At the fringe of the European Cycling Industries (ECI) launch reception in Brussels this week, the new CEO of Fairnamic, ZIV, and Zukunft Fahrrad discussed a relaunch of Eurobike in 2027 and the potential cooperation with the German associations and the ECI, as well as the role of Eurobike in 2026. This was reported by Eurobike.

Japanese component manufacturer, Shimano, has decided to shift its tradeshow focus and withdraw from Eurobike starting in 2026. "This decision reflects our focus on creating direct, meaningful engagement with our partners, customers, and riders," the company writes in a statement.

Belgium in January was the place to be this winter, and not just for the Benelux bicycle industry, but for the global market. Velofollies , beyond capitalising on the Eurobike implosion, is centred in a growing, mature market for both performance and mobility cycling. Although market data will not start trickling in across Europe for a couple of months, figures presented during Velofollies show that Belgium is starting the year on the back of a 7.7% increase in sales volume in 2025. With sales back in the plus and renewed optimism in the local market, it was almost impossible for Velofollies not to deliver this year.

The next major leap for e-bikes won't come from motors or frames alone, but from smart technologies already well established in adjacent industries. That became clear last week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where AI and automotive platforms dominated and robots roamed the aisles. Yet beneath that familiar surface, the show carried a message that is of profound importance to micromobility.

Long associated with self-balancing devices and shared micromobility, Segway is accelerating its move into the global e-bike market. Speaking at CES, which took place this month in Las Vegas, Nick Howe, head of e-bike worldwide at Segway, made it clear that the company's ambition goes well beyond launching new models. Segway wants to transplant proven automotive and powered two-wheeler technologies into cycling.

HEERENVEEN, The Netherlands - The final Batavus bicycles have rolled off the assembly line in the Netherlands, marking the end of an era for the Accell Group as it opts for centralised production in Hungary. It also marks the end of 45 years in the bicycle industry for Accell stalwart Menno Visser, who is now retiring. Having started at Batavus on the assembly line, he worked his way up to commercial director and spent the past years as a project manager at Accell. In an exclusive interview, he reflects on industry changes and his vision for the future.

FONZASO, Italy - Fashion in cycling apparel and bicycles has long taken a different path, if only because the life cycle and price range of both categories are far apart. Still, there are a lot of parallels, only because the audience is the same. How do both worlds interact, and how can they strengthen each other? Castelli product line manager, Andrew Montgomery, took a deep dive into Castelli's market approach and how the fashion world interacts with its brand strategy.

AMERSFOORT, the Netherlands - The new European Union guidelines on battery repairs will soon take effect, but whether the bicycle industry is sufficiently prepared remains to be seen. NOWOS founder Prins Doornekamp said he is surprised by the limited knowledge among both manufacturers and bicycle retailers.

Giant Group announced the passing of its beloved founder, King Liu, who passed away peacefully in the early hours of 16 February at the age of 93. In a statement published by Giant Group, the company says, "King Liu was not only our founder but also a leader who consistently guided the organisation forward while remaining attentive to those around him."

After what it called a "stabilisation process" under an ad-interim CEO, speed pedelec manufacturer, myStromer AG, will continue under the leadership of Marcel Korner, effective 1 May 2026. In the role of chief executive officer (CEO), Korner will also become a member of the myStromer AG Board of Directors.

VICENZA, Italy - A group of private strategic investors led by former Crankbrothers CEO Gaspare Licata has acquired a majority stake in Extreme Racing Shox (EXT), the Italian manufacturer of high-performance suspension systems for bicycle and motorsports applications. Under the new ownership structure, EXT plans to invest in new technologies and strengthen its distribution.

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.