Sea Otter Classic 2026 caught the e-bike vibe that Europe experienced some years ago. The United States had always lagged in this market, but at the Sea Otter Classic this weekend, it looks like the US market has finally awoken and stepped on board with all things electric.
To leverage access to key investors, industry mentors, and strategic partnerships with leading brands, the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator (AGCA) has selected 10 companies for its 2026 cohort. The program is designed to help tech-enabled companies in the cycling industry explore business opportunities in the United States and Arkansas.
There are products in the bicycle industry whose quality is widely respected and well known among insiders, even if their name rarely appears in the spotlight. THUN is a prime example of this. But that is about to change.
Navee, best known in European and US markets for its premium e-scooters, has taken a significant step into the European e-bike market. An official launch event on 1 April in Munich, Germany, marked the Chinese mobility brand's "pedalling" debut in Europe, where it aims to compete, for the most part, in the mid-price segment with its speed-pedelec, e-bike and cargobike solutions. Bike Europe spoke to the company at the Taipei Cycle Show to find out more.
Ask ten people in a bike brand how profitable their assortment is, and you will get ten different answers. Ask the product manager and she will point to margin per unit. Ask the supply chain lead and he will talk about complexity cost. Ask the retailer, and the conversation shifts entirely to sell-through and floor turns. Everyone is right. Everyone is also looking at a different piece of the value chain. And because no one has agreed on a shared picture, the product line keeps growing — SKU by SKU, season by season — until it takes an AI chatbot to explain the difference between two models to a confused customer at home.
The United States Supreme Court decision to strike down US President Donald Trump's tariffs, followed by his swift executive order to implement new 10% tariffs, has thrown the global bicycle industry into disarray. In the wake of this political jockeying for control over imports and the billions of dollars they represent, European Union bike importers now face a complicated legal process to recover what they lost to the now-defunct IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) tariffs.
Following well-documented financial struggles over the last few years, Accell today has stated that the last debt reduction has further stabilised the company, "while additional funding enabled Accell to accelerate the execution of the final steps of its transformation." As it prepares for this season with a sharpened portfolio of new models and a significantly leaner build after divesting non-core brands, is the once mighty Accell Group now out of the woods?
The announcement earlier this year that Shimano would not exhibit was regarded as a decisive moment for the future of Eurobike. According to the Japanese component manufacturer, "the industry continues to evolve, and we are prioritising our customer- and consumer-focused events." Two and a half months later, the show reality has changed again and Shimano's European representation announced its presence in Frankfurt this June.
The growing complexity of the e-bike and bicycle landscape, across business, legal and mobility, requires industry alignment from time to time. Europe is left with some small-scale or national gatherings since the German industry association ZIV pulled out of Eurobike. The United States industry organisation PeopleForBikes developed the Bicycle Leadership Conference as the country's foremost education and networking event for the sector. Can this format be adapted for the European market?
The way power moves through a bicycle is changing. Higher torque, smarter integration, and riders demanding more from their drivetrains across every category are reshaping what the industry expects from its components. Gates has been anticipating this shift for years, and the conversation around belt drive has never been louder. The word "conversation" is intentional.
Europe's largest specialist bicycle retail association, Zweirad-Einkaufs-Genossenschaft (ZEG), appointed a new board member as part of its strategic realignment. The recently appointed Matthias van de Loo has assumed the role of chief financial & chief operating officer (CFO/COO). According to the dealer cooperative, "the strategic realignment is consistently pursued, with a focus on implementation and a future-oriented approach."
After several challenging years for the bicycle industry, the Austrian industry and market proved remarkably stable in 2025. It went back to normal. In 2025, Austria's bicycle and sporting goods retail sector sold approximately 389,000 units.
Taiwan exported fewer than 77,000 e-bike units in the first quarter of 2026. This marks a 15% year-on-year drop from 2025 and the lowest Q1 e-bike exports since 2018. This also signals that the world's bicycle manufacturer is still struggling to get a firm grip on the electrified bike market post-Covid. The export value of regular bicycles also continues to drop 17% in Q1, but little is heard about consolidations or bankruptcies in the Taiwanese bicycle industry. As the total export value dips under $10 billion for the last two consecutive quarters, could the value shift be taking place outside of Taiwan's borders?
Building on three decades of expertise and innovation, China Cycle has evolved into a pivotal hub shaping global trends in the two‑wheeler industry. This year's event will span 13 exhibition halls, presenting a full lineup of bicycles, components, and related technologies. Upgraded trade matching sessions and cross‑border procurement services will further provide exhibitors and global buyers with streamlined, high‑impact networking opportunities.
Price dumping, retail distress, safety and cycling culture were frequently cited as key factors behind the current downturn in the Italian e-bike and bicycle market. But what is really holding back the Italian bicycle market? Massimo Panzeri, Atala CEO, former president of CONEBI and now a board member of European Cycling Industries, shared his shocking perspective with Bike Europe.
At Eurobike 2025, Joycube showcased their semi-solid battery solution that combines solid-state benefits with practical production. Joycube R&D manager Olivia Huang explains how it is designed to meet the needs of both the Chinese and European e-bike markets.
When it comes to migrant workers in Taiwan, a core issue is how the country's domestic labour laws don't align with international standards, but measures are being taken to adjust this. "As an exporting nation, meeting international standards is our mission and our obligation," said Giant Group and Bicycle Alliance for Sustainability (BAS) Chairman Young Liu during his opening statement at the ESG Forum during Taipei Cycle Show.
The lack of verified data on cycling's role in the wider mobility sector is starting to weigh heavily on the industry. The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035) could be the next moment for the bicycle industry to claim a larger space within mobility. But what can the industry add to these meetings? No verified data is available on the role of cycling in mobility. The WBIA (World Bicycle Industry Alliance) meeting during the Taipei Cycle Show gave some clarifications.
As Europe continues to see widespread adoption of the bike-leasing model, the development of two new programs shows how the model is diversifying. The standardised bike-leasing format has taken over corporate offices, offering employees an alternative path to bike ownership with swanky new e-bikes for a reduced overall cost.
The Italian bicycle market closed 2025 in negative territory, confirming what now appears to be a structural downturn. Data released by Confindustria ANCMA and presented at Pirelli's advanced bike tyre manufacturing facility in Bollate near Milan, show total sales of 1.3 million units, down 4% year on year.
