HO CHI-MINH CITY, Vietnam - For frame manufacturer Astro Engineering Co. Ltd. Vietnam was already in 2000 the best possible location for low cost production outside Taiwan.

TOKYO, Japan - Last year's Market Report Japan reported on the already for years ongoing drops in sales of regular bicycles. The only good news was the Made in Japan e-bikes as their 2017 sales increased in numbers as well as in value.

A small but significant growth showed the 2017 import of conventional bikes into the EU 28 member states from countries outside Europe. Was this a first sign of a rising demand for regular bicycles? Import figures for the first nine months of 2018 do not show continued increases. However, neither are big

BERLIN, Germany - The German draft standard for cargo bikes DIN 79010 has been published for public review. At this point, it is only available in German. The deadline for free of charge review and comment is 1 April 2019.

DOETINCHEM, The Netherlands - Last October Key Account Manager, Lucas van 't Hof left Bike Europe to pursue new challenges. His successor has now been appointed. He is familiar to lots of operators in the bike business as our new sales manager is Eelco Hermans.

瑞士，Gams－在破產公司BionX Canada Inc.的接管人於去年十月出售該公司資產後，Go SwissDrive即將謝幕，該第二大的電動自行車驅動系統製造商將在約莫三個月內停止經營所有業務。在電動自行車市場奮鬥八年後，該公司因擁有集團Ortlinghaus Group而遭到清算。直得一提的是，BionX和Go SwissDrive都是後輪花轂馬達的製造商。

德國，柏林（Berlin）－Signa Sports United為歐洲領先的運動類電商平台之一，其與日本的Aeon Co.及泰國的Central Group進行策略合作，將業務拓展至亞洲。Signa表示這兩家公司為亞洲最大的網路零售企業。

德國，羅伊特林根（Reutlingen）－電動自行車產業在過去一年來展現前所未有的成長幅度。新冠疫情成了最佳催化劑，讓自行車成為重要的政治議題。不過明年的商品供應又會受到什麼樣的影響？Bosch eBike Systems執行長Claus Fleischer表示：「2021的各個層面都有諸多變數。」

SOFIA, Bulgaria - The initial decline in production at the start of the pandemic followed by a huge demand, disrupted the Bulgarian industry. A quick response to the rapidly changing situation benefited most of the Bulgarian manufacturers.

MACHECOUL, France - For Manufacture Française du Cycle (MFC) 2020 was a year full of twists and turns. The pandemic eventually resulted in a hike in bicycle and e-bike demand in the last months. But despite the turmoil, MFC has invested in an ambitious expansion plan for the next 4 years.

芬蘭，雅各布斯塔德（Jakobstad）－因應需求增加、欲提高歐洲自行車零件的可得性，Herrmans Bike Components在芬蘭投資了兩座新廠。該公司也正在加強工作團隊來支援生產需求。

捷克，科普日夫尼采（Koprivnice）－捷克規模最大自行車製造商Bike Fun International的創辦人已與Consillium公司（億萬富翁Tomas Němec所擁有）達成協議，Consillium將取得BFI百分之百的股份。這筆10月1日完成的交易尚須經過反托拉斯法的審核（antitrust approval），預計將於今年底完成。

荷蘭，沃登堡（Woudenberg）－Cannondale是Cycling Sports Group旗下在歐洲推出環保自行車包裝的第一個品牌，他們的承諾之一就是要減少浪費並簡化自行車組裝程序。該包裝設計由Cycling Sports Group Europe研發，未來也將用於公司其他品牌並發行全球。

WICKEDE, Germany - Humpert has launched the second edition of it ergotec Safety Level System. Five years after its first introduction, the German component manufacturer updated this safety system and included cargo and gravel bike.

日本，大阪（Osaka）－Shimano集團2020年一到九月的財務報告清楚顯示國際自行車熱潮的影響。雖然該集團上半年銷售下滑二位數，他們前九個月的營業額已大幅回升。

RIMSTING, Germany - German bike-, sports- and streetwear supplier Maloja Clothing GmbH & Co. KG's has made a clear close-to-the-market statement by taking over the second half of Austrian apparel production holding, VioModa GmbH. Production facilities in Bulgaria are a major draw in the deal.

荷蘭，格林（Geleen）－荷蘭當地知識機構及企業所組成的聯盟在系塔格林的Brightlands Chemelot Campus中研發一款幾乎堅不可摧的創新電動自行車，該自行車的第一個原型被命名為100% Limburg Bike。

英國，雷迪奇（Redditch）－Halfords公佈過去20週交易表現的數據更新顯示，儘管來到暑假尾聲，自行車的相關銷售仍相當不錯。英國因為自行車越被視為一種「更安全的通勤方式」而推動了銷售增長。

比利時，布魯塞爾（Brussels）－現行適用自行車的ISO 4210安全標準原訂新增適用電動自行車的項次。ISO在9月1日正式發佈第十部，不過並非作為標準。新發佈的「技術規範」仍包含對電動輔助自行車（EPACs）的安全要求，不過非屬標準。

SAALFELD, Germany - The introduction of injection-molded frames by Velosione earlier this year opened the possibility to start recycling carbon frames. The issue of recycling carbon frames is high on the circular agenda to make the bicycle industry more sustainable.