Despite Financial Crisis; Bike Business as Usual
MAARSSEN, The Netherlands - Despite the fact that stock markets all over the world have been hit hard and almost all financial institutions are in ...

MAARSSEN, The Netherlands - Despite the fact that stock markets all over the world have been hit hard and almost all financial institutions are in ...

Formula Oro K24

BAD SODEN, Germany - The opening of the Eurobike started with the positive news that the German bicycle market, still the largest in Europe, is in a ...

SASSENAGE, France - The troubled retail chain Go Sport Group from France saw its profits deteriorate further during the fist six months of 2008. ...

HEERENVEEN, the Netherlands - Ten years after the introduction of the company on Euronext Amsterdam, Accell Group N.V. is to be included in the ...

MONTREAL, Canada - Dorel Industries, parent company of Pacific Cycle and Cannondale, has acquired PTI Sports. The purchase is in line with Dorels ...

KORTRIJK, Belgium - Is Belgium the 'most promising market' amidst the other European markets where companies are struggling with financial burdens and slow demand? "2024 has not been a crisis year for the bicycle industry," said Frank Glorieux, secretary general of the Belgium industry association Traxio-Velo at the presentation of the 2024 market statistics.

As I wrote in one of my earlier blogs, the upcoming General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is food for many more blogs to come. It contains many provisions that go far beyond the current EU General Product Safety Directive (GPSD). In this blog, I would like to draw attention to a new obligation that is introduced in the GPSR: accident reporting.

In France, a law on product labelling recently entered into force, which is causing quite a stir. The law may have major consequences for companies selling consumer products in France, including bicycles. An informal 'round the table' with various sources suggests, however, that this new French law is not known yet to everyone in the bicycle industry. So, what is it about?

In the music world, a contract for live concerts typically has an appendix, also known as a 'rider', that includes all kinds of very detailed technical and practical rules and demands of a band. Some bands are known for adding insane or absurd requests to a rider - rock band Van Halen was one of them. Their wish list included "M&M's (WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES!)". Their contract further stipulated the following: "There will be no brown M&M's in the backstage area, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation".

Your service operator would take care of all your cycling needs locally and, if chosen, abroad. All you would have to do is pay a monthly subscription rate and commit to a 1-3 year contract.

ROTORUA, New Zealand - "The digitalisation of the bicycle industry requires clear and uniform data structures," says Lars Röttger, managing director of Bidex GmbH. That's the reasoning behind Bidex's recently announced partnership with New Zealand company Bike Matrix, according to the company's press release.

BINH DUONG, Vietnam - In the last decade, few Southeast Asian countries have seen manufacturing growth in the cycling industry the way that Vietnam has. Bolstered by favourable foreign policy and a booming national economy, Vietnam's bicycle manufacturing sector is experiencing a growth spurt — but how sustainable this is in the midst of a shifting market, only time will tell.

MÜHLTAL, Germany - The precarity of the United States market and ongoing tariff uncertainty has taken a toll once again, as Riese & Müller announced this week it will pause all US shipments and re-evaluate following the latest 50% steel tariffs, "and their implications."

WASHINGTON D.C., United States - United States President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order this week extending the current pause on high US tariffs for Chinese goods and clarifying trade agreements made with the European Union.

SEYMOUR, Indiana - From Shark Tank winners to full-on manufacturers, Guardian Bikes has come a long way since its inception in 2013. The American kids' bike brand, with its patented SureStop braking system, has announced the launch of its new bicycle frame manufacturing operation at its existing assembly plant location in Seymour, Indiana.

VALAIS, Switzerland - "We want to disrupt." That is the clear goal of the new project by ex-Stromer co-CEO Tomi Viiala. Joining forces with an elite set of partners, he is launching a new brand, Viiala, to push the current boundaries of innovation within the bicycle industry. The e-bike and speed-pedelec range hitting the market in 2028 will have a price tag to match its space-based technology and watch-industry backing. Is the bicycle industry ready for a giant leap?

VILLORBA, Italy - Cicli Pinarello is opening a new subsidiary in Shanghai to directly manage its operations in the growing Chinese market. Pinarello China Ltd will be the group's fifth directly managed subsidiary, joining existing operations in the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and South Africa.

LYON, France - Folding e-bike manufacturer Eovolt has its sights set on being more than just that. To support further internationalisation and entry into other non-electric categories, the French manufacturer is rebranding to UTO. "It is a new name to symbolise the brand we have become over the years," CEO Baptiste Fullen told Bike Europe during Eurobike.

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands - Shimano Europe has launched Nextgen Mechanics, a new call for evidence aimed at tackling the growing shortage of skilled bicycle mechanics across Europe. The collaborative initiative with Cycling Industries Europe aims to bring in a broad alliance of stakeholders committed to strengthening the profession, raising standards, and inspiring the next generation of cycle mechanics.