Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how businesses handle data. AI tools can now map fields, convert formats, and identify inconsistencies. For many industries, including the bicycle industry, this raises an important question: if AI can manage, translate and interpret data automatically, do companies still need to invest in digitalisation and industry standards?
Patent protection sits at the intersection of market competitiveness and innovation in the bicycle industry. In global supply chains, intellectual property (IP) rights can determine who controls a technological advancement and who gets locked out of it. Companies interested in getting ahead are turning to patent protection for both hardware and, increasingly, software.
The China Cycle Show 2026 can count on more international interest than before. Driven by the sports market and the country's fifteenth five-year plan (2026-2030), local manufacturers have recognised the value of brand building, a trend quickly being adopted by other categories. The nation's shop window to the rest of the world showcases the progress of its bicycle industry.
Taiwan's bicycle industry signalled that it was entering a bold new era at this year's Taipei Cycle Show. Under the guidance of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Cycling & Health Tech Industry R&D Centre (CHC) unveiled a suite of R&D achievements, highlighting the strategic integration of Taiwan's bicycle manufacturing with advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT). A key feature was the Cycling Common Protocol Alliance (CCPA), launched to enhance system interoperability and strengthen collaboration across the bicycle and ICT industries.
The bicycle industry is entering a new phase of digital maturity. Connected e-bikes, rider apps and smart diagnostics are generating unprecedented volumes of user data, turning bikes into "a data collector on wheels." Bike Europe sat down with Paolo Balboni, an expert European lawyer specialised in privacy, data sharing and cybersecurity law, to better understand how companies can mitigate risk and stay compliant.
Bikefitting.com is going global with Norwegian BikeFolder, expanding the Shimano-backed digital bike-fitting platform well beyond its initial Nordic regional rollout in 2025. The partnership combines Bikefitting's technology with BikeFolder's "digital bike garage," completing the digital ecosystem for cyclists and retailers.
