The first half of 2026 continued to be plagued by global crises and geopolitical tensions. Despite ongoing economic and political turmoil, global stock markets managed to rally after some back-and-forth. AI, energy and healthcare were the main drivers of global stock markets from January to June, as bicycle-related stocks were unable to keep pace. Find out here why.

The Canyon booth at Eurobike was impossible to miss this year. In the middle of Hall 11, the German D2C brand put up one of the nicest booths at the show, claiming a centre stage position at the event. "We want to showcase our team effort since I assumed operational responsibilities as executive chairman in September 2025," said Canyon founder, Roman Arnold.

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?

The Russian bicycle sector could face a serious decline in the second half of the current year as the ever-deepening fuel crisis in the country creates serious logistics problems, resulting in insufficient bicycle supplies to the domestic market. Despite facing "unprecedented" challenges, investments from China continue to support fledgling local brands.

A new owner for the Accell Group is one step closer today. The German anti-trust authorities have cleared plans by the Singapore-based investment company, DuTech Group, to take over the Dutch bicycle manufacturer. Accell reports that it is "very happy and positive" about the developments.

The French market has yet to find cause for optimism. In that context, the financial struggles at the O2Feel brand are no surprise. The northern France-based e-bike brand and assembler has been forced to apply for insolvency in self-administration.