The trustees overseeing the bankruptcy of the Dutch Accell entities today launched an international sales process for the group, inviting potential buyers to bid for the business as a whole or in part. A back-stop agreement with an interested party covering all of Accell's bike brands is intended to provide business continuity while the sales process takes place.

The Rebirth Group, owner of bicycle brands including Solex, Gitane, Peugeot Cycles, Cowboy and Angell, is pursuing an increasingly ambitious consolidation strategy in the European bicycle industry. At the same time, the French group is facing mounting financial and legal pressure, including eviction proceedings, unpaid debts and historically substantial losses.

A total of 422,000 e-bike units were imported into the European Union in the first six months of 2026, the latest Eurostat data shows. This is up 36% from the same period in 2025. Unlike last year, China now supplies the lion's share of these imports. Year to date, China accounts for 41% of e-bikes entering the EU.

German online retailer Bike24 has seen its group revenue increase by 20.1% to €96.1 million in Q2 2026, compared with €80.0 million in Q2 2025. Localised markets delivered a significantly above-average growth rate of 29.7%. The D2C retailer continues to expand its footprint across Europe with new localised online shops in Denmark, Slovenia and Ireland.

In June this year, Accell Group decided to integrate Sparta into Batavus as part of its One Accell strategy. The disappearance of the brand Sparta struck a chord with former leaders of the iconic Dutch bicycle brand. For Mark Kuper, who spent no fewer than 28 years at Accell and served for many years as Sparta's Commercial Director and public face, the decision is bittersweet. "When you see how much energy was invested in this brand, it's a devastating blow."

How Tenways, Fuji-Ta and the Accell deal are testing Asia's next role in cycling.