Stock-listed e-commerce bicycle retailer Bike24 Holding AG has gotten off to a strong start in the new year. The Dresden-based company posted not only first-quarter double-digit growth, but also a significant improvement in adjusted EBITDA.

Sales at Taiwan's third largest bicycle manufacturer Ideal Bike Corporation, follow a similar trend as the country's two other main producers Giant and Merida. In January, sales suffered a sharp 53% year-on-year decline; in February, they saw a 17% decline, followed by another 31.4% decrease in March. Even though these three companies' sales continued to decline by double digits compared to January-March 2025, they appear to have shifted into the lowest gear.

In the early days of e-bikes, the race was simple: more torque, more watts, more bragging rights. But today, the real battleground is somewhere else entirely, efficiency, intelligence and rider safety.

Giant Group's financials continue to reflect the significant headwinds the industry is facing as the glut drags into a third year. The company reported Q1 2026 revenue of NT$12.52 billion (€336 million), down around 25% year-on-year, following steep monthly declines of more than 20% in January and 40% in February.

Taiwan is future-focused, that much was apparent to attendees of the Taipei Cycle Show 2026. But beneath the optimism, export declines and changing production chains show the nation's bicycle sector is in transition. Production value is increasingly generated beyond Taiwan's borders, as manufacturing shifts to neighbouring markets such as China, Vietnam and Europe through Taiwanese-led supply chains.

All indicators for the 2025 French market were negative. The total market volume decreased by 6%, while the revenue was down 4.8% year-on-year. The average retail price declined slightly, and the e-bike sales dropped 16%. This contraction comes amid a challenging economic environment but also reflects a more structural shift: the end of the post-Covid catch-up effect and the withdrawal of purchase incentives.