The slowdown in consumer spending and market uncertainty due to the geopolitical situation is starting to surface in the financial results in the e-bike and bicycle industry. Except for the Oceanian market, Shimano reports weak retail sales worldwide. As a result, net sales in bicycle and e-bike components in the first quarter of 2026 decreased 0.7% year-on-year to 87,361 million yen (€ 471 million) , and operating income decreased 46.3% to 7,792 million yen (€ 41.7 million)

Three years of declining business performance has not left the Taiwanese industry unscathed. After the sales peak in 2022, the industry waited for better days, citing excess inventory as the reason for the downturn. The Taipei Cycle Show 2026 made clear that many companies cannot wait any longer. "Nobody is able to wait any longer after three years of standstill," said Astro-Tech president Samuel Hu.

Riese & Müller, German premium e-bike manufacturer, has announced its withdrawal from the United States market, choosing to "reconcentrate its resources" on developing its European sales and dealer network. Despite the recent positive policy developments for the US bicycle industry, the overall volatility of the nation's import market appears to have claimed another victim.

After several challenging years for the bicycle industry, the Austrian industry and market proved remarkably stable in 2025. It went back to normal. In 2025, Austria's bicycle and sporting goods retail sector sold approximately 389,000 units.

Price dumping, retail distress, safety and cycling culture were frequently cited as key factors behind the current downturn in the Italian e-bike and bicycle market. But what is really holding back the Italian bicycle market? Massimo Panzeri, Atala CEO, former president of CONEBI and now a board member of European Cycling Industries, shared his shocking perspective with Bike Europe.

The Italian bicycle market closed 2025 in negative territory, confirming what now appears to be a structural downturn. Data released by Confindustria ANCMA and presented at Pirelli's advanced bike tyre manufacturing facility in Bollate near Milan, show total sales of 1.3 million units, down 4% year on year.