ZEIST, The Netherlands - In late 2023, after a difficult year, industry insiders were looking hopefully towards the new year. However, predictions of inventory level recovery and stability in the market were pushed back at every contact moment during 2024; from Taipei Cycle at the beginning of the year, to Taichung Bike Week at the end. This 'hope' was abandoned in the second half of the year as insolvencies and closures began to dominate the headlines. As hopes now push forward to those that have 'survived to 2025', here, a perhaps unwelcome look back at 2024.

HARD, Austria - Business has not always gone smoothly at Austria's second largest bicycle manufacturer, Simplon Fahrrad GmbH. How big these problems were, became public when the shareholders replaced the management at the end of 2023. This year's industry-wide double-digit sales drop left a real skid mark on Simplon's revenue, forcing them to apply for a Chapter 11 status this week to support the ongoing restructuring process.

TAMPERE, Finland - E-bike drive system brand Revonte was forced to file for bankruptcy one year ago. Since the launch of the product 5 years earlier, the company received a lot of positive feedback from industry peers. OEM's welcomed the Revonte ONE as the next generation drive system for e-bikes. Still Revonte didn't make it, even while the e-bike market was thriving. For the first time, co-founder and former CEO Otto Chrons shares his Revonte story and the lessons learned.

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands - In a large scale operation to halt the influx of fatbikes that do not meet the legal requirements of an e-bike or a moped, the Dutch authorities seized a total of 16,500 fatbikes. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate reports the fatbikes are in fact illegal mopeds and originate from several Chinese manufacturers.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - 2022 was a historic year for Pon Holdings with sales exceeding €10 billion for the first time in the company's history. The bicycle cluster, Pon.Bike contributed significantly to this following the acquisition of Dorel Sports and the ever-increasing demand for e-bikes. CEO Janus Smalbraak also states that order books are currently full.

SCHWEINFURT, Germany - During a recent meeting of the Dutch standardisation committee and European stakeholders, the completion of a standard for cargo bikes was discussed. "A European standard would be helpful to standardise the legal patchwork that exists throughout Europe," explains velotech.de MD Marco Brust.