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.
Decathlon S.A. reported steady growth in 2025, even as market development across the sporting goods and bicycle sectors remained uneven. The French retailer reports increased revenue and profitability. At the same time, limited disclosure around category-level performance, especially in cycling, leaves open questions about where that growth is coming from and how sustainable it may be.
As Europe continues to see widespread adoption of the bike-leasing model, the development of two new programs shows how the model is diversifying. The standardised bike-leasing format has taken over corporate offices, offering employees an alternative path to bike ownership with swanky new e-bikes for a reduced overall cost.
GfK research in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium highlights four trends in purchasing behaviour and priorities when buying an e-bike. The e-bike is no longer just a recreational luxury but is increasingly becoming a serious mobility alternative that influences daily travel behaviour.
Finnish bike-leasing platform Vapaus Group has expanded into the Asia-Pacific region with the launch of its New Zealand subsidiary, Northride. This move marks the company's first steps outside Europe, and reflects Vapaus' ambition to scale its workplace cycling model globally.
Donkey Republic's latest financing round demonstrates that investors have not lost interest in bicycles and cycling more broadly. Private equity and other investors turned away from the bicycle industry after the troubles at Accell Group, Rad Power, VanMoof, Scott Sports and many others. Donkey Republic proves the opposite. They initially set out to raise DKK 15-30 million (€2-4 million), but due to strong interest, the transaction was over-subscribed and the amount raised was upsized to DKK 75 million (€10 million).
