LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Several European countries have been implicated in a new investigation of customs fraud in connection with disassembled Chinese-made e-bikes. Led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Portugal, 16 searches were conducted yesterday in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal, in order to collect evidence in an investigation codenamed 'Pedelecs'.

BAUNACH, Germany - Messingschlager GmbH & Co. KG has appointed Christoph Bantle and Toni Messingschlager to its executive management. This is part of the company's strategic realignment to place an even stronger focus on the needs of manufacturers and wholesalers in the bicycle industry.

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands - In a surprise move this week, Accell Group announced that newly appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Axel Salzmann will not be able to take up the role as initially planned due to "unforeseen personal circumstances."

HANNOVER, Germany - At the April industrial engineering trade show Hannover Messe 2025, Giant Group and Siemens announced their collaboration to produce a new generation of performance e-bikes and road bikes.

FRANKFURT, Germany - As e-bike companies across Europe grapple with concerns over new European Union considerations to cap e-bike power at a maximum output of 750 watts, some are making their stances on the subject clear.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Brussels based trade association and industry lobby group Cycling Industries Europe (CIE) has announced the appointment of Paul Walsh as its new chief executive officer (CEO). He follows in the footsteps of Kevin Mayne who retired last year.

GOTHENBURG, Sweden - Swedish e-bike manufacturer Ecoride has scooped two Red Dot Design Awards for its latest models, Ambassador 4 and Tripper 4, in recognition of their Scandinavian design and integrated GPS security. The jury cited the e-bikes' clean, urban-focused frame design and seamless look as central to their Red Dot wins.

ARDOOIE, Belgium - Combining customisation, design and advice in a technical solution is probably the best way to describe how this Belgium component manufacturer is positioned on the market. For Curana, 2024 was more than challenging - and not only because of the market situation.

EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands - Increasing competition, shifting retailer priorities, and supply chain challenges influenced Shimano Europe's decision to discontinue its custom clothing brand, Milremo and to streamline its regular apparel collection. The production and shipment of the Shimano autumn-winter 2025 collection will proceed as planned, while Milremo customers will have the opportunity to place one final order for their custom clothing before operations cease.

BERLIN, Germany - German bicycle industry association ZIV has announced its expansion of market intelligence offerings with the creation of the ZIV market data service. The service is modelled after the Bicycle Association of Great Britain and aims to establish reliable market retail analysis for member use.

PUNE, India - To expand its reach into mobility products, Indian suspension product manufacturer Gabriel is planning to enter Europe's bike market offering innovative fork and rear shock solutions.

PARIS, France - After a sharp market contraction in 2023, 2024 did not fully reverse the trend. "The year 2024 has not been very easy," summarized Patrick Guinard, president of the Cycle Commission of the Union Sport & Cycle. According to the results of the 2024 French Cycle Observatory published by Union Sport & Cycle at the Vélo in Paris trade show, the French bicycle market generated €3.232 billion in turnover, a 5.9% decline compared to 2023. In volume, 1,956,700 bicycles were sold, representing a 12% drop year-on-year, for a turnover of €2.003 billion (-8.3%).

WELS, Austria - For quite some time the sparrows have been whistling it from the rooftop: on April 29, Pierer Mobility AG confirmed it will withdraw completely from the bicycle and e-bike business in the current 2025 financial year. Pierer Mobility is seriously struggling with the insolvency of its motorcycle subsidiary KTM AG.

TOKYO, Japan - The bicycle industry in Japan is known to function in isolation, apart from global trends. Domestic sales are largely dominated by low-value, Chinese-made bicycles. But the market is waking up, seeing the benefits of cycling as a means of transport and the positive side effects on health. "The Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute (JBPI) developed various initiatives to open up the market and take it to the next level, including an annual show and market data gathering," said Professor Tetsuya Komagata, President of the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute (JBPI), in an interview with Bike Europe. Komagata has extensively studied the history of the Japan-China bicycle industry and offered his insights.

DENKENDORF, Germany - As the number of bicycle manufacturers installing the Motor.Gearbox.Unit continues to grow, gearbox specialist, Pinion is placing more emphasis on training and education for retailers in key European markets.

NANTOU, Taiwan - As a company founded in 2020, Yota Cycles has witnessed both sides of the bicycle market pendulum. In the current downswing, the e-bike manufacturer looks positively toward the future.

VIENNA, Austria - The first-quarter sales numbers for 2025 are in, and Austria's kids' bicycle supplier Woom GmbH has glimpsed a light at the end of the tunnel with its strongest numbers yet.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - After a turbulent 2024 marked by decreased production volumes and excess inventory, Taiwan's bicycle industry is showing early signs of recovery. While orders remain cautious, Q1 2025 export data suggests a gradual rebound is underway, especially in the e-bike sector.