The European and Indian bicycle industries have always maintained close ties, although the trade volume remained relatively low. This might change drastically now: after almost 20 years of difficult talks, the Free Trade Agreement was agreed on 27 January in New Delhi. It's the biggest deal ever made by either side, which has also been eagerly awaited by the bicycle industry.

Japanese component manufacturer, Shimano, has decided to shift its tradeshow focus and withdraw from Eurobike starting in 2026. "This decision reflects our focus on creating direct, meaningful engagement with our partners, customers, and riders," the company writes in a statement.

At Velofollies this month, Stromer took the opportunity to present its new concept for the future in an exclusive area requiring pre-access and no mobile phones. Behind the veil was a concept of the brand's new speed pedelec, which aims to make its debut at Velofollies in 2027. As part of the announcement, the company initiated a 365-day countdown to the launch. Although no photos or press kits were given, the new speed pedelec will be the fruits of four years in development and marks 'the future of Stromer'.

The announcement that Austrian Spar sold its domestic sporting goods chain Hervis, including all 134 existing stores in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Bavaria, marks a major shift in bicycle retail for Central Europe. The agreement, concluded this week, includes the transition of all employees. This move comes after the Austrian sporting goods retailer, which also sells a range of bicycle products, announced a "restructuring offensive."

New financial milestones surpassed for German online shop operator The Platform Group (TPG) in 2025. The software company specialising in platform solutions has presented its preliminary unaudited figures for the 2025 fiscal year. According to the company, in both sales and earnings, it has had its most successful fiscal year in its history.

American e-bike company Rad Power Bikes seems to have ended its unlucky streak this week, securing a buyer to take over the company following its bankruptcy announcement in late December. Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (Life EV) has committed to purchasing the company, including its inventory, intellectual property, software, furniture and more, for $13.2 million (€11 million), according to media reports.

Fresh rumours are circulating that Accell Group has entered its second debt restructuring in little more than a year, and they're creating quite a stir in the market. Accell Group insiders reportedly told the Financial Times that new restructuring talks are being prepared, as revenues are lower than expected. Analysts recently wrote that the group's sales are expected to drop 15% in 2025, with a further 9% decline expected this year.

The topic of cooperation between Eurobike and the German industry bodies ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad is back on the table again. At the fringe of the European Cycling Industries (ECI) launch reception in Brussels this week, the new CEO of Fairnamic, ZIV, and Zukunft Fahrrad discussed a relaunch of Eurobike in 2027 and the potential cooperation with the German associations and the ECI, as well as the role of Eurobike in 2026. This was reported by Eurobike.

Véligo Location is about to reach a new milestone in France. The public long-term e-bike rental service in the Ile-de-France region, launched in 2019, has unveiled a new fleet of 19 models that will be rolled out this year. The goal: support the growth of cycling in the region, broaden use cases and meet the expectations of a more diverse public, from commuting trips to the needs of families, tradespeople or people with disabilities.

Viiala, the Swiss-based mobility company, has entered a strategic partnership with Spoke to integrate its V2X technology directly into its premium e-bikes. This integration ensures that Viiala bikes will be seen by equipped cars in real time, even without line of sight, making Viiala one of the first premium e-bike brands to offer vehicle awareness as a built-in capability.

Decathlon Pulse, the investment arm of the French retail giant Decathlon, is increasing its investment in existing strategic partner, Rebike Mobility GmbH. By expanding the partnership to become a majority stakeholder, the companies have reaffirmed their long-term commitment to "promoting the circular economy in the bicycle industry and supporting the professionalisation of the European secondary market for e-bikes."

The Czech industry just can't seem to regenerate the local e-MTB market. Czechs are primarily focused on off-road e-bike use, and e-MTB models were a strong segment in 2025, but this category is still threatened and burdened by the ongoing sales crisis since 2023. Still, there are positive signs coming from this important production base for the EU market.

That 2025 was not going to be a good year for the Taiwanese industry was already evident after Taipei Cycle in March when it became obvious that order books were still empty. The bicycle-producing nation closed 2025 with a 7% drop in e-bike export volume, compared to the record-breaking bad year in 2024. With just under 337,000 units leaving the country and the export value dropping another 3%, it shows the Taiwan industry is still facing an uphill climb to bring production back to pre-pandemic levels.

WASHINGTON, DC, United States - The number of bicycles imported into the United States in the first nine months of 2025 dropped 23% year-on-year. Looking specifically at China, imports from there have dropped by 40% amid tariff uncertainty throughout the year. Taiwan and Cambodia have made volume gains of 10% and 83% respectively. The latest import data provided by the US International Trade Commission shows that the face of the US bicycle market is already changing as a result of President Trump's 'America First' nationalist policy.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - The Dutch bicycle market has enjoyed favourable market conditions throughout the year. According to the third-quarter report from the benchmark group of H&L Accountancy, the average retail revenue in the Netherlands increased by 5.4% compared to the same period last year. It is probably not the best quarter of the year, but the market is still buoyant.

Long associated with self-balancing devices and shared micromobility, Segway is accelerating its move into the global e-bike market. Speaking at CES, which took place this month in Las Vegas, Nick Howe, head of e-bike worldwide at Segway, made it clear that the company's ambition goes well beyond launching new models. Segway wants to transplant proven automotive and powered two-wheeler technologies into cycling.

HEERENVEEN, The Netherlands - The final Batavus bicycles have rolled off the assembly line in the Netherlands, marking the end of an era for the Accell Group as it opts for centralised production in Hungary. It also marks the end of 45 years in the bicycle industry for Accell stalwart Menno Visser, who is now retiring. Having started at Batavus on the assembly line, he worked his way up to commercial director and spent the past years as a project manager at Accell. In an exclusive interview, he reflects on industry changes and his vision for the future.

FONZASO, Italy - Fashion in cycling apparel and bicycles has long taken a different path, if only because the life cycle and price range of both categories are far apart. Still, there are a lot of parallels, only because the audience is the same. How do both worlds interact, and how can they strengthen each other? Castelli product line manager, Andrew Montgomery, took a deep dive into Castelli's market approach and how the fashion world interacts with its brand strategy.

AMERSFOORT, the Netherlands - The new European Union guidelines on battery repairs will soon take effect, but whether the bicycle industry is sufficiently prepared remains to be seen. NOWOS founder Prins Doornekamp said he is surprised by the limited knowledge among both manufacturers and bicycle retailers.