The contrast could not have been bigger. Once started in the small city of Friedrichshafen along the Bodensee and an outdoor demo day in the friendly hills of Allgäu, Eurobike is now in the middle of the transformation process to focus on urban mobility in the financial heart of the Eurozone, Frankfurt am Main. It demonstrates the ambitions of today's e-bike and bicycle industry. It wants to play in important role in future of urban mobility and the industry is ready to show its ambitions to potential investors and the rest of the outside world.
Challenges in the industry
A whole range of new ideas and concepts in the field of connectivity, data collection, electronic shifting, future mobility, sustainable production and frame production in Europe have become reality and will be presented at the trade show for the first time. At the same time the market faces big challenges and not only in the supply chain.
The relocation of the biggest bicycle show on earth in combination with the new dynamic in the industry creates a big challenge for the Eurobike organisation. “We have not taken away the bicycle’s sporty perspective,” wrote the organisation in a statement. The industry program however goes deeper into topics that will define the future of the industry.
Highlighting young companies
Topics include the Digital Academy, the Cargo Academy, the presentation of the City Changer Cargo Bike project and the start-up & innovation day which is aimed at bringing together startups, SMEs, investors, scientists and public sector actors. At the end of the start-up & innovation day on July 14th, the Eurobike Innovator’s awards will be announced highlighting young companies, start-ups and innovators in the bicycle industry and pioneering products, services and concepts.
How to handle the battery shortage
Probably the most pressing, short term issue in the e-bike industry is the huge shortage of Bosch batteries. The rapid increase of e-bike sales in Europe but also on the North American markets poses the industry’s leading e-bike system supplier a major problem. Today it is no exception that consumers have to wait 6-10 months for a battery for their newly purchased e-bike. The long-lead times for this single essential component will certainly create market opportunities for more battery manufacturers in this buoyant market.
Gravel bikes rapidly became established category
Next to the electrification of the bicycle, the gravel bike is currently the whizz-kid for the sporty range, on any terrain. As a concept, the gravel bike overrides the differences between pure road bikes on the one hand and touring bikes on the other hand, but also with some elements of the mountain bike. And the other: The bike is perfect for cycling commuters. More robust than the road bike, lighter than the trekking bike and more versatile than other bicycle categories.
