Jan-Willem van Schaik

BERINGEN, Belgium - The acquisition of Nukeproof by Belgian Cycling Factory (BCF) as the company announced last week is a critical part of its long-term strategy plan called Horizon 2030. "Building a leading position on the MTB market is an essential part of our long-term vision," explains Belgian Cycling Factory CEO and owner Joachim Aerts. "With Nukeproof we have gained an important position in the market."

KETCHUM, USA - CrankTank, known in the bicycle industry as expert in digital marketing and e-commerce strategy, has invested in key staff to elevate its performance. Katie Middel has been hired as client success manager.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - E-bikes continue to be the driving force for the Dutch market. The total e-bike market volume ended at 409,467 units, representing a market share of 47.7%. The total number of bicycles and e-bikes combined ended at 858,126, down from 919,101 in 2023. This year, the national industry association RAI Vereniging included fatbike sales for the first time in their annual report which has resulted in a major shift in the statistics.

BERLIN, Germany - Germany as a manufacturing base might not be the most logical choice for the bicycle industry when looking at the rising cost of labour. The strategic location in central Europe and the long heritage of production and engineering has always given the country a strong position in the industry. A group of industry leaders spoke out whether Germany is losing its appeal as a business location for bicycle companies or 'Made in Germany' is a concept for the future.

DULUTH, USA - The industry's ongoing channel inventory recalibration and, to a lesser extent, lower end-consumer demand are reflected in the 2024 results published by Fox Factory Holding Corp. Bicycle product sales under the Specialty Sports Group (SSG) umbrella were down in 2024 but briefly hiked by 8.3% in Q4.

BUNNIK, the Netherlands - Klever Mobility has centralised its European organisation in its existing office in the Netherlands. The company reports that this strategic decision will enable them to operate more efficiently and provide better service to dealers and customers in Germany and Switzerland. As part of the reorganisation, the office in Cologne, Germany will be closed soon.

BENTONVILLE, USA - The Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator has selected 10 innovative companies for its program from a broad pool of international applicants. These companies represent the cutting edge of cycling technology and innovation, from performance analytics platforms to e-bikes and custom manufacturing.

AMSTELVEEN, the Netherlands - Ahead of the publication of the official 2024 sales statistics in the Netherlands, market researcher GfK-NIQ reports a shrinking market for e-bikes for the second consecutive year. E-bike suppliers are looking for new ways to regenerate the market. Leasing and employee benefits program are important drivers to expand the market again.

KORTRIJK, Belgium - The ambition to create a global distribution network was one of striking parts of Tenway's vision when they rushed onto the market in 2021. Today the brand has established its position and built a network throughout Europe. Tenways's area sales manager Europe Tony Vos elaborated on the outlook of the market for this young lifestyle brand.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The fierce discussion 2 years ago on the new battery regulation implemented by the European Commission seem to have moved to the background. The challenging market conditions appear to be more relevant than a new European regulation which will be implemented in January 2027. One element in this regulation is that the single cell replacement for e-bike batteries would cause serious safety issues according to many industry insiders.