Rosie Burgin

BRUSSELS, Belgium - When the new battery regulation came into place in August 2023, a lot of attention from the bicycle industry was given to 'Article 11' on repairability. The European Commission has now published guidelines to facilitate the introduction of this part of the regulation, and specifically the much-discussed topic of single-cell replacement.

LONDON, England - Following a public consultation process, the UK's Department for Transport has decided against implementing new legislation for e-bikes in the country. Under discussion were raising the maximum continuous power classification of e-bikes from 250 watts to 500 watts and allowing throttle assistance up to 25 km/h on e-bikes without the need for type approval.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan exported 47% less e-bikes across 2024, the preliminary custom statistics show. With just under 365,000 units leaving the nation's shores in a year, this is the lowest volume since 2018. The export value also dropped 43% year-on-year meaning the economic ramifications must still be being felt throughout the supply chain.

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands - Shimano Europe is extending its cooperation with GXO, a company that manages outsourced supply chains and warehousing, to perform logistic services across Europe. The component manufacturer will now move its warehouse operations in Belgium to GXO's facility in Venray, the Netherlands.

PARIS, France - A new event for the cycling industry will gather senior leaders, HR professionals, communications experts, and decision-makers to address the gender equity gap in the cycling workforce. The first event in the Summit Series being held in Paris, 25-27 March will also discuss how the cycling industry can attract, support and develop more women.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Four suspects have been arrested in The Netherlands on suspicion of large-scale customs fraud involving bicycles imported from China. The value of the alleged fraud is over €7 million.

BERLIN, January - NOCA, the Berlin-based software company pioneering master data management for the cycling industry, has added Christian Koll-Schwarze to its team as Business Development Lead. With more than 20 years of experience in the cycling industry, his role will involve positioning NOCA to transform the way cycling businesses manage their data in the OEM and aftermarket.

HAMBURG, Germany - 82% of supply chain professionals in China expect container prices to rise in January 2025, according to a survey by Container xChange. The survey also highlighted that supply chain participants are preparing for three key disruptions this year; tariffs, geopolitical risks, and structural overcapacity. These disruptions are expected to keep demand and supply dynamics volatile well into 2025 with a potential impact on the bicycle industry.

LONDON, UK - When looking for an indication of how dire the current market situation is in the bike industry, look no further than the recent financial results of folding bike manufacturer, Brompton. The renowned British manufacturer has reported a dramatic decline in profits, plummeting from £10.7 million (€ 12.9 million) to just £4,602 (€ 5,543) for the fiscal year ending March 2024.

TERNDRUP, Denmark - As part of its continued growth investments, Danish online bike retailer Cykelgear, has merged with fellow Danish e-commerce business, Cykelpartner. Although the agreement unites the two online platforms under the same corporate group, both will continue to operate as independent brands in Denmark. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.