BRUSSELS, Belgium - CEO of Cycleurope AB Tony Grimaldi has been the president of Cycling Industries Europe (CIE) since the start of the advocacy organisation. CIE is entering an all-new chapter with the announced merger with the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI). Few were more involved in European cycling advocacy at various political levels and within nearly all industry organisations than Tony Grimaldi.

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - Yamaha unveiled its new PW-Link e-bike system at this year's Eurobike. The Japanese manufacturer made all its e-drive components interchangeable and fully connected, allowing e-bike manufacturers to specify the same frame with multiple PW-Link combinations and offer a greater variety of e-bike options to consumers. Fabio Marzola, Yamaha Motor Europe's Division Manager of eBike Drive Units & Systems, explains the company's position on the market and their opinion on regulatory issues in Europe.

ANNECY, France - The developing X-Tend e-bike system for road and gravel was one of the more valuable assets the Bourrelier group acquired Mavic in 2020. Making the product ready for mass production, and subsequently for the market, was a big challenge. Mavic overcame this undertaking and is currently consulting interested OEMs.

ZEIST, the Netherlands - "A Global Bicycle Purchasing Index will professionalise the sector, as we have seen before in other industries. It gives you a verified outlook on what to expect in the supply chain, and not what you have heard from your connections, rumouring around in the sector." Bike Europe talked with Jeroen Both, former chief supply chain officer and member of the board of management at Accell Group, on the launch of Bike Europe's Global Bicycle Purchasing Index (GBPI) in partnership with Eurobike.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan - The countryside just north of Taichung houses one of those smaller, high-tech companies which characterise the bicycle industry supply chain in Taiwan. The family company Ora Engineering was founded in 1996 as an innovator in the metal forming and welding industry. Today the company supplies a range of frames, parts and components, particularly in titanium, to the global market with an export share of 98%.

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.