BRUSSELS, Belgium - Global bicycle sales in 2021 reached 96 million units, while the booming pedal-assisted e-bike sales are estimated at 9.7 million units. This was reported by the World Bicycle Industry Association (WBIA) in their first-ever WBIA Global Market Report.
A hot topic in the bike industry currently is the quest for more sustainable bike components. The key to reaching real, long-term results, is to focus on the materials used to manufacture bike components, following-up with tangible targets leading to concrete impact.
NEW YORK, USA - When the pandemic started in March 2020 the US bicycle business was fully import dependent. 95% of all bicycles sold in the country were primarily coming from China. In other words, the US bicycle business was completely dependent on globalisation and the global supply chain. But "the golden age of globalisation is ending," fears US market specialist Jay Townley.
EINDHOVEN, the Netherlands - The fourth edition of Shimano's state-of-the-nation, makes clear that the growing cost of living is perceived as the most important reason to ride an e-bike. Whether this will mean an ongoing increase of e-bikes or bicycles in general, is not revealed by the Shimano study.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - "The energy crisis and a challenging geopolitical situation will make 2023 a difficult year for the bicycle industry," said Erhard Büchel as president of WBIA (World Bicycle Industry Alliance). "However, we see tremendous interest in cycling and that will not disappear. I am therefore very optimistic about the prospects of the bicycle industry."
AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - The image of e-bikes as a major solution of congestion and environmental problems in urban areas is very positive. But in a letter-to-the-editor, Tom Schiller, co-founder of e-bike manufacturer Mokumono notes: "e-bikes have a sustainability problem. To solve it, we need to re-evaluate how bikes are designed."
ZEIST, the Netherlands - The adoption of the e-bike has shown a mixed pattern in Europe. In some countries people were more open to this innovation in cycling than in others, but the overall trend shows the e-bike continues to gain momentum.
ZEIST, The Netherlands - The explosive growth of e-bikes and demand for micromobility as a whole has led to creative business models, financing options, and government incentives to increase adoption. During the Ebike Future conference last week David Reed, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Mobility Consulting (SMC) analysed what's needed from the public and private sector to sustain the growth of e-bikes.
ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands - After the price records of recent years during the pandemic, container rates are now dropping rapidly. The price decline has a major impact on the market conditions and probably also on the shipping capacity. For an industry that strongly depends on shipments from Asia, these strong fluctuations add to the existing uncertainties in the market.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Cycle logistics and the use of cargo bikes in general is expanding rapidly throughout the EU and beyond. The industry consortium City Changer Cargo Bike (CCCB) forecasts an annual growth of around 60% per year up to 2030.
