Jan-Willem van Schaik

The debate around Eurobike has entered a new phase since German industry organisations announced they will organise "a leading international trade show" in 2027. This decision stems from a dispute between the Eurobike organiser, Fairnamic, and the German industry organisations ZIV, Zukunft Fahrrad and VSF. This latest strategic move suggests a potential return to a dual-tradeshow landscape for Europe, reminiscent of the pre-2008 era when IFMA Cologne and Eurobike operated alongside each other.

To leverage access to key investors, industry mentors, and strategic partnerships with leading brands, the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator (AGCA) has selected 10 companies for its 2026 cohort. The program is designed to help tech-enabled companies in the cycling industry explore business opportunities in the United States and Arkansas.

The announcement earlier this year that Shimano would not exhibit was regarded as a decisive moment for the future of Eurobike. According to the Japanese component manufacturer, "the industry continues to evolve, and we are prioritising our customer- and consumer-focused events." Two and a half months later, the show reality has changed again and Shimano's European representation announced its presence in Frankfurt this June.

The growing complexity of the e-bike and bicycle landscape, across business, legal and mobility, requires industry alignment from time to time. Europe is left with some small-scale or national gatherings since the German industry association ZIV pulled out of Eurobike. The United States industry organisation PeopleForBikes developed the Bicycle Leadership Conference as the country's foremost education and networking event for the sector. Can this format be adapted for the European market?

Europe's largest specialist bicycle retail association, Zweirad-Einkaufs-Genossenschaft (ZEG), appointed a new board member as part of its strategic realignment. The recently appointed Matthias van de Loo has assumed the role of chief financial & chief operating officer (CFO/COO). According to the dealer cooperative, "the strategic realignment is consistently pursued, with a focus on implementation and a future-oriented approach."

The lack of verified data on cycling's role in the wider mobility sector is starting to weigh heavily on the industry. The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035) could be the next moment for the bicycle industry to claim a larger space within mobility. But what can the industry add to these meetings? No verified data is available on the role of cycling in mobility. The WBIA (World Bicycle Industry Alliance) meeting during the Taipei Cycle Show gave some clarifications.

No other industry relies so much on the branding of its components as the bicycle industry does. The final products in the shops are seldomly referred to as a recollection of well-known parts with a bike brand name on the down tube. This structure originates from the extreme fragmentation of the bicycle industry. Except for Raleigh, almost all brands had only national or regional distribution, making it difficult to invest in innovations. The component manufacturers adopted multinational or global distribution earlier, giving them a head start in branding compared with the bicycle brands.

Cycling can still attract interest from both institutional buyers and non-institutional investors, as the heavily oversubscribed Dahon IPO at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange showed last September. Amidst all the excitement on the exhibition floor of the Taipei Cycle Show, Bike Europe had the opportunity to speak with Dahon's owner, Dr David Hon, about his company's strategy.

Scott has announced the appointment of Hsuan Boon Tan as co‑CEO, serving alongside the existing co‑CEO Pascal Ducrot. Hsuan Boon Tan will be based at the company's global headquarters in Switzerland. The company writes that, "the appointment marks the company's progression into a new phase focused on sustained growth and strengthened overall economics following a successful stabilisation period after several turbulent years for the industry."

The role of product awards at international trade fairs has evolved from a promotional tool to a benchmark. Is the industry integrating key trends such as artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability into product design? The number of submissions has become an indicator of the industry's performance and level of investment in innovations. All these elements come together in the fourteenth Taipei Cycle d&i Awards, which will be announced on the opening day of the Taipei Cycle Show. Bike Europe sat down with three jury members to discuss how they evaluated the entries.