The appointment as President of Shimano Europe Group was like coming home for Fabio Takayanagi. At the start of his career at the Japanese component manufacturer in 2006, he was assigned to Shimano Europe, based in the Netherlands. He stayed here for one year to gain experience in the bicycle business. Since then, he has travelled the world for Shimano before coming back to Europe. A brief introduction of this industry insider and his view on the European market.

No less than 10,000 e-bikes and e-scooters seized in the course of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) investigation Calypso have been auctioned at bargain prices. According to EPPO, the sale generated €1.85 million, a small part of the financial effects from the ongoing investigation. "This is not what we want, and we would rather have them scrapped," said an EBMA spokesperson representing the European bicycle industry.

The Commercial Court of Dijon has officially opened the judicial reorganisation (redressement judiciaire) of Cycles Lapierre as it seeks independence from the now-bankrupt Accell Group. The French brand's CEO William Perrier is happy with the development: "We've got an opportunity. It's up to us to transform it into a future."

The trustees overseeing the bankruptcy of the Dutch Accell entities today launched an international sales process for the group, inviting potential buyers to bid for the business as a whole or in part. A back-stop agreement with an interested party covering all of Accell's bike brands is intended to provide business continuity while the sales process takes place.

The Rebirth Group, owner of bicycle brands including Solex, Gitane, Peugeot Cycles, Cowboy and Angell, is pursuing an increasingly ambitious consolidation strategy in the European bicycle industry. At the same time, the French group is facing mounting financial and legal pressure, including eviction proceedings, unpaid debts and historically substantial losses.

A total of 422,000 e-bike units were imported into the European Union in the first six months of 2026, the latest Eurostat data shows. This is up 36% from the same period in 2025. Unlike last year, China now supplies the lion's share of these imports. Year to date, China accounts for 41% of e-bikes entering the EU.

USWE Sports Group's shift from distributor sales towards a higher proportion of direct sales to retailers weighed on its first-quarter performance. The Swedish outdoor and sports equipment supplier reported an 18% year-over-year decline in currency-adjusted net revenue for the first quarter of its 2026/2027 fiscal year.

The next generation will spearhead SunRace Sturmey-Archer's strategic restructuring now founder Tony Hsu has handed over the chairmanship to his daughter, Sandy Hsu. The Board of Directors unanimously approved her appointment, marking a pivotal leadership transition for the 54-year-old company.

Also, Inc., the US micromobility spin-off from electric car manufacturer Rivian, has closed a $150 million (€128 million) Series D financing round. Led by Prysm Capital, with participation from Eclipse Capital, Greenoaks and MVP Ventures, the new capital will accelerate development of its autonomous vehicle platform. With US shipments of its TM-B e-bike underway, the brand is now building a team for a European market launch.

No signs of a crisis at WS We Sports Scandinavia, also known as WeSports Group. The Nordic sports-, outdoor-, and bicycle-retailer has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in Stockholm since the end of last year . After increasing its 2026 first-quarter revenue by 51.8% year-over-year, the second quarter reached a year-on-year 55% increase (21.6 % on a currency-adjusted basis).

In 2027, CycleExpo Amsterdam aims to create a major meeting point for OEM producers and buyers of the cycling industry. In an attempt to bring the industry together, the organisers are reaching out to stakeholders to shape the new trade show together.

Giant Group has announced the acquisition of approximately 36% of D.Mag (Kunshan) New Material Technology Co., Ltd. for RMB 597 million (€ 76 million) raising its consolidated stake from 60.39% to 96.63% upon completion. D.Mag is a manufacturing subsidiary of Giant Group and the Samoa-registered investment firm, United King Limited.

Eurobike is still adjusting its future concept for the international trade show. Ahead of the official presentation next week, exhibitors have already received a letter from Messe Frankfurt including the show's 2027 dates.

The European bicycle industry has continued its transition towards a more balanced and demand-driven market. Following the exceptional surge in demand during the Covid boom, supply chain disruptions, and the subsequent market correction, the latest 2025 data clearly indicate that the industry is stabilising. "This is a sign that the inventory troubles that we have had coming out of COVID are now finally at the end," said industry body ECI CEO Paul Walsh at the presentation of the 2026 Bicycle Industry & Market Profile (BIMP).

Belgium's speed pedelec market continued its transformation in the first half of 2026, with strong growth in new registrations driven by leasing contracts and large fleet deliveries, while the rapidly expanding second-hand market is creating a broader customer base for speed pedelec sales in Europe's leading market.

The central analysis tool of ZIV's market data service has been officially launched, with participating German bicycle dealers now having access to the dealer dashboard. "This is an important step towards greater transparency in the German bicycle market and an important milestone for business planning for the entire industry," says Katharina Hinse, ZIV Head of Industrial and Economic Policy.

Just over 150,000 e-bike units are noted to have left Taiwan's shores in the first half of 2026. This is a 14% drop compared to the same period last year and marks the lowest volume of e-bikes leaving the country in the first six months of the year since 2017. The US market notes the biggest year-on-year losses. In total, Taiwan's first half-year e-bike export value has also dipped below NT$10 billion (€294 million) for the first time since 2017, marking a significant problem for an already challenged industry.

The e-bike plays a central role for the brand Velo de Ville. More than 80% of production in Altenberge, Germany, consists of e-bikes. Although general manager and owner Volker Thiemann is positive about the market, he is also concerned about recent technological developments that, in his view, threaten the survival of today's e-bike.

The Canyon booth at Eurobike was impossible to miss this year. In the middle of Hall 11, the German D2C brand put up one of the nicest booths at the show, claiming a centre stage position at the event. "We want to showcase our team effort since I assumed operational responsibilities as executive chairman in September 2025," said Canyon founder, Roman Arnold.

Volatile trade policies, a challenging market environment, unfavourable currency effects and intensified competition shaped Bosch Group's 2025 financial results. Against this backdrop, their expectations for 2025 have not been met, and sales revenue rose slightly by 4.1% after adjusting for exchange-rate effects. Bosch eBike Systems CEO Claus Fleischer gives insight into what this means for the e-bike industry.

Price dumping, retail distress, safety and cycling culture were frequently cited as key factors behind the current downturn in the Italian e-bike and bicycle market. But what is really holding back the Italian bicycle market? Massimo Panzeri, Atala CEO, former president of CONEBI and now a board member of European Cycling Industries, shared his shocking perspective with Bike Europe.