The e-bike regulation issue leads to even more heated discussions in the United States than in Europe. Keeping all 50 states aligned is a big task for PeopleForBikes, and within the industry, differing interests regularly lead to friction. The topic was even announced as the phantom menace at the recent Bicycle Leadership Conference. What insights can Europe and the US gain from one another?
Basque bicycle manufacturer Orbea reported a limited 2.3% decline in revenue for 2025, a small reduction in revenue that the cooperative attributes to its continuous market monitoring and disciplined management of a "responsible sales plan." This contrasts with 2024, when Orbea reported an 8% year-over-year decline in turnover, suggesting that profitability and margin performance stabilised considerably in 2025.
High-precision gear and component manufacturer hGears AG started 2026 as expected: the publicly-traded company was aware in advance that it would not be able to achieve exceptional growth amid geopolitical uncertainties and the resulting strain on economic momentum. So even though first-quarter revenue for 2026, at €23.4 million, was 6.9% below the comparable period last year, it was still within the company's expected range.
Porsche AG has announced it will shut down its e-bike drive-system subsidiary, Porsche eBike Performance GmbH, as part of a broader restructuring for the renowned German manufacturer.
Stock-listed e-commerce bicycle retailer Bike24 Holding AG has gotten off to a strong start in the new year. The Dresden-based company posted not only first-quarter double-digit growth, but also a significant improvement in adjusted EBITDA.
Laka is continuing its aggressive expansion in the bike insurance business with its acquisition of UK specialist insurer VeloLife, marking the company's fourth acquisition since 2023. This is the company's first publicly announced deal tied to its recently expanded M&A (mergers and acquisitions) strategy.
Sales at Taiwan's third largest bicycle manufacturer Ideal Bike Corporation, follow a similar trend as the country's two other main producers Giant and Merida. In January, sales suffered a sharp 53% year-on-year decline; in February, they saw a 17% decline, followed by another 31.4% decrease in March. Even though these three companies' sales continued to decline by double digits compared to January-March 2025, they appear to have shifted into the lowest gear.
Bosch Group年度財報指出，2025年表現受到貿易政策波動、艱難市場環境、匯率走勢不利及競爭加劇等因素影響。公司因此未能實現預期結果，經匯率調整後銷售額僅成長4.1%。Bosch eBike Systems執行長Claus Fleischer針對電動自行車產業現況提出觀察，他表示：「就經營角度來看，2025年對自行車產業而言又是充滿挑戰的一年。市場持續整併，但也不敢過於樂觀。製造商及經銷商的庫存持續下降，終端消費者需求也逐步回穩。地緣政治發展走向及貿易政策不確定性，造成許多產業面臨更複雜的問題，電動自行車產業也不例外。」
儘管運動運品及自行車產業市場發展不均，Decathlon S.A. 2025年業績仍穩定成長。該法國零售商財報顯示，營收及獲利均成長。不過，各類別數據表現透露有限，尤其自行車，因此成長動能來源及成長趨勢續航力仍有待觀察。
比利時自行車市場表現穩健，與多數歐洲國家背道而馳。該市場經過2022年銷售高峰後，已回落至疫前水平，且未如德國、義大利及荷蘭市場出現持續下滑的趨勢。2025年，比利時市場銷量甚至增加至578,737輛，年增7.1%。這般奇蹟表現的背後原因為何？
2025年法國自行車市場經濟數據慘淡，各項指標均為負值。整體市場銷量下降6%，營收年減4.8%。平均零售價格小幅下跌，電動自行車銷售下滑16%。這波收縮反映當前經濟困境，也顯示出結構性轉變，即疫後需求回升降溫及購車補助政策結束的效應。
Merida Industry's first quarter 2026 results show the company is absorbing a significant year-on-year sales decline as it works to mitigate the industry downturn. The Taiwanese company reported Q1 revenue of NT$5.49 billion (€147 million), down around 27% year-on-year, following a rollercoaster start to the year. Sales fell sharply by 44% in January and 22% in February, before easing to a 17% decline in March, hopefully an early indication that the steepest phase of the downturn is passing.
The persistent difficulty of the economic conditions in the bicycle industry has forced German rim producer Schürmann to close down its operation.
A strong industry ecosystem thrived in Taiwan's bicycle industry for decades, enabling the successful launch of start-ups like Hyena. This ecosystem was damaged during the inventory crisis and Hyena CEO Charlie Chuang is calling for a rebuild of this system. Today, his company is one of the few Taiwan-based full e-drive system suppliers serving American and European customers.
In the early days of e-bikes, the race was simple: more torque, more watts, more bragging rights. But today, the real battleground is somewhere else entirely, efficiency, intelligence and rider safety.
After filing for insolvency in February 2026, Frog Bikes has secured a buyer to continue its legacy as the royally-endorsed United Kingdom kids' bike brand. The brand's acquisition has been confirmed by Frasers Group, a conglomerate owned by British billionaire Mike Ashley.
Giant Group's financials continue to reflect the significant headwinds the industry is facing as the glut drags into a third year. The company reported Q1 2026 revenue of NT$12.52 billion (€336 million), down around 25% year-on-year, following steep monthly declines of more than 20% in January and 40% in February.
Taiwan is future-focused, that much was apparent to attendees of the Taipei Cycle Show 2026. But beneath the optimism, export declines and changing production chains show the nation's bicycle sector is in transition. Production value is increasingly generated beyond Taiwan's borders, as manufacturing shifts to neighbouring markets such as China, Vietnam and Europe through Taiwanese-led supply chains.
The China Cycle Show 2026 can count on more international interest than before. Driven by the sports market and the country's fifteenth five-year plan (2026-2030), local manufacturers have recognised the value of brand building, a trend quickly being adopted by other categories. The nation's shop window to the rest of the world showcases the progress of its bicycle industry.
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.
