In June this year, Accell Group decided to integrate Sparta into Batavus as part of its One Accell strategy. The disappearance of the brand Sparta struck a chord with former leaders of the iconic Dutch bicycle brand. For Mark Kuper, who spent no fewer than 28 years at Accell and served for many years as Sparta's Commercial Director and public face, the decision is bittersweet. "When you see how much energy was invested in this brand, it's a devastating blow."

How Tenways, Fuji-Ta and the Accell deal are testing Asia's next role in cycling.

The Amsterdam District Court has revoked the suspensions of payments of the Dutch Accell companies and simultaneously declared these companies bankrupt, the two court-appointed trustees announced this afternoon. The multiple attempts to keep the once giant of the bicycle industry afloat have failed, marking a major setback for the industry.

Quanta Capital, a Dublin-headquartered investment and asset management firm, has confirmed its interest in acquiring Accell Group. The Dutch manufacturer entered formal insolvency proceedings on 5 August 2026, following the collapse of a previous acquisition opportunity by Dutech holdings.

Accell Group Holding B.V. and its Dutch subsidiaries have been granted suspension of payments, bringing months of restructuring efforts to a new phase after the company was unable to secure a long-term solution for the business.

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).

Brand founders Susanne and Felix Puello officially retook the reins of Raymon Bicycles in October 2023, when Pierer Mobility divested the business as its ill-fated run in the bicycle industry came to an end. In less than three years, the founders state that "our realignment is working", with sales growth and inventory reduction putting the brand back on track.

German online retailer Bike24 has seen its group revenue increase by 20.1% to €96.1 million in Q2 2026, compared with €80.0 million in Q2 2025. Localised markets delivered a significantly above-average growth rate of 29.7%. The D2C retailer continues to expand its footprint across Europe with new localised online shops in Denmark, Slovenia and Ireland.

There are still no larger signs of recovery at the publicly-traded Fox Factory Holding Corp. In its second sales quarter 2026, the US-based suspension expert posted net revenue of USD 358.12 million (€309.82 million). Compared to the same period last year, this represents a 4.5% decline. Sales remain weak in the company's bicycle component division.

The initial public offering (IPO) of Tianjin Fuji-Ta Bicycle Manufacturer Co., Ltd. known domestically as the "Foxconn of the bicycle industry" on 6 August on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) was quite impressive. The offering price of CNY 17.46 (€2.28) soared to a high of CNY 45.45 €5.94) on the day of the IPO, but then settled down again over the course of the week.

Speed pedelec brand Klever Mobility has been acquired from Kymco in a management buyout by its current directors, Jan van der Ligt and Ruud Sjamaar. The transfer of shares was completed on 21 July 2026, but financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. This marks the start of a new chapter for Klever as an independently managed European organisation.

Next year, the cycling industry is seeing an overhaul of the trade show calendar. Multiple major shows are opting for different dates, while two newcomers wish to join the calendar. One such debutant is CycleExpo Amsterdam. With a clearly defined character and affordable costs, it aims to become the new OEM meeting point for the bike industry.

Shared bicycles have become an integral part of urban mobility. Across Europe and beyond, they are no longer simply an alternative mode of transport, but an essential part of multimodal mobility networks. As fleets expand, operators and manufacturers are increasingly focused on long-term operational performance, where reliability, serviceability and system integration determine overall fleet efficiency.

The announced acquisition of Accell Group by DuTech Holdings will not change anything regarding the collective damage claims filed against the Accell brand. This was stated by the claimant foundation, which is taking legal action on behalf of thousands of Babboe owners who have suffered damage due to unsafe cargo bikes.

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.

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 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.