Looking to replace the industry's historical reliance on estimates, European Cycling Industries (ECI), has partnered with sports data specialist Sporting Insights. The outcome is the launch of State of Trade European Cycling, SoTEC - a data platform to provide cycling brands with insights into the dynamics of the European market.
Accell Group's bankruptcy has shown how essential information is for effective purchasing planning. Insufficient supply-chain information led to excessively large order volumes between 2020 and 2022. Excess inventory continued to drain Accell Group's financial position for several years and ultimately led to the demise of the once-largest bicycle factory. The Global Bicycle Purchase Index (GPBI) gives you insights into the supply chain thanks to the industry's input.
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.
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.
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.
After several challenging years for the bicycle industry, the Austrian industry and market proved remarkably stable in 2025. It went back to normal. In 2025, Austria's bicycle and sporting goods retail sector sold approximately 389,000 units.
