For most international industry peers, the 2023 Taipei Cycle Show will be the first time since 2019 that they set foot on the island again. The 2020 edition was one of the first international shows to be cancelled because of the pandemic and due to strict governmental entry regulations an international event was not possible last year. 2023 marks a welcome return of one of the premium events on the bike industry calendar.
For a long time the bicycle industry has been able to rely on the fact that cycling itself is considered sustainable, but that is changing. Manufacturers across the industry are now examining their own practices and making changes to the production process. Big steps are currently being taken to ensure the industry is set up for a sustainable future.
An increasing number of new technologies have entered the e-bike market and for many consumers this has become an essential part of their purchasing decisions. The development of new parts and accessories has also shifted its focus to e-bikes. The new products introduced for MY 2023 (and even 2024) show that innovation is pushing forward.
Following the initial cancellation of orders and period of uncertainty at the beginning of the corona pandemic in 2020, it soon became clear that the pandemic was going to bring a completely new set of challenges to the bicycle industry. What followed was two years of supply chain woes in a booming market.
European bicycle markets counted wins and losses in 2021, with the difficulties in supply chain hampering availability. But one thing that can't be ignored is the success of the e-bike with market shares rising across all key markets. Eurobike 2022 at its new location in Frankfurt will also be a new opportunity to view a whole range of new ideas and concepts in the field of connectivity, data collection, electronic shifting and sustainable/local production.
For the fourth consecutive year Taiwan reported a double-digit hike in e-bike exports. Despite supply chain constraints and booming transportation costs, the market continues to expand. However, 2022 comes with new challenges. How is the industry handling these dynamics and does it impact innovations, an important driver for the e-bike market? Taipei Cycle Show 2022 gave some insights.
2020 and 2021 gave a push to cycling as never seen before. The industry gave everything to handle expanding demand despite supply chain constraints and booming transportation costs. Was this effort enough to keep the consumers engaged? 2022 will be the year in which it will become clear whether the bicycle and e-bike have really become the preferred urban mobility mode.
The UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow earlier this month will give an unexpected push to cargo bikes. Active lobbying by cycling organisations resulted in the addition of 'active travel' to the COP26 Declaration on Accelerating the Transition to 100% Zero Emission.
September has always been buzzing with tradeshows and events. The combination of Eurobike, World Cycling forum and IAA-Mobility, all within 1.5 weeks clearly shows that cycling is on top of the business and political agenda. Eurobike, which kicks off on Wednesday 1 September, will be the first indication whether visitors are ready again to attend these events.
The transition to online sales gained momentum during the pandemic, also in the bicycle industry. Webshops reported hiking sales in all product categories. The theme is high on the agenda of the World Cycling forum, which takes place on 7-6 September. Read up on the topic to prepare for this rapidly developing trend.
