Germany

With its new H2 two-speed system, UTgear is moving from specialist belt-drive tools into drivetrain technology. For OEMs and dealers, the bigger story is the expertise behind it: making belt-drive bikes easier to build, service and repair.

Entering the final quarter of 2026, SHIFT Active Media's latest analysis of consumer search behaviour reveals clear signals of stabilisation and indeed growth across key cycling markets, even as specific categories face ongoing headwinds.

German tyre specialist Schwalbe has undertaken a comprehensive realignment of its tour and everyday cycling portfolio, restructuring its range into three clearly defined product families: Marathon, Motion, and Hybrid. By consolidating its offering, the brand aims to simplify point-of-sale guidance, streamline inventory management across the global bike trade, and set a unified structural benchmark for its overarching brand architecture.

A 'World Leading Show' doesn't just appear out of nowhere, as became clear after the first presentation of 'towards tomorrow - European Bike Show' at the fairground in Cologne, Germany. Building a leading trade show takes time, so the industry will have to live with a fragmented show landscape for some years as Eurobike is also ambitious. The German industry association has taken on a major responsibility for the industry worldwide by pulling out of the Frankfurt show and launching a new one.

hGears Schramberg GmbH has filed an application for insolvency proceedings under self-administration with the Local Court of Rottweil, Germany. According to a company statement, the aim is to advance the necessary restructuring of the Schramberg site within an orderly legal framework and to create the conditions for a viable structure for the future.

The German bicycle market rose 10% year on year between January and June, while e-bike sales increased slightly by 2%. Despite this positive market development, the German industry association ZIV is careful in its reporting and calls it only a 'slow recovery'.

The motor system has been selected. Fork, drivetrain, brakes and wheels are locked in. The product manager works through the BOM, and then comes the question: Are we actually connected-ready? Surprisingly often, the answer is: not yet.

The move back to the June/July time window for Eurobike 2027, as Bike Europe reported last week, was only part of the new show concept Fairnamic developed. CEO Philipp Ferger and show director Matthias Pietsch have now explained what they learned from the previous show and how they implemented that in the 2027 edition. In a new turnaround, "the date and the rhythm of Eurobike had to be reviewed," they said.

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.

Optima Cycles and Bike&Co have entered a strategic supplier partnership for the German market partnership. Effective from 1 August 2026, the brands Lovens, Dolly and Dutch ID became part of Bike&Co's supplier programme for its affiliated independent bicycle retailers.

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.

For Fundracer Partner René Wiertz, the next decade will not simply be about selling more bicycles; it will be about making two-wheel mobility dramatically safer, smarter and more connected. "Those companies enabling that transformation are likely to create the greatest long-term value," says Wiertz. Bike Europe asked him about the market outlook from the perspective of an investment fund manager.

Contactless torque sensor manufacturer NCTE reports a year-on-year sales increase of 53% in the first half of 2026. One of the biggest drivers of NCTE's expansion has been the e-bike category, while the automotive category performed weakly. Remarkably, the company's stock market performance was much less positive; it suffered a 66.6% decline in the first half of 2026.

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 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.

As 2027 gets set to be one of the most interesting on the international trade show scene, one of the rising stars, Cyclingworld Europe has stated its intentions for next year. Friday will become a full exhibition day as the event in Düsseldorf responds to strong demand from both the industry and the trade while maintaining its identity as a consumer-focused event. The event will take place from 12 to 14 March at Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf.

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.