More innovations than ever before

Frankfurt am Main – The phrase that can often be heard in the bicycle market nowadays is 'ketchup bottle effect'. It describes the situation in recent months where bicycle shops have been overrun with goods, some of them ordered as early as one or two years ago. The picture of ketchup suddenly gushing out of the bottle after not coming out at all – this is a fitting description also for the flood of novelties at the upcoming Eurobike (June 21 to 25, 2023). In the past years, market participants focused more on coping with the surge in sales than on the development of new products, but this year the 1,900+ Eurobike exhibitors will be churning out a plethora of innovations. Here is an overview of some exciting trends and innovations in the bicycle market that will celebrate their premiere at Eurobike.

Trend No. 1: The new drive diversity

Up until the first day of the trade fair, many manufacturers of e-bike drives prefer to keep silent about the innovations with which they want to wow the experts at Eurobike. Bicycle manufacturers who have been let in on the secret must contractually commit themselves to complete confidentiality. There will certainly be a lot of aha moments at Eurobike.

But it is already becoming clear that this year the trade fair will chalk up the perhaps largest number of world premieres of new e-bike drives in its history. One reason for this is that in the future there will be specially designed drive systems for practically every conceivable use case. The best example are the cargo bike systems, which can now be found in the ranges of most leading providers. A major focus of development for the 2024 model year is now on particularly light e-bike drives, which will one day be found on gravel and racing bikes, but also on stylish urban bikes. 

Trend No. 2: Cargo bikes for every task

Cargo bikes have been the high-flyers in the bicycle market in recent years. Hardly any other bicycle category has grown as strongly as bicycles for cargo and children's transport. The cargo segment has long since diversified into completely different types of bicycles that offer a tailor-made solution for every transport task. Another relatively recent development in the cargo market is that, in addition to special e-bike drives (see above), more and more other components are being tailored for the transport of goods. Eurobike might have a thing or two up its sleeve here, in particular with regard to brakes.

Trend No. 3: Shifting in the 21st century

If you see a bicycle component with the label Campagnolo and the model designation Super Record, you know you're dealing with pure luxury. The Italian manufacturer's racing bike groupset is virtually the Rolex among shifters and derailleurs. But even this icon of racing bike technology has long since arrived in the age of electronics and digitality. At Eurobike, Campagnolo will present its first racing bike shifting system with a wireless transmission of shifting impulses from the handlebar to the rear derailleur. Incidentally, just in time for the company's 90th anniversary: In 1933, company founder Tullio Campagnolo put the first quick-release hubs for bicycles on the market. A few years later the innovative Italian invented the first derailleur.

However, another player in the bicycle market can claim the honor of being a pioneer in wireless shifting technology – the American supplier Sram. At Eurobike, they will present for the first time their AXS wireless shifting technology in the mid-priced racing bike segment. Wireless shifting is thus increasingly becoming the standard technology. Speaking of standard: No less exciting are the new MTB derailleurs from Sram, which will no longer require a derailleur hanger on the bicycle.

When it comes to innovations in shifting technology, there's one name in the cycling world that must be mentioned: One of the innovations that Shimano will bring to Eurobike is their new Cues groupset, in which the Japanese are applying their digital Di2 technology including Autoshift (shifting automatically) and Freeshift (shifting without pedaling) in the urban e-bike segment as well.

Trend No. 4: Made in Europe

Not only since the corona years has the bicycle world been aware of its dependence on globally overstretched supply chains. In this respect, it is no longer a completely new development that market participants are increasingly trying to bring production closer to the European markets again. The Portuguese bicycle industry is playing a pioneering role in particular, as it stands out both by its proximity to the market and by state-of-the-art production processes. If you want to learn more about this market development, you will find two interesting starting points for research at Eurobike with Triangle's and Carbon Team. With largely automated processes, both companies have succeeded in establishing production on an industrial scale in Europe, one with aluminum frames and the other with carbon frames, which impress even the most demanding customers. This seems to herald the end of the age in which bicycle frames were only produced in the Far East.

Trend No. 5: Bicycles with a clear conscience

Cycling is undoubtedly the best way to get from A to B in everyday life. It keeps you healthy, requires only a relatively lean infrastructure and is – even in the case of e-bikes – the form of mobility with the smallest ecological footprint. The bicycle itself, or rather its production process, might not be too hard on the resources to begin with, but there is certainly still some room for an even more sustainable product. And more and more companies in the bicycle market are committed to tapping this potential.

This has a great impact especially when it is connected to a bicycle component that needs to be replaced regularly. In this respect, it is particularly exciting to see what has been going on for several years at tire manufacturer Schwalbe, who were one of the first market participants to fully anchor ecological responsibility in their company. As news for Eurobike 2023, Schwalbe has now announced that the proportion of tire models made of fairly traded natural rubber will increase sixfold in the coming model year.  It might sound trivial, but with the underlying Fair Rubber Initiative, this is a very demanding plan, about which the tire manufacturer will give some insights at its trade fair booth.

However, Schwalbe is by no means the only Eurobike presenter that talks about sustainable bicycle products – the topic has become increasingly important for almost all market participants. This has also been inspired by many start-ups in the industry who want to carve out their place in the market with a particularly sustainable approach. Like the kids' bike manufacturer Li:On Bikes that presents itself to experts for the first time at Eurobike with a special production concept.  

This trend report could even be ten pages long and still not include all the many exciting developments that are celebrating their world premiere at Eurobike this year. After the corona years, the bicycle industry has rediscovered its innovative spirit. Therefore, the following applies to trade fair visitors and media participants more than ever: Come, see, marvel.

This year, Eurobike will take place in eight exhibition halls on the grounds of Messe Frankfurt and will be open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. While the first three days of the fair are reserved for the expert audience, Eurobike will also be a cycling event for all cycling enthusiasts during the Festival Days on Saturday and Sunday. For more information visit: www.eurobike.com.

About Eurobike:

Eurobike is the central platform of the cycling and future mobility universe. Together with visionaries from politics, business, society and the mobility industry, it creates space for communication, new ideas, change of perspective, and strong partnerships for innovative mobility solutions and new business models. With Eurobike, the booming and rapidly changing bicycle and future mobility industries have found a common platform. It sets new standards and identifies key topics in the areas of sports, leisure, health and mobility, makes continuous progress and brings the global community together live. The 31st Eurobike will take place on the grounds of Messe Frankfurt from Wednesday, June 21 to Sunday, June 25, 2023.

About fairnamic GmbH:

With the founding of fairnamic GmbH, the trade fair companies Frankfurt and Friedrichshafen are sealing a partnership focusing on innovative mobility. The market position in the future markets of bicycles, e-bikes, micromobility and general aviation is strengthened by pooling expertise and market knowledge, global positioning, brand strength and speed. The joint venture focuses on the Eurobike and AERO brands and their satellites. The objective is to expand and further develop the two flagship trade fairs.