January 5, 2021 - Since mid-May of 2020 the global demand for bicycles, and e-bikes in particular, has created a situation that is pushing industry players to their limits reports Germany’s Hadelsblatt.
One of the challenges facing suppliers is finding all of the many parts required to build and assemble bicycles and e-bikes, as sales go through the roof.
“The global bicycle boom has stretched our capacity to deliver,” says Harald Schmiedel, Trek’s European boss. While Bosch, the industry leader of e-drive systems including motors and batteries, invested heavily to meet the growing demand, that’s not the case with other components and parts creating delays and lead times of twelve to 15 months.
“The market trends were clear,” explained Claus Fleischer, head of Bosch’s E-Bike division. “For many people, they have become an alternative to cars and local public transportation.”
According to trade association, Cycling Industries Europe, sales of e-bikes in Europe jumped by almost a quarter in 2020, to around 4.5 million units.
Bicycle warehouses have been largely empty for months with business seldom as good as in 2020. “In the past, only one bike category boomed,” says Schmiedel. “This year is different as everything is moving. The bicycle is increasingly becoming a means of transport for the whole year.”
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