News
How’s Business? – March 2023
Welcome to our monthly chat with bicycle store owners and managers across Australia and New Zealand. We’ve been hearing reports of very large discounts being initiated nationwide by multiple bike brands as the industry faces a perfect storm of over-stock, demand returning to pre-Covid levels and consumers struggling from increased cost of living pressures. So…
Trek E-Cargo Confirmed for Australian Release in April
Canberra, ACT Trek’s return to the e-cargo bike sector, the Fetch+ series, will make its way to Australia and NZ next month, with the local release of the Fetch+2 longtail. The company says it expects stock will arrive in mid-April and will be available globally on trekbikes.com and through Trek’s retail partners. The Fetch+2 is…
TEBCO Crackdown on Unassembled Bike On-selling
Melbourne, Victoria Melbourne-based e-bike company TEBCO has foreshadowed it will soon implement a new distribution system it hopes will prevent resellers from forwarding its bikes unassembled to consumers. In an email update to its retails, the company cited instances of boxed TEBCO bikes being sent to consumers and assembled incorrectly, leading to claims for refunds.…
Giant Foreshadows Delayed Economic Recovery
Taichung City, Taiwan Inventory issues and the “headwind of economic outlook” will continue to affect short-term revenue and earning performance in the global bicycle industry, Giant Group declared in its 2022 financial year report released this month. The Taiwanese company says the bike market’s balance of the supply and demand is yet to normalise, although…
Keep up with a Busy Year of Bicycle Shows
The 2023 global bicycle trade show calendar hit one of its crescendos this week, with Taipei Cycle kicking off a succession of international bicycle and micromobility shows around the world. The Latz Report’s Event Calendar helps you to keep up with the shows that are coming up, with links to their official website, as many…
Trek Opens Full Online Sales Service in Australia
Sydney, NSW Trek stepped up its direct-to-consumer online sales in Australia last month, expanding its e-commerce across the full Trekbikes.com site. The US-based company launched an e-commerce compatibility across its website in October 2021, working in partnership with the brand’s retailers to allow customers to bikes close to them and purchase items from a local…
E-Bike Motor Legislation Change Leaves Industry Baffled
Sydney, NSW A last-minute change in e-bike motor legislation in NSW has bike industry leaders confused about the purpose of the amendment. On 24th February, the Government announced the NSW Minister for Metropolitan Roads, Natalie Wards, had changed legislation in the Road Transport Act 2013 that limited the maximum power of e-bike motors allowed on…
Shut Shop a Major Loss for Eaglehawk’s Cycling Lifeblood
Eaglehawk, Victoria Central Victorian town Eaglehawk lost an institution when Major’s Eaglehawk Sports & Cycles store officially closed its doors last week, after more than 50 years in business. The store’s owner operators, Norma Major and her son Peter, have decided they’re ready for a more relaxing life and the store – the only sports…
October Midweek Dates Confirmed for 2023 Micromobility Conference
Sydney, NSW Dates have been confirmed for this year’s Micromobility Conference, with a new delegate-friendly schedule that is midweek and earlier in the calendar. The 2023 event will be held on 24th-25th October and will return to Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse. “It’s an important shift to mid-week dates to be more convenient for business and…
Shimano, Trek, POC Release New Urban Products
Osaka, Japan Bike commuting’s global emergence into the transportation mainstream has been highlighted by the recent releases of three major players in the industry. Shimano, Trek and POC have unveiled new products with features targetting the practical needs of “everyday” cyclists. Shimano says its newly launched Cues line-up of components represents “a brand-new approach to…