News
Austrian Bikes Sales Top Billion-Dollar Milestone
Vienna, Austria Bicycle sales in Austria topped €1 billion (A$1.467 billion) for the first time in 2021, as rising e-bike and cargo bikes sales negated a slight overall decline in the total number of units sold. Sales totalled €1.03 billion, a 17% increase on the previous year and a three-fold increase compared to 2015. Based…
Specialized Buys Planet Cycles in Brisbane
Brisbane, Queensland Specialized Bicycle Components Australia has purchased a second Australian store, confirming last week it had bought prominent Brisbane store Planet Cycles. It came only a few weeks after Specialized’s first store purchase in this country, acquiring another Brisbane businesses, Studio de Velo. Husband and wife team Mark and Bronwyn announced they were handing…
Fitzroy Cycles Goes on the Market
Melbourne, Victoria An institution of Melbourne bicycle retail is on the market for only the second time in its almost century-long history. Fitzroy Cycles has been advertised for sale, with owners Bill Hocking and Anne Martin deciding the time is right to embark on the next chapter of their lives. With digital technology and the…
Parents Embrace New Kids Bike Lease Service
Sydney, NSW A new kids bicycle leasing service in Sydney is helping parents keep their kids on the right-sized bike – while keeping outgrown treadlies out of landfill. The Pedal Club was launched in Bondi last year to provide a more flexible option for parents – enabling them to trade up as their children grow…
Dean Woods Autobiography Set to Shine Light on Industry Shake-Up
Wangaratta, Victoria Olympic track cycling champion Dean Woods was also a disrupter of bicycle retail in Australia and is about to fire off some posthumous shots about the controversy that surrounded his time in the industry. Australian cycling and the broader sporting community last month celebrated the life of the former Victorian, who died on…
China COVID Measures and Ukraine Invasion Keep Brakes on Shipping
Shanghai, China Strict Covid lockdowns in several Chinese cities and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has shipping experts predicting the international container crisis is unlikely to improve soon. “Global fret ensues as several cities in China go into strict lockdown, including Shanghai and Shenzen,” according to a statement by container logistics service xChange. “This…
2022 Yearbook is Here!
Spanish Ministry Proposes Compulsory e-Bike Insurance
Spain The Spanish government is considering implementing mandatory insurance for e-bikes, a policy that would put it at odds with the rest of Europe. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation’s push to incorporate “personal mobility vehicles” within regular motor vehicle regulations would bring a need for compulsory insurance for electric bicycles. The controversial proposal…
How’s Business – April 2022
Welcome to our monthly chat with dealers across Australia and New Zealand. For this month’s follow up question, we returned to the elephant in the room that we’ve deliberately avoided for the past few months of How’s Business columns – stock. In some ways, it’s hard to believe that we’re now approaching two years since…
Bike Businesses Sought for Green Square Cycling Incentives
Sydney, NSW e-Bike suppliers are invited to participate in a City of Sydney pilot program to make electric bikes more readily accessible to residents in the municipality’s Green Square area. “The City of Sydney is seeking to trial a panel of businesses who can provide e-bikes for Green Square residents to experience riding,” the council’s…