Eurobike. That big, German, European, bike show, hosted in the city which the European Central Bank calls home – Frankfurt….. Oh, hold on a minute, that’s what I said last year….

And here’s the thing: As time passes, even what stays the same is no longer the same. The world in which it exists is changing (has changed) and, as a result, so has our view of these things. 

To the credit of the Eurobike team, they are all over this. Change. Reinventing the show.

A few, obvious, headline examples of this:

1. Embracing eMobility
2. Championing active travel
3. Locating the show in a city where active travel is high on the agenda
4. Giving their platform and voice, supporting lobbying for cycling infrastructure
5. Continuing to offer the sport and leisure sector a high-quality event platform

Now, it’s important to acknowledge that how we, the trade, the media, and the public, see and experience the show has changed. In some instances, radically. 

What we expect of Eurobike has, as a result, also changed. 

If we’re all wearing rose-tinted glasses for Friedrichshafen, that drunken nostalgia isn’t going to keep us in business. Ask anyone who’s ever tried selling new old stock of a 3 + years old bike: The public doesn’t want it, even at an absolute bargain, you’re-losing-money-on-it, price. Still not convinced? Ask the team who delivered Interbike. 

So, what is Eurobike in 2025? 

2025 sees the show switching to a 2.5-day trade, 2.5-day public format. A smart move (IMHO) given the show’s home market, Germany, is the biggest e-bike market in Europe*. 

Would being able to sell from stands, on the public days, make the show more commercially appealing? Big question. I don’t profess to have the answer. All I can say is that in an omnichannel world, it’s certainly something most prospects and customers would likely expect.  

*Notice I mentioned that Germany is the biggest e-bike market in Europe. Because it’s not the biggest in the world. Getting into the weeds of ‘what-is-an-eBike’ here, as, depending on what you include, when using the e-bike naming convention, the biggest market would be the Southeast Asian market, where the Eurobike organisers have Asiabike Jakarta – a unique show which brings together all elements of eMobility and EV, on 2, 3 or 4 wheels. 

Now, where are a significant number of today’s most influential voices in the cycling industry coming from? 

That’s right, the auto, motorcycle, and LEV industries. 

Askoll. Bosch. Brose (Yamaha). Classified. E2Drives. Gates. Gobao. Mahle. Niche Mobility. Pinion. PON. Porsche e-Bike Performance (Fazua). Valeo. ZF. And then there’s Also., who joined the sector this year with a small operating budget of “$105 million ….”  

What is the single biggest thing happening in the auto industry right now? The transition from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to Electric Vehicles (EV).

Now, how might that impact the Cycling Industry? 

What might that do for the Total Addressable Market (TAM)? For engaging a new-mobility curious audience spanning the ‘inquisitive-to-enthusiastic’ spectrum?  

Not interested in all these auto industry-related examples and comparisons?

Ask Specialized about the launch of a ‘brand-first’ Class 3-enabled e-bike. Or Trek, who introduced the brand’s first-ever throttle-assist e-bike. Then ask why both are conspicuous by their Eurobike absence… whilst, in one way or another, a significant number of those auto industry-related brands will be at the show – formally, or informally, directly, or indirectly. 

So yes, Eurobike has most definitely changed. And this is most definitely a good thing. 

Does this mean those who attend and who exhibits at the show will also change? Very likely. Is that a bad thing?

What is most definitely not up for debate: Change is essential. 

Being a driver of change is being the captain of your own ship, not a passenger in someone else’s. 

Hats off to Stefan Reisinger and team for steering Eurobike on an essential, new course. Final destination to be confirmed. General direction – a new future. 

Over 144 primary schools in South Yorkshire are moving more and differently on the school run this week for Mayor Oliver Coppard’s Walk & Wheel Challenge.

The Mayor’s Walk & Wheel Challenge 2025 – a special collaboration with national walking charity, Living Streets, to encourage children to walk, wheel or cycle to school each day – takes place during Walk to School Week (19 and 23 May 2025).

Mayor Coppard and South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, Ed Clancy, visited children at Coleridge Primary School in Rotherham on Monday to mark the start of the challenge.

Goal setting. Vision sharing.

The Walk & Wheel Challenge forms part of the Mayor’s key manifesto commitment to make South Yorkshire the best place in the country to walk, wheel and cycle for our children, with an ambitious plan for active travel with schools at its heart.

Participating schools receive a free resource pack including stickers, activity tracking charts, bookmarks and fun activity sheets. A prize draw also offers the chance to win scooters, bikes and a cycling workshop with Ed Clancy OBE.

This year’s challenge builds on the successful Mayor’s Walk & Wheel Challenge in 2024, part of the Mayor’s Year of Active Travel. 78 schools across South Yorkshire were involved in last year’s event.

Speaking about the challenge, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “Our children deserve the best start in life, and helping kids build activity into their everyday is a big part of how we will reach that goal.

“We know that giving children the freedom and choice to move more and move differently can help build a strong foundation for an active lifestyle, encouraging young people to develop healthy habits.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to work with Living Streets to develop a unique approach to their national Walk to School Week campaign here in South Yorkshire, through my Walk and Wheel Challenge.

“Not only will this partnership make materials and resources more accessible to primary schools right across South Yorkshire, it will also support our young people, families and schools to see walking, scooting and cycling to school as an obvious first choice.”

School visit explores impact and benefits.

The Mayor’s visit to Coleridge School was an opportunity to hear about school initiatives and hear how active travel interventions are benefiting the school and supporting a healthier, happier community.

The five-day Walk & Wheel Challenge involves encouraging every primary school-aged child in the region to choose to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school each day.

Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, as part of their National Walking Month campaign each May.

This year’s challenge will see pupils take on The Great Space Walk. Meeting various colourful intergalactic friends along the way, pupils will learn via daily themes about the important reasons to walk or wheel, including mental wellbeing, physical health, sustainability, road safety and community benefits.

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive, Living Streets, said: “Walk to School Week is a wonderful opportunity for pupils across the UK to celebrate the many benefits of walking and wheeling to school.

“Schools that take part can enjoy reduced congestion and pollution, while children reap the benefits of being active and spending quality time with friends and family. We are delighted South Yorkshire schools are at the front of the queue to join us this Walk to School Week and hope they inspire others to get involved this May.”

South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, Ed Clancy OBE, said: “Walking, wheeling, and cycling have so many benefits, and schools are key to making them part of everyday life.

“Every child should have the freedom to choose whether to walk, scoot, or bike to school—it keeps them active and builds healthy habits for life in their formative years. The Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge is back, and this year it’s even bigger and better with Living Streets.

“We’re encouraging kids across South Yorkshire to move more, try new ways of getting around, and make everyday journeys healthier and happier.”

Bolt, the global shared mobility platform, has released the results of a new international survey examining how commuting impacts everyday life and mental well-being.

The study, conducted across 10 countries with over 3,300 respondents, offers new insight into the emotional realities of daily travel – and what needs to change.

Commuting is a daily reality for most.

At least 75% of respondents in all countries surveyed reported commuting either daily or 4–6 times a week. The highest daily commute rates were reported in Nigeria (83.4%), Poland (83%), and Czech Republic (82.4%).

Nearly half of all respondents said their daily commute takes at least an hour, with notable peaks in Romania (58%) and Nigeria (52%), where a significant portion also reported commuting for over two hours each day.

In all countries surveyed, nearly half of respondents commute more than 20km daily, with Czechs, Romanians, and Germans covering the longest distances overall.

The survey confirms that commuting affects mental health: 20–30% of respondents said commuting always or often negatively impacts their mental health. An additional 35% said it sometimes does.

Commuting trade-offs: control vs. well-being

Across all 10 countries, private cars are the most popular primary mode of commuting (43%), followed by public transport (38%). While 35–40% of car commuters say they feel stress while commuting, a majority also report that commuting by car reduces their stress levels.

 This duality suggests that commuting-related stress may stem from external factors such as traffic, reckless drivers, or parking, while car ownership and control over travel may bring a sense of security and relief.

 On the other end of the spectrum, modes that involve physical activity and autonomy, such as cycling, walking, and shared scooters, consistently ranked highest in satisfaction and lowest in mental health strain. Respondents who walk or cycle report the least stress and widely agree that these modes improve their well-being.

 “It is not surprising to see opposing stress-related appreciations in car-based mobility,” said Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra, Assistant Professor in Transportation Analysis and Data Science at Utrecht University. 

 “On the one hand, travelling during peak congestion times can lead to frustration during the act of driving. On the other hand, having a car available at any time enhances feelings of autonomy, enabling people to travel to any destination whenever they choose.

 “In terms of mental health and other modes, the effect of active travel is evident. Not only has it been proven that the act of travelling itself promotes better mental health through physical exercise, but also that living in places where opportunities are accessible within walking or cycling distance encourages participation in additional activities and fosters richer experiences of what cities have to offer.”

What needs to change? Rethinking the commute

Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that reduced traffic congestion would significantly ease stress. Other helpful changes cited include shorter commute times, active transport options, better work-from-home flexibility, and switching to public transport. 

The survey findings underscore the importance of active and micromobility options, reinforcing the need to make them more accessible and appealing through urban planning.

They also point to the need for improved public infrastructure to support active commuting, greater availability of remote work options, and a shift toward flexible, hybrid commuting models that combine private vehicles with active and shared mobility solutions.

With commuting deeply embedded in everyday life, reimagining how we move through our cities could have a profound impact on mental well-being, productivity, and quality of life.

About the survey:

Bolt conducted a survey in 10 countries: EE, LT, FR, DE, SE, PL, CZ, RO, PT, NG, targeting bigger cities.

SurveyMonkey platform was used for FR, DE, SE, PL, CZ, RO, PT, NG and Norstat for EE and LT. The total number of responses was 3335.

About Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra:

Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra is an Assistant Professor in Transport Analysis and Data Science at the Urban Geography research section of Utrecht University.

Sozza-Parra’s primary research interests encompass the relationship between car dependency, sustainable transportation, and the impact of uncertainty in travel decisions, through the analysis of multiple data sources, from passively collected (e.g. smartcard information) to surveys (e.g. discrete choice stated preference surveys).

Sozza-Parra is also concerned about cities’ increasing growth rate and their sustainability implications. Here, he considers public transportation and active transport as the alternatives to promote, whilst noting that it’s also quite important to understand private-car drivers’ attitudes towards mobility, especially on how to encourage a fairer use of the space.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) has launched a landmark report in Parliament on social justice in active travel, calling for urgent reforms to address the barriers that prevent many people from walking, wheeling, and cycling.

The report, authored by Dr. Tom Cohen and Dr. Ersilia Verlinghieri of the University of Westminster’s Active Travel Academy, and supported by British Cycling and Leigh Day, highlights the stark inequalities faced by disabled people, women, children, people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, and those on lower incomes when accessing active travel.

Despite government ambitions for more walking, wheeling and cycling, progress has stalled. The report identifies the high cost of cycles and mobility aids, unsafe streets, lack of inclusive infrastructure, and systemic underinvestment as key obstacles that disproportionately affect marginalised communities.

The report includes nine key recommendations to improve social justice in active travel, which will guide the APPGCW’s campaign efforts in Parliament.

Among the most urgent proposals are:

• Reforming the Cycle to Work scheme into “Cycle for Health” to help low-income workers, freelance workers and pensioners access cycles. Both groups are currently ineligible for the current Cycle to Work scheme.

• Tackling pavement parking, which disproportionately affects disabled people and parents with young children. A government consultation on the topic has gone unanswered since 2020.

• Mandating Inclusive Mobility as a legal design standard to ensure active travel infrastructure works for everyone.

• Providing stable, long-term funding for grassroots organisations working to increase active travel participation.

• Removing discriminatory access barriers from cycleways and footpaths while strengthening action against antisocial motorcycle use.

The report also highlights the importance of sustained investment and collaboration across Government departments such as DfT, DCMS and DHSC, to support efforts to tackle inactivity amongst disadvantaged groups.

Following the publication of this report, the APPGCW will meet with Ministers, push for a Parliamentary debate, and advocate for policy changes to ensure active travel is accessible to all.

Fabian Hamilton MP, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Party Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) said: “Walking, wheeling, and cycling should be available to everyone, but right now, too many people are excluded. If we are serious about increasing active travel, we must address the systemic barriers that prevent millions from participating. This report provides clear, actionable solutions to make active travel truly inclusive. We will be working hard in Parliament to push for change.”

Caroline Julian, brand and engagement director at British Cycling, commented: “Cycling has the power to transform lives, but too often, the people who stand to benefit the most are unable to take part. The barriers outlined in this report are therefore a matter of social justice that need to be addressed now.

“We must ensure that cost, infrastructure, and safety concerns make walking, wheeling, and cycling truly accessible to all. Together with our partner, Leigh Day, we wholeheartedly support these recommendations and urge national and local governments to adopt them with urgency.”

Naseem Akhtar, CEO at Saheli Hub, said: “Community organisations like Saheli Hub play a vital role in empowering women, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds, to access walking, wheeling, and cycling. However, the biggest barrier we face is the lack of long-term funding. Short-term grants force us into a cycle of uncertainty, limiting our ability to build sustainable, impactful programmes.

“Community-led initiatives are often best placed to reach underrepresented groups, but we cannot continue this important work without financial stability.”

Rory McCarron, Senior Associate Solicitor and member of Leigh Day’s cycling team said: “The APPGCW continues to do really important work, and I wholeheartedly welcome the recommendations made within this report to remove barriers for people walking, wheeling and cycling.

“As we continue to champion active travel, it is vital that we ensure the infrastructure is in place for our communities  – so that everyone feels safe and confident for this to be a realistic option and for all to enjoy the many benefits of active travel which the report endorses.”

The full report can be viewed online via the APPGCW website.

By Mark Sutton

The bike industry would be wise to align its many positive outcomes to Government goals, a panel made up of Chris Boardman, Trudy Harrison, Ruth Cadbury and Adam Tranter told a gathered crowd last week at a London event, organised by bike industry marketing firm Fusion Media.

Leading the call for pragmatic thinking in how the bike industry approaches asking for more from the Government, National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman told the gathered crowd, “In Greater Manchester, there is a £250 million a week cost put against inactivity, and they are really motivated to reduce that societal bill. We have said to Andy Burnham that active travel can help. If we are able to get 3.6 million people active, that equates to 2 million fewer GP visits.”

This was a point made in the recent announcement of £289 million in funding for active travel, with the mooted 300 miles of cycle lanes said to be funded, equating to 43,000 fewer sick days on account of the likely uptick in public appetite to travel under their own steam.

Boardman added, “It is a choice to make changes. Take Ghent, for example. They decided to change the traffic system, it took €6 million, but they did it in one weekend, and it has made a measurable impact. You have to hope for political will, speak to the things that people really care about, like their children’s safety, which seems to be a stronger emotional lever than messages like climate; and you need to talk to the economy of change. This is all politically saleable stuff.”

Cycling’s countless positive externalities, needless to say, align brilliantly with multiple Government goals. As it stands, Britain’s obesity bill is £100 billion every year, and Boardman’s prescription of active travel not only builds active travel into daily lives, but at the same time reduces a congestion bill that even pre-Covid was harming the economy to the tune of £6.9 billion a year. The yet-to-be-laid cycle paths, so says Active Travel England, are likely to deliver a £9 million annual economic boost by supporting local businesses.

Pitching in and sharing insight from her time as the Conservatives’ active travel minister within the Department for Transport, Trudy Harrison echoed the message that enabling children to cycle safely is incredibly important, and as the new chair of the Bikeability Trust, you’d expect nothing less. However, it’s more than just enabling the children, she explained; the mums must come on the journey too.

“I overheard a mum talking about her daughter being involved with Bikeability recently, and you could tell it meant a lot to her that her daughter now had this life skill. Of course, the children will all put their hands up when asked if they want to cycle to school, but the mums make 80% to 90% of household decisions, so they need to see that their child has learned this life skill. I’m also a big advocate of marketing to mums, they can be a new audience for the bike industry.”

To do that, Bikeability has introduced video logs that are shared with parents after the training so that the parents can visibly see their child has learned to cycle safely on the roads. This has had a far greater impact than a paper certificate that may just get stuffed in a drawer and disregarded.

Harrison added, “Unfortunately, we are the third most obese country in Europe, and 25% of kids start school overweight. But if we look after the girls, the women will look after themselves.”

She went on to speak on the normalisation of cycling in marketing imagery, pointing to the Netherlands as a country that does not change its clothes to go cycling.

Here, Chris Boardman offered, “We need to think about aspirational imagery and high visibility or helmets don’t achieve that. A picture from the Netherlands I saw recently told the story I would like to see; two teen girls on very normal bikes with baskets, looking relaxed, and laughing, they were clearly very independent. The environment here at present is the problem, we should be asking, don’t we want better opportunities for our kids? We are being denied that, and we must remind people what we are losing and campaign for an environment that promotes safety and enjoyment. Ultimately, we need to connect people emotionally to the outcome of our ideas.”

When asked where the Government could be influenced, in particular with this week’s spring budget landing on Wednesday, current Labour MP Ruth Cadbury concluded, saying “For Rachel Reeves, it will largely come down to savings for the public purse and cycling answers a number of the questions being asked of her at the moment. I’d encourage the public and the industry to get more proactively involved, people don’t use the Government enough. Find out about the select committees and contact your MP with what you’d like to see. We need the public to engage like the big corporates do.”

Leading electric tricycle retailer, Jorvik Tricycles is celebrating continued success, sharing news of a reported £3.2 million annual turnover.

The business, founded in 2014 by James Walker,  has grown from humble beginnings, with tricycles being made in James’ living room in York, to a multi-million-pound retailer that has supported more than 30,000 customers globally.

2024 saw the business celebrate its 10th anniversary, and, with an eye firmly on the future, the business is looking to the next decade with a focus on expanding across the south of England, and into Europe.

Business aligned with future goals.

Through a strategic restructuring of the management team, and continued research and development, the business has targeted a 15% growth in 2025, driven by UK and EU stockist expansion, a new mobility range, and the opening of a second bespoke UK showroom.

At the end of 2024, the business also welcomed a new Chief Operations Officer, Matt Lindon, in a strategic move to prepare the business for growth and redefine and develop procedures.

Commenting on his appointment, Lindon said: “I am thrilled to join a company that has such big ambitions for the future. Jorvik has already had an incredible journey underpinned by a motivational story. I’m looking forward to working with the team in such a pivotal role  to plan and deliver their future growth plans.”

Scaling the business. Keeping the customer-focused approach

Throughout the business’s path to growth, valued customer service has remained front and centre for the brand, with more than 60% of all sales from one-to-one consultations. This customer-focused approach underpins the retailer’s plans for 2025 and beyond.

As Jorvik looks to expand across Europe with further stockists and develop and launch a brand-new mobility range, customer service – supporting people of all abilities to enjoy the freedom of cycling – will remain the focus.

James Walker, founder and MD of Jorvik Tricycles discusses the business growth: “We’re starting 2025 with big plans. The last ten years have been an exceptional journey – from starting as a passion project to help my father in his battle with Parkinson’s, the growth and interest from the public has been greater than we ever anticipated.

“It’s been incredible to see first-hand how our Jorvik tricycles can improve people’s lives and provide them with increased independence. As we look forward to the next ten years and our vision for growth, we hope to continue to bring more choices and styles to the market, providing people of all abilities with the physical and mental benefits of cycling.”

Southern England plans

With a growing customer base in the south of England, the retailer sets its sights on a new bespoke showroom and indoor test-track by summer 2025.

Commenting on the new showroom, Walker added: “Our customer and the Jorvik community are at the heart of everything we do and plan. Our goal is to help get people outside and enjoy their independence, our exciting new range and expansion plans for 2025 will play a huge role in achieving that objective.

“Launching a new expertly designed mobility range and a second showroom is a huge milestone for Jorvik Tricycles. We know from past experiences that our customers love to try the full range before they buy- our new showroom will be the perfect space for our customers in the south of England to do just that.”

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has launched his second Walk & Wheel Challenge for all primary schools in the region in a special collaboration with Living Streets.

This year’s challenge builds on the successful Mayor’s Walk & Wheel Challenge in 2024, part of the Mayor’s Year of Active Travel. In total, 78 schools across South Yorkshire were involved in last year’s event.

The Walk & Wheel Challenge encourages every primary school child in South Yorkshire to walk, wheel or cycle to school each day to become more active and healthier. This forms part of the Mayor’s key manifesto – commitment to make South Yorkshire the best place in the country to walk, wheel and cycle – with an ambitious plan for active travel with schools at its heart.

Prizes for participation

The Mayor’s Walk & Wheel Challenge 2025 takes place during Living Streets’ national Walk to School Week, between Monday, May 19 and Friday, May 23, 2025.

This unique South Yorkshire collaboration means that the first 100 South Yorkshire primary schools joining the challenge will receive a free resource pack for KS1 and KS2 classes – including stickers, activity tracking charts, bookmarks and fun activity sheets.

The South Yorkshire challenge will also include a prize draw for participating schools to win scooters, bikes and cycling workshops with Ed Clancy, South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “Our children deserve the best start in life, and helping kids build activity into their everyday life is a big part of how we will reach that goal.

“We know that giving children the freedom and choice to move more and move differently can help build a strong foundation for an active lifestyle, encouraging young people to develop healthy habits.

Partnerships for amplified impact

Commenting on the collective effort of the 2025 campaign, the Mayor states: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to work with Living Streets to develop a unique approach to their national Walk to School Week campaign here in South Yorkshire, through my Walk and Wheel Challenge.

“Not only will this partnership make materials and resources more accessible to primary schools right across South Yorkshire, it will also support our young people, families and schools to see walking, scooting and cycling to school as an obvious first choice.”

The five-day Walk and Wheel Challenge involves encouraging every primary school-aged child in the region to choose to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school each day.

Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, as part of their National Walking Month campaign each May.

This year’s challenge will see pupils take on The Great Space Walk. Meeting various colourful intergalactic friends along the way, pupils will learn via daily themes about the important reasons to walk or wheel, including mental well-being, physical health, sustainability, road safety and community benefits.

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive, Living Streets, said: “Walk to School Week is a wonderful opportunity for pupils across the UK to celebrate the many benefits of walking and wheeling to school.

Schools that take part can enjoy reduced congestion and pollution, while children reap the benefits of being active and spending quality time with friends and family.

We are delighted South Yorkshire schools are at the front of the queue to join us this Walk to School Week and hope they inspire others to get involved this May.”

Talking about the campaign, its aims, and the impact this has, South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, Ed Clancy OBE, said: “The Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge is back, and this year it’s even bigger and better with Living Streets. Walking, wheeling, and cycling have so many benefits, and schools are key to making them part of everyday life.”

“Every child should have the freedom to choose whether to walk, scoot, or bike to school—it keeps them active and builds healthy habits for life in their formative years”. Clancy continues, “We’re encouraging kids across South Yorkshire to move more, try new ways of getting around, and make everyday journeys healthier and happier.”

To sign up or find out more information about the Mayors Walk & Wheel Challenge, visit the SYMCA website.

Cowboy, the Belgium e-bike business, founded in 2017 by start-up entrepreneurs Adrien Roose, Karim Slaoui and Tanguy Gorettihas, has fully moved its assembly operations to France.

In making the announcement the business points to a strategic nearshoring move which aims to “enhance production quality, reduce delivery times, and strengthen customer support” as the brand seeks to meet demand for its e-bikes across Europe.

Cowboy has partnered with ReCycles, a renowned French manufacturer with over 30 years of experience producing for brands like Peugeot, to assemble its bikes in Romilly-sur-Seine.

This partnership also marks a shift for ReCycles, expanding its production from traditional bicycles to high-tech e-bikes—a nod to the future of the cycling industry and France’s leadership in innovation. With assembly now ramping up, bikes are already shipping to riders across Europe, marking a new chapter in Cowboy’s growth.

Adrien Roose, CEO and co-founder of Cowboy, said, “Bringing our assembly to France marks a significant turning point for Cowboy. This move strengthens our commitment to quality while allowing us to scale efficiently to meet demand. By working with a manufacturer that combines decades of expertise with a vision for the future, we’re not only improving production but also reinforcing France’s role in the evolution of e-bike innovation.

“As we ramp up production, availability for our bikes continues to grow, and once we reach full capacity, bikes will be delivered within days—getting more riders in the saddle faster than ever.”

Supply, demand, and manufacturing

The shift comes as part of Cowboy’s response to global supply chain disruptions that impacted the entire industry. Unlike brands that overstocked or struggled to recover, Cowboy stock levels remained lean as the company focused on strategic, long-term growth. However, this led to delivery delays for some customers.

“We acknowledge and apologise for the delays some customers have faced recently, and we have taken decisive action to fix this,” Roose added. “This move proves that Cowboy is building a stronger, more resilient future whilst focusing on our customer experience.”

Aftersales issues addressed

In addition to production improvements, Cowboy is reinforcing its commitment to after-sales service. Riders now have access to 125+ service locations and mobile technicians across 40+ cities, alongside a multilingual customer support team in its Brussels HQ, now responding in just 10 minutes on average.

Gregory Trebaol, CEO of ReCycles, welcomed the partnership, emphasizing the significance of working with a brand at the forefront of e-bike innovation.

“We are thrilled to assemble Cowboy bikes in France. Cowboy is the world’s most advanced e-bike, combining cutting-edge technology with sleek design and a seamless riding experience. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to quality, innovation, and making Europe a global hub for the cycling industry.”

ReCycles is investing heavily in the future of French bicycle manufacturing with Cowboy. The company is developing a new 25,000 m² production site by 2027, reinforcing France’s leadership in sustainable mobility.

“London Cycling Campaign (LCC) Women’s Network study of TfL’s cycle network shows that 24% is routed through isolated or unlit places such as parks that feel unsafe after dark, especially for women.”

That’s the finding of a new LCC Women’s Network report launching today, “Women’s Freedom After Dark: Are TfL’s Cycleways safe for everyone, 24/7?”

Here, BikeBiz shares details from the LCC press release, publicising the report, and its findings.

The report shows a high proportion of TfL’s Cycleways are ‘socially unsafe’ outside of daylight hours, i.e. there is a risk of harm from others, due to factors like isolation, poor lighting and a lack of escape routes.

LCC’s Women’s Network volunteers have assessed and mapped the whole of TfL’s current Cycleway network against rigorous criteria on social safety. Studies suggest that women’s journeys are disproportionately affected.

Findings include:

• 24% of the whole TfL cycle network is socially unsafe after dark
• 58% of TfL Cycleways have at least one socially unsafe section after dark
• 7 Cycleways are 100% socially unsafe after dark
• 11 Cycleways are at least 70% socially unsafe after dark

The full report is available to download from the London Cycling Campaign website.

Women stop cycling after dark in London.

The new LCC Women’s Network report follows a year on from its initial survey and report “What Stops Women Cycling In London?” which found one in three women who currently cycle in London stop during winter months or after dark due to a lack of safe routes.

Over half said they were faced with an impossible choice between cycle routes that go through isolated places where they feel at risk, or riding on hostile main roads with no protected space for cycling.

TfL’s Cycleways quality criteria not good enough

TfL’s Cycleways are their ‘high-quality’ and ‘strategic’ routes that they sign, pay for and often deliver – these routes are the core London cycle network and are vital for delivering the Mayor of London and TfL’s transport strategy on cycling for London.

They have to meet a minimum standard, assessed by TfL’s Cycle Route Quality Criteria tool – but that tool does not include any criteria on directness of route or social isolation.

As a result, councils and TfL have been building and signing routes away from main roads because it is politically convenient, but the result has seen an increasing number of Cycleway routes designed, delivered and signed into the network that simply aren’t suitable for and available for women to cycle on during the winter and after dark.

Report recommendations

As a result, the LCC Women’s Network, a coalition of individual women and organisations focusing on women cycling in London, are calling for the following from the Mayor, TfL, and others:

1. TfL should add ‘social safety’ and ‘directness’ to its Cycle Route Quality Criteria, ruling out poorly lit, isolated areas and convoluted, indirect routes.

2. TfL should urgently bring all current Cycleways up to the new quality criteria standard. Sections of existing routes, or entire routes, should be upgraded or rerouted.

3. TfL should not approve or fund council delivery of routes that do not meet the updated criteria. Leisure routes in parks are a valuable resource but should not count or be funded as part of TfL’s core cycle network.

4. TfL, councils and the police should also make leisure routes safer, with more CCTV and lighting in places like underpasses, particularly at crime ‘hotspots’.

5. TfL (and Active Travel England) should develop new guidance on cycle infrastructure and social safety. Dutch designs of underpasses could be adopted that are far more welcoming.

Kate Bartlett, LCC Women’s Network comments: “Half of all Cycleway routes have sections which aren’t usable by most women after dark, which add up to a quarter of the entire length of the cycle network. Women make only a third of all cycle journeys in London – they make over half of all cycled journeys in the Netherlands. Until London has a truly safe inclusive network designed for everyone, we’ll lag behind.”

Professor Rachel Aldred, Active Travel Academy, University of Westminster notes: “Our research has found that for women and older people, longer and more indirect routes act as more of a barrier to cycling, than they do for men and younger people. This highlights the importance of having safe and direct routes, for instance through protected space from A to B on main roads, in broadening access to cycling.”

“As London’s leading sustainable shared e-bike provider, Forest understands the importance of safe and sociable accessibility to ensure these schemes are as equitable as possible. Forest stands by the findings of the study and supports LCC’s Women’s Network calls for more inclusive planning of cycle routes and parking infrastructure. Women ride with Forest more regularly than the national average for private cyclists, but to achieve parity, these recommendations must be introduced.” – Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest

“Our lights and accessories help power women cyclists through the night across the UK. But women out cycling for sport, leisure or to just get from A to B shouldn’t have to choose their routes carefully knowing that all too often the signs for London’s cycle network can lead to places they do not want to go. That’s why we support this new and vital report from LCC Women’s Network.” – Kellie Parsons, Madison cycle parts and accessories

The report features five case study route segments, some of the worst examples in London.

Case studies include Cycleway 1 which passes next to Millwall Stadium alongside an isolated railway line where muggings and bikejackings have been reported; the Grand Union Canal Cycleway, which has enabled TfL and five west London boroughs to avoid delivering a more inclusive alternative; and a crime-ridden and isolated underpass in Enfield which is used when a far more inclusive crossing of the major North Circular road is clearly needed for pedestrians and those cycling.

LCC Women’s Network and sponsors

London Cycling Campaign (LCC) is a charity with more than 20,000 supporters, of whom more than 11,000 are fully paid-up members. We speak up on behalf of everyone who cycles or wants to cycle in Greater London; and we speak up for a greener, healthier, happier and better-connected capital.

The LCC Women’s Network is run by a steering group of volunteers and has hundreds of active members, nearly 2,000 supporters and 11 associate member organisations who want London to be a city where all women, non-binary and gender non-conforming people feel safe to cycle.

The Freedom After Dark report is kindly supported by Forest, the shared e-bike service, and Madison, the UK’s leading distributor of cycle parts and accessories.

European shared micro-mobility operator Dott is teaming up with a new cycle-to-work scheme, CycleSaver, with the goal of cutting commuting costs for employees.

So far, so familiar, you could be forgiven for thinking. To which I’d say ‘hold your horses’. Read on and it’s clear this is most definitely not just another new scheme provider announcement.

Cycle to work, with a big difference

In partnership with CycleSaver, Dott is introducing a flexible monthly subscription to Dott e-bikes.

Through Dott’s monthly subscription via CycleSaver, riders can enjoy two free 30-minute e-bike trips each day, as well as unlimited free bike unlocks (which usually cost £1).

CycleSaver has already established itself as the UK’s first cycle-to-work scheme to focus exclusively on bike share, offering employees savings on subscriptions to the UK’s top bike share providers – including Lime, Forest, Beryl, Santander Cycles and now Dott.

The familiar bit that grabs attention (but is somewhat contentious)

As a result of the tax benefits of salary sacrifice, the new partnership “will enable employees to save money on Dott’s standard e-bike prices each month, reducing employee commuting costs by up to 47%”.

As is the case for all cycle-to-work scheme providers, whilst the headline-grabbing “saving you up to 47%” features prominently in the press release, this – for a scheme based on tax saving – applies to a (very) small portion of the UK population who find themselves in the Higher rate tax bracket.

Talking numbers, that Additional tax bracket applies to those earning over £120,121 – estimated to be between two and four percent of the UK workforce, depending on whose numbers you cite.

A more typical cycle-to-work saving would be 28% – still a very worthwhile saving – whilst anyone earning over £50,000 (an estimated 13 million people) would save 42%, based on the Higher tax bracket.

Welcome innovation: Supporting more ways to use a bike

Whilst acknowledging the above, there is still plenty to be extremely interested in given this represents the first exclusive, UK-based, shared mobility partnership with a cycle-to-work scheme provider.

Getting people (who do not call themselves cyclists) on bikes remains a critical part of the new mobility transition, supporting and presenting better choices for some journeys – those under five miles being the big, popular, target. Complex behaviour change takes a host of leavers and mechanisms.

This new Dott and CycleSaver cycle-to-work scheme partnership represents a significant new step, a new tool for making change more accessible, more possible, for more people.

At launch, Dino Bertolis, founder and CEO at CycleSaver, reflects: “Partnering with Dott is an exciting step for CycleSaver, as it extends our reach into new cities and enables even more employees to enjoy significant savings on their daily commutes.”

Sustainability and accessibility are at the core of this partnership between CycleSaver and Dott – who are “working to change mobility for good, together”.

Peadar Golden, regional director UKI and Nordics at Dott comments: “By collaborating with CycleSaver, we aim to make sustainable commuting more accessible and affordable for employees across the UK. This partnership aligns with our mission to change mobility for good, together, and help cities to reduce congestion and pollution in urban areas.”

Bike-share in numbers

There are currently “over 4.5 million users of bike-sharing schemes across more than 33 cities in the UK”.

It’s the serving of this market for which CycleSaver was founded, in 2023 – giving these users and others for whom bike-share represents a viable option, access to the HMRC’s cycle-to-work tax savings.

Dott’s e-bikes are currently available in Bath, Bristol and Colchester.