All indicators for the 2025 French market were negative. The total market volume decreased by 6%, while the revenue was down 4.8% year-on-year. The average retail price declined slightly, and the e-bike sales dropped 16%. This contraction comes amid a challenging economic environment but also reflects a more structural shift: the end of the post-Covid catch-up effect and the withdrawal of purchase incentives.
Decathlon S.A. reported steady growth in 2025, even as market development across the sporting goods and bicycle sectors remained uneven. The French retailer reports increased revenue and profitability. At the same time, limited disclosure around category-level performance, especially in cycling, leaves open questions about where that growth is coming from and how sustainable it may be.
Fatbikes have been flagged by the Union des Entreprises Sport and Cycle (UESC) as the overwhelming source of non-compliant e-bikes on France's streets, accounting for 94%. The union published a report last month raising the alarm on the increasing number of vehicles marketed in France as e-bikes that do not comply with current regulations.
A recent consumer survey across Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands shows distinct differences in purchasing behaviour and e-bike-buying priorities.
Véligo Location is about to reach a new milestone in France. The public long-term e-bike rental service in the Ile-de-France region, launched in 2019, has unveiled a new fleet of 19 models that will be rolled out this year. The goal: support the growth of cycling in the region, broaden use cases and meet the expectations of a more diverse public, from commuting trips to the needs of families, tradespeople or people with disabilities.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - E-bike brand Cowboy has officially been taken over by France's ReBirth Group Holding SA. The agreement signals a new phase for the Belgian brand, which will now fully lean on ReBirth's industrial and recapitalisation capabilities. The transaction includes a full financial restructuring with Cowboy's primary lender, providing a stronger balance sheet and a clean slate. Cowboy founder and CEO, Adrien Roose, has left the company.
TALLINN, Estonia - Vok Bikes has secured a new production line at the Refactory plant of Renault Group to scale the manufacturing of its next-generation electric commercial cargo bikes. Starting in 2026, mass production of Vok Bikes will take place at the car maker's plant in Flins, France, which is its flagship circular economy and sustainable manufacturing hub.
PARIS, France - On course to double sales in 2025, refurbished e-bike seller Upway, has received a financial injection of US$60 million (€52 million) in closing its Series C funding round. The company has now raised a total of US$125 million (€108 million) since its founding in 2021. The latest funding will facilitate new UpCenters in Europe and North America, expansion into five more countries and the launch of new digital services.
NANTES, France - French start-up Velco is inviting the public to become shareholders as it opens its capital through a €800,000 participatory fundraising campaign. Part of the operation is hosted on the investment platform Tudigo, running from October to November 2025, with an initial target of €400,000.
UTRECHT, the Netherlands - Cargo bikes are still regarded as pivotal in the transformation of urban logistics. Unlike the bicycle and e-bike industries, the cargo bike market is primarily business-to-business and new concepts are often developed in collaboration with B2B partners. While cargo bikes are displayed at the fringes of bicycle or logistics trade shows, the market remains highly promising.
PARIS, France - A small company from western France could soon shake up the global e-bike industry. Vendée-based Anod has taken a radical step: it is phasing out lithium-ion batteries, the standard in almost every e-bike, and replacing them with what it calls a safer and more sustainable solution — hybrid supercapacitors.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Cowboy's relationship with French brand partner Rebirth Group is evolving once again as Rebirth prepares to become a majority shareholder of the e-bike brand. An 80% stake in the company is anticipated. While the exact details are still under wraps, Cowboy's spokesperson did confirm to Bike Europe that discussions with Rebirth are progressing "very positively."
GIRONA, Spain - Accell Group has appointed William Perrier as managing director for Southern Europe in a role that was cut a couple of years ago. The renewed focus on the region is part of the group's strategy aimed at accelerating its development in the key markets of France, Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Perrier was presented at Sea Otter Europe as the man to boost the sales of Accell brands Lapierre, Ghost, Winora and Haibike, which are at the core of sales in the region.
PARIS, France - Bike-leasing company Vapaus Group has announced the integration of France's Azfalte, a corporate cycling company boasting a 250-client portfolio. Calling France "Europe's strongest growth potential," Vapaus Group says it's excited to explore international growth with Azfalte, hoping to achieve one million new riders in the coming years.
MONTREUIL, France - French authorities have uncovered a vast financial fraud network in a large-scale investigation that involved over 70,000 Chinese-made e-bikes across six storage sites in the country. The losses amount to €6 million.
PARIS, France - After a 2024 edition held in Toulouse, the professional bicycle trade show Pro Days returned to the French capital from July 6 to 8, 2025, at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles. This edition, taking place in a still uncertain market context, managed to win over some exhibitors while also revealing certain weaknesses.
LYON, France - Folding e-bike manufacturer Eovolt has its sights set on being more than just that. To support further internationalisation and entry into other non-electric categories, the French manufacturer is rebranding to UTO. "It is a new name to symbolise the brand we have become over the years," CEO Baptiste Fullen told Bike Europe during Eurobike.
PARIS, France - Upway, the online platform for reconditioned electric bikes, has launched a strategic partnership with the Spanish bike brand Orbea to give e-bikes a second life and support the sales of new e-bikes at the same time. In a move to strengthen the circular economy of e-bikes by including established industry players, a trade-in program is now live at Orbea retailers across several European countries.
