Bicycle trade fair in crisis: Bosch and ZIV break with Eurobike

Things are creaking loudly in the gears of Eurobike, Europe's leading trade fair for the bicycle industry. Criticism from companies in the sector has been heard for some time, and now, after some initial cancellations this year, the big names are pulling the plug for 2026. The industry association ZIV, the important Zukunft Fahrrad e.V., and Bosch are leaving Eurobike and will not be represented at the trade fair in Frankfurt in 2026.

“After intensive discussions with the shareholders of Eurobike, we have decided to end the cooperation. We could not see that both shareholders were supporting with the same consistency the measures that would be necessary to make the trade fair future-proof for the bicycle industry,” explains Bernhard Lange, ZIV- Die Fahrradindustrie board member and managing director of Paul Lange GmbH & Co. KG, the German general representative of Shimano, regarding the decision.

CEO of Bosch eBike Systems Claus Fleischer, also represented on the ZIV board, echoes this sentiment: “The industry expects fundamental changes as a prerequisite and a clear signal for a successful future for Eurobike—in the end, we do not see them.” For the reasons outlined in the ZIV press release, the company will therefore refrain from participating in Eurobike 2026, the company told heise.

ZIV sees no chance for changes

The ZIV, which according to its statements covers about 90 percent of bicycle production in Germany with its approximately 140 members, states that it has “formulated clear ideas on necessary structural and content-related adjustments [to the trade fair].” Ulrich Prediger, chairman of Zukunft Fahrrad and founder of JobRad, adds: “Unfortunately, we see no realistic chance of achieving these.”

The rift does not come out of nowhere. Many exhibitors at the trade fair were already grumbling audibly about the organization. The decline in visitor numbers and exhibiting companies was noticeable. This was reason enough for the ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad to send a list of demands with ten central points to the organizer, fairnamic GmbH in Friedrichshafen, in mid-July. Among other things, this addressed the move away from the most important metric of “more visitors and exhibitors,” but also the abandonment of the separation of pedelecs and unauthorized bikes, stronger control of vehicles and services on the trade fair that are illegal in Germany, and a stronger focus on the diversity of the ecosystem. The publicly accessible letter reads like a demand for a complete change of direction.

Trade fair organizer reacts “surprised”

fairnamic GmbH reacts with a statement to the prominent cancellations and expresses surprise at the decisions of the ZIV and Zukunft Fahrrad. Many of the suggestions have been “promptly taken up and already communicated,” such as the adjustment of the trade fair duration, several participation options for exhibitors, and a reorientation of the congress program. A trade fair advisory board led by Stephan Kurzawski from Messe Frankfurt is also intended to accompany the development of Eurobike. “Against this background, the associations' initiative surprises us, as the dialogue was conducted on a factual and solution-oriented basis,” the statement continues.

Considering these developments, the future of Eurobike as the leading trade fair for the bicycle industry appears uncertain. Manufacturers' own events, which are already commonplace in many industries, are likely to increase and become more important in the two-wheeler sector as well. How the trend, which is inevitably eroding the relevance of Eurobike, develops is in the hands of all parties involved. For the industry, which is already in crisis, the dispute comes at an inopportune time.

(sht)