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Tenways is acquiring the Dutch bicycle brand Sparta from Accell’s insolvency estate. The purchase includes brand rights, intellectual property and production documentation for selected models. A full resumption of previous production has not yet been announced.
A future outside the Accell Group is on the horizon for Sparta. The insolvency administrators announced the sale to the Amsterdam-based e-bike supplier Tenways on 15 October 2026. Tenways confirmed the agreement in a separate statement on 16 October.
The brand is set to be retained under the new owner. However, it is not yet known which bikes will bear the Sparta name in future, nor when they will be launched. The takeover forms part of the liquidation of the insolvent Accell Group. TOUR has already reported on the The Accell insolvency and the international sales process reports.
Which rights and documents Tenways takes over
The agreement covers Sparta’s trademark rights, the associated intellectual property rights and production documentation for selected models. Tenways thereby acquires rights to the trademark and technical documentation. However, it cannot be inferred from this that all business divisions, production sites or jobs will also be taken over.
The insolvency administrators did not provide any details regarding the implications for employees. It also remains unclear to what extent Tenways intends to continue producing Sparta’s existing models or to develop new bicycles under the brand name.
Tenways states that it wishes to respect Sparta’s history and preserve the brand’s distinct identity. The company has not disclosed any specific product plans or a timetable.
Separate sale rather than integration into Batavus
The insolvency administrators conducted a separate sale process for Sparta. The aim was to maximise the proceeds for the insolvency estate. The former sister brands Batavus, Koga and Babboe had previously found a new owner in the Singaporean investor Dutech.
The sales process to date demonstrates the level of interest in the Group’s assets. The TOUR report on around 60 takeover bids for Accell brands such as Haibike, Ghost and Lapierre.
Insolvency proceedings were opened against Accell’s Dutch companies on 11 August 2026. As recently as June, the group had announced that it would integrate Sparta into Batavus. The sale to Tenways now takes things in a different direction: Sparta is to continue to exist as a brand under a new owner.
Meanwhile, the disposal of Accell’s remaining assets is continuing. TOUR explains the situation facing the Group’s German subsidiaries and their search for investors in its article on the A lifeline for Accell Germany with Haibike, Ghost and Winora.
Sparta and Tenways: different corporate histories
Sparta was founded in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, in 1917. The company’s history encompasses not only bicycles but also motorised two-wheelers. Sparta had already entered the e-bike market as early as 2003 with its Ion range.
Tenways was founded in 2021 and is therefore considerably younger. In Europe, the company focuses primarily on electric city and trekking bikes.
Marc Strucken
Editor
