For decades, Eurobike was the heart of the cycling industry. Anyone wanting to know which bikes, components and trends would shape the coming season had to travel to Friedrichshafen at the end of the summer. Manufacturers, retailers and the trade press gathered there for the most important event of the year. Every major player was there – world premieres included.
Alternatives such as the Sea Otter Classic or the Taipei Cycle Show had, of course, been around for a long time. However, this did nothing to diminish the importance of Eurobike. It was regarded as the undisputed leading trade fair in the cycling world. In the mid-2010s, this successful model began to crumble. More and more manufacturers began to question the value of exhibiting at trade fairs. Specialized was seen as a pioneer in this regard. Excessive costs, diminishing added value and the desire for greater control led brands to increasingly focus on their own product events. These allowed new products to be presented more exclusively and were often even cheaper than an expensive trade fair appearance.
With every high-profile exhibitor that stayed away, Eurobike lost some of its lustre. At the same time, Asian manufacturers moved in to fill the gap. In 2019, Eurobike still attracted 1,400 exhibitors and around 40,000 trade visitors; by 2026, these figures had fallen to 800 exhibitors and around 15,000 trade visitors respectively.
The final break came in 2025: the German Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV) and Zukunft Fahrrad ended their partnership with Eurobike and announced that they would be organising their own trade fair in Cologne in 2027. The associations justify this move by stating that Eurobike no longer adequately meets the industry’s requirements.
From 2027 onwards, Eurobike is set to take place only every two years. In future, various trade fair concepts will compete for the attention of manufacturers, retailers and the media. However, it is also a fact that at this year’s Eurobike, Chinese companies in particular caused a stir with their innovations – and outshone European manufacturers on their own turf. One industry insider, speaking off the record, draws parallels with global politics: “Ultimately, the Chinese stand to gain from the lack of unity in this country.”
History of Eurobike
Eurobike is the world’s best-known trade fair for bicycles. The first event took place in Friedrichshafen in 1991. Originally focused on mountain bikes, it later expanded to include all other types of bicycles. Since 2022, Eurobike has been held every year at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition centre.
Reactions to Eurobike 2026
“We came to Eurobike to forge connections – with our customers, with the cycling industry and with the general public. At the same time, we wanted to showcase our innovations and share our story with an international audience. We firmly believe that Europe needs a central meeting place for this. Eurobike 2026 has far exceeded our expectations. We’ve been able to strengthen a key part of our brand identity and are very pleased with everything we’ve achieved here.” Ben Hillsdon, Director of Communications at Canyon
The whole mess began with a lack of agreement on how to strengthen Eurobike’s position in Europe. The opposite has happened. China has taken over the exhibition space once occupied by the big European players. Ultimately, however, it is not only China that is benefiting from the German disunity. Clever minds from the Netherlands have already presented an exciting B2B trade fair concept that is affordable for exhibitors. Jo Beckendorff, industry insider
Eurobike has turned into a sorry state of affairs. Wherever you look, there are no big-name manufacturers. And if there are, it’s only with a tiny stand and a handful of technical highlights. I’d like to see more unity here – because a strong flagship trade fair bolsters the entire industry. BOdo Probst, kinematics expert and design engineer
Eurobike was once a cult event – chaotic, colourful, unmissable. If you wanted to be part of it, you were in Friedrichshafen. Full stop. Then the self-destruction began: stale concepts, bloated structures, manufacturers’ ego trips. Frankfurt was supposed to be the saviour – and turned out to be a let-down. The magic is long gone, but the need for a central European cycle trade fair remains. The location, however, isn’t the problem. It’s the concept. The industry needs genuine collaboration, a connection with end consumers and a spectacle once again! But haven’t we been here before? Josh Welz, Editor-in-Chief of BIKE Magazine
Laurin Lehner
Editor
