Taiwan’s bicycle industry remains stuck in reverse. Hopes for a rebound fade as shipments and values keep sliding, as the newest market data from the Taiwan Bicycle Association reveal.
The Taiwanese bicycle industry, long regarded as a bellwether for global two-wheeler demand, continues to wrestle with a protracted downturn. Hopes for a rebound that flickered earlier this year have been dimmed by fresh export data from the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA), which paints a sobering picture for the first seven months of 2025.
Global E-Bike Exports Dropped by 11.6%
Between January and July, Taiwan’s global e-bike exports dropped by 11.6% in volume, falling from 231,580 units in the same period last year to 204,718 this year. Although the total export value declined less steeply – by 5.1%, from $423.1 million to $401.5 million, the apparent resilience is more a reflection of inflation than actual recovery. The average unit price rose 7.35% year-on-year, from $1,827 to $1,961, suggesting that manufacturers are leaning on higher-value models to buffer against dwindling orders.
The situation is even more pronounced in the traditional bicycle segment. Export volume cratered by 22.1%, plummeting from 522,746 units to 407,389, while the value sank 28.7% to $422.6 million. Compounding the pain, the average price per exported unit actually decreased by 8.6% to $1,037, underscoring weak demand and excess inventory in lower-priced segments.
The European Union – historically Taiwan’s top export destination – mirrors the global pattern. E-bike exports to the EU fell by 2.2%, while bicycle exports slumped by 13.3%. Notably, total exports to the bloc remain below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, dashing hopes that post-COVID rebalancing would be swift or evenly distributed.
Post-COVID Boom Did Not Yet Correct
The data confirms a shift that industry observers have long suspected: The post-COVID boom did not correct into a stable plateau but rather collapsed into an extended slump. Inventory backlogs, erratic consumer demand and tighter retail liquidity across Europe and North America continue to weigh heavily on Taiwanese exporters, many of whom are still working through overproduction triggered during the height of pandemic demand.
At the same time, Taiwanese manufacturers find themselves squeezed between rising input costs and aggressive pricing from competitors in Southeast Asia. Countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have steadily expanded their role in the OEM supply chain, often benefiting from lower labor costs and shifting sourcing preferences among global brands. Taiwan’s long-standing advantage in quality and engineering remains intact, but it is no longer sufficient to shield the industry from structural headwinds.
For now, Taiwan’s bicycle industry remains in low gear, grappling with the uncomfortable truth that the pandemic-era highs may not return in kind. Therefore, the challenge ahead is not just to weather the slump, but to reimagine what sustainable growth looks like in a post-boom world.