After three bruising years for global bicycle demand, two production hubs are reporting a rebound. Bangladesh is climbing off a post-pandemic low, while Cambodia is accelerating sharply through 2025.
The bicycle industry has spent the past years scanning the horizon for clear signs of recovery—and in many markets, the news has been thin. Now, Bangladesh and Cambodia are offering something the sector has been missing: momentum. It’s not the end of the downturn, but it does look like a light at the end of the tunnel.
Bangladesh: rebound after a two-year slump
Bangladesh’s bicycle exports rose to $117 million in FY 2024–25, a 41% increase from $83 million the year before, according to data cited from the country’s Export Promotion Bureau. The Daily Star notes the recovery comes after exports peaked at $168 million in FY 2021–22, then slipped as retailers worked through excess inventories and demand cooled post-pandemic—falling to $142 million in FY 2022–23 before weakening further.
Exporters point to easing freight costs, smoother logistics, and renewed demand for low-cost mobility, alongside moves into more value-added categories such as lighter models and e-bikes. Still, the article stresses exports remain about 30% below the FY22 peak, with cost pressure and competition in the region continuing to bite.
Cambodia: up 47.6% in the first 10 months of 2025
Cambodia exported bicycles worth $502.8 million in the first 10 months of 2025, a 47.6% year-on-year increase, according to a Ministry of Commerce report cited by Cambodianess. Exports are reported to be going mainly to the EU, the UK, the US, and Canada, underlining Cambodia’s continued strength as an internationally oriented manufacturing base.
Commentary in the same report links the growth to stable factory operations in special economic zones (including Bavet City), improving access to regional supply chains, and expanding orders—especially from the EU.
A signal for other hubs—and Taipei Cycle 2026?
Taken together, Bangladesh’s recovery and Cambodia’s rapid growth won’t solve the industry’s structural challenges overnight—but they do suggest that demand is returning in at least some key channels, and that agile export hubs can win share during a reset.
If these two countries keep executing—on compliance, logistics, and product mix—they could become a reference point not only for emerging manufacturing locations, but also for established production ecosystems such as Taiwan as it positions itself for the next upcycle. And for the trade-show calendar, that raises an optimistic question: could this be an early good omen heading into Taipei Cycle 2026?
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