bike industry Archives

bike industry

China wants Western mountain bikes, and the West wants Chinese ones. What’s going on?

Dominic Loh went along to the 2026 Fulong Mountain Bike Festival in Chongli, China, and came away with some hot takes

Wed, Sep 30, 2026 14:29

Sigma Sports finally back in profit after “positive year” – but cycling retailer says UK economy will “remain challenging”

The retailer posted a pre-tax profit of £171,268 in 2025, the first time since 2021 it’s been out of the red

Thu, Sep 24, 2026 13:36

Rapha’s trading losses more than double and job cuts expected as part of bid to reach “sustainable profitability” by 2027

The British brand announced a trading loss of £5.6m and a net loss of £25.3m for the year ending January 2026, a result it says is down to a reduced reliance on discounting and promotions

Wed, Sep 23, 2026 17:29

Rapha set for “significant organisational changes to reduce cost and drive efficiency” as Fran Millar steps down as CEO of British brand

Former Ineos Grenadiers boss Millar joined the cycling clothing company in 2024, its eighth consecutive year in the red

Wed, Sep 23, 2026 10:28

Primera Sports closed down in Bournemouth

“There was never any doubt the bikes would not be returned”: Shuttered shop responds to customers’ claims their bikes were “locked inside” and “stolen” after sudden closure

Bournemouth-based Primera Sports say they are working to return the serviced bikes to all customers, after one cyclist even reported his bike as stolen to the police and another described the closure as a “scam”. However, they admitted they cannot issue refunds to those who paid deposits

Thu, Sep 03, 2026 12:21

“We’re probably the best positioned to adapt to changes”: How does the smallest of bike brands stay afloat in 2026?

We catch up with Thom Dawley of Dawley Bikes to learn how he keeps his head above water during some of the most difficult times in the industry

Wed, Aug 19, 2026 14:39

The fall of Raleigh is a British cultural tragedy: To me and many other riders of my generation, this feels personal

When the news that Raleigh was facing insolvency broke it was of no great surprise to me, though it’s downfall hits hard and way beyond the business of simply selling bikes for many of us, and to me in particular

Fri, Aug 14, 2026 13:30

Iconic Bristol bike shop Mud Dock to close after 32 years, with café set to continue trading

Owners Jerry and Beverly Arron said it’s time to “swap selling bikes for spending more time riding them” after more than three decades running the Bristol harbourside institution

Fri, Aug 07, 2026 14:14

Raleigh faces administration after parent company starts insolvency proceedings

Dutch group Accell has been granted a “suspension of payments” while its UK and Ireland wing has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators

Thu, Aug 06, 2026 10:31

Why are these bikes cheaper than they were four years ago?

It sounds unlikely in an era of rising prices, but some bikes have lower RRPs than equivalent models from a few years ago. Add in today’s discounts and you might be surprised how much bike your money can buy

Thu, Jul 30, 2026 16:00