China Bicycle Show Expands
Despite the twists and turns of the global economic recovery and the trade war that has put price pressure on export-oriented industries, the China International Bicycle Exhibition has shown a steady growth trend, with an increase in the number of Chinese and foreign visitors and exhibitors.
In 2025, the exhibition area was expanded and outdoor test rides and event areas were added. The number of exhibitors increased from 1,460 in 2024 to 1,582 this year, with a total of 7,870 booths.
According to the organizers, the number of visitors this year increased from 144,266 in 2024 to 156,350. The total number of overseas visitors increased from 15,004 in 2024 to 16,532. The biggest change in the number of visitors was reported by European visitors, whose share increased from 24% to 28%. The proportion of visitors from Asia decreased from 51% in 2024 to 48% this year. The proportion of visitors from the Americas remained basically unchanged.
According to the business nature of visitors, trade visitors accounted for the highest proportion, reaching 26%. Buying complete vehicles was the main reason for trade visitors to go to Shanghai, followed by buying parts such as frames, tires and rims. It is worth noting that 17.7% of trade visitors said that electric bicycles were the reason for their visit to the Shanghai Expo, and 13.2% of visitors said that electric bicycle parts were the main reason for their participation in the exhibition.
China's two-wheeler export data
The China Bicycle Association said that as one of the key export destinations, the United States has repeatedly imposed tariffs on Chinese products this year, which has seriously affected bicycle exports. However, by actively exploring emerging markets including Europe and "Belt and Road" partner countries, and deepening the domestic market, the risks brought by the decline of a single market have been effectively resolved, and China's bicycle industry has achieved overall export growth in the first quarter of 2025.
From November 2024 to February 2025, there was a brief surge in exports driven by emergency shipments before the new tariffs. But since then, overall orders from American buyers have stagnated or been canceled.
According to statistics, in the first quarter of 2025, China exported 1.902 million bicycles to the United States, a year-on-year decrease of 17.1%. Although the amount of parts exported by China to the United States fell by 6.6% year-on-year, the expansion of production capacity in Southeast Asia has led to an increase in demand for parts, and exports to ASEAN have increased by 44.4% year-on-year, becoming the region with the greatest growth potential. From January to May 2025, China's cumulative exports of electric two-wheeled vehicles reached US$2.65 billion, a year-on-year increase of 21.7%; the cumulative export volume increased by 32.7% year-on-year to 9.5828 million vehicles. Except for February when exports declined year-on-year, other months maintained double-digit year-on-year growth.
Africa, Latin America, Oceania and Europe saw strong growth, with export increases to countries such as the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Greece, India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Kyrgyzstan and Australia exceeding 40%.
Bicycle market in Taiwan
Taiwan's bicycle manufacturers were shocked by Trump's initial 32% tariffs on the island. Although the high tariffs have since been suspended, the 10% levy remains in effect worldwide. Some companies have seen a surge in orders as US customers rush to import bicycles and parts before the 90-day deadline ends. Some companies have seen little change in demand, attributed to inventory left over from the COVID-19 pandemic, when retailers stockpiled large quantities of inventory to meet surging demand for bicycles. US customers have passed on the 10% tariff to consumers, but the 32% tariff is likely to curb further orders, inevitably with a knock-on effect for Taiwan.
Taiwan has long been a major player in the global bicycle industry, but more than two decades ago, many Taiwanese manufacturers were lured to the mainland and the island faced an existential crisis. Rather than trying to compete with cheaper, mass-produced two-wheelers from mainland China, Taiwanese companies collaborated to upgrade manufacturing technology to produce high-quality bicycles and parts for high-end markets, mainly in Europe and the United States. Affected by the epidemic, Taiwan's bicycle exports have dropped sharply from about 10 million in the 1990s to 1.3 million last year, but the average export price of its bicycles has risen sharply. Industry data and analyst reports show that the value of Taiwan's traditional bicycles was $1,131 last year and the value of electric bicycles was $1,848. Mainland China exported more than 44 million bicycles last year, with an average price of $57. Taiwan's successful entry into the high-end market relies on its "invisible advantages" in the supply chain. Small and medium-sized enterprises are the hallmark of Taiwan's manufacturing industry. They are highly specialized, flexible and "indispensable" in the market.
