Eurobike 2023

These were our experiences with Eurobike 2023:

  • The topic of electromobility was the focus and is being pushed forward so much that the most sustainable two-wheeler among two-wheelers, namely the classic bicycle, is going under. The Eurobike Award has indirectly declared it dead through no award in the bicycle field.
  • We had a good atmosphere at our presentation on June 23rd. on the stage of the Future Mobility Forum and positive to astonished feedback that encouraged us on our way.
  • Legislation usually lags behind technical developments. When it comes to sustainability, it's the other way around: the EU is gradually forcing manufacturers to rethink. It is unlikely that the authorities have now suddenly found a way to turbocharge their administrative machinery. Rather, it documents how inactive the industry is.
  • It has become clear to us that there are still a few actors who want change and are now looking for a way.
  • We had a very good conversation with Cycling Industries Europe (CIE) for an hour. The result of this conversation is our membership and participation in the CSR and Sustainability Expert Group. We're really looking forward to making a difference with those who really want to!
  • Our concept needs a lot of explanation because sustainability is complex. People tend to look for simple answers to difficult questions. That's a problem.
  • Writing CSR reports may be a start. But it is about the fulfillment of external requirements. A change in attitude would be better.
  • Knowledge about sustainability is low. That was still the case for us in 2019, which is why we fundamentally understand it. What is less understandable, however, is that ignorance remains, even though nothing that we have compiled in our concept is secret or difficult to access. Anyone could find out more if they were interested. As a result, terms such as "recycling" and "made in Europe" are already being celebrated as a sensation, while at the same time considerably more is possible and required.
  • It has become clear to us that electric mobility is partly the driver of the problem: in pre-order-driven retail, customers who ask for their old bicycle to be repaired are forced to buy an e-bike. Lithium-ion batteries are produced under dubious conditions and create huge mountains of waste.
  • Many end users ride e-bikes even though they could actually ride a bicycle. Sustainability is understood as the responsibility of others. Provides me with a sustainable vehicle without me having to change anything myself. Instead, an inner change would be necessary, leaving one's personal comfort zone. Of course there are people for whom the e-bike is a mobility solution. For others, however, it is merely additional consumption. Consumption is responsible for 40% of emissions. Everyone may find out for themselves what their personal comfort zone looks like.
  • Large, financially strong subscription providers are forming, and we cannot compete against them at the same time as we are developing and selling sustainable bicycles.
  • We are the first at Avocadostore and Greenpicks, and the first upcyclers on Refurbed. On the one hand, that's great. But it's actually sad that there aren't already 30 providers there.

Based on these experiences, we have decided to focus our offer again:

  • We are eliminating lithium-ion drives and will not offer anything in e-mobility until there is another battery technology. And yes, that means lower sales for us. That's right.
  • We're eliminating aluminum frames (even if they're upcycled) and focusing on durable steel.
  • In the coming weeks we will present an excerpt from our SAYA program in more detail and understand the configurator as the universal platform in the background.
  • We're canceling the subscriptions.
  • We are working on the visibility of our extensive sustainable features.

In short: we will be even clearer to the outside world.