GÖTTINGEN (dpa-AFX) - Representatives of the bicycle industry expect times to remain difficult at the start of the new cycling season. "It is quite possible that we will see one or two insolvencies this year. But I wouldn't call it a wave of insolvencies," said Anke Schäffner from the German Bicycle Industry Association ZIV on Wednesday.

The aim this year is to bring full stocks back to a normal level, said Schäffner. Since last year, many stocks have been higher than the demand for new bikes. The bike industry had previously experienced a boom during the coronavirus pandemic, but the market has turned around. Many dealers and manufacturers resorted to heavy discounts and some companies ran into financial problems.

According to Schäffner, many companies expect the situation to ease at the end of the year or at the beginning of 2025. Component manufacturers are particularly at risk until then, as demand will only start to rise again with a time lag.

For the start of the season, industry and trade are initially hoping for good weather. "The entire industry always notices that when the weather is good, the market picks up," said Uwe Woll from the German Service and Bicycle Association (VSF). In the medium and long term, better political framework conditions are also important, the associations and companies emphasized. Above all, a more suitable infrastructure would get more people on their bikes./vni/DP/mis