{"id":294661,"date":"2025-11-19T10:50:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T10:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/294661\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T10:50:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T10:50:18","slug":"brixen-papers-02-the-eurobike-sabbatical-a-clear-answer-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/294661\/","title":{"rendered":"Brixen Papers #02: The Eurobike Sabbatical \u2013 A Clear Answer for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\tEurobike\u2019s collapse is not the crisis \u2014 it is the symptom. In this Brixen Paper, we explain why the bike industry needs a new architecture, what our biggest risks are and how we lead the way. This is not about quick fixes, it\u2019s about making the bike industry stronger than it ever was.<\/p>\n

This article is part of the Brixen Bike Papers \u2013 a 41 Publishing initiative from our 2025 Think Tank in Brixen with the goal of building a better bike world. A series of industry analysis and essays diving deep into the uncomfortable truths, hidden opportunities, and real changes our industry needs. Click here for the overview of all released stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/p>\n

\"Brixen<\/p>\n

Eurobike Wasn\u2019t The Problem \u2014 It Was The Warning<\/p>\n

Industries don\u2019t collapse because they change too fast \u2014 they collapse because they change too late.
Eurobike\u2019s fall isn\u2019t the crisis. It\u2019s the warning light on a dashboard we ignored for far too long.<\/p>\n

The structure cracked. The road back doesn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n

Eurobike used to feel safe \u2014 but safety was an illusion. Long before Frankfurt, Eurobike was caught in an identity crisis: trying to reinvent itself without changing anything that mattered. Polishing the fa\u00e7ade while the foundation eroded. What kept it alive wasn\u2019t belief \u2014 it was FOMO. A \u201ccorrect on paper, wrong in spirit\u201d pilgrimage brands attended out of fear, not conviction.<\/p>\n

When ZIV and ZF walked away in October 2025, the mask finally dropped. It became obvious: the problem was never Eurobike \u2014 it was everything around it. And maybe that\u2019s the best thing that could have happened. Because once the old breaks, the space for the new finally opens.<\/p>\n

\"E<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s be clear: this isn\u2019t another Eurobike analysis. Brixen Paper #02 isn\u2019t about Eurobike at all. Trade shows didn\u2019t create the cracks \u2014 they simply made the fractures impossible to ignore. This is about the industry itself. About a desperately needed sabbatical. About turning collapse into momentum. The right move isn\u2019t scrambling for a quick 2026 replacement \u2014 it\u2019s stepping back long enough to stop repeating the same script.<\/p>\n

Why We Need A Sabbatical \u2014 Stop Defending The Old, Start Building The New<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing we must understand right now, it\u2019s this: defending the old will keep us from building the new. Nothing is more dangerous than clinging to structures that have already collapsed. Yes, a sabbatical feels scary. Yes, uncertainty is uncomfortable. But stagnation is fatal. Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. And at this crossroads, we must decide whether we choose courage over fear, progress over stagnation, momentum over nostalgia.<\/p>\n

\"EMTB<\/p>\n

We keep hearing calls for a quick replacement: a \u201cnew Eurobike\u201d in Munich, D\u00fcsseldorf, Kortrijk. But let\u2019s be honest \u2014 this is not a location problem.
A new postcode won\u2019t fix a broken operating system. <\/p>\n

Peter Drucker said it best: \u201cThe greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday\u2019s logic.\u201d And yesterday\u2019s logic is exactly what dragged us into this mess.<\/p>\n

Our task now is NOT to rush another mega-format onto the calendar. Our task is to prepare the field \u2014 not obsess over the harvest. The right actions, in the right direction, create the right results. But only if we stop defending and reacting. And start rebuilding. <\/p>\n

This means: the answer isn\u2019t a new fairground \u2014 it\u2019s a new foundation. A sabbatical gives us the one thing this industry has never allowed itself: the space and clarity to stop repeating the past and start designing the future.<\/p>\n

7 Questions We Must Answer Before We Rebuild Anything<\/p>\n

Before we talk about events or formats, we need to confront 7 foundational questions \u2014 the ones that decide whether cycling becomes a cultural force or stays a niche hobby with high ideals and low impact:<\/p>\n

1. Who represents us \u2014 and why isn\u2019t it our associations?<\/p>\n

What does it say about our power structures when Dr. Sandra Wolf \u2014 CEO of Riese & M\u00fcller \u2014 is more visible, more influential and more politically relevant than all German cycling associations combined?
Is that a failure of leadership, a failure of communication, or a failure of relevance?
And more importantly: Who should speak for the industry? Who must?<\/p>\n

\"zeitkonferenz2025
\n\"Sandra<\/p>\n

2. Are entrepreneurs the better industry representatives?<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurs build, act, decide, and take risks.
Associations manage, moderate, and try to please everyone.
So we must ask:
Do we want representatives who preserve consensus \u2014 or leaders who create momentum?
Are we willing to replace \u201cpleasing everyone\u201d with \u201cleading someone\u201d? <\/p>\n

Leadership requires choosing a direction \u2014 and the courage to take people there. Do we have that courage?
Maybe the future of representation is not bureaucratic at all. Maybe it\u2019s entrepreneurial alignment in an overarching way?<\/p>\n

3. Where must cycling show up to gain societal influence?<\/p>\n

Real visibility isn\u2019t Instagram. It\u2019s politics, culture, mobility, economics.
So: Where must cycling show up to shape society?<\/p>\n

What stages, conferences, arenas, ministries, and audiences actually matter?
And who has the credibility to stand there?<\/p>\n

We know the answer isn\u2019t in the same old rooms speaking the same old language to the same old people. A new advisory board for Eurobike won\u2019t bring the change. It will preserve old thinking.<\/p>\n

4. What story do we tell the world \u2014 and who cares?<\/p>\n

We claim to be \u201cthe bike industry.\u201d
But to politics, culture, and the mainstream public, we are too often:<\/p>\n

too technical
\ntoo internal
\ntoo niche
\ntoo scattered
\ntoo self-referential<\/p>\n

So the key question is: How do we translate our expertise into narratives the world actually understands? What story does the bike industry tell about itself \u2014 and who cares? If we want to gain relevance, do we really want to keep talking about 32\u201d? Another technical innovation that won\u2019t change anything\u2026 ?<\/p>\n

\"EMTB
\n5. What power do we want \u2014 and how do we earn it?<\/p>\n

If we truly believe cycling is essential for mobility, health, climate, and culture, then:
What is our plan to gain political influence equal to our societal importance?
Who are our alliances outside the bike bubble?
What coalitions with mobility, health, tech, urban development, and culture must we build?<\/p>\n

6. What actually grows the market \u2014 and what just decorates it?<\/p>\n

Events? Education? Local infrastructure? National campaigns? Digital onboarding?
What really turns non-riders into riders?
And which rituals have we mistaken for impact?<\/p>\n

What is our innovation roadmap as a collective industry?
Everyone innovates in isolation, chasing micro-gains while ignoring macro-opportunity.
What would happen if we aligned innovation with societal impact, new riders, new markets, and cultural adoption?<\/p>\n

7. Where must we collaborate \u2014 and where must we compete?<\/p>\n

Right now, we confuse both.
We collaborate where we should differentiate.
We compete where we should unite.
Clarity here changes everything.<\/p>\n

These 7 questions are not cosmetic questions. These are the questions that determine whether cycling becomes a cultural force or stays a fragmented hobby with high ideals and low impact.<\/p>\n

\"E
\nCoup de gr\u00e2ce \u2013 And the Question: Who Leads Now?<\/p>\n

When ZIV and ZF withdrew from Eurobike and ended their collaboration, they delivered the coup de gr\u00e2ce \u2014 and with it, the responsibility to propose strong alternatives. Like it or not, Eurobike\u2019s collapse leaves a vacuum. The industry still needs a global meeting point with gravity, clarity, and purpose.<\/p>\n

But the real question is uncomfortable:
Are ZIV and ZF the right architects for a future-proof, forward-thinking platform? Are they the right ones for a neutral international meeting point where solutions are decided and action is formed? Or are they themselves caught in transformation processes and organizational lag that brought us here in the first place? <\/p>\n

While we hope the German associations deliver meaningful solutions, we won\u2019t simply finger-point, raise questions or wait. We take responsibility. And we take action.<\/p>\n

We need to build the Cycling Operating System (OS) \u2014 an architecture that creates momentum, grows riders, shapes culture, builds political weight, and aligns the industry around outcomes instead of routines.<\/p>\n

\"E
\nBike Industry Architects Wanted \u2014 We Don\u2019t Need Better Bikes. We Need A Better System.<\/p>\n

Vision is cheap. Systems are priceless. And right now, the bike industry doesn\u2019t need another innovation cycle \u2013 it needs an industrial operating system. One that creates demand, not waits for it. One that grows markets, not just optimizes products.
Cycling isn\u2019t competing with other bike brands; it\u2019s competing with TikTok, gaming, cars, and every other system that captures attention and shapes habits.<\/p>\n

\"Jens\u201eIf there are no external growth factors left, industries must design internal ones\u201c
Prof. Dr. Jens S\u00fcdekum, chief advisor to the German Minister of Finance.<\/p>\n

After the 41 Think Tank Brixen we spoke with Prof. Dr. Jens S\u00fcdekum, one of Germany\u2019s leading economists and chief advisor to the Minister of Finance. His message was clear: if there are no external growth factors left, industries must design internal ones. And that\u2019s exactly where the bike world is failing. The bike world has no leadership structure. No market-shaping strategy. No market-shaping communication agency and culture builders. No demand engine. We optimise for head angles, torque outputs and watt savings while ignoring the only thing that matters: who will ride tomorrow? And why?<\/p>\n

We are world-class at selling bikes to people who already love bikes.
And absolutely terrible at building systems that create new riders.
No onboarding. No cultural infrastructure. No political leverage.
Just product. Product. Product.<\/p>\n

\"E<\/p>\n

We keep building better bikes for the same old audience \u2014 instead of building a system that grows the audience.<\/p>\n

So the real strategic question isn\u2019t what\u2019s the next bike we should build?
The real questions we should be asking are painfully simple:
How do we build a system that automatically brings new riders in, educates them, and turns them into ambassadors? How do we create a bike culture that is open, magnetic, and welcoming \u2014 not exclusive and self-referential? How do we design an operating system that gives this industry real market intelligence, anticipates problems instead of firefighting them, and finally gives cycling the political weight it deserves? And above all: how do we build a system that invests in its future and its culture, not just its next product cycle?<\/p>\n

Because the truth is simple: we\u2019ve optimised the product.<\/p>\n

Now we need to architect the system.<\/p>\n

Because living off luck, hype and booms isn\u2019t enough anymore.<\/p>\n

The Future: The Top100 Leadership Summit<\/p>\n

First things first: the bike industry has enough conferences. Enough panels. Enough keynotes. What it doesn\u2019t have is a room where leaders stop discussing problems and start solving them.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019re launching the first Top100 Leadership Summit on 22\u201324 April 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany \u2014 a place where the industry\u2019s most decisive minds tackle its most pressing problems and begin building the Cycling Operating System.<\/p>\n

Our 41 Think Tank and the Brixen Papers have a different mission.
They are the strategic brain of the cycling world: a space for radical honesty, deep analysis, and industry-wide reflection. They define the problems. They frame the questions. They set the intellectual agenda. It\u2019s demanding work \u2014 and we love it.<\/p>\n

But the Top100 Leadership Summit serves a different purpose. It\u2019s a different room that will attract different people to deliver different outcomes.<\/p>\n

The 41 Think Tank creates clarity.
The Top100 Leadership Summit creates action.<\/p>\n

This is where the future gets built \u2014 because every vision, no matter how strong, is only as powerful as the people who execute it.<\/p>\n

\"E<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s be honest: the Summit is not for everyone.
It\u2019s for entrepreneurs, CEOs, strategists, and innovators who are ready to build better \u2014 the ones who choose to be first movers, not followers.
Because those willing to set the rules now will define the next decade of cycling.<\/p>\n

Top100 Leadership Summit \u2013 Build Momentum, Not Excuses<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be clear about expectations. We\u2019ve been here before. We won\u2019t do the dirty work for the industry. We can lead, we can create the space, we can design the engine \u2014 but in the end, brands and stakeholders must show up with courage and act. That\u2019s why the Top100 Leadership Summit is not a quick fix for success. Success depends on the brands and stakeholders in the room: on their willingness to show up, step up, and finally start doing things differently.<\/p>\n

\"EMTB<\/p>\n

But make no mistake: it is the only place where building a better bike world can begin.
If the bike industry wants a new operating system, this is where it gets built.<\/p>\n

We know the pitfalls. The excuses. The fear that paralyzes action. The daily business that kills long-term creation. We\u2019ve seen how even the most inspiring meetings fade into nothing. We know these traps \u2014 and we\u2019ll work to dismantle them. In fact, we\u2019ll turn some of the industry\u2019s greatest weaknesses into its greatest strength. How? That\u2019s what the next Brixen Papers will reveal.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s be explicit: in 2026, the bike world doesn\u2019t need a new fair venue.
It needs a new system.<\/p>\n

And the Top100 Leadership Summit is the industry\u2019s new decision engine \u2014
ready to start building it now.
A task force for root causes, not symptoms.<\/p>\n

The only question left: Are you ready?<\/p>\n

Join the Conversation<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your take on creating a new OS for the bike industry?
Reply to this email and share your thoughts.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re blown away by the feedback about the 41 Think Tank Brixen and the first Brixen Paper #01 \u2014 thank you! We promise: we\u2019ll read every message, even if we can\u2019t reply to all.<\/p>\n

Overview \u2013 The Brixen Bike Papers<\/p>\n

The Brixen Bike Papers \u2013 a 41 Publishing Think Tank<\/a> initiative, building better one story at a time. Eleven essays diving deep into the uncomfortable truths, hidden opportunities, and real changes our industry needs. Here\u2019s an overview of all papers:<\/p>\n

The Brixen Bike Papers
\nRelease Date<\/p>\n

1. The Industry\u2019s Next Innovation Isn\u2019t a Bike \u2013 It\u2019s Unity<\/a>
\n11.11.2025<\/p>\n

2. The Eurobike Sabbatical \u2013 A Clear Answer for 2026
\n18.11.2025<\/p>\n

3. Ingredient Marketing \u2013 The Bike World\u2019s Marketing Fiasco
\n25.11.2025<\/p>\n

4. To be announced soon
\n02.12.2025<\/p>\n

5. To be announced soon
\n09.12.2025<\/p>\n

6. To be announced soon
\n16.12.2025<\/p>\n

7. To be announced soon
\n23.12.2025<\/p>\n

8. To be announced soon
\n30.12.2025<\/p>\n

9. To be announced soon
\n06.01.2026<\/p>\n

10. To be announced soon
\n13.01.2026<\/p>\n

11. To be announced soon
\n20.01.2026<\/p>\n

You want more than just to read along?
Got questions, ideas, or honest feedback about the Think Tank or the Brixen Bike Papers?
Then write to Robin at robin@41publishing.com<\/a>
We might not be able to reply to everyone \u2014 but we\u2019ll read every message carefully.
We\u2019re looking forward to your thoughts!<\/p>\n

\"EMTB<\/p>\n

Words: Juansi Vivo, Robin Schmitt Photos: Jan Fock, Benedikt Schmidt, Peter Walker, ZIV Die Fahrradindustrie, Eurobike\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Eurobike\u2019s collapse is not the crisis \u2014 it is the symptom. In this Brixen Paper, we explain why…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":294662,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-294661","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-cycling","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=294661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=294661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=294661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}