IAA Mobility vs Eurobike vs Taipei Cycle

The bicycle industry’s pivot from a focus on just bicycles to a strengthening focus on mobility overall has been a key trend of the last five years.

Enter the the Munich-based IAA Mobility show, which has expanded from an automotive-only affair into a platform for anything-that-moves-on-wheels, essentially. Well, that would appear to be their ambition.

The key theme is the expansion of the bicycle and car categories into a broad space of common ground—an overarching category of mobility, with bicycles tending to occupy the new sector of micromobility. Thus bikes and cars are complementary rather than existing in head-to-head competition.

With IAA 2025—the third edition of the new format—now in the rear view mirror we can begin to get a better idea of how much of a challenge it may become to the legacy bicycle industry.

Was this year’s event bigger for bicycles than the 2023 edition which attracted a solid number of bicycle companies that either attended Eurobike or skipped Eurobike that year to concentrate on IAA Mobility?

And should bicycle brands be looking ahead to the 2027 edition in addition to or even as an alternative to the other shows such as Eurobike or Taipei Cycle?

In thinking through these issues for ourselves, we have covered a wide variety of sources from a number of perspectives and whittled it down to the following. You’ll find some ideas about where the industry is right now, where it may be heading in the future, and what might be a course of action to take, depending on company size.

Some of it will be second nature to you if you’ve been in the industry for a while. But hopefully overall you’ll come away with some new ideas that may help you to think about the road ahead and possible ways to navigate a way through it.

Bike Co.s at IAA Mobility 2025 vs 2023

The 2025 IAA Mobility show in Munich continued its effort to present a broader picture of mobility—cars, e-bikes, micromobility, and public transport—but the balance of exhibitors shifted slightly. While the automotive sector remained dominant, the number of bike-related companies was somewhat smaller and differently categorized than in 2023.

Shifts in Exhibitor Numbers

In 2023, the IAA exhibitor directory listed 32 companies under “Vehicles with two or three wheels / micromobility.” In the 2025 edition, that number dropped to 20, suggesting a decline of roughly 38 percent in direct vehicle or brand representation.

However, the 2025 event introduced a new supplier category—“Micromobility Suppliers Group 3”—which included 14 additional companies. When these are counted alongside the 20 direct vehicle exhibitors, the total rises to 34, nearly identical to the 2023 total. In other words, while there were fewer complete bike brands on the floor, the ecosystem of component and micromobility suppliers expanded, keeping overall participation roughly stable.

Changing Structure of the Show

The organizers reorganized how the cycling and micromobility sector was presented. The 2023 show grouped everything under one broad heading, “Cycling & E-Vehicles,” which covered around 136 exhibitors. By contrast, the 2025 event split this into two topics—“Cycling” and “Micromobility”—with 36 and 66 exhibitors respectively. The combined total of 102 indicates about a 25 percent reduction in the broader category, though the change partly reflects a new classification system rather than a simple drop in interest.

The numbers show a modest contraction in the number of full bicycle or e-bike manufacturers at IAA Mobility 2025 compared with 2023. Yet this was balanced by a more defined role for suppliers and micromobility firms. The show also continued to expand its Cycling & Micromobility Area in Munich’s Open Space, with new test tracks and live demonstrations, indicating that the segment remains strategically important to the event’s vision of “mobility beyond the car.”

In short, while fewer traditional bike brands exhibited in 2025, the overall micromobility presence remained broadly consistent once suppliers and new-category participants are considered. Rather than a retreat, it represents a reshaping of how the cycling industry fits within the IAA’s evolving mobility ecosystem.

Strategic Trade Show Positioning for the Cycling Industry, 2027-2029

Lets start off with a general overview of the landscape.

E-Mobility Trajectories 

If you’re looking at a tight budget and wondering which trade show to attend in 2027 you need to have a clear view of where the e-bike industry is expected to go over the next ten years. The path points toward strong, continued growth powered by technology with e-bikes, importantly, becoming part of smart city systems under the banner of mobility and micromobility.

Macro Trends: Urbanization and Sustained Growth

The global E-Bike Market looks like it will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.3% between 2026 and 2035. Its value is expected to jump from an estimated $54 billion in 2025 to over $145 billion by 2035. This is due to more people moving to cities, increased environmental awareness, and new laws that favor sustainable transportation.

The main area of growth is the urban segment, which is expected to hold the biggest market share by 2035. This shows the growing demand for mobile e-bike services and integrated sustainable urban mobility projects. Furthermore, the bike segment is the largest part of the wider micro-mobility market, which is expected to grow from $84 billion in 2025 to $287 billion by 2035, representing some 46% of that market.

Technology Convergence: The Smart E-Bike Mandate

Future competition will be decided by how well technology is integrated. Over the next decade, e-bikes will change dramatically through better connectivity and advanced safety features.

Connectivity is vital. We’re already seeing greater and greater use of IoT technologies to provide better user experiences, smart navigation, and complex diagnostics. Advances are expected in specialized areas like safety, including built-in features such as GPS/anti-theft systems, automatic braking, blind-spot detection, and the adoption of e-bike Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS). These improvements largely come from components companies working with technology giants it would seem.

Importantly, the performance and range of e-bikes still rely on improvements in lithium-ion battery technology. This requires working with highly specialized energy storage companies.

If the e-bike is to reach its full growth potential, it must become a “Software-Defined Vehicle” on two wheels. Analysis suggests that the fast growth of digital services, such as Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and built-in charging solutions, will account for much of the mobility industry’s growth, projected at 25% per year.

Since core vehicle functions, even in micro-mobility, rely more and more on semiconductors, future e-bike manufacturers must secure direct relationships with the top-level software, sensor, and hardware suppliers that dominate the larger mobility shows. This need for integration makes accessing convergence platforms a requirement for keeping a technological edge, no matter the traditional bike sales volume.

Competitive Analysis: Trade Show Strategic Value

The decision for 2027 requires judging the three major trade shows based on their expected function in the combined mobility future.

IAA Mobility

IAA Mobility is strategically positioned as the best cross-sector platform. It brings together car, technology, and micromobility solutions under the theme “It’s All About MOBILITY”, a term it arguably dominates (and which Eurobike is targeting in 2026).

The changes seen between the 2023 and 2025 events show its focus. While the number of direct bike brands dropped (from 32 to 20), this decrease was balanced by adding a new “Micromobility Suppliers Group 3,” which included 14 companies. This kept the total number of exhibitors stable (34) and the overall floor space about the same (approximately 800 m² to 850 m²). This shift indicates that IAA is prioritizing the supply chain system over just showing the final bike product.

The high value of IAA is in its audience: it offers great access to decision-makers from top Automotive Suppliers (eg. ZF, Continental, Mahle and so on), powerful political leaders involved in making cities greener, and capital investment groups (VCs). For brands looking for future funding, R&D partnerships, or help with regulations, IAA works as a risk-reducing and market-shaping platform. The event also offers a significant B2C experience through the “Open Space” in Munich’s city center, featuring a 4 km Cycling Test Track in the English Garden. This provides useful public engagement and testing opportunities.

Eurobike – Post-2026 Restructuring

Eurobike is reacting to market difficulties by moving toward a more focused, smaller, and cost-effective model, prioritizing the core B2B trade audience. The organizers’ plan for 2026 includes making the event shorter and getting rid of the consumer-focused Sunday. This firmly shifts the focus to the professional trade audience from Wednesday through Friday.

The show’s strength remains its leading position in the crucial German and European sales markets. It offers essential relationship management for the IBD channel.

However, Eurobike faces significant challenges: trade visitors were down 9.5% in 2025 compared to 2024 (31,270 trade visitors in 2025). The noticeable absence of several major European and US anchor brands has created worries about the event’s long-term health.

A major strategic uncertainty is the launch of “Mobifuture,” a separate event meant to capture the eco-mobility segment (e-cars, micro-cars, charging infrastructure).

This move risks separating the high-growth, high-tech part of the industry from the main cycling trade audience. If top-tier suppliers choose IAA (the globally recognized convergence platform) over the newly started Mobifuture, Eurobike could become less critical for finding new technology. This could force traditional bike brands to attend IAA simply to keep up with component innovation.

Taipei Cycle – The Unmatched Supply Chain Engine

Taipei Cycle remains extremely important because it functions as a dedicated B2B environment focused on networking, OEM/ODM relationships, and managing the supply chain.

Its unique strategic value comes from Taiwan’s special location. Almost every part of the bike and e-bike supply chain is close by within the Taichung-Changhua area. This localized setup allows for unmatched efficiency in finding parts, and sourcing materials (carbon fiber, titanium, alloy), along with R&D for electric drivetrain parts and batteries.

Companies can use underutilized manufacturing capacity in Taiwan for aggressive cost management and securing long-term supply contracts. The show is the main place for manufacturers to solidify high-level component partnerships (eg. the TRP/Bosch e-bike ABS integration). For any brand that relies on Asia-based manufacturing—which is nearly all large and many small brands—Taipei Cycle delivers an ROI measured in manufacturing margin and supply security.

Bigger Brands: Hybrid is Best

Large brands that depend on high sales volume must please two groups: the immediate sales market and the long-term technological future. Therefore, switching to IAA Mobility exclusively is not going to suit most … as things stand at the moment and even looking ahead five or ten years. Plus, budget is likely to be less of a constraint.

Why IAA Exclusivity Fails for Large Brands

Given a critical mass of buy-in from company executives in which IAA Mobility becomes to be seen as an important event, focusing exclusively on IAA Mobility might be fatal.

For major brands, sales volume and profit still depend heavily on the IBD channel, especially in Europe. Giving up Eurobike, the main European trade event, would probably be seen by retailers as ignoring a crucial partnership. This risks losing dealers to competitors who keep up a visible presence there.

Also, while IAA offers high-level tech access, the massive scale of the automotive presence means a bike brand risks being dwarfed by much larger displays from Chinese car companies or global suppliers like ZF and Continental. This is especially true given the reduction in finished bike exhibits noted in 2025.

Yes ✅ to the Hybrid Approach

What we call a hybrid strategy (Eurobike + IAA) which separates marketing efforts to achieve two equally important goals may well be best.

Eurobike (Core Relationship Defense): Large brands use the refocused B2B days of Eurobike (Wed-Fri) to manage the European retailer network. This includes securing major dealer orders, running joint marketing programs, and launching high-volume products. Attending reduces the risk of competitive loss caused by the absence of other anchor exhibitors.

IAA Mobility (Future-Proofing and Upstream Sourcing): The goal at IAA is not retail sales, but technological security. Brands use the IAA Summit B2B platform to set up direct communication with top-level component manufacturers and—crucially—software developers. This ensures seamless integration of advanced systems (eg. AI, ADAS) into the product pipeline from 2027 out to 2035 and even beyond (when AI will have had its transformative impact on all areas of business). Attending IAA also serves a crucial Investor Relations function, placing the brand in front of VCs, investment funds, and global media interested in the $1+ trillion mobility industry.

The cost of this dual attendance must be viewed strategically. The money spent on Eurobike should be categorized as a cost of Sales Channel Management and Brand Loyalty, protecting the current income stream. In contrast, the money spent on IAA should be named an investment in Future R&D, Corporate Strategy, and Investor Acquisition. This organized difference justifies the high cost by showing two separate, necessary functions vital for both short-term market defense and long-term technological relevance.

The Role of Taipei Cycle: The Invisible Necessity

Large brands with complex global supply chains must maintain a strong, high-level executive presence at Taipei Cycle. This presence ensures competitive pricing, capacity assurance, and efficient sourcing across the Taiwanese supply chain.

This chain is currently characterized by underutilized manufacturing capacity following recent market changes. While not a public-facing event, engagement at Taipei Cycle is critical for locking in the manufacturing margins and supply security needed to deliver price-competitive, high-quality products for the global market.

Small Brands: Calculated Exclusivity and Niche Focus

Small brands with tighter marketing budgets best aim at getting the highest ROI from a single, targeted exhibition that matches their main growth goal.

Niche Segmentation: Choosing the Right Platform

The strategic changes at Eurobike, for example (shorter duration, no consumer Sunday), reflect the growing cost and poor efficiency of traditional trade shows for smaller companies. For a small brand, the key is calculated exclusivity.

Niche Sport/Specialized Component Brands

These are brands focused on specialized frame materials, high-end mountain bike components, or niche enthusiast segments (e.g., custom builders, small component suppliers).

The primary objective is direct dealer relationships, building and maintaining core enthusiast trust, and local component sourcing efficiency. The choice there is either Eurobike or Taipei Cycle. 

If a brand’s competitive advantage comes from manufacturing efficiency, specialized component sourcing, or proprietary materials, quality engagement with Taiwan’s supply chain at Taipei Cycle arguably offers the highest R&D and cost power.

If the brand is mainly focused on serving a specialized, high-end European retailer network (which relies heavily on relationship management), the simplified, professional B2B format of the post-2026 Eurobike may offer the best targeted visibility.

Urban Mobility Start-ups & Tech-Integrated Solutions

These are brands focused on shared mobility, often using subscription models or systems using advanced technologies (e.g., “AI” integration, specialized battery recycling, connected cargo e-bikes and so forth).

If the primary objective is securing outside investment (and it probably should be—and then ideally with a view to being acquired down the track), validating technology with major cross-industry partners, policy advocacy, and technology media visibility is the aim, meaning IAA Mobility for exclusivity.

These start-ups are selling a technological solution to a city problem, not just a bicycle (although any brand who only sells a “bicycle” is probably not going to be around for much longer). Their long-term success depends on securing capital to manage costs and keep growing during market consolidation.IAA directly targets the critical players: VCs, city planners, and the specialized component suppliers needed to integrate AIoT into their products.

The cost-effective Cycling & Micromobility Area and the extensive public testing areas in the Open Space allow these brands to show their solution’s viability in a high-profile, urban context. This prioritizes getting capital and technology partnerships over traditional dealer orders. A single successful meeting at the IAA Summit can do more to unlock more long-term value than hundreds of small dealer accounts secured elsewhere.

Conclusion: The New Mobility Mandate

So that’s more or less what the number of sources we consulted for this article had to say put together with our interpretation of what they had to say.

In sum, from one perspective we see the bicycle industry as entering a new period where technology, policy, and cross-sector connection will be the key determining factors in success.

For large brands a hybrid approach may be the best way to both protect existing market share (via Eurobike’s B2B focus) and guarantee technological ability in the future mobility system (via IAA’s access to top-tier suppliers, capital, and global policy talks). Ignoring either venue may lead to huge, though delayed, problems: immediate retail channel collapse if Eurobike is abandoned, or long-term technological irrelevance if IAA is ignored.

For small brands, the key is extreme strategic focus. Avoiding the high cost of general exposure is important. It’s best to, instead, put their limited resources toward the single show that provides the most critical competitive power. A small tech-focused brand targeting city solutions may best fit IAA Mobility to seek investment and partnerships. A niche sport brand focused on manufacturing excellence should prioritize Taipei Cycle or a very focused Eurobike in respect of the show’s restructuring.

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