It’s somehow ironic: for a period of almost 70 years, Frankfurt was the European hub of the automotive industry. The IAA has been held in Frankfurt every two years since 1951, until the trade fair reinvented itself as the IAA Mobility in Munich last year. The automotive industry no longer wanted to have anything to do with the performance show of the past decades; everything should be green, sustainable and electric at once. The new concept, distributed across the Bavarian capital, was only moderately convincing. Especially since the industry still earns its money outside of the trade fair primarily with heavy combustion models.
So it is only fair that the Eurobike, one of the largest bicycle fairs in the world, is taking place in Frankfurt am Main for the first time this year. It is traditionally located on Lake Constance. But the exhibition center in tranquil Friedrichshafen was becoming increasingly too small. The bicycle industry and especially the electric bike sector has been booming for years, without any state e-funding worth millions.
Minister of Transport Volker Wissing also stops by
Between July 13th and 17th, representatives of industry, the press and bicycle fans from 100 countries will crowd through the spacious halls of the exhibition center in Frankfurt to take a look at the innovations on the market. Not everyone seems to like that. A visitor from the industry complained loudly that the area is so big that he got sore feet. Bikers prefer pedaling to hiking. Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) is not that lazy. Surrounded by his entourage, he strides through the aisles of the Eurobike on Wednesday afternoon after giving a short speech. Bicycling is now so popular that even the FDP can no longer avoid two-wheelers.
The Eurobike shows why: the bicycle is increasingly becoming a means of transport for everyone. At least when it comes to the representatives of the industry. There is hardly a requirement that the bikes at the fair cannot meet. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a children’s carriage, a dog transporter or a delivery van: the bicycle is on the way to becoming a replacement for cars. The possibilities alone for transporting your offspring are diverse.
Cargo bikes in all forms
Riese & Müller, for example, is once again presenting the Packster 70, a long john, i.e. two-wheeler, whose transport box should be particularly safe in front of the handlebars. The material comes from the automotive industry and is used there for bumpers, among other things. Shortly after the cargo bike came onto the market, Riese & Müller recalled the model due to defects. Those have now been fixed, assure the employees at the exhibition stand. Which is to be hoped for at a price of almost 8000 euros.
The Max & Mäleon is the first cargo bike from the Frankfurt start-up of the same name. It combines long john with rickshaw and tilting technology.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
In addition to the industry giant, many start-ups are trying their hand at cargo bikes. Some of the companies are still so small that the friendly people at the company stand are all in one person: founders, customer advisors and marketing managers. The idea of sustainability is important to many of them. Max & Mäleon from Frankfurt show their first cargo bike with tilting technology, produced in Germany.
Wood as a material for a cargo bike? Why not, thought Rethink from Dresden.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
Rethink from Dresden builds its bicycles from wood that comes from Latvia. Naturally sustainable. My Boo from Kiel is showing its first cargo bike at the Eurobike – with a bamboo frame. The company has them produced by hand by a social project in Ghana. Although it costs almost 8,000 euros, demand is high. Half of the first 50 frames have already been sold, says Felix Habke from My Boo. The company’s marketing manager suspects that the rest will probably be sold out within the week.
My Boo from Kiel builds bicycles out of bamboo. They presented their first cargo bike at the Eurobike.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
Longtail models seem to be in increasing demand. A kind of extended bicycle with seating behind the saddle. Both a long bench and individual seats can be mounted here. The slim version of the children’s transport, which doesn’t allow for a lot of luggage. The number of models at the Eurobike has increased significantly.
Longtail models place the riders behind the saddle – here the LT series from the French manufacturer Douze.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
On the other side of the transport spectrum are bicycles that hardly deserve the name anymore. The Rytle Movr is reminiscent of the Italian van Ape: driver in front, behind a large loading box. It was developed for courier trips. Just with pedals and electric drive instead of a rattling petrol engine.
The three-wheeled Vespa rethought: The Rytle Mover is to take over courier trips in the city.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
Batteries and electrical support are once again the dominant theme at the Eurobike this year. There is actually hardly a manufacturer who does not have several e-bikes in their range. How that is interpreted is quite different. At one end of the spectrum, there are menacing-looking mountain and SUV bikes with beefy frames that leave little doubt as to who will emerge victorious in the battle of man versus road or off-road. The ever more powerful engines should also allow less well-trained cyclists to master most off-road routes.
In the mountain bike sector, like here at Centurion, electric motors have become indispensable.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
At the other end of the spectrum, mobility solutions that are as small as possible are impressive. With the Lowtide, Coast Bikes from Bielefeld are showing a folding bike that can be easily taken on the subway. Even without an engine.
Small, practical, foldable: the Lowtide from Coast Bikes.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
Somewhere between mountain bikes and folding bikes there is a trend to be as “urban” and “lifestyle” as possible. The bikes are chic and straightforward, except for the frame, handlebars and wheels, nothing should distract from the pure design. The cable routing disappears into the frame, and there are no fenders anyway. Some manufacturers even have the displays integrated into the handlebars. This design is inspired by track cycling, the frame constructions of the E models are now so delicate that there is no longer any indication of a built-in battery.
Motocross machine as an e-bike: the child in both men and women is happy.
(Photo: Felix Reek)
The merging of classic motorcycles and e-bikes caused particularly astonished faces at the Eurobike. There were e-bikes with oversized tires and long benches everywhere in the exhibition halls. Anyone who is still mourning the loss of their Bonanza bike or for whom a motorcycle is much too loud anyway will find the two-wheeler of their dreams here. The Dutch manufacturer RSD, for example, has implemented the look of a motocross bike as a pedelec with its Super 73 models.
Heritage Origin Eurobike 2022
(Photo: Felix Reek)
There are similar bikes from Argeus, Ruff Cycles and Rayvolt, which cite different motorcycle eras depending on the model. This sometimes takes bizarre forms. Several companies are showing e-bikes with sidecars or trailers at the fair. The Origine model from the French manufacturer Atelier Heritage looks like a motorcycle from the 1940s, the “tank” is made of carbon and hides a luggage compartment. There is a pendant in the same look for the offspring. Admittedly, that looks cooler than any cargo bike. And why shouldn’t cyclists and their children have a little fun too?