The support of intelligent technology and other technologies is driving profound changes in the bicycle industry. Where will smarter bicycles ride? As a gathering place for China's bicycle industry, Tianjin may provide a glimpse.

Higher performance and configuration

Not long ago, the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center was crowded with people. In the exhibition hall, 4500 booths gather over 800 bicycle, electric bicycle, and component companies. This is the scene of the 21st North China International Bicycle and Electric Vehicle Exhibition.

Entering the hall, the exhibition displays that come into view almost reflect the brief history of the development of China's bicycle industry. At the Flying Pigeon Bicycle Booth, the classic "28 Bars" evokes people's memories, and the production of this "28 Bars" classic model has now exceeded 300 million vehicles.

Pacing forward, the development context of the industry becomes increasingly clear. From traditional retro styles to popular sports styles among young people, there are various forms of mountain bikes, high-end racing cars, baby bikes, electric powered bicycles, and more, with a wide range of categories.

Xu Zhiqiang, Manager of the Hebei Province of the Bond Fujida Electric Two Wheel Division, lamented that a few years ago, the relatively affordable "affordable" model was still the mainstream in the market. Nowadays, high-performance cars and high configuration cars have become the main demand for many merchants to purchase.

The old brand "Flying Pigeon" has transformed and launched multiple electric bicycles; Launch a new electric bicycle product with a "sporty" feel for young people, known as "MoBeast"; "Xiaodao" electric vehicle launched a 200 km electric motorcycle; "Essex" launched new products such as electric powered folding bicycle and electric powered scooter

Behind the blooming of a hundred flowers is China's complete industrial ecology and supply chain guarantee, with Tianjin being a representative of them. Enterprises do not need to go out of Jincheng, and local supporting facilities are enough to make a bicycle "out of nothing". In 2022, the production of two wheeled bicycles and electric bicycles in Tianjin ranked ************, "said Zhou Shengxi, Deputy Director of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.

Opening up a new intelligent track

Not long ago, the China Bicycle Association revealed at its first press conference this year that in 2022, the operating revenue of enterprises above the designated size for bicycles and electric bicycles will reach 210 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3%; Achieved a profit of over 10 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of over 20%. Many business leaders believe that the rise of intelligent bicycles and electric bicycles in recent years has made a significant contribution to corporate profits.

A reporter from Economic Reference Daily visited multiple bicycle companies and found that the pace of intelligent transformation has already begun. Many bicycle and electric bicycle brands are equipped with multiple intelligent functions such as Bluetooth app sensorless unlocking and weight sensing.

Approaching can unlock, sitting can ride away, and leaving with automatic anti-theft... "During the cycling process, once the sensor senses the cyclist's heart rate exceeding 150 times, the bicycle will automatically power on to reduce the cyclist's heart burden." Liu Suwen, the chairman of the China Cycling Association, introduced that functions such as blood oxygen monitoring, fingerprint lock, and "people walk, people come, and cars lock" have gradually been applied to bicycles in recent years.

The "Xiaodao", a fashionable electric bicycle called the "Aerospace Power Series," has recently appeared frequently in live broadcast rooms of major broadcasters. Its innovative components such as aerospace power motors, aerospace power controllers, and graphene large capacity batteries further solve the pain points of acceleration, power, and driving experience.

"To be realistic, some key parts of China's high-end bicycles still rely on imports, but we have opened up a new track for intelligent electric bicycles and electric motorcycle by virtue of our advantages in using new energy batteries, AI technology, etc." said Mao Xianjun, a representative of Xiaodao Electric Vehicle Technology Institute.

In recent years, there has been a wave of electric powered bicycles in European and American countries, with core components such as motors, batteries, and controllers. Chinese enterprises are on the same starting line as foreign enterprises in this regard, and even have a leading position. "Yang Yufeng, General Manager of Tianjin Jinlun Bicycle Group Co., Ltd., believes that with the help of intelligent technology and electric powered equipment, China's bicycle industry has achieved new breakthroughs.

An intelligent adjustable power assisted bicycle developed by Tianjin Jinlun Bicycle Group Co., Ltd. allows riders to make friends with nearby cyclists, chat in real-time, form cycling teams, and compete on virtual tracks through the app. In addition, through on-board sensors, this bicycle can monitor the physical condition of riders in real-time and provide technical support for remote maintenance of faulty vehicles, which is popular in the market.

Liu Suwen believes that digital and intelligent transformation will be the main direction for the development of China's bicycle and electric bicycle industry. In the future, the association will focus on assisting specialized, refined, and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in technological innovation, while strengthening cooperation between the technical committee, industry enterprises, and regulatory departments, and actively promoting the standardization construction of various components

Targeting high-end overseas markets

In March of this year, a research and development and sales center for a Chinese intelligent electric powered bicycle enterprise was officially established in a gray glass office building near Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

The research and development focus is on the application of Internet of Things technology for bicycles, targeting the high-end markets in Europe and America, "said Yang Yufeng.

China is a major exporter of bicycles and electric bicycles, and its products are exported to Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and other regions. Not long ago, the Tianjin Bicycle and Electric Vehicle Industry Association and related enterprises signed strategic cooperation agreements and other documents with their Russian and Vietnamese counterparts.

Throughout the morning, Zhang Yintong, the sales manager of Tianjin Aisaike Automobile Industry Co., Ltd., tirelessly communicated with more than a dozen merchants, feeling tired and happy. Zhang Yintong told reporters that the current bicycle market is relatively stable in Asian countries, such as Japan and Southeast Asian countries, which have relatively small market fluctuations and significant consumption potential.

The time-honored brand "Flying Pigeon" also has the urge to "fly" abroad again. Recently, we have invited customers from three buses to visit the company, "said Zhao Kun, Deputy General Manager of Tianjin Feige Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. Through product innovation, the company's market development has also ushered in a turnaround." In the future, bicycles may be sold to more countries in Southeast Asia.

At the same time, many industry insiders have also reported that the more high-end bicycles are, the more core components from overseas enterprises will be used. For example, for bicycles costing over $300, domestic core components are only around 30%; For bicycles priced above $1000, the domestic core components will be reduced to around 10%; In the bicycle market below $100, the proportion of domestic components is very high. Therefore, the high-end development of overseas markets remains a major issue that bicycle companies need to consider when going global.

Industry insiders point out that with the support of battery technology leading products, many domestic brands of electric powered bicycles have seen their sales continue to rise in the international market. Made in China and Chinese "smart manufacturing" in the bicycle industry are more widely recognized in the global market. The wider application of new energy, new materials and other technologies will also cause more changes in industries such as bicycles and electric bicycles, "Liu Suwen said. (Reported by reporter Wang Jinghuai and Guo Fangda from Tianjin)