The Bike Industry Is Gaining Momentum Again

Anyone who wanted to know where the bicycle retail industry is headed was in the right place in Salzburg in mid-September. At Austria on Bike 2026, which took place September 15–17 at the Brandboxx, one thing was clearly evident: The mood in the industry has shifted. After a few challenging years, the Austrian bicycle market is once again looking ahead with a great deal of confidence.

The B2B trade show, organized by the VSSÖ, saw a significant increase in exhibitors and specialty retailers compared to the previous year. More than 300 Austrian retailers had already registered in advance. The event was a complete success for us as well: We were able to make many high-quality connections on site.

What was exciting was not only the number of conversations but, above all, their content. Many retailers are deeply engaged with the question of how they can further improve their service quality and position themselves for the future. This is exactly where our solutions strike a chord with the times.

The significantly increased interest in our bike wash systems—especially the Velobrush Smart—shows that professional services are becoming increasingly important in the specialty retail sector. At the same time, our digital solutions were also in the spotlight. They served as concrete topics of discussion for many visitors and were viewed as important building blocks for modern workshop and service processes.

A positive outlook was a common thread running through the entire trade show. Many market participants view the 2026 season as a success; the worst seems to be behind us, and the willingness to invest is on the rise again. For us, this means we’re heading in the right direction. The discussions in Salzburg showed that WINTERSTEIGER’s solutions address precisely the issues that are currently driving the specialty retail sector. Accordingly, we look forward to the 2027 sales year in Austria with confidence.

Fruitful discussions, concrete projects, and a noticeably positive market: Austria on Bike 2026 demonstrated that the bike industry is picking up steam again, and WINTERSTEIGER is playing a key role in this.