Cycling: Taiwanese manufacturers' sprint in response to demand generated by the virus

The deserted streets, the worry about crowded buses and subways, or, quite simply, the need for a breath of fresh air after the confined weeks are all explanations for the renewed popularity of cycling in Europe or America. In Taiwan, bicycle manufacturers are pedaling hard to meet demand.

The coronavirus epidemic has plunged countries around the world into a historic recession, but not all sectors are housed in the same boat.

The bicycle industry is booming. And this is particularly true for the major Taiwanese brands, especially since the island is one of the territories that has best managed the health aspect of the crisis.

Giant, the world's leading manufacturer, has not been idle in recent months, according to general manager Bonnie Tu.

"We reacted very quickly," she told AFP, at the group's new headquarters in Taichung (west).

"We have mobilized the whole group, and in particular the factories and sales services (...) to meet demand."

In Europe as in North America, cycle shops have reported a rush. The British Association of Cycle Sellers has thus noted 20,000 orders not yet delivered.

"I saw a bit of everything," Lincoln Romain, director of Brixto Cycles in London, told AFP last month. "There are people who go to work, new cyclists, people who take their bikes out of the garage."

In the United States, sales of racing bikes or bikes to go to work climbed 66% in March compared to March 2019, those of leisure bikes by 121%, those of electric bikes by 85%, according to the The NPD Group.

Ms. Tu explains that in the United States and Europe, demand has mainly increased on the entry level, bikes at 1,000 dollars (887 euros) or less.

While Giant has run its Taiwanese factories, many of its workshops in mainland China have been forced to close temporarily because of the epidemic.

The group was also penalized by the difficulty in obtaining spare parts.

In Europe, Giant will soon be able to rely on a new factory which is to open in Hungary and will make it possible to reduce dependence on Chinese sites while bringing production closer to customers.

Gina Chang, secretary general of the Taiwanese Cycling Association, said manufacturers initially suffered in the first quarter from the cancellation or postponement of many orders until the epidemic began to spread. But things have since improved.

"The first two manufacturers have their order books full until the end of the year."

The pandemic is therefore the new act of an ongoing renaissance of Taiwanese cycle manufacturers.

The island was first until the 1990s, before China absorbed, thanks to its cheap labor, most of this production.

But things have been changing for some time for several reasons such as the growing demand for electric bikes from European countries or high-end cycles. Last year, the island also benefited from the impact of the Sino-American trade war.

In 2019, Taiwan exported $ 1.36 billion worth of bikes (excluding electric), up from 1.5 billion in 2018. But at the same time, the island exported $ 863 million worth of electric bikes, compared with 377 million dollars in 2018. The majority towards Europe.

This year, between January and April, exports of electric bikes totaled $ 301 million, up 23% from a year ago.

Ms. Tu hopes that the craze for cycling will survive the health crisis.

"By bike, you get some fresh air. And then you can't ride too close to others, otherwise you have an accident," she smiles. "It's natural social distancing."