New ZIV network for bicycle industry’s digitalisation topics – open to industry-wide cooperation
Berlin, 3 April 2025 | With its new digitalisation network («Netzwerk Digitalisierung»), the ZIV is launching a format that will draw together all topics, projects and solutions relating to the rapidly advancing digitalisation of the bicycle industry. All stakeholders from the bicycle ecosystem are welcome to join the ZIV’s digitalisation network.
«Traditionally, we’re a future-oriented industry, which is why digitalisation naturally tops the agenda both for companies and the ZIV. Virtually all aspects of our daily business today have a digital component. That makes it all the more important for the industry to pool resources and coordinate the topic and its manifold facets,» says ZIV’s CEO Burkhard Stork of the new format. «The digitalisation network is expressly open to everyone, not just ZIV members. We want to offer all stakeholders in our ecosystem a platform to exchange and invite them to get involved and contribute.»
A broad range of topics affect the bicycle industry – from networking and road safety (bicycle-to-X communication) to aspects of cybersecurity, the digitalisation of production (including digital supply chains), documentation requirements (including sustainability compliance) and the use of real-time market data for product management and sales. The digitalisation network will draw these topics together and address them within existing or new projects and working groups. It will provide reports and support, and create a central hub for the industry to discuss and organise pre-competitive topics. «The bicycle industry has experienced a tremendous digital evolution in recent years and is at the same time struggling to make rapid progress,» Burkhard Stork continues. «Though it may sometimes be time-consuming and challenging, when it comes to certain topics, delays are not acceptable. The European battery regulation stipulates a dynamic digital battery passport from 2027, to give just one example.»
The ZIV is currently finalising a number of ambitious digital projects that it will implement alone or in collaboration with partners. These include the ZIV market data service (MDS), which will in future provide point-of-sale data in real-time in addition to production data. The association has also founded the DiBike Digitize Bike Business Group together with the VSF. DiBike has assumed responsibility for further development of the Veloconnect industry standard and is also developing a data ecosystem across all levels together with and for the industry. Burkhard Stork: «We plan to complete these projects with partners from the ZIV’s digitalisation network and to also integrate in the ZIV’s own initiatives and take the work of external initiatives such as the Coalition for Cyclist Safety into account. Everyone should be informed and aligned, the industry should be able to organise itself and, where possible, reach decisions jointly.»
«Traditionally, we’re a future-oriented industry, which is why digitalisation naturally tops the agenda both for companies and the ZIV. Virtually all aspects of our daily business today have a digital component. That makes it all the more important for the industry to pool resources and coordinate the topic and its manifold facets,» says ZIV’s CEO Burkhard Stork of the new format. «The digitalisation network is expressly open to everyone, not just ZIV members. We want to offer all stakeholders in our ecosystem a platform to exchange and invite them to get involved and contribute.»
A broad range of topics affect the bicycle industry – from networking and road safety (bicycle-to-X communication) to aspects of cybersecurity, the digitalisation of production (including digital supply chains), documentation requirements (including sustainability compliance) and the use of real-time market data for product management and sales. The digitalisation network will draw these topics together and address them within existing or new projects and working groups. It will provide reports and support, and create a central hub for the industry to discuss and organise pre-competitive topics. «The bicycle industry has experienced a tremendous digital evolution in recent years and is at the same time struggling to make rapid progress,» Burkhard Stork continues. «Though it may sometimes be time-consuming and challenging, when it comes to certain topics, delays are not acceptable. The European battery regulation stipulates a dynamic digital battery passport from 2027, to give just one example.»
The ZIV is currently finalising a number of ambitious digital projects that it will implement alone or in collaboration with partners. These include the ZIV market data service (MDS), which will in future provide point-of-sale data in real-time in addition to production data. The association has also founded the DiBike Digitize Bike Business Group together with the VSF. DiBike has assumed responsibility for further development of the Veloconnect industry standard and is also developing a data ecosystem across all levels together with and for the industry. Burkhard Stork: «We plan to complete these projects with partners from the ZIV’s digitalisation network and to also integrate in the ZIV’s own initiatives and take the work of external initiatives such as the Coalition for Cyclist Safety into account. Everyone should be informed and aligned, the industry should be able to organise itself and, where possible, reach decisions jointly.»
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ZIV – German Bicycle Industry
The ZIV represents the interests of and is a strong voice for the Germany bicycle industry. As an industry association, the ZIV brings together and represents around 140 member companies vis-à-vis lawmakers in the EU and Germany, the German government, authorities, media, institutions and organisations. In 2024, around ninety percent of the bicycles and e-bikes produced in Germany were from ZIV member companies, which export 1.3 million units every year in addition to sales on the domestic market. The ZIV represents established companies and start-ups, manufacturers and retailers (including importers and wholesalers) as well as players from the entire bicycle ecosystem.
Press contact
Pablo Ziller, ZIV – German Bicycle Industry, Reinhardtstraße 7, 10117 Berlin, Tel.: +49 30 439 735 773, Mobile: +49 170 734 23 72, presse@ziv-zweirad.de