If you were looking for clues that the post-pandemic ebike market reshuffle remains in full swing in the U.S., look no further than the latest move by Yamaha.
Recommended Videos “As you know, the combination of a post-Covid oversupply within the entire bicycle industry, coupled with a significant softening of the market, has resulted in a particularly challenging business environment where it is extremely difficult to achieve a sustainable business model,” Yamaha says in the letter.
Yamaha introduced the world’s first electric power-assist bicycle motor in 1993. But it wasn’t until 2018 that it entered the U.S. ebike market with a number of all-road, mountain, and fitness/lifestyle ebikes. That year, it offered four brand new models in the U.S.: Urban Rush, Cross Connect, Cross Core and YDX Torc.
According to Electrek, Yamaha’s ebikes featured higher-end components, elaborate frames and in-house motors, which tended to put them within a premium price range in the U.S. market.