Discount orgies? Yes, there are, since the demise of Signa, parts with an 80 percent discount have been popping up online. And bikes for less than half the recommended retail price or 2-for-1 promotions. The question that arises is: How long will this last? Will these companies bleed out completely?

The warehouses in the bike industry are full to the brim with brand new bikes. To make room for new models, big discounts are now being offered at the start of the season. Specialized is launching a discount campaign with half prices on individual bikes, while the discount on accessories increases to 65 percent.

A month ago, a wave of insolvencies swept through the bicycle industry: major players such as Fahrrad.de, Bikester and Chain Reaction were affected, but were able to continue their operations within the insolvency proceedings. However, the Signa group of companies, in which the online bike stores are integrated, is still seething. The first bankruptcy is underway in Benko's core real estate business.