Europe needs 105,000 bicycle mechanics

Europe is facing a problem that threatens to become one of the major bottlenecks for bicycle growth. The industry will need to incorporate around 105,000 bicycle mechanics by 2032, while the current deficit is already estimated at around 45,000 professionals.

These are the main conclusions of the new analysis prepared by the NextGen Mechanics initiative together with European Cycling Industries (ECI).

Europe needs 105,000 more bicycle mechanics before 2032

The study quantifies the problem that workshops and stores have been pointing out for some time, and that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified mechanics. According to their calculations, around 175,000 bicycle mechanics currently work in Europe, but about 45,000 additional ones are needed just to meet existing needs.

The situation becomes more complicated when looking towards the coming years. To respond to demand and replace those who leave the profession, the report estimates that the workforce dedicated to maintenance would need to increase from about 175,000 current workers to nearly 250,000 by 2032, approximately 40% more. In total, during that period, the sector would need to recruit about 105,000 new professionals.

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The analysis, presented coinciding with the European Cycling Industries summit in Brussels, also has the particularity of being based on the employment data from bicycle shops themselves. Its authors present it as the first estimation built from the ground up on the demand for bicycle mechanics in Europe.

The lack of maintenance is already causing millions of Europeans to use bicycles less

The problem goes beyond the hiring difficulties of the shops. Data from the State of the Nation 2026 by Shimano, conducted on a representative sample of 25,000 people, indicates that 212 million Europeans find some type of barrier to properly maintaining their bicycles.

According to that same data, 121 million use their bicycles less as a result of these difficulties and 7.6 million have directly stopped riding.

This is an important dimension because it turns the shortage of mechanics into a problem that can also affect cycling mobility. Paul Walsh, CEO of ECI, summarizes it by stating that a bicycle that cannot be repaired ends up being a bicycle that is no longer used, and he considers that Europe's capacity to train and retain professionals is falling behind market needs.

The bicycle mechanic is no longer the same profession

The report also identifies a paradox. The bicycle has technically evolved much faster than the professional and economic recognition of those who have to maintain it.

The work of a modern mechanic no longer consists solely of replacing bearings, adjusting gears, or bleeding brakes. The massive arrival of electric bicycles and electronics also requires working with firmware, batteries, and digital transmissions, while, according to the analysis, remuneration continues to be below the national median for full-time employment even in the European markets with the best conditions.

Retaining those who already work in the sector is, therefore, another part of the problem. Data from OOMT, the Dutch training and development fund for the motor vehicle and two-wheeled sector, indicates that 24% of mechanics left the sector in the Netherlands during 2024. The report estimates that if a similar rate were to occur across Europe, the current deficit would increase by another 15,000 professionals.

It is also a matter of safety

Having a properly maintained bicycle not only affects its continued use. The document includes data from the Dutch road safety research institute SWOV, according to which cyclists attributed 10% of accidents to some mechanical defect, and poor maintenance was identified as a contributing factor in 45% of those cases.

The analysis also warns that difficulties in accessing professional workshops are fostering an informal repair market. This is a particularly delicate issue in e-bikes, where illegally modified bicycles are included that established workshops refuse to repair.

A common training for European bicycle mechanics

The publication of the study does not intend to remain solely in the diagnosis. European Cycling Industries has announced the creation of the Education and Skills Expert Group (ESEG), a specialized group that will need to turn the report's conclusions into concrete measures. The material presented by NextGen Mechanics suggests that this group work with governments and organizations in the cycling ecosystem to identify qualification gaps and develop a standardized professional training framework that can be applied in different European countries.

Among its first priorities will be to conduct a pan-European assessment of the sector's needs, identify the skills that will be required in the coming years, and collaborate with specialized training providers to create a standardized and replicable European model for training bicycle mechanics. Subsequently, it is intended to test that model alongside cities and companies before scaling it up.

The report includes a total of 27 recommendations grouped into five main areas: improving the conditions and capabilities of current professionals, increasing the number of workers, developing a professional training framework, addressing the economic viability of maintenance and its value to the consumer, and creating structures that allow for coordinated actions.

Here you can read the full report.

Ties Van Dijk, Head of Advocacy & Strategy at Shimano, explains that conversations held with shops show that the workshop is becoming increasingly important within their businesses, but it is difficult to find staff to fill those positions. Precisely, Shimano launched NextGen Mechanics to analyze the problem with the participation of different actors in the sector.

Now that initiative takes a further step and integrates as a permanent working group within European Cycling Industries, the organization that emerged from the union of Cycling Industries Europe and CONEBI.