After several turbulent years for Canyon– and the bike industry – founder Roman Arnold is back in the executive seat. Having stepped away from day-to-day leadership after a prostate cancer diagnosis seven years ago, Arnold returned to lead the German direct-to-consumer brand as its executive chairman on 1 September. He took that helm at a time when the brand continues, like many others, to wrestle with overstock, discounting, and also shifting consumer tastes and spending habits.
Canyon was one of the big winners of the COVID-19 bike boom; its revenues have almost doubled in the five years since Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), the Belgian investment group, bought a majority stake in 2020. Yet, the comedown has been sharp, as well. For 2024, the company posted €792 million in sales but a €38 million net loss, and GBL has marked down the value of its Canyon stake by more than 40% since 2023.
At the same time, Canyon has been busy trying to shape what comes next: opening its first big Canyon Store in Munich in March 2025, pushing into new categories like in-house wheelsets, and rolling out its MyCanyon custom programme from the US into Asia-Pacific and, this summer, Europe. Despite being a direct-to-consumer brand, it's trying hard to be where the cycling communities are, and that means more physical store presence, too.
Suvi Loponen
We sat down with Arnold to talk about his own riding, the pressures on mountain bike brands, why Canyon has started making its own wheels, and why he wants to "end the discount story." As we settled into a corner of a noisy cafe area at the recent Rouleur Live cycling show, he seemed unbothered about the noise, hustle and bustle going on around him. Earlier in the day, he'd already been on the main stage alongside Zwift founder Eric Min, and given a number of other interviews, yet he still seems excited to speak.
Perhaps it's a result of his career spanning decades, but Arnold has a measured, almost stoic presence, and he responds to questions softly but directly, yet not without much-needed lightheartedness. It's clear that while the industry as a whole remains wary of the future, Arnold believes that there is a way up and that the younger generations can be the changemakers in that.
This interview has been lightly edited for flow and clarity.
Suvi Loponen: How has the last year been for you? What's been a highlight – personally for you, and for Canyon?
Roman Arnold: On a personal level, the big highlight was that I rode the Etape du Tour for the first time in my life. I raced as a kid, and I've always ridden my bike, but when you’re running a company, you don’t have so much time. So I prepared for it over the last few years, and I was proud that I did it. In the same year, I also did my first triathlon. Those were my highlights.
Because of the triathlon, I had to start running and swimming, and that actually makes me feel younger. When I talk to guys like Sebastian [Kienle] or younger athletes, doing different sports keeps you fresh. Even Mathieu van der Poel posted on Strava that he's running now. I was surprised how good it feels to not only ride the bike but also do other things.
For Canyon, my highlight is that I'm back in the executive seat since September 1st. It's a lot of work, but I like it. I'm quite excited.
Arnold started Canyon when he was just 18 years old. Photos © Roman Arnold
SL: And why are you back at the top of the company now?
RA: In the end, I felt I had to take responsibility for my company. There were things I wanted to do faster, and I wanted to have more say in which direction we go – with the product, with our community, with our riders. I'm still a big shareholder, so I felt it was the right thing to come back for now.
I stepped out originally because I was ill for a while. Seven years ago, I had prostate cancer, and that was one of the reasons I left the day-to-day role. I didn't ride my bike very often during that time. Now I feel more energised again, so I'm ready to be back in the job.
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