Sparta is set for a new future under new ownership. Accell’s insolvency administrators announced on 15 October 2026 the sale of the bicycle brand to the Amsterdam-based e-bike manufacturer Tenways. According to the administrators, the brand will thus be preserved.
Tenways confirmed the agreement in a separate statement on 16 October. No details of the purchase price were disclosed. The takeover forms part of the group’s liquidation. BIKE has already reported on the The Accell insolvency and the international fire sale reports.
What Tenways is taking over from Sparta
The agreement covers Sparta’s trademark rights, the associated intellectual property rights and production documentation for selected models. It does not imply a takeover of all business divisions or of existing production. According to the ANP, the insolvency administrators also provided no information regarding the implications for employees.
Tenways states that it wishes to respect Sparta’s history and preserve the brand’s distinct identity. However, the company’s statement does not mention any specific models or a timetable.
Separate sale rather than integration into Batavus
The insolvency administrators had conducted a separate sale process for Sparta. The aim was to maximise the proceeds for the insolvency estate. The former sister brands Batavus, Koga and Babboe had already found a new owner in the Singaporean investor Dutech. The realisation of the remaining Accell assets is continuing. Background information on the sale process is provided in the BIKE report on more than 60 bids for Accell brands.
Insolvency proceedings were opened against Accell’s Dutch companies on 11 August 2026. As recently as June, the group had announced that it would integrate Sparta into Batavus. With the sale to Tenways, the brand is now taking a different path. BIKE examines the situation of the group’s German subsidiaries in its article on the Chances of a rescue for Accell Germany.
A long-established brand meets a young e-bike manufacturer
Sparta was founded in Apeldoorn in 1917. The brand’s history encompasses not only bicycles but also motorised two-wheelers. As early as 2003, Sparta launched the Ion, a range of e-bikes.
Tenways, on the other hand, is a relatively new supplier. The company was founded in China in 2021 and now also has its headquarters in Amsterdam. In Europe, its range consists primarily of electric city and trekking bikes. An example of the brand’s focus is the Tenways CGO009 with GPS tracking.
Marc Strucken
Editor
