Source: Nieuwsfiets Image credit: Nieuwsfiets

Last July, Christina Hsu joined LEVA-EU member Belgian Cycling Factory’s team as General Manager of BCF Asia. Drawing on her extensive experience in the cycling industry and her deep understanding of Asian production processes and European business structures, Hsu plays a significant role in strengthening the company’s international organization.

With a career spanning supply chain coordination, product development, sourcing, and quality control, Hsu brings broad expertise to her position. She has also gained experience in quality-focused roles outside the cycling sector, which she believes highlights the unique nature of the industry. “The bicycle industry is very human,” she says. “It’s a global industry, yet surprisingly small. That means relationships matter. Trust is crucial, and many people work together for years.”

According to Hsu, the sector is distinguished by its informal and personal approach to collaboration. “It’s not just business. Real friendships are formed. You can’t afford to make any mistakes, because reputation is everything. If you do something wrong, everyone eventually knows about it,” she continues. This personal dimension, combined with the sense of building something collectively, makes the work particularly meaningful. “Once you’re in the bicycle industry, you basically can’t get out,” she says with a smile. “And that’s perfectly fine.”

Facilitating important retailer relationships

Hsu is well known to many retailers and has led multiple dealer trips to Taiwan, acting as a guide and cultural intermediary. These visits extended beyond factory tours. “It was never just ‘Look, this is where the product is made,’” she explains. “I felt it was important to also provide context: the culture, the way of working, how decisions are made, and why processes in Asia sometimes differ from what people in Europe are used to.”

She regards this mutual understanding as essential. “From Europe, it sometimes seems like you can order a product with a single click and have it delivered the next day. But behind that click lies a completely different reality in Asia, with complex supply chains, planning, and interdependencies. Translating expectations, cultures, and working methods—that’s what I did then, and what I still do now.”

Strengthening BCF’s Asian operations

Hsu officially joined Belgian Cycling Factory in July, following a shared recognition of how her expertise could support the company’s growth. “There was an immediate understanding of where I can add value,” she says. “BCF has grown strongly and is further professionalizing its international structure. A key development within BCF is the increasing in-house management of its Asian activities. Where much used to be handled through trading companies, we now collaborate directly with partners in Asia. This requires on-site presence, knowledge, and coordination.”

Based in Asia, Hsu oversees sourcing, supply chain coordination, product performance, quality control, and logistics. Direct shipping has become increasingly significant, particularly for markets such as Australia and New Zealand, where bicycles are delivered directly from Asia. Her responsibilities extend across Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, involving extensive travel, an aspect of the role she views positively.