BICYCLE ASSOCIATION Growing beyond the boom The Bicycle Association reveals insights from its latest cycle industry research T
he Bicycle Association (BA), the national trade association for the UK cycle industry, has released a new impact report, Growth Beyond the Boom: Key
Drivers of the UK Cycling Market in 2021. The report, based on exclusive BA Market Data Service
(MDS) figures, has revealed that the value of the UK cycling market is +42% higher than 2019, demonstrating that value sales and average prices continue to be well ahead of the pre-Covid period, in spite of a complex demand picture and supply chain challenges.
Key findings include: • The cycling market value is +42% higher in 2021 compared to before the pandemic, based on January-September data • E-bikes now account for over a quarter of all bike value spend with volume up +73% vs 2019 • The UK cycling market is projected to be worth £2.2 billion for 2021, and will continue to grow to reach £2.4 billion by 2023. • The average price of the mechanical bike category is now 36% higher than in 2019, driven by both availability and price inflation, but volumes have fallen below 2019 levels in the second half of the year. • Supply chain issues continue to dominate the narrative in 2021 with a surplus of lower-priced bikes and a shortage of mid-to-high tier products. • In-store sales have regained lost ground during 2021 from 40:60 to 45:55 (retail:online) but a higher online baseline is emerging post-pandemic. • There was a confirmed breakthrough in children’s cycling during 2020 with average cycling trips among under 16s rising by 38% and it is critical the industry builds on this to ensure the future pipeline of adult cyclists in the years ahead. Other data sources and insights from industry leaders
have been incorporated into the report, for example, Department for Transport data shows that weekend cycling averages are still above 2019 levels, suggesting a sustained rise in leisure cycling could still turn out to be part of the legacy of Covid-19. “This latest report is the first insight into how the UK cycling market is shaping up as we start our transition to a
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post-pandemic world. Despite many challenges facing the industry, it is clear we are in an incredibly strong position for the future,” said Simon Irons, Bicycle Association’s MDS director.
The second part of the report includes a focus on
children’s cycling and includes a discussion about gender and cycling. The final section focuses on e-mobility, with a detailed analysis of the e-bike market, and the emergence of e-scooters and cargo/e-cargo bikes. It concludes with an introduction to the BA’s new Local Industrial Case – a study on the Local Bicycle Economy, region by region, beginning with London. “2020 has shown how the cycling population can expand and diversify when the conditions are right and it is amazing to see how the industry has adapted to the opportunities and challenges this has presented. We are delighted that our Market Data Service is able to provide up to date and accurate insights into consumer trends so that businesses are able to adapt,” said Simon Irons. The report was produced using data from the BA’s
Market Data Service (MDS), powered by Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS), a massive UK-wide, monthly collation of sales data direct from retailers across the country, covering over two thirds of the UK cycling market. Growth Beyond the Boom: Key Drivers of the UK Cycling
Market in 2021 is a 55-page report providing detailed analysis of cycling industry sales and growth during the calendar year 2021. It uniquely integrates the BA’s sales data with wider data sets, from weather patterns to the National Travel Survey, to provide the only credible, comprehensive analysis of the UK market available today. To purchase the report please contact Emma Catt at
emma@bicycleassociation.org.uk or +44 (0) 203 857 4411 n
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