FEATURE
As was said during The Road : Ahead panel at Rouleur, there will be further industry consolidation, more brands exiting the market, and businesses closing. Add to this, our own pain is also being met and magnified
by a general population increasingly finding bicycles via businesses outside of the traditional cycling industry.
When we don’t connect with the general public, someone else eats our lunch Lime, Bolt, Forest, Voi, et al, all providing the general population - people, not cyclists - with the opportunity to use a two-wheeled vehicle as a modern transport solution, accessible, convenient and easy to integrate into daily life. We, the industry, have done little or nothing to market to this audience.
The default enthusiast focus means many don’t even see this audience as an opportunity, don’t see ‘them’ as ‘us’, so don’t see the value in million British people a ‘cyclist’. Yet we will
other - industry colleagues
need new customers (whilst quietly hoping we can acquire them from a competitor in our industry).
At what point do we - the industry - own the creation of genuinely new customers - attracting the mainstream, general population?
Out of 28 countries in
engaging with them - the 65 who don’t call themselves openly tell each - that we
- which is no longer business viable for bike shops across an industry seemingly unable to escape an overstock and market saturation discounting doom spiral. Then factor in that the scheme excludes a significant section of society, who would most benefit from being able to use a bike as a form of transport. Outside of the enthusiast bubble, this is born out with facts. The Active Wellbeing Society reports its Free Bike scheme
sees:
40% of riders are women 80% of participants from Global Majority communities 100% of participants from the highest areas of multiple deprivation
A £12 return on every £1 invested Now add that bicycles replaced cars for 32% of journeys
Why change is absolutely critical (More of the same is not an option).
‘ACCORDING TO THE OFFICE FOR
NATIONAL STATISTICS, AROUND 569,000 UK ADULTS REGULARLY CYCLE TO WORK, EQUIVALENT TO 2% OF THE
Europe, the UK comes 25th for the proportion of people using a privately owned bike or scooter (inc electric) as their mode of transport on a typical day (2%). According to the Office for National Statistics, around 569,000 UK adults regularly cycle to work, equivalent to 2% of the employed population. However, some cycling groups claim it’s as high as 6.7% when extended to occasional cyclists. UK population: Approximately 69 million.
EMPLOYED POPULATION. HOWEVER, SOME CYCLING GROUPS CLAIM IT’S AS HIGH AS 6.7% WHEN EXTENDED TO OCCASIONAL CYCLISTS. UK POPULATION: APPROXIMATELY 69 MILLION.’
Back in 2012, smashing Strava segments on the way to work was certainly a thing. Did this embrace a wider section of mainstream society? Briefly. Did this result in a massive increase in women riding bikes? No. Has that seen a significant upswing in people of colour riding bikes? No. Are we any further
down the road to becoming a more ‘cycling’ nation, as a
result of Cycle to Work? Some, with heavily vested
interests, will say ‘yes’. Odd then that the
total number of bike shops continues to fall. And then there’s the fact that one e-bike system manufacturer points to 75% of its e-bike systems being used in eMTB applications. How much has transport, by bike, really been impacted
How to move a nation, build new alliances, and create a new customer base The reaction to reports that the Cycle to Work scheme may be reconfigured serves as a perfect metaphor for an industry stuck in a moment, seemingly unable to move forward. The aim of the scheme, to support ‘cycling to work’, yet it is widely known that the significant majority of bikes bought on the scheme are not used this way. Add to this a hefty admin fee - workable during the early years, during the £1000 post London Olympic bike boom
12 | December 2025
by the cycling industry? Now reintroduce those ‘enthusiast’ market demographics… And here’s where we find the opportunity. Change. Discomfort. (R)evolution. If we really want to grow the number of people using a
bike, there is no shortage of external inspiration. We need to be brave enough to step outside of our bubble and explore, meet, connect, build new partnerships, speak with new audiences, invite people and show them they are welcome. Choices which shape our future. Or, keep doing the same, and wonder why it isn’t getting better…
www.bikebiz.com
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