TRENDSPOTTING
CHINA: THE YEAR OF THE BIKE? C
hina is a nation of more than 1.7 billion people, representing nearly 18% of the world’s total population, so it’s no surprise that many cycling
brands recognise its potential. However, 2024 has seen the nations’ appetite for cycling boom, especially in the road sector. And this hasn’t gone unnoticed. Casting a reflective eye back to May 2024 and the 2024 China International Bicycle Exhibition (referred to as China Cycle or the Shanghai Show) and you can see plenty of green shoots of a market burgeoning with opportunity. And more importantly, bucking the market trend. Themed as ‘New Track, New Power, New Journey’ the Shanghai Exhibition expanded its scale compared to 2023 with an exhibition area of 150,000 square metres and around 1,500 brands showcasing across 13 halls. A rise from 10 halls in the year prior.
Among these exhibitors were usual industry giants such as: Giant and Merida. Decathlon also set up with a big presence as it looked to gain market share for its new premium Van Rysel products.
46 | January 2025
PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN LUE 0N UNSPLASH
Daniel Blackham looks at how China has provided respite for many brands by bucking market trends, as well as what the future could hold domestically and internationally
One brand who returned to the Chinese market after a brief hiatus was Basso, with CEO Alessandro Basso saying that he was ready to go “all in”.
Through a new collaboration with Aita Shop, the Italian marque is entering with a full portfolio, from the all-road to aero to climbing bikes. “We did three events in dealers and it was definitely a social evening, but the questions and the amount of tech that these guys wanted to get into was quite deep,” explains Basso. “You can really feel that the sport is super young, but the consumer is very knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about the sport.
“I think that’s why, as a trend now, cycling is becoming one of the major sports in China. Given the population and the potential, we think now is the right time to step in with a very solid presence.”
More than just bikes It’s not just bike brands who are looking to get in on the action with a host of P&A businesses also increasing their footprint. In December, Pas Normal Studios confirmed significant
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