FEATURE We Asked… Karen Gee, Cycle Sprog
1. What were your highs and lows of 2025, and what lessons have you taken from the rollercoaster?
2025 was a milestone year for Cycle Sprog as we became a teenager. We celebrated by being shortlisted for the BikeBiz Cycling Media of the
Year Award, which was an honour. Another standout moment was the Global Bike Bus Summit
in Worcester, and meeting so many grassroots changemakers Being invited to the Houses of Parliament for the launch of the APPGCW Inquiry on Active Travel and Social Justice, to which Cycle Sprog contributed, was another very memorable As for lowlights, it is a big frustration that despite such a
strong set of recommendations from the APPGCW Inquiry, there is so little funding available to deliver them. On a more human level, the fact that 443 children
(effectively an entire primary school) are injured on London’s roads during the school run each year, as highlighted by the Streets for Kids London campaign, was a sobering reminder of how urgently we need safe routes for families. Finally, I was saddened by Cycling UK’s decision to bar trans
women from the 100 Women in Cycling awards. As a previous recipient, it felt like a very disappointing and risk-averse response to legal advice, and one that undermined the inclusive spirit the awards have embodied.
3. A standout of 2025 has been the growth of bike share, which creates new cyclists, but not always new sales. How can the bike industry convert these riders?
Bike share users tend to be doing short, local, everyday trips because bikes are convenient and quick. Meanwhile, much of the industry still fixates on weekend riders and high-ticket products. If the industry appeals more to everyday, occasional
cyclists, bike share becomes an entry point to the wider At Cycle Sprog, we’re seeing huge momentum from parents who want to cycle the school run, but they need cost-effective bikes, straightforward financing options, and reliable local servicing if cycling is going to become part of everyday family life.
2. We have had eight consecutive months of growth in 2025. Is normality resuming, and if so, what’s driving the turnaround?
In the family cycling sector, it finally feels like innovation is back. Brands are launching new products that reflect the real lives of busy parents
- from cargo bikes to new kids’ bike ranges, and accessories built with e-bike compatibility and kids’ growth in mind. This resurgence is driven by two things: a clear gap in
provision as more families start cycling, and R&D pipelines that slowed in the early 2020s are now coming to fruition. Families are demanding adaptable, durable, good-value equipment and services, and thankfully, the industry is beginning to respond with renewed energy.
4. If you could propose one game-changing Government policy shift for the growth of cycle retail in 2026, what might it be?
Fast-track delivery of every Local
Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan route within the next two years. Local authorities currently spend a disproportionate amount of time and money bidding for tiny pots of funding, which stalls progress. If we simply build the networks already planned, families will ride, demand for bikes and accessories will rise, and retailers will thrive. Infrastructure first - everything else follows. Another useful initiative would be to subsidise families looking to buy an electric cargo bike to carry their children.
5. Finally, what’s one thing we did get right in 2025, or that your organisation is proud to have achieved?
As an online publisher, we’ve faced the double hit of major Google algorithm changes and the rapid rise of AI, on top of the industry pressures
that have existed for everyone in the cycling world since 2020. I’m incredibly proud that Cycle Sprog has weathered all of this and remains the trusted resource for parents who want reliable, jargon-free advice about cycling with their children.
30 | January 2026
www.bikebiz.com
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