Observations on

the UK Cycle Market

P.L. DARNTON

Executive Director

Bicycle Association

The UK Market

The Bicycle brands

The Trade

The UK Consumers

The Cycling Lobby

AGENDA

The UK market is

NOT like the Netherlands!

WARNING!

Information about the UK market is

WARNING!

Limited in quantity

Unreliable in quality

Dependent on import statistics, not sales.

Contradictory between sources

Obscured by national averages

The Market

No manufacturing / assembly since 2003

Except Brompton, Pashley.

No growth in sales since 2007

c. 3.6 million units p.a.

£ value of sales has increased

To £1.18 billion

No split between types of cycle

c. 40% units MTB

High imports of frames/forks

Tariff evasion

Parts/Accessories

c. £450 m. p.a.

The Market

c. 600,000 cycles stolen p.a.

10–15% retail sales via Cycle to Work Scheme

Sales fluctuations – weather : economics

E-bike sales < 20,000 units p.a.

Retail prices

= mass at £200 or less

= brands from £400

The Brands

Market diversified : MTB/Road/Hybrid are top 3

Bikes used mainly for ‘leisure’, not commuting

Volume sales – under £150: Universal/PCM

‘Value’ brands – up to £200:

Raleigh/Moore Large; Halfords

+ ‘Pinnacle’ (Evans) : ‘Ridgeback’ (Madison)

The Brands: £400+

The Trade

Halfords – 440 outlets – c. 30% all bike sales

Evans - + 50 outlets

Independent Bike Dealers – c. 1500 outlets

Wholesalers

Madison : Fisher : Zyro + 20 smaller / specialists

Supermarkets – seasonal

Mail Order / on line sales

Cyclescheme

The Consumers

c. 23 million bicycles in UK

45% households have access to a bike

10% adults cycle at least once per week (2011 census)

2% cycled to work

45% children “want to cycle to school”, 0.9% do.

91% children have ‘never cycled to school’.

The Consumers

Average cycle trips pa : 16 vs 18 in 1997

Average trip length : 3 miles

Men outnumber women by 3:1

3.3 million people use National Cycle Network p.a.

Average cycle share : 2% of all trips

25% all trips are c. 1 mile

WARNING: About averages

Proportion of adults cycling once per week

Cambridge 47%

Oxford 28%

York 25%

In 13 local authorities, <5% cycle once per week

In London, more cyclists cross 6 central bridges

than cars in 3 peak hours

The Lobby

Cycling needs…

Leadership

Funding

Continuity

Observations

UK Cycle market is...

Diverse in cycle types

Low unit value

Disaggregated retail

UK Cycling is...

Mainly leisure/sport

Commuting is male-dominated

Minority dictating transport mode