We’ve once again reached into the dusty vaults of CIN Towers to see how the market (and retailer perception) has evolved over the past few years on one of the most crucial questions of all: “Which demographic do you believe holds the greatest opportunity to grow cycling in the near term?”
The winners
Dealers increasingly see the traditional market – ‘Sports cyclists and existing enthusiasts’ – as delivering potential for growth, up from 21% in 2021 to almost a third (30%) in 2026. Compounding that view, fewer dealers saw the potential in ‘those entirely new to cycling’, down significantly from 36% in 2021 to 20% in 2026.
Holding steady
It’s pretty clear the trade doesn’t see students as a big growth opportunity, with little change in the past half decade or so – 7% in 2021 and 5% in 2026. Female riders has likewise remained fairly static as a category expected to deliver growth in cycling, but at a much more respectable level: in 2021, 36% of UK bike dealers saw it as a key demographic for future growth, with 30% agreeing with that in 2026. The over 50s has seen minimal change too; in 2021, 30% of dealers viewed the category as a key demographic and this year that rose to 35%.
The losers
There’s a robust assessment of the logistics and fleet operator potential. In 2021, a modest 11% thought that demographic had interesting potential, but by 2026 that positivity has hit the floor. Maybe that’s no big surprise, with leading lights in the sector like Zedify and EAV falling into administration in recent years presenting an unfavourable view of the market, but an overly glum assessment surely?
Even more eyebrow raising, less dealers saw the potential in those drawn in by electric assistance, which saw a sizeable fall, from 72% in 2021 to (a still very respectable) 55% in 2026. Surely here we are seeing the effects of a maturing market – those being attracted by eBikes may already have got one, so naturally there is less potential for this category to grow, arguably. Nevertheless, 55% of dealers sighting those attracted to cycling by eBikes as a growth driver remains hugely significant.