2025
9
UK Cycling Market Report 2025
2025-11-10T11:32:18+00:00
REP38003C2D_4AA2_4E05_9DFB_2E9B18C4262F
2195
188455
[{"name":"Retail","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/retail"},{"name":"Sports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/leisure-entertainment\/sports"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Reports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"UK","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/uk-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
Despite lower current participation, women are significantly more likely than men to say they have cycled in the past and would consider doing so again. This highlights a significant untapped…
UK
Retail
Sports
simple

UK Cycling Market Report 2025

"There is an opportunity for brands to shift their focus away from purchase towards subscription, lease or rental, to open up access to cycling to more people."

Michael Oliver, Senior Retail Analyst

Michael Oliver, Senior Retail Analyst

Market Intelligence ReportsRetailSportsUK

UK Cycling Retail Industry – Trends and Insights

  • Despite lower participation levels currently, women are significantly more likely than men to have cycled in the past and to consider cycling again, highlighting a significant untapped segment with strong re-engagement potential.
  • Interest in alternative access models is growing, with over two-fifths of current and potential cyclists open to subscription-based packages that include a bicycle, insurance, tracking, and servicing. This shift away from traditional ownership paves the way for more inclusive and flexible cycling experiences.
  • Expanding off-road cycling options and embracing the second-hand market present major growth opportunities for the UK cycling market. Initiatives such as rides in public parks and certified pre-owned schemes can lower entry barriers, build brand loyalty, and attract younger or financially constrained consumers.
  • Adverse media coverage around e-bike safety, particularly battery fires, continues to suppress demand. Misreporting and confusion between legal e-bikes and illegal e-motorcycles have damaged consumer confidence, posing a significant challenge to growth in this high-potential segment.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • The high cost of bicycles, especially e-bikes, remains a major barrier to wider adoption
  • Negative media coverage and safety concerns are negatively impacting e-bike sales
  • A lack of safe cycling infrastructure continues to deter potential cyclists
  • There is strong consumer interest in alternative access models like subscriptions
  • The gender gap in cycling participation presents a growth opportunity among women
  • Physical retail stores are losing ground to online channels like Amazon
  • The second-hand bicycle market is growing and offers potential for brand engagement
Report AttributesDetails
Published DateOctober 2025
Report AuthorMichael Oliver, Senior Retail Analyst
Data Range2019-2030
Consumer Data2,000 internet users aged 16+, July 2025
Popular types of bicycles ownedRoad bike, E-bike, Mountain bike, Hybrid bike, Classic/traditional/city bike, BMX bike
Leading brands in the UK cycling marketRibble Cycle Co, Swytch Bikes, Temple Cycles, Halfords Plc, Fiido, Zwift, Brompton Bicycle

Collapse All

  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for sales of bicycles
    • Opportunities
    • Increase the number of ways people can access bicycles
    • Embrace, don’t fight, the second-hand market
    • Capitalise on interest in cycling among women

  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Improvement in household finances is positive for cycling industry
    • High cost remains a barrier to more people cycling
    • A major gender divide in cycling
    • Central government: committed to active travel but budgets do not match ambitions
    • Negative media coverage is impacting e-bike sales
    • New legislation will help address concerns, but awareness is key
    • Bicycle market struggles to emerge from post-COVID-19 slump
    • Sales volumes set to stabilise at 1.9m units in 2025
    • Graph 1: market size for new bicycle/e-bike sales, by value and volume, 2019-25
    • Market value set to grow by 5.1% between 2025 and 2030
    • Graph 2: market value and forecast for bicycles, 2019-30
    • Market volumes set to rise by 9.9% between 2025 and 2030
    • Graph 3: market volume and forecast for bicycles, 2019-30
    • Pedal cycles the biggest sector as e-bike sales continue to fall

  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Who cycles and who would like to?
    • Incentivisation could help drive more frequent cycling
    • Graph 4: how often people ride a bicycle, 2025
    • Change how industry looks to re-engage with lapsed potential riders
    • A big untapped pool of potential riders
    • Encouraging more people to cycle
    • Women: a segment with strong growth potential
    • Younger generations: high engagement and intent to buy
    • Families and children: position cycling as quality family time
    • Encouraging people who already cycle to buy more bicycles
    • 17% of people who cycle own an e-bike
    • Opportunities to grow multiple bicycle ownership among current riders
    • Graph 5: selected bicycle ownership combinations, 2025
    • Develop new income streams through more innovative subscription and lease/rental schemes
    • Tap into second-hand market potential
    • The e-bike opportunity
    • E-bike brands should focus on accessibility and addressing safety concerns
    • Anti-theft innovation could allay fears
    • Graph 6: agreement with statements relevant to e-bikes, 2025
    • Shifts in channel usage are undermining physical stores
    • Amazon gains share: how store-based retailers can fight back
    • Graph 7: where bicycles and parts, clothing accessories bought in the last 12 months, 2025
    • Potential for further growth in D2C channel
    • Future prospects for bicycle sales
    • No change in adult purchasing intentions for the next 12 months
    • Graph 8: consumers’ purchase intentions to buy a bicycle for themselves, 2023-25
    • Champion cycling for children to build participation and brand awareness
    • Graph 9: parents intentions to buy a bicycle for their child(ren) by age of child(ren), 2025
    • Look outside cycling to harness power of social media

  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Innovation
    • Raleigh launches e-bike with membership featuring anti-theft and remote update features
    • Shimano’s Q’auto brings electronic gears to everyday bikes
    • UTO’s Afternoon Pro takes folding bikes to a new level
    • CycleSaver enables bike share users to access the Cycle to Work scheme benefits
    • Marketing
    • Majority of adspend is on social media
    • Graph 10: top five brands by advertising expenditure on bicycles and accessories, 2024-25*
    • Ads focus on ease and style to appeal to women

  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Market size and forecast of bicycles – value
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals, bicycles – value
    • Market size and forecast of bicycles – volume
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals, bicycles – volume
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology – EMEA
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • Innovation and marketing
    • Advertising and marketing
    • Bicycles and accessories advertisers allocate most of their advertising budgets to social channels
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
    • Abbreviations

Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel

The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:

  • Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
  • Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
  • Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
  • Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.

What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?

Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.

The Four Pillars of Our Research

We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:

  • Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
  • Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
  • Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.

Bringing It All Together

Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.

Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.

For a closer look at a Mintel Market Intelligence Report, take a look at the sample PDF report below:
Please Note: All of the figures, graphs, and tables in this sample report have been redacted.
£ 2,195 (Excl.Tax)
  • Download today with instant access
  • Multiple formats provided
  • Interactive databook included
Add to cart
Report Brochure Methodology Talk to a Reports Specialist

Next Starts Here

Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.

Learn more

Trusted by global industry leaders

Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Jackman logo

At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.

Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
Waitrose & Partners logo

We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.

Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.

Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Wincanton logo

When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.

They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.

So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.

Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
VocaLink logo

We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.

As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.

We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.

 

Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink

Next Starts Here

Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.

Learn more