UK Cycling Market Report 2025
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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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 Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | October 2025 |
| Report Author | Michael Oliver, Senior Retail Analyst |
| Data Range | 2019-2030 |
| Consumer Data | 2,000 internet users aged 16+, July 2025 |
| Popular types of bicycles owned | Road bike, E-bike, Mountain bike, Hybrid bike, Classic/traditional/city bike, BMX bike |
| Leading brands in the UK cycling market | Ribble Cycle Co, Swytch Bikes, Temple Cycles, Halfords Plc, Fiido, Zwift, Brompton Bicycle |
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