2025
9
UK Cycling Market Report 2025
2025-11-10T11:32:18+00:00
REP38003C2D_4AA2_4E05_9DFB_2E9B18C4262F
2995
188455
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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

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  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

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