Bicycles: sales figures fall, discounts rise
Sales figures for bicycles fell again last year. However, a study is encouraging for manufacturers and dealers.
Last year, 2.1 million e-bikes and 1.8 million non-motorized bikes were sold in Germany.
(Image: Canyon)
The bicycle industry has once again suffered a decline in sales. Last year, two million new bicycles were sold in Germany, according to the association "ZIV – Die Fahrradindustrie". This was around 300,000 fewer than in 2023. A study conducted by the T3 Transportation Think Tank on behalf of the "Zukunft Fahrrad" trade association shows that the industry is relatively stable despite difficult economic circumstances.
Not without bumps
Sales figures have fallen more sharply than turnover over the past two years. One reason for this is the increasing proportion of e-bikes, which are considerably more expensive on average than bikes without a motor. However, the industry in Germany did not escape unscathed last year. The number of people employed in the retail sector fell by one percent, while the number employed by manufacturers fell by four percent. Turnover with service bike leasing providers fell by three percent, according to the study by T3 Transportation Think Tank.
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Stocks are falling slowly
In 2019, the year before coronavirus, turnover in the core sectors of the bicycle industry in Germany amounted to 16.5Â billion euros. Last year, the figure was 27.2Â billion, which is still 22.9Â billion euros when adjusted for inflation. Many retailers are still struggling with high stock levels, which is depressing prices. According to the German Bicycle Industry Association, an e-bike cost an average of 2650Â euros in 2024, around 300Â euros less than in the previous year. Customers can currently hope for discounts, but it is uncertain how long this situation will last. Stock levels are gradually normalizing and this is contributing to a brightening mood in the bicycle industry, according to the study.
Three types of bike clearly dominate the sales figures, although the proportion of e-bikes varies considerably. Some types are almost exclusively ordered with a motor. The German sales figures for the five most ordered bike types last year:
| with motor | without motor | total | |
|
Trekking bike |
512.000 | 738.000 | 1.250.000 |
| Mountain bike | 820.000 | 54.000 | 874.000 |
| City bike | 390.000 | 270.000 | 660.000 |
| Allterrain bike | 72.000 | 162.000 | 234.000 |
| Cargo bike | 185.000 | 36.000 | 221.000 |
(mfz)