The French invested heavily in the little queen in 2021: nearly 2.8 million bicycles were sold last year, with sales driven by the explosion of electric bicycles.
Bicycle sales grew by 4% in volume and 15% in value compared to 2020, in a market of more than 3.4 billion euros, including parts and assistance, said this Tuesday in a press release. Union Sport & Cycle, which represents professionals in the sector.
"Today we are witnessing a phenomenon of reappropriation of the bicycle as a tool for everyday locomotion, rather by active adults", welcomed Virgile Caillet, general delegate of Sport & Cycle.
“Bicycling is now firmly rooted in the mores of the French and has become a real alternative to other means of transport,” he added.
In 2021, 5.3 bikes per minute (24 hours a day) were sold in France!
All the figures from the 2021 #cycle Observatory presented by the @UNIONs_c on...@NewsTankSport / @NewsTankFoot pic.twitter.com/aLI32CSRHG
— News Tank Sport (@NewsTankSport) April 6, 2022
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+43% of turnover in two years
Propelled by the transport strike at the end of 2019 and then by health restrictions, the sector was nevertheless severely disrupted last year by shortages of parts, logistical problems, increases in transport costs and raw materials.
Despite this, in two years, cycle sales have increased by 43%.
Nearly 1.8 million scooters were also sold in 2021.
The Cyclable brand, specializing in "vélotaf", or bicycles suitable for daily or professional use, "had a very good start in 2021, before a second half of the year with low store traffic and sales. hampered by shortages", emphasizes Céline Forestier, the network's director.
"The bikes arrived rather late, at the end of 2021. All bike shops are starting the year with a lot of stock," she added.
The year 2022 started strong and the price of gasoline added in March to the motivations of the buyers.
A quarter of electric
In 2021, the market was also strongly driven by electrically assisted bicycles (VAE), which set a new record at 660,000 units sold (+28% over one year).
VAEs now represent nearly one in four bicycles sold in France and 59% of the market in value, with a selling price of 1,993 euros on average.
The average price of classic bicycles is 423 euros (+7% over one year).
This increase mainly benefits multisport brands such as Decathlon or Go Sport, which represent two-thirds of bicycle sales volumes but remain behind on pedelecs compared to cycle specialists.
In addition, sales of mountain bikes fell slightly (-8%), as did sales of folding bikes (-21%), while sales of children's bikes remained stable.
Some 17,000 cargo bikes, used to transport children or goods, were also sold, an increase of 50% year on year.
Further develop infrastructure
Bicycle production in France also increased sharply in 2021, to 804,744 units (+25%), almost half of which are VAEs.
The Union plans to approach one million in 2022, with a majority of electric vehicles.
Imports also increased by 20%, mainly from Portugal, Italy and Romania.
"France was a country with a real industrial culture of cycling, we find this dynamic", underlines Virgile Caillet.
“It is also a virtuous approach in terms of the environment and for public health.
»
Aid for purchase is useful for increasing the number of bicycles "but what will be most effective is the development of infrastructure", such as cycle paths or bicycle garages, he continues.
Faced with the Dutch or German example, he calls for “more ambition” in public policies.
On Tuesday, the Federation of Bicycle Users (FUB) also regretted that few candidates in the presidential election "show themselves up to the challenge", pointing to "a lack of reflection on the question of mobility, even a decline in commitments to an active cycling policy”.
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