Market sales are hot, mid-to-high-end products are favored, and the bicycle industry welcomes new development opportunities

  "Cycling fever" sets off new consumption of urban sports

  Our reporter Liu Xiaoyan

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  In recent years, the urban cycling atmosphere has become increasingly strong, and the consumption of hot bicycles and related ancillary products, online and offline consumption data all show that the market is hot.

With the improvement of urban road construction and people's pursuit of the concept of sports and health, cycling has become more than just daily travel, and the bicycle industry has ushered in new development opportunities.

  At 9 p.m. on July 11, a sports brand store on the ground floor of a shopping mall in Haidian District, Beijing, was less than 30 minutes away from closing.

Shopping guides in the bicycle shopping area are still busy, some are introducing the characteristics of different types of bicycles to consumers, and some are busy adjusting vehicle details for customers who have already selected products.

  In recent years, the urban cycling atmosphere has been strong, and the consumption of bicycles and related ancillary products has become popular. Online and offline consumption data show that the market is hot.

The reporter interviewed and found that nowadays, cycling is not only a means of transportation, but also developed social attributes to drive new consumption of urban sports products.

  Online and offline cycling products sell well

  In the above-mentioned sports brand stores, many young customers are busy shopping for their favorite bicycles, and some customers have already tried several products.

  In the cycling product area of ​​the store, the reporter saw dozens of different types of bicycles placed on the shelves and booths, with prices ranging from 699 yuan to 3299 yuan.

At the same time, helmets, gloves, cycling clothes, water bottle brackets and other accessories, as well as handlebars, car locks, lights, reflective strips, adjustable brackets and other parts and products are also abundantly available, with prices ranging from tens of yuan to hundreds of yuan. .

  "Bikes at different price points differ in size, material, and functional design. In order to meet different needs for road travel and travel, the targeted design of the vehicle is also different." According to the store sales staff, in the past two years, the previous The number of people who come to buy cycling products has increased significantly, and the bicycle display and sales areas in the store are gradually expanding and adjusting, and more diversified products are introduced.

  In a franchise store of a foreign folding bicycle brand on the South Third Ring Road in Beijing, the reporter saw that the overall price of its products is higher than that of the shopping mall.

According to the person in charge of the store, some vehicles equipped with better materials and transmission parts cost nearly 10,000 yuan, and have been favored by many consumers recently.

  Online e-commerce platforms are another important channel for consumers to purchase cycling products.

According to data provided by JD.com, during the "6.18" pre-sale period this year, cycling categories including bicycles and road bikes are one of the best-selling categories, and the pre-sale orders for the entire cycling category have increased by 240% year-on-year. .

During the entire "6.18" promotion period, the turnover of bicycle spare parts increased by 100% year-on-year, and the stopwatch and wearable equipment all increased rapidly.

  A new style of cycling that is not limited to travel

  Bicycles have always been an important means of transportation for people to commute.

However, the "biking craze" that has emerged in recent years has made bicycles more than a single means of transportation. Cycling is also used as a sports fitness and healthy lifestyle, and its social attributes have also been developed more.

  Jiang Haozhe, 24 years old this year, has been riding for nearly 8 years. He spent 1,500 yuan to buy his first mountain bike in high school, and then successively bought a folding bike, "Dead Fly", a single-speed fixed-gear bicycle, suitable for light travel. There are many models of steel frame bicycles, carbon fiber road bikes, customized titanium alloy road bikes, and customized steel frame gravel bikes, and the cost of bicycles has climbed to tens of thousands of yuan.

  According to Jiang Haozhe, professional cycling vehicles are more suitable for sports in terms of rigidity and weight, rather than a single transportation function.

He chooses and uses different models based on various purposes such as fitness, mountain climbing, road cycling, and conditions such as urban roads, paved roads, and non-paved roads.

  For Xiao Guo, who works in Beijing, he rarely has the opportunity to go out to exercise. A folding bike worth 4,000 yuan has become his exercise tool.

After getting off work at 7 o'clock every night, he would put on his cycling clothes and cycle from his work place in Haidian District to his residence in Changping District, 8 kilometers away, for half an hour.

"The vehicle was bought last year. After the outbreak, it is more necessary to strengthen physical exercise, and it feels very comfortable to ride home with songs." Xiao Guo said.

  Guo Jianrong, secretary-general of the Shanghai Bicycle Industry Association, analyzed that the improvement of urban road construction, people's pursuit of the concept of sports and health, and the introduction of cycling competitions into China have driven a large number of cycling enthusiasts, especially young people, to join the cycling.

At the same time, as an exclusive means of transportation for individuals, bicycles also reduce the possibility of people entering public riding spaces during the epidemic.

  Find more possibilities for the development of the bicycle industry

  Behind the popularity of cycling culture in China is the improvement of bicycle production and manufacturing capabilities.

In recent years, my country's own bicycle brands have developed rapidly, and various high-quality models have been launched.

In the global bicycle production chain, my country is also in the key link of the production chain.

  "my country already has considerable advantages in the production of bicycle frames, many of which are exported overseas. At the same time, many foreign brands of vehicles are assembled in China and then sold to the global bicycle market." Guo Jianrong said that my country is in the light industry in light industry. There is a huge advantage in manufacturing production, and some companies have already placed their international production orders until the end of the year.

  According to statistics from the China Bicycle Association, in 2021, my country's bicycle production will reach 76.397 million units, with a total industry revenue of 308.5 billion yuan and a total profit of 12.7 billion yuan.

The export volume of the industry exceeded 12 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 53.4% ​​and a record high.

The relevant person in charge of the association predicts that in the second half of this year, as the epidemic situation improves, the industry will usher in new development opportunities.

  The market prospects brought by the strong cycling atmosphere make the development of the bicycle industry optimistic.

However, from the perspective of the industry itself, my country's bicycle manufacturing still needs further breakthroughs and upgrades.

  Guo Jianrong said that carbon fiber and other materials and core parts such as transmissions are the core of bicycle production and manufacturing, and are also a sign of the value of vehicles. At present, there are certain shortcomings in the research and development of these two aspects in my country.

"If my country's national bicycle brands want to truly achieve Phoenix Nirvana, they can not only do processing, but also need to continue to deepen research and work hard on high-quality development." Guo Jianrong said.