Recently, "chasing the sunset along Chang'an Street" has become a new pleasure in the life of An Wenlu, a post-95s Beijing girl.
Whenever she gets off work early, she puts on her cycling pants and helmet, pushes the bicycle she just bought this spring, and joins the "cycling army" on Chang'an Avenue.
"The most rewarding thing is happiness. I have been chasing the sun to ride a bike, and the wind is cool on my face. I can also meet friends who ride with me, and my fitness needs can also be met." An Wenlu said.
On weekends, she would go to Tanzhe Temple, Xinshougang Bridge and other popular cycling places in cities from time to time to "check in" with three or five friends.
An Wenlu's newly cultivated riding habit is the epitome of the domestic "cycling fever" since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia.
Nowadays, on the non-motorized lanes during the commute rush hour, in the city streets and alleys exuding the smell of late-night barbecue, and on the greenways near the scenic spots, you can often see cyclists passing through in groups.
On social platforms, cycling-related route strategies, “traffic jams” scenarios, models “planting grass”, outfit suggestions, as well as personalized cycling trajectory maps are constantly triggering new topic discussions.
People's enthusiasm for cycling has also promoted the development of related industries.
According to the "Analysis of the Economic Operation of China's Bicycle Industry from January to June 2021" released by the China Bicycle Association, in the first half of 2021, the operating income of bicycle enterprises above designated size was 35.71 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 45.4%; the profit was 1.36 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 77%. %.
On the consumer side, most of the popular bicycle brands such as Giant, Merida, Trek, Lightning and Brompton are out of stock, and related models on the second-hand trading platform are also sold at prices higher than the original price, which is quite popular.
Under the epidemic, what is the reason for the "wind up" of cycling?
Commuting, fitness, leisure, socializing: Cycling is very versatile
"Beijing-Grassland Sky Road" is the farthest route that Jian'an cycling team leader Sun Hongtao has ridden before the epidemic. "There are windmills on the high mountains, white horses strolling on the meadows, the scenery is beautiful. However, I was busy with work at the time. I don’t have time to ride all the way to the Tibetan Walled Highway and Xinjiang Duku Highway like my teammates.”
In the spring of 2020, Sun Hongtao organized the team's first small-scale short-distance ride after the outbreak of the epidemic. "There are still very few people on the street. After riding all the way, I can feel the pressure accumulated in my heart is slowly releasing. Now, we often I went to Hongjing Road, Miaofeng Mountain, and Jietai Temple in the suburbs of Beijing, and I didn’t delay riding and enjoying the scenery.”
In the past two years, Sun Hongtao has noticed that the number of young people in the cycling team has gradually increased, "Sometimes when I go to the intersection, I see young people riding bicycles around, and a family of three travels together, and the children also have a stroller. Chatting with the new young people in the team, they also said that commuting by bicycle is healthier than taking the bus or subway, and you can see a different view of the city.”
On social platforms, many young people are happy to share their experiences while riding: the roadside flowers in the wind in the summer night, the corner tower of the Forbidden City at 5 a.m., interesting signs, and small shops encountered on the street... the past flashed. The city scenery that passed away began to have more details in the eyes of cyclists.
During the epidemic, due to the reduction of long-distance travel, discovering new interests around the city is not limited to cycling. New outdoor games such as picnics, camping, Frisbee, fly fishing, and paddle boards are increasingly occupying young people's spare time. Demonstrate your own personality and express your attitude towards life to provide "props".
However, in many outdoor projects, cycling presents a certain degree of particularity.
On the one hand, from the "three big pieces" of "watches, bicycles, and sewing machines" for marriage, to the "two or eight bars" that are popular all over the country, to the "bicycle kingdom" where groups of people rush to and from get off work, and everywhere on the road today Visible shared bicycles, the charm of riding has long since fallen into the "souls" of young people through the images of the times, the narratives of elders and personal experiences.
On the other hand, cycling has functions such as commuting, fitness, leisure, and social interaction. It has a variety of use scenarios and a wide range of reach. It has the "universal" feature, which provides new possibilities for young people's daily life. If you encounter public transportation At a special moment when travel is restricted due to the epidemic, owning a bicycle can also bring a sense of security and certainty.
"If you say 'who will ride tonight' in the group of cyclists before get off work, you may gain a new route, a few new friends, or even a late-night snack. This sense of freedom of 'just go and go', in the It is rare during the epidemic." An Wenlu said.
Behind the "hard to find a car", it's not just the hot market
On a weekday afternoon in July, when the reporter visited the Giant direct-operated store located in the Beixinqiao area of Beijing, a middle school student in a school uniform was trying out a ride in the store.
"It's summer vacation now, and many parents bring their children to buy bicycles. The sales of strollers are good. In the first half of this year, our overall sales increased by 30 to 40% year-on-year, and we even sold a lot of riding equipment such as water bottles and tail lights. But the best-selling road bikes in the store are basically out of stock," said Zhang Guifu, the head of Giant's Beixinqiao direct store.
It is worth noting that the phenomenon of out-of-stock bicycles is not limited to Giant.
On the e-commerce platforms and offline stores of major bicycle brands, there are many popular models that are out of stock and off the shelves.
"In April and May, a relative asked me to buy a stroller, and I asked a few friends in the industry in Hangzhou. I have to pay first, and I can get the car a month later." said Zhang Yong, the founder of "Ciyou.com".
He found that during the epidemic, the troubles of many bicycle stores have changed from "business is not good" to "can't get the goods".
Chang Wenke, founder of Beijing MCC Cycling Club, has opened a total of 4 mid-to-high-end bicycle collection stores for cycling enthusiasts in Beijing, Suzhou and Nanjing. Since the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the total sales of the stores have quadrupled. Basically, pre-orders are required, and some models even have to wait a year to make them. In addition to the rising demand since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the time required for customized adjustment, the lack of factory production capacity and the poor supply of key components have also caused bicycles An important reason for the shortage".
According to the "Analysis of the Economic Operation of China's Bicycle Industry from January to June 2021", due to the impact of the global epidemic, some bicycle parts factories were forced to suspend production or reduce production. The delivery period of some high-end parts and components has been extended to more than a year, and the problem of parts supply has further increased. Exacerbating the shortage of premium bikes starting in 2020.
"Most bicycle manufacturers now produce frames, and core components such as transmissions and transmission systems. The Japanese brand Shimano's market share accounts for more than 60% of the world's market share. It can be said that it basically monopolizes the entire industry. Shima Nuo's products were in short supply and prices rose during the epidemic, which affected the entire bicycle industry chain." Chang Wenke said.
"It's hard to find a car", so many cyclists who are eager to find a car turn to second-hand trading platforms.
Popular models such as "net celebrity" folding bicycles and lightweight carbon fiber bicycles in good condition can be sold at the same price or even higher than the original price in the second-hand market.
In Chang Wenke's view, the overheating of the market has also caused some chaos.
"Cycling has become popular. Many people find that bicycles are a sunrise industry, and they start to invest and open stores blindly. Many consumers are also blindly 'entering the pit' and are willing to spend tens of thousands of yuan to buy their first car. It can be said that the whole The market is a bit impetuous now. Then once the popularity of cycling drops in the future, the bicycles that consumers buy at high prices will flow into the second-hand market in large numbers, impacting new car stores like ours, and the hot money earned by investors will also be in the next few years. As a practitioner, we do not want to see such a situation.” Chang Wenke said.
Sun Hongtao, who has more than ten years of riding experience, believes that upgrading equipment should be done step by step. "You can start with entry-level road bikes. The preferences of cyclists are mostly different. Some people value speed, and some like light weight. A little bit of things can be added according to the needs and capabilities. If you do, the road to cycling will be long.”
Buying a car is just the beginning
Just after placing the order at the bicycle shop, An Wenlu was pulled into the large group of the brand's cycling club, "The group is fairly quiet, and the group owner occasionally posts some cycling activities, but I haven't considered participating at the moment. of people just bought a bike of the same brand, and their social willingness is lower.”
In Zhang Yong's view, organizing cycling clubs is often a "routine operation" for businesses to extend consumption scenarios.
"The consumption chain of cycling is very long. Buying a car is only the first consumption. Afterwards, there will be a need to change cars and buy new equipment. The brand guides users to adapt to longer-distance cycling activities, which can undoubtedly lead to more consumption. Possibly. For newcomers, starting from the riding club to understand the riding rules and enhance risk awareness can also avoid many 'pits'." Zhang Yong said.
As sports equipment, bicycle customization, repair, maintenance and other services are also an important link in the consumption chain.
Chang Wenke believes that the bicycle industry still has a lot of room for development in the cultivation and maintenance of maintenance personnel.
"At present, the industry has not established a complete training system for maintenance technicians, and there is a shortage of professionals. However, with the advent of cycling fever, maintenance demand has begun to rise, and supply and demand still do not match. From an operational point of view, technicians are all Accumulating experience in practice requires costs, but most consumers are not willing to pay for bicycle services, and it will take time to change the status quo.” Chang Wenke said.
The market imagination brought by cycling also provides new ideas for entrepreneurs.
Before the epidemic, the rider website founded by Zhang Yong mainly provided services related to the promotion of cycling events.
With the suspension of various cycling events due to the epidemic, the operation of Qiyou.com was once stagnant.
How to find new business modules in the cycling boom?
Zhang Yong turned his attention to the green road.
"According to our analysis, since the outbreak of the epidemic, the main groups of people who have increased cycling are the newcomers 'Xiaobai' and parent-child groups. The facilities of the greenway are just right for these two groups of people, and the greenway can connect scenic spots, homestays and camping in nearby towns and villages. Land, post station, etc. If we can design travel routes for the local government that meet the needs of riders, and connect the outdoor attractions scattered in various places, isn’t it a new development direction? It can also be used in the promotion of the team before the event. experience." Zhang Yong said.
According to Zhang Yong, in Yuhang, Xiaoshan, Lanxi, Shaoxing and other places in Zhejiang Province, related projects are in progress. "From focusing on racers to focusing on the cyclists, we can serve a wider range of people."
Li Xuan, a trainee reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Daily. Source: China Youth Daily