Cycling has recently set off a boom, and the sports bicycle market is booming
Cycling has become a new urban fashion
Our reporter Wang Liang "People's Daily" (page 15 on September 19, 2022)
Autumn is high and crisp, which is a good time for outdoor riding.
In-depth exploration of alleys and alleys, outings with friends, or going on a food tour... In many cities, more and more people choose to travel by bicycle and enjoy leisure time.
The popularity of urban cycling has further heated up and fermented, and it is difficult to find a popular sports bike.
According to data from the China Cycling Association, the number of people participating in cycling in my country has reached nearly 10 million.
Attracting many enthusiasts, what is the charm of cycling?
The cycling sports market is hot, how will related industries benefit?
What measures can be taken to improve the urban cycling environment?
Our reporter visited cycling enthusiasts, industry practitioners and sports promoters in Beijing.
Meet fitness needs and enrich residents' lives
The sky is slightly bright, and the city has not yet woken up.
Helmets, gloves, cycling clothes... Li Siying, who lives in Shijingshan, Beijing, has been dressed up and stepped into his car. The destination is Jietai Temple in Mentougou.
When the number of vehicles and pedestrians on the street gradually increased, Li Siying had returned home with sweat. "This route is more than 60 kilometers back and forth, and there are few people in the morning. I have ridden several times."
Li Siying is an outdoor sports enthusiast. He has been running marathons for more than 8 years, and can run in 3.5 hours at the fastest, but he has only been in the field of cycling for one year.
She introduced to reporters that the cycling route to Jietai Temple "has a small climbing height and a good road environment", and is very popular among Beijing cyclists.
Contact riding, from the recommendation of runners.
"I tried riding a road bike once, and I felt completely different from ordinary bikes. I especially enjoyed the process of competing with my body when climbing a hill," said Li Siying.
Choosing a car, buying a car, and learning to drive, her riding journey started. "At this time last year, popular models were already in short supply."
Although he is still a novice, Li Siying has already grasped the mainstream cycling routes among riders: "The new Shougang Bridge, the 'Three Mountains and Five Gardens' and Chang'an Street in the city, Tanwang Road and Miaofeng Mountain in Mentougou, Yanqing Dazhuang Kexiang and Miyun Reservoir are both popular places for cycling." Through cycling, Li Siying's activity area has expanded a lot, he has seen different scenery and met new friends, "What I like most is the feeling of exploring the city by bike. ".
Unlike Li Siying, 65-year-old Han Lin has been cycling for more than 10 years. For him, cycling is often associated with food: "Get on the bike, go to Andingmen for breakfast, buy some bean juice at Niujie, go to Buy some Lantern Festival at the Temple of Heaven, and go as soon as you say it."
Cycling is not only a physical exercise, but the "added value" is also very diverse, and different people get different pleasures from it.
Zhao Qian, the propaganda director of a cycling club, said that cycling has also met the social needs of many young people.
According to reports, since the beginning of this year, the club has organized cycling activities every weekend, with an average of more than 20 people participating each time.
A popular online social platform launched a "cycling friendly plan", and many young urban residents shared their cycling life on the platform.
Why is cycling so popular in recent years?
According to the staff of the China Cycling Association, there are many reasons for the formation of the "bicycle fever". In addition to the charm of the sport itself, it also includes the steady improvement of the social and economic level, the gradual improvement of public health awareness, and the promotion of competitive sports and amateur events. leading factors.
Activating the consumer market to drive industrial upgrading
On autumn evenings, the breeze brings bursts of coolness.
At the entrance of a sports bike shop in Deshengmen, Beijing, a few girls and boys in cycling clothes are holding a small table and preparing to eat.
The pavement area is not large, but after a while, several customers will come to see the car, and some will change parts and maintain the car.
Freeing his hands, Ji Hua, the owner of the store, introduced to reporters that he is a retired cyclist who has participated in the National Games. While opening the store, he also established a cycling club to serve customers who buy cars here. .
"The students who ate dinner were all my students. September 17th was the 'World Cycling Day'. We went out on a bike ride and just came back just now." Ji Hua said.
Speaking of the small shop business, Ji Hua had a smile on his face.
According to reports, the business has been good for 9 years since the store opened, and this year's sales are the most popular. "As long as the vehicle is the right size and the color is like, many customers will decisively place an order."
This year, Jihua has sold more than 200 cars, the number has exceeded that of last year.
"The club is also doing better and better. More than 100 people have joined this year, most of whom are between the ages of 26 and 35."
Compared with sales, Ji Hua is more concerned about getting the goods.
In a bicycle brand store in Chaoyang District, Beijing, there are only two road bicycles in the huge store.
According to the person in charge of the store, road bicycles are "hard to come by", and it takes several months to buy popular models.
"Affected by the global epidemic, the production capacity of many foreign brands of bicycles and key components cannot keep up, and it is difficult to meet the surge in consumer demand in time." As a result, the sports bicycle rental market is also quite hot. During holidays, vehicles often need to be driven in advance. Book over a week.
The rapid expansion of the market drives industrial upgrading.
A number of domestic sports bicycle brands and related parts suppliers took advantage of the trend and performed well.
This year, the number of sports bicycle orders received by Ruibao Composite Materials Co., Ltd., a bicycle manufacturer in Dezhou, Shandong, has doubled year-on-year, and the company's own brand has achieved an increase of more than 200%.
According to Wang Chunqing, the person in charge of the company, the design of domestic brand sports bicycles is more in line with the Chinese body shape, and the production process is also accelerating, which is recognized by more and more consumers.
"At the end of September, our newly built factory started production, and we look forward to doubling the production capacity next year." Wang Chunqing said.
How do domestic brands respond to the hot market?
Wang Yuxiong, director of the Sports Economics Research Center of the Central University of Finance and Economics, suggested that domestic brand car companies should seize the opportunity, clarify their own positioning, judge market trends, maintain cost advantages and channel advantages while maintaining scientific research investment, and overcome key components such as bicycle transmissions. The manufacturing technology is difficult, and it gradually exerts its efforts in the high-end market to continuously enhance the brand value.
In-depth urban space into daily life
At the intersection of Yuetan North Bridge in Beijing, there is a continuous flow of vehicles and pedestrians.
On the traffic signal pole, in addition to the conventional traffic lights, there are also two eye-catching electronic indicator screens for riding.
As the left-turn indicator changed from red to green, many cyclists passed to the left, without having to wait for two traffic lights and crossing the road twice.
Street riding is easier and safer.
Naliang, who has more than 20 years of cycling experience, is very appreciative of such a design, and he believes that it reflects the optimization and improvement of the urban riding environment.
According to data from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transportation, since 2021, a total of 74 intersections have been set up in the city where bicycles make "one left turn".
It is understood that "one turn left" is part of the construction of Beijing's slow-moving system.
The slow-moving system also includes the construction of bicycle-specific roads, planting street trees, increasing green shade coverage, and providing post-station services for cycling, which not only facilitates commuting, but also serves leisure and fitness.
Na Liang said that with a little attention, there are still many details to improve the urban riding environment. "The bicycle lanes have been widened, the riding signs are clearer, and many bicycle lanes are also equipped with reflective lighting devices to facilitate night riding."
Improving the urban cycling environment also lies in cultural construction and conceptual change.
This year, Beijing put forward the slogan "Bicycle Returns to the City", and will build 21 "Walking Beijing" cultural tourism cycling routes within the year to further encourage citizens to exercise and explore the beauty of the city through cycling.
Many cyclists report that cities are becoming more and more friendly to cyclists. Many restaurants and cafes allow customers to push carts into the store for consumption, and there are entertainment or dining places that provide services for cyclists.
There is a lot of care in the little details.
There are also many cycling enthusiasts suggesting that urban public transport can introduce more measures to facilitate cycling enthusiasts to travel across regions.
Feng Baozhong, vice chairman of the China Cycling Association, suggested that to protect the enthusiasm for cycling, the city should continue to enhance its efforts in humanized construction. stronger security.”