Bicycle industry

Last updated

The bicycle industry or cycling industry can broadly be defined as the industry concerned with bicycles and cycling. It includes at least bicycle manufacturers, part or component manufacturers, and accessory manufacturers. It can also include distributors, retailers, bicycle organizations, bicycle event promoters, and bicycle related service providers.

Contents

The Global Bicycle Industry generates sales for over $45 billion in 2017 and is forecasted, according to analyst consensus, at 6-0% per annum over the next 5 years. [1]

In 2016 in the United States it generated $6 billion of revenue, [2] and in Europe it generated €14 billon in revenues. [1]

Manufacturing

Bicycle manufacturers

Bicycle component manufacturers

Distribution

Bicycle and component distributors

Local bicycle and component retailers

A local bike shop Welsh bicycle shop in Caernarfon.jpg
A local bike shop
A bicycle mechanic at a local bike shop Bike mechanic at a local bike shop.jpg
A bicycle mechanic at a local bike shop
View of recumbent bicycles inside a local bike shop Nijmegen, Magasin de velos couches.JPG
View of recumbent bicycles inside a local bike shop
Bicycles and exercise equipment for sale inside a local bike shop Fahrradverkaufsraum.jpg
Bicycles and exercise equipment for sale inside a local bike shop

A bike shop or bicycle shop is a business specializing in bicycle sale, maintenance and parts.

Bike shops may be small businesses, chain, mail-order or online vendors. Local bike shops (sometimes abbreviated LBS [3] ) are a key component of the bicycle industry and, in recognition of the value that local bike shops provide, some manufacturers only sell their bicycles through dealerships. In the UK and Ireland, the expression independent bicycle dealers (IBDs) is also used. [4]

Services and events

Touring

Racing

Trade

Advocacy

Besides advocating for greater safety, comfort, and convenience for bicyclists, many members of the industry promote bicycles for poverty alleviation. Experiments done in Africa (Uganda and Tanzania) and Sri Lanka on hundreds of households have shown that a bicycle can increase the income of a poor family by as much as 35%. [5] [6] [7] Transport, if analyzed for the cost-benefit analysis for rural poverty alleviation, has given one of the best returns in this regard. For example, road investments in India were a staggering 3-10 times more effective than almost all other investments and subsidies in rural economy in the decade of the 1990s. What a road does at a macro level to increase transport, the bicycle supports at the micro level. The bicycle, in that sense, can be one of the best means to eradicate poverty in poor nations.

World Bicycle Relief, which specializes in large-scale, comprehensive bicycle distribution programs to aid poverty relief and disaster recovery initiatives in developing countries around the world, includes among its sponsors such notable companies as Accell Group, Bicycle Technologies International, Giant Bicycles, GT Bicycles, Quality Bicycle Products, Shimano, SRAM Corporation, Specialized Bicycle Components, and Trek Bicycle Corporation.

Publications

Notable publications about bicycles and cycling include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle</span> Pedal-driven two-wheel vehicle

A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.

Shimano, Inc., originally Shimano Iron Works (島野鐵工所) and later Shimano Industries, Inc. (島野工業株式会社), is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company for cycling components, fishing tackle and rowing equipment, who also produced golf supplies until 2005 and snowboarding gear until 2008. Named after founder Shozaburo Shimano and headquartered in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, the company has 32 consolidated and 11 unconsolidated subsidiaries, with the primary manufacturing plants based in Kunshan (China), Malaysia and Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utility bicycle</span> Bicycle for practical use (commuting, transport)

A utility bicycle, city bicycle, urban bicycle, European city bike (ECB), Dutch bike, classic bike or simply city-bike is a bicycle designed for frequent very short, relatively slow rides through very flat urban areas. It is a form of utility bicycle commonly seen around the world, built to facilitate everyday short-distance riding in normal clothes in cold-to-mild weather conditions. It is therefore a bicycle designed for very short-range practical transportation, as opposed to those primarily for recreation and competition, such as touring bicycles, road bicycles, and mountain bicycles. Utility bicycles are the most common form globally, and comprise the vast majority found in the developing world. City bikes may be individually owned or operated as part of a public bike sharing scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable transport</span> Sustainable transport in the senses of social, environmental and climate impacts

Sustainable transport refers to ways of transportation that are sustainable in terms of their social and environmental impacts. Components for evaluating sustainability include the particular vehicles used for road, water or air transport; the source of energy; and the infrastructure used to accommodate the transport. Transport operations and logistics as well as transit-oriented development are also involved in evaluation. Transportation sustainability is largely being measured by transportation system effectiveness and efficiency as well as the environmental and climate impacts of the system. Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment, accounting for between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. The majority of the emissions, almost 97%, came from direct burning of fossil fuels. In 2019, about 95% of the fuel came from fossil sources. The main source of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union is transportation. In 2019 it contributes to about 31% of global emissions and 24% of emissions in the EU. In addition, up to the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions have only increased in this one sector. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy using sector. Road transport is also a major contributor to local air pollution and smog.

Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer, recognized as the world's largest bicycle designer and manufacturer. Giant has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, the Netherlands, China,and Hungary. They have future plans for Vietnam to be the fifth location.

SRAM LLC is a privately owned bicycle component manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, founded in 1987. SRAM is an acronym comprising the names of its founders. The company produces a range of cycling components, including Grip Shift, and separate gravel, road, and mountain drivetrains from 7 to 12 speed. SRAM developed the Eagle line of mountain bike specific drivetrain components intended to improve shifting performance. SRAM was also the first to release a dedicated "one by" drivetrain with a single front chain-ring for road bikes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric bicycle</span> Bicycle with an integrated electric motor

An electric bicycle, e-bike, electrically assisted pedal cycles, or electrically power assisted cycles is a motorized bicycle with an integrated electric motor used to assist propulsion. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, but they generally fall into two broad categories: bikes that assist the rider's pedal-power and bikes that add a throttle, integrating moped-style functionality. Both retain the ability to be pedaled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and typically are motor-powered up to 25 to 32 km/h. High-powered varieties can often travel more than 45 km/h (28 mph).

Hero Cycles Limited, based in Ludhiana, Punjab, is an Indian company that manufactures bicycles and bicycle related products. Pankaj M Munjal is the chairman and managing director of Hero Cycles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bike shop</span>

A bike shop or bicycle shop is a business specializing in bicycle sale, maintenance and parts.

Kinesis Industry Co. Ltd. is a manufacturer of aluminum and carbon fiber bicycle frames, forks, and components. Based in Taiwan, it has a plant in Guangzhou, China, and an American subsidiary in Portland, Oregon that generates $5-$10 million in annual sales. The company was founded in 1989 by former employees of Giant Bicycles, and was headed by Tom Jeng until 2011, when he left to form Jovial Bike Components.

Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., colloquially known as and stylized as SPECIALIZED, is an American company that designs, manufactures and markets bicycles, bicycle components and related products under the brand name "Specialized", as well as the premium and professional oriented "S-works".

Mike Sinyard is the founder and chairman of Specialized Bicycle Components, an American manufacturer of bicycles and cycling components. In 2022, he retired as the CEO of Specialized Bicycle Components, a company he had led for 48 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Factory</span> American company best known for their Fox Racing Shox

Fox Factory Holding Corp. is an American company best known for their Fox Racing Shox brand of off-road racing suspension components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rural poverty</span> Poverty in rural areas, which are often less developed than urban areas worldwide

Rural poverty refers to situations where people living in non-urban regions are in a state or condition of lacking the financial resources and essentials for living. It takes account of factors of rural society, rural economy, and political systems that give rise to the marginalization and economic disadvantage found there. Rural areas, because of their small, spread-out populations, typically have less well maintained infrastructure and a harder time accessing markets, which tend to be concentrated in population centers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quality Bicycle Products</span> US importer and distributor of bicycles and bicycle components

Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) is a large distributor of bicycle parts and accessories in the bicycle industry, based in the United States, with revenues of $150 million in 2008. In addition to wholesaling bicycles and components from other manufacturers, QBP owns and manufactures several brands of its own. QBP also participates in activities which support its community through cycling advocacy and green building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of bicycles</span> Overview of and topical guide to bicycles

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to bicycles:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Bicycle Relief</span> International non-profit focused on bicycle distribution to aid poverty relief

World Bicycle Relief is an international, non-profit organization based in Chicago, IL that specializes in large-scale, comprehensive bicycle distribution programs to aid poverty relief in developing countries around the world. Their programs focus primarily on education, economic development, and health care. As of February 2020, World Bicycle Relief has distributed 500,000 bicycles in 21 countries and trained more than 2,300 bicycle mechanics in the developing world. Within their largest program, the Bicycles For Educational Empowerment program, nearly 70 percent of the student bicycles are designated for girl students.

Energy use and development in Africa varies widely across the continent, with some African countries exporting energy to neighbors or the global market, while others lack even basic infrastructures or systems to acquire energy. The World Bank has declared 32 of the 48 nations on the continent to be in an energy crisis. Energy development has not kept pace with rising demand in developing regions, placing a large strain on the continent's existing resources over the first decade of the new century. From 2001 to 2005, GDP for over half of the countries in Sub Saharan Africa rose by over 4.5% annually, while generation capacity grew at a rate of 1.2%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle poverty reduction</span>

Bicycle poverty reduction is the concept that access to bicycles and the transportation infrastructure to support them can dramatically reduce poverty. This has been demonstrated in various pilot projects in South Asia and Africa. Experiments done in Africa and Sri Lanka on hundreds of households have shown that a bicycle can increase the income of a poor family by as much as 35%.

R + E Cycles, also known as Rodriguez Bicycles, is an American manufacturer of tandem bicycles, cyclocross, mountain (MTB), and road bicycles and components that is currently owned and operated by R + E Bicycle Company in Seattle, Washington. The majority of the bikes sold are custom orders using pre-drawn plans tailored to fit individuals. Their shop tools are all made on-site by their staff and they are the designers of a bicycle fitting system, including software, called Next-fit™. The shop is located on the Ave in Seattle's University District, a few blocks from the University of Washington campus.

References

  1. 1 2 "Cycling Sales to Grow by 38% to 56 Billion euros in 2024". Bike Europe.
  2. "Topic: Cycling". Statista.
  3. "Sheldon Brown's Glossary: LBS" . Retrieved 2001-01-21.
  4. "Welcome to the ACT website". Archived from the original on 2006-12-05. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  5. "Bicycle: The Unnoticed Potential". BicyclePotential.org. 2009. Archived from the original on 25 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-09.
  6. Niklas Sieber (1998). "Appropriate Transportation and Rural Development in Makete District, Tanzania" (PDF). Journal of Transport Geography. 6 (1): 69–73. doi:10.1016/S0966-6923(97)00040-9 . Retrieved 2011-07-09.
  7. "Project Tsunami Report Confirms The Power of Bicycle" (PDF). World Bicycle Relief. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-26. Retrieved 2011-07-09.