Due to the restrictions of the corona pandemic, the bicycle has become a popular object for Spaniards. Never before have so many bicycles been sold in Spain as in the past year.
In the first months of pandemic, bicycle sales increased by 300%, which makes this industry one of the biggest beneficiaries of the pandemic. Even after this kick-start, the demand for bicycles in Spain remained unprecedented. So much so, that manufacturers can hardly meet the demand and the purchase of a bicycle is almost impossible.
Ideal conditions for the bicycle
The conditions for bicycle sales were optima. With the closure of gyms this made the bicycle an excellent alternative. It provided the necessary physical exercise, free in the open air and at a safe distance from others. Futhermore, the Ministry of Health had also recommended to use the bike to go to school or to work. A government subsidy was even given for the purchase of an electric bicycle.
In fact, the bicycle was on the rise even before the start of the pandemic. In 2019, 1.2 million bicycles were already sold in Spain. The exact figures for 2020 have not yet been published. However, it is certain to be considerably more than the year before. Mountain bikes, city bikes, children’s bikes, electric bikes, all types of bikes imaginable are immensely popular.
2021 production already sold
Spanish ex-cyclist David Vitoria launched his own bicycle brand in 2011. Vitoria calls the development in the bicycle market over the past year “surreal”. In the period July 2020 to June 2021, he expects to have almost doubled its turnover from €5million to €9.5million. And he’s not the only manufacturer thriving. Likewise, BH-bikes also saw a significant growth in turnover in 2020 and has already sold all the bicycles made this year.
This applies to almost all bicycle manufacturers in Spain who are doing everything possible to have stocks replenished on time. Often the parts come from different suppliers, in different parts of the world. Therefore delivery times are increasing. Anyone who orders a bike online in Spain now could possibly wait until October or November for delivery. Even in the shops, delivery time depends on the brand, but here too there can be a long wait.
Healthy and climate neutral
The industry foresees that the popularity of the bicycle will not remain simply a pandemic whim. But that it will persist for a long time. Women and children in particular seem to have discovered the benefits of cycling. No doubt, in a few years, sales will slow down. However, by then millions of Spaniards will have chosen the bicycle forever. It remains a means of transport that fits perfectly in the post-pandemic era. An eara where cheap, fast, healthy and climate-neutral transport within the city is a growing priority.
