Bicycles and E-Bikes, the market is stable

Bicycles and E-Bikes – The 2015 data on the sale and production of bicycles, both traditional and pedal-assisted, are essentially stable compared to the previous year with a slight decline (-2,47%) which however is compensated by the increase in production (+90,36 .9,8%) and the sale of electric bikes (+XNUMX). The same goes for exports where E-Bikes are flying at +166,9%. A total of 1.653.709 pieces were sold.

According to what Confindustria Ancma has announced, the sales channels are also changing: many more enthusiasts purchase through the specialized or organized large-scale retail channel. Specifically regarding the distribution of traditional bikes sold in Italy, the numbers are divided as follows: approximately 1 million traditional bicycles were sold through GDS and large-scale retail trade, while the remainder through the specialized shop channel. A small part, around 2% of the total, was purchased online. Going into detail, 56.189 E-Bikes were sold in 2015. The production numbers also doubled: from 8.720 pieces produced in 2014 to 16.600 in 2015. The data regarding exports is even more exciting with a +166,9% which makes hope for the future. Evidently the high speed of these vehicles (25km/h) represents a good compromise for moving in urban traffic, especially in the most traffic-congested areas where the speed differential with cars and motorbikes is eliminated, making mixed circulation safer.

The success of the sector has led to the entry of new players into the world of E-Bikes: motorcycle companies and, incredibly, components for household appliances which have started the production of motor components to be applied to electric bicycles. "And if on the one hand we are recording a decline in the export of finished traditional bicycles, on the export side of bike parts, components and accessories we have a slight increase (+1,66) signifying the quality of our products which are recognized on the international market. So we register the demand for our components, but we suffer on the assembly of the finished product, where we are evidently not competitive. The import of parts and components, however, recorded an international increase in prices and a decrease in imported quantities of 5,5%. The 2015 market data gives us a rapidly changing mobility scenario: the boom of the E-Bike is the confirmation of this.” declared Corrado Capelli, president of Ancma Confindustria. “In fact, more and more 2-wheel enthusiasts are choosing pedal-assisted bicycles to get around urban traffic. Agility and the reduction of fatigue when traveling are the two positive indicators of this growth in both production and exports. We hope to maintain the same trend for 2016 too."