The world of bike economy is preparing to experience a rather lukewarm period. This was already evident from the sharp drop in sales recorded by the Japanese components giant Shimanowhich in the last budget recorded a 29.5% decline in the bicycle division compared to the previous year, in which there was an increase of 13.9% in the same sector.
The gap becomes even wider if we compare current levels with those recorded between 2020 and 2021, a a truly golden two-year period for bicycleswhere the fear of taking public transport linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with a growing environmental sensitivity, has led thousands of Italians to opt for two wheels as an alternative mobility choice to the car, all duly encouraged by generous public incentives.
An alignment of planets that – according to data from Confindustria Ancmawhich brings together manufacturers of two wheels and related accessories – has allowed the national market to sell more two million pieces in 2020, increasing your turnover by 300%and then replicate the performance in 2021 with a 5% increase in electric bicycles sold.
A turnover that has increased the order book of historic brands such as Bianchi, Atala, Bottecchia, Denver, Pinarello by up to 60-70%. Despite the exorbitant levels of turnover and consumer attention towards more sustainable mobilitythe most astute companies had already sensed the possibility that the two-wheel bubble could explode at any moment, after the boom recorded during the pandemic.
Which is why Shimano itself had given up on creating new systems (with the effect of significantly slowing down production and waiting times), perhaps sensing the 10% decline recorded in 2022closed with just 1.7 million bicycles sold where the market for muscle bikes suffered the most (-15%) counterbalanced by the 14% growth of those with pedal assistance, which in any case slightly exceed 300,000 units.
The declining trend is further confirmed in 2023 by data from Ancmawhich, although not entirely definitive, manage to provide more precise elements on the recession in the bike market Italian. In particular, for the first time after almost 50 years the production of two-wheelers risks falling below two million units, recording a output (i.e. the quantity of final goods produced by a company in a year) Of around 800,000 fewer bicycles compared to the previous year. A reduction that also expands its effects at the level of purchases from abroad of the components necessary for the assembly of bicycles (frames, gears, etc.) which according to the most recent Istat surveys suffered a 30% contraction in 2023 alone, equal to 250 million euros.
This is certainly due to the drop in demand and the hiccups in the global supply chain, which has led warehouses to fill up and many plants to reduce production so as not to find themselves inundated with unsold pieces. It’s more one supply crisis that of question: levels of exports abroad are still satisfactory.
Despite the 18% drop, foreign markets are holding up very well, especially in the high-end segment and racing bikes, for which demand is very high in China thanks to the growing popularity of commuting by bicycle.
The slowdown in 2023, therefore, could prove to be one physiological consequence to the sales boom recorded in past years, which is why the president has been there for some time Ancma Paolo Magri calls for state intervention to help companies deal with it deflation of the market, through a reduction of the VAT rate on bikes and supply chain products (as has already happened in Portugal, where it is dropped to 6%) combined with a careful one promotion of cycling culture. All in a manner consistent with what is required by the Cycling Strategya resolution approved last year by the European Parliament which entrusts member states with the task of double the number of kilometers that can be cycled by 2030, also increasing the charging points dedicated to e-bikes in the city, as well as encouraging the sector with targeted industrial policies in such a way as to accelerate the development of EuroVeloa network of 17 cycling routes long-distance that embraces the entire old continent for more than 90,000 kilometers.
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