UK bike sales plummet
Discussion
Sadly, it seems bike sales have plummeted: https://road.cc/content/news/uk-bike-sales-fall-ev...
I can’t see things improving in the near-term, can you?
However, bike prices can’t help. Some bikes cost more than a motorcycle!
I can’t see things improving in the near-term, can you?
However, bike prices can’t help. Some bikes cost more than a motorcycle!
Many bike prices have become silly money, and bike kit seems ridiculous, too.
The lunacy is clear when compared to motorcycle clobber. For example, I could buy an RST Sabre motorcycle jacket for around the same price as some Assos jackets. Both have similar weatherproofing. However, the motorcycle jacket has had to pass various armour, abrasion-resistance and seam burst tests. The Sabre jacket also incorporates an airbag: onboard sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, etc.) analyse the motorcyclist's movements more than 1000 times a second. An onboard computer uses this sensor data to predict the start of a crash and inflate the airbag before the rider hits the ground.
I'm sure the cycling jacket is worth the same money
The lunacy is clear when compared to motorcycle clobber. For example, I could buy an RST Sabre motorcycle jacket for around the same price as some Assos jackets. Both have similar weatherproofing. However, the motorcycle jacket has had to pass various armour, abrasion-resistance and seam burst tests. The Sabre jacket also incorporates an airbag: onboard sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, etc.) analyse the motorcyclist's movements more than 1000 times a second. An onboard computer uses this sensor data to predict the start of a crash and inflate the airbag before the rider hits the ground.
I'm sure the cycling jacket is worth the same money
andyeds1234 said:
You can buy much a more expensive motorcycle jacket than the RST, and a much cheaper cycling jacket than Assos.
That’s true. Nonetheless, it seems to me that cycling prices are ludicrous when I can buy an airbag-equipped motorcycle jacket for the price of some cycling jackets.
okgo said:
It’s even hitting the rich fat men of SW London
That’s sad news. It doesn’t bode well for sales of Paul Smith cycle clothing (who buys Paul Smith clothes for cycling?).Julian Scott said:
Salted_Peanut said:
That’s sad news. It doesn’t bode well for sales of Paul Smith cycle clothing (who buys Paul Smith clothes for cycling?).
Both he and Jeff Banks are huge cycle nuts; personally I like the fact he puts his money into his passion, and their stuff is decent quality and a decent design. (no, I don't own any)Unfortunately, the Wiggle and CRC situation looks bad. How long will they survive?
https://road.cc/content/news/wiggle-chain-reaction...
While the cycling market may be going through a post-Covid/Brexit trough, I’m surprised Wiggle and CRC made matters worse by ruining their websites.
https://road.cc/content/news/wiggle-chain-reaction...
While the cycling market may be going through a post-Covid/Brexit trough, I’m surprised Wiggle and CRC made matters worse by ruining their websites.
Hugo Stiglitz said:
Sauce?
Wiggle reportedly heading towards administration due to parent company funding woesRoad.cc said:
Online cycling, running and swimming retailer Wiggle has reportedly entered voluntary administration in the wake of the funding crisis that has engulfed parent company, Germany-based Signa Sports United (SSU), after the company that controls it announced earlier this week that it would no longer be providing €150 million in funding to the business over the next two years.
The website Cycling Electric reports (link is external) that it “has seen a notice from the company to a customer” which outlines that without securing an alternative source of funding to SSU (which was itself depending on the promised but withdrawn funding from controlling shareholder Signa International Sports Holding), Wiggle will “have no choice but to begin administration proceedings.”
Cycling Electric also points out that recent Companies House filings by Wiggle (whose immediate holding company is UK-based Mapil Topco, which also owns Chain Reaction Cycles) highlight that the company relies upon SSU for funding, without which the “group’s ability to continue as a going concern” would be subject to “material uncertainty.”
Earlier, Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group was rumoured to be the most likely candidate to buy Wiggle Chain Reaction Cycles (CRC) should it be put up for sale.
The website Cycling Electric reports (link is external) that it “has seen a notice from the company to a customer” which outlines that without securing an alternative source of funding to SSU (which was itself depending on the promised but withdrawn funding from controlling shareholder Signa International Sports Holding), Wiggle will “have no choice but to begin administration proceedings.”
Cycling Electric also points out that recent Companies House filings by Wiggle (whose immediate holding company is UK-based Mapil Topco, which also owns Chain Reaction Cycles) highlight that the company relies upon SSU for funding, without which the “group’s ability to continue as a going concern” would be subject to “material uncertainty.”
Earlier, Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group was rumoured to be the most likely candidate to buy Wiggle Chain Reaction Cycles (CRC) should it be put up for sale.
lufbramatt said:
Got a mate that used to work for Saddleback (cycling distributor) and still knows people in the industry. Apparently suppliers are desperately trying to retrieve unpaid stock as they’re worried it will be tied up in administration. Not looking good.
Sadly, I bet ripples from the Wiggle/CRC situation harm many businesses in UK cycling 
Apparently, Shimano segment sales are down by a quarter and forecast to get even worse 
https://road.cc/content/news/shimano-global-cyclin...
https://road.cc/content/news/shimano-global-cyclin...
ChocolateFrog said:
I was bemoaning the price of the new BMW R1300GS at £23k (although it starts at £16k) on the R1300GS thread.
The GS could be argued to be the best motorbike in the world.
When reading this thread it really does put the state of the cycling industry (particularly ebikes) into stark contrast.
The GS will do a 100000 miles in comfort over 15 years with nothing but routine servicing. It'll do 150mph if you so wish and/or take you many times round the world.
An absolute steal by the standards of the cycling world.
Indeed. It speaks volumes about what’s wrong with the cycling industry’s pricing strategy.The GS could be argued to be the best motorbike in the world.
When reading this thread it really does put the state of the cycling industry (particularly ebikes) into stark contrast.
The GS will do a 100000 miles in comfort over 15 years with nothing but routine servicing. It'll do 150mph if you so wish and/or take you many times round the world.
An absolute steal by the standards of the cycling world.
okgo said:
I think they've just kept pushing the price and seen that people will just keep paying it.
Indeed. But does the cycling industry's sales decline suggest prices have gone too far? (Yes, I know, the post-Covid/Brexit issues have also been significant.)Mont Blanc said:
Personally, I'm one of those people who thinks it is utterly, utterly insane that someone would pay the same amount of money, or more money, for a bicycle than a motorcycle. I appreciate they serve different purposes, and there are different reasons to own one or the other, but the the engineering, design, amount of materials, and sheer number of components that goes into making a motorcycle, versus a bicycle, is just a 'does not compute' scenario for me when you look at the prices.
+1 
High new bike prices meant I had a low chance of buying one. I went second-hand, but that's not good for the industry.
nickfrog said:
This year I bought a Fox Spreedframe MIPs helmet for £44 (RRP £100)
Even MIPS's revenues have plummeted by 32% compared with the same period last year: https://road.cc/content/news/continued-weak-cyclin...sir humphrey appleby said:
So perhaps the media are peddling this as well.
I don’t know, I don’t have much cash to splash, so I have to be careful but when I am told 2k is budget it is a bit disheartening.
£2k is the price of the pair of wheels I don’t know, I don’t have much cash to splash, so I have to be careful but when I am told 2k is budget it is a bit disheartening.
reviewed in this month’s Cycling Plus magazine. Admittedly, the review states, “Not the most competitively priced.” I imagine the media peddles the brands that bring advertising revenues. However, they are out of sync with the economic times – one of the reasons the cycling industry’s sales have slumped.
Edited by Salted_Peanut on Wednesday 1st November 18:47
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