How many bikes are sold in the UK each year? More than cars? Less than cars?
CTC
The graph shows the number of bikes sold, year by year, and I find this astonishing and delighted to see this is higher than the number of cars sold. In fact, during 2013 there were about 3.3 million new bicycles sold here in the UK, compared to around 2.2 million cars.
According to the CTC, about 30% of these are kid’s bikes and presumably covers all ages. Unsurprisingly 98.5% of the bikes sold in the UK were imported and I can’t help wondering if the 1.5% made in this country are exotic bicycles? This would mean around 50,000 bikes being made in the UK and while I might dream of these all being exotic, classy machines, the chances are they may not all be like that. Importantly it is encouraging overall.
Likewise it would be easy to say the 3.3 million bikes sold are most likely flat-packed bike shaped objects sold in super-markets. I dare say some of these will be included but moreover I anticipate many will include decent quality road, MTB, hybrids etc. Initiatives such as the various Cycle to Work schemes will have helped. This is all fantastic and yet it is also disappointing that the number of miles cycled each year remains at modest levels. In fact the most recent spike has been in the 1980s when mountain bikes were selling like hot cakes.
All in all, pretty good!
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You are delighted to see that 3.3 million bicycles were sold in the UK. China is the number one culprit on the planet for manufacturing process pollution. 98% of bicycles are made in, (guess where? ) China. Every bicycle bought helps China further destroy our planet.
Hi Bill
I hadn’t anticipated getting involved in a debate about China, however you do make a very valid point! China is an awful place for many reasons, this includes driving the Christian church underground which is terrible. Just like other human rights issues and their environmental record.
I’m not defending China at all. I was simply expressing how pleasing it is to see a considerable number of bicycles sold here in the UK, compared to cars. At least once a bicycle has been made, it is then relatively clean compared to a car.
Doug.
Hi Doug, where did you get the statistic from about 98.5% of bikes sold in the UK were imported?
thanks, Glen