2022 WBIA Report: Europe gets a slow leak

Demand for bicycles grew 1 percent in 2021

Total sales of bicycles and e-bikes in Europe grew 1 percent to 22.2 million units in 2021 (2020: 11 percent). The slowing rate of growth was due to a 2 percent decrease in sales of  bicycles as pandemic related restrictions eased and weak consumer confidence. The sale of e-bikes increased 11 percent (2020: 34 percent) to 5.1 million units, but growth slowed substantially due to weaker consumer demand. E-bike sales account for 23 percent of total sales in Europe due to the wider use of bicycles for personal transportation. This helped offset the slowing rate of growth in bicycle sales during the year.