In the first half of 2021, the signs were still pointing to steady growth: from January to June 2021 inclusive, the Swiss Cycling and E-Bike Federation (SFVE), which was commissioned to compile the statistics, recorded an increase of 16.5 percent in e-bikes and 8.9 percent in bicycles. However, the trend reversed in the second half of 2021: Growth rates fell to 9.4 percent for e-bikes by the end of the year. The figures for bicycles even turned negative (-7.4 percent) to 306,524 units.

Martin Platter, Managing Director of the specialist center, assesses the market situation: "The main reason for this is the continuing high demand for bicycles and e-bikes, which is colliding with limited production capacities. This is caused by coronavirus measures in the production countries, shortages of raw materials and disrupted supply chains, which disrupt production processes and lead to delays in delivery. The major bicycle component manufacturers, who supply around 90 percent of the market, are under particular pressure."

Wet 2021 weather will not have a negative impact

Statistics on bicycle sales correspond to an unwritten law according to a weather report in retrospect. Good weather means good sales. And what was the weather like in 2021? One thing can be said with certainty - the summer was rainy, there were even storms and flooding. Experience has shown that sales should have slumped even further. However, Platter suspects that some of the 2021 sales are due to the fact that these orders are from 2020 and have reached the market and customers late.

How is the sales pie divided up?

Inside the various product groups, there are interesting shifts. In the case of bicycles, there is an unbroken run on children's and young people's bikes. In the case of e-bikes, according to the figures collected, the shift from e-mountainbikes and e-city bikes to e-SUV bikes and crossover e-bikes is striking - as can also be seen with cars. E-SUV bikes are full or front-wheel suspension e-bikes with full city bike equipment, including mudguards and pannier racks, and voluminous 28-inch wheels, which become 29-inch wheels.

The e-bike with assistance up to 45 km/h, which is popular with commuters, is still on the upswing: The increase is 16.6 percent. The E-Road 25 category is also slowly gaining momentum with a five-fold increase in sales figures.

The specialist agency is already venturing an outlook for the current sales period: The industry is also expecting demand to remain high in 2022 - especially as the weather has been much more forgiving so far this year (as in 2020). Selective supply bottlenecks will therefore continue to keep the two-wheeler industry busy for a while.

velosuisse.ch/medienstelle