Bike Business Holds Biggest Share in Global Sport Market

PARIS, France – A recent survey reveals that the bike business (including the sale of bicycles for day to day transportation) is the number 1 sport market in the world in terms of revenue, ahead of any other sport. It is accounting for 14% of the global sport market in 2009.

According to the NPD Group, the leading global provider of consumer and retail market research information for a wide range of industries, global sales of sporting goods dropped 2% in 2009. Total revenue (retail after VAT) stood at € 213 billion (US$ 282 bn). For this year NPD expects a 1% revenue increase, boosted by the World Cup and a
stabilizing US market.

NPD group’s survey called ‘The Global Sport Market Estimate’ is now also focusing on bicycles as well as bike parts and accessories. This part of the company’s global sports market survey covers all kinds of bicycles; e-Bikes; bike wear (including foot wear, helmets and other equipment); bicycle computers; frames; parts; care products; locks; gloves; tyre pumps; panniers; rental activities and bicycle maintenance. Not included in the survey are fitness (stationary) bikes.

NPD’s survey on the 2009 bike market shows total retail sales (after VAT) valued at 29.9 billion euro (39.5 bn US dollar; exchange rate to the 1 Euro = US$ 1.32). The NPD data, provided exclusively to Bike Europe, further notes that apparel accounts for 3.8% of total sales and stands at 1.1 billion euro; footwear represents 0.9% of total sales for 300 million euro.

NPD’s cycling survey is on sale. It includes the data broken down by region, and by country for all countries in the world (more than 90, and 36 in Europe). More at www.npd.com or contact sport industry analyst, Renaud Vaschalde at Renaud.Vaschalde@npd.com