The Trophy Bull Bike Rack from Outline Works, is designed in the silhouette form of an iconic bull head, made from solid steel with a soft touch coating, now available at Bear & Bear. |
As the report reveals, it all starts with the bike, but for
some, before very long this will be swiftly followed by skin tight shorts,
gloves, sunglasses and a whole host of other must have gadgets.
Indeed, the UK market for bicycle accessories, or ‘PACs’
(which Mintel defines as including bicycle parts, accessories and clothing) was
valued at £1.25 billion in 2014, running rings around the £956 million Brits
spent on bikes in the same year.
Vintage styled 21L durable canvas double pannier bag by Alban with multiple carry options, easily fastens to the back rack of a bicycle, but is also easy to carry thanks to a robust leather handle or detachable shoulder strap. It is constructed from durable 20oz water-resistant coated canvas that will protect the bag and its contents from any weather, now available at Bear & Bear. |
While MAMILs – middle-aged men in Lycra – still rule the
roads, there are an increasing number of women now taking to the saddle.
Overall, over a third (36%) of Brits ride a bicycle rising to four in ten males
(41%), compared to 31% of females, but the number of women taking to two wheels
is gaining speed. In 2014, just over a quarter (26%) of women were cyclists.
Meanwhile, one in twenty (5%) Brits ride every day, a fifth (21%) mainly cycle
at the weekend and some 13% cycle to their place of education or workplace most
days.
Michael Oliver, Senior Leisure and Media Analyst at Mintel, said:
“Cycling is no longer regarded simply as a cheap means of transport, a bicycle is now regarded as a lifestyle accessory, an expression of an individual in the same way as driving a premium sports car or belonging to a golf club. This is positive news for accessory suppliers, because it means that many of their potential customers are not buying on price alone, instead brand, quality and product features are also key factors influencing purchase. Ahead, the prospects for the market look extremely positive, given the expected easing of pressure on household incomes and the expectation of further growth in cycling participation levels.”
Magnetic Bicycle Indicators - waterproof bike lights by Cycl, available at Bear and Bear. |
In terms of clothing, the top five purchases amongst current
cyclists are: cycling helmets (22%), hi-vis jackets (18%), cycling gloves
(18%), cycling shoes (13%) and cycling longs or leggings (13%). Again, purchase
rises considerably amongst most frequent cyclists with almost twice as many of
these cyclists buying cycling shoes (25%) and cycling gloves (33%).