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CHINA: THE YEAR OF THE BIKE?
This piece first appeared in the January edition of BikeBiz magazine – not subscribed? Get a free subscription.
Daniel Blackham looks at how China has provided respite for many brands by bucking market trends, as well as what the future could hold domestically and internationally.
China is a nation of more than 1.7 billion people, representing nearly 18% of the world’s total population, so it’s no surprise that many cycling brands recognise its potential.
However, 2024 has seen the nation’s appetite for cycling boom, especially in the road sector.
And this hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Casting a reflective eye back to May 2024 and the 2024 China International Bicycle Exhibition (referred to as China Cycle or the Shanghai Show) you can see plenty of green shoots of a market burgeoning with opportunity.
And more importantly, bucking the market trend.
Themed “New Track, New Power, New Journey” Shanghai Exhibition expanded its scale compared to 2023 with an exhibition area of 150,000 square meters and around 1,500 brands showcasing across 13 halls. A rise from 10 halls in the year prior.
Among these exhibitors were usual industry giants such as Giant and Merida. Decathlon also set up a big presence as it looked to gain market share for its new premium Van Rysel products.
One brand that returned to the Chinese market after a brief hiatus was Basso, with CEO Alessandro Basso saying that he was ready to go “all in.”
Through a new collaboration with Aita Shop, the Italian marque is entering with a full portfolio, from the all-road to aero to climbing bikes.
“We did three events in dealers and it was definitely a social evening, but the questions and the amount of tech that these guys wanted to get into was quite deep,” explains Alessandro.
“You can really feel that the sport is super young, but the consumer is very knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about the sport.
“I think that’s why, as a trend now, cycling is becoming one of the major sports in China. Given the population and the potential, we think now is the right time to step in with a very solid presence.”
More than just bikes
It’s not just bike brands who are looking to get in on the action with a host of P&A businesses also increasing their footprint.
In December, Pas Normal Studios confirmed significant expansion plans with a new business unit and a dedicated office in Shanghai, transitioning from a distributor-led model.
Alongside this, the Danish apparel label confirmed it would be opening two flagship retail stores, targeting Tier One cities – Shanghai and Beijing.
“The Chinese cycling and outdoor market offer unique opportunities for Pas Normal Studios,” comments Peter Lange, CEO and co-founder of Pas Normal Studios.
“I have been following the development of these areas in China since studying at Tsinghua University, Beijing, in 2007. It’s interesting to see how fast the population adapts to new trends and how the entire infrastructure has been modernised with electric transportation and bike lanes.
“The future points to a modern healthy lifestyle where cycling will play a significant role, meaning the time for us to enter this market and foster a community is now. I’m really looking forward to seeing our cycling community there grow as cycling becomes an integral part of the Chinese lifestyle.”
The social element of the sport referred to by Basso earlier is also a consistent thread when discussing China with most brands.
According to the update issued at the time, Pas Normal Studios is not only focused on growing its business but on fostering “a vibrant cycling culture” in China.
Through community-driven events, partnerships with local retailers and a commitment to the sport, the brand aims to inspire and engage cyclists at every level.
The new team in China will also be working on local marketing and activation efforts to connect with Chinese cyclists and expand its online and offline footprint.
“After more than a decade in China and being an active part of Shanghai’s cycling community, I’ve witnessed a remarkable evolution of the cycling culture here,” explains Alexander Schandorff.
“As outdoor and active lifestyles become increasingly important to Chinese consumers, we’re seeing a new generation of cyclists who are incredibly passionate about the sport, while bringing their distinctive approach to outdoor activities and lifestyle.
“The significant growth in China’s sports and outdoor market presents an exciting opportunity for Pas Normal Studios. By establishing our team in Shanghai and taking direct control of our operations, we aim to be closer to these cyclists and be part of building and developing the community locally.”
Outside of tangible goods, there is also an appetite from Chinese consumers to experience European cycling events first-hand.
The heritage of the sport combined with audience-friendly time differences means that TV viewing figures are on the rise.
Sportive Breaks–owned by Destination Sport Experiences–has witnessed this and acted accordingly.
“We started operating in China last year [2023], initially really concentrating on the marathon market, but quite quickly it became apparent that we needed to do something in cycling because it was moving so fast,” comments managing director Brendan Fox.
Despite initially being focused solely on sportives, it now offers trips to Grand Tours, the Classics and the Tour de France.
As a result, demand continues to rise.
“The rate of growth in terms of the number of trips we get and the number of passengers is growing significantly,” adds Fox.
Beyond borders
According to the China Bicycle Association, the country produced just shy of 49 million bicycles in 2023.
This doesn’t include 50 million e-bikes in the same year, of which around four million were exported worldwide.
The China Bicycle Association also stated that the country’s bike manufacturers sold more than seven million bicycles in the first quarter of 2024, up 15% from a year earlier.
A preconceived stereotype of the Western world is to look at China as targeting the lower end of the cycling market. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Of course low-end categories are still catered for, but these are no longer the only focus.
Consumers in 2025 are smarter than before and have access to the world at their fingertips.
Brands such as 9Velo, L-Twoo, Elves, Winspace, Quick Pro, Seka and Serk are growingly common in Europe with a reputation for producing reliable performance products that represent better value for money than some legacy brands.
Seka has shown how serious they are about the UK market by pitching up at Rouleur Live 2024 to rub shoulders with the road market’s biggest hitters.
What this means in the long-term only time will tell, but the era of relying solely on history, big marketing budgets and brand loyalty to retain customers is potentially coming to an end.
