The most popular bike?

[Cycleops]

I was replying to another thread talking about the Dawes Galaxy and commenting it must be the most popular tourer and it got me thinking. But does anybody know what is or was the most popular bike of all time? Does anyone have any facts or figures on this? I guess it may well be a Raleigh product, but some of the far eastern manufactuers may be up there too. The Specialized Rockhopper could maybe claim to be the most successful MTB. I remember buying one myself in the early eighties.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Probably something in China. I know they use less bikes nowadays but there must be a type of bike that was most popular over there.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

The most popular bicycle model—and most popular vehicle of any kind in the world—is the Chinese Flying Pigeon, with some 500 million in service.

hth.

 

[youngoldbloke]

The Flying Pigeon ? The world's most popular form of bicycle must be the classic Roadster. Made in the UK by Raleigh and many others.

 

[youngoldbloke]

The Flying Pigeon ? The world's most popular form of bicycle must be the classic Roadster. Made in the UK by Raleigh and many others.

Mr H just beat me to it

 

[Haitch]

Chinese Flying Pigeon

I've ridden one of them in Cuba. Very solid. Coos over potholes, and railway lines and sugar cane on the road. Does not fly up hills.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Mr H just beat me to it

Shame this thread does not have a Strava segment, I could have a KOM

 

[Cyclist33]

Probably something in China. I know they use less bikes nowadays but there must be a type of bike that was most popular over there.

Fewer, not less.

 

[vickster]

Fewer, not less.

Unless you're American

 

[vickster]

I was in China in 2011, way more cars than bikes in the big cities now from what I saw. However, many more bikes in Beijing than Shanghai, motor and push

Generally, utter lunatics regardless of the mode of transport!

 

[Cyclopathic]

Fewer, not less.

Sorry to burst your bubble here but "less" are a manufacturer of bikes, very popular in China right now but they are a recently formed company so the Chinese will not have been riding these "less" bikes at the height of the cycling boom there. If we knew which company were manufacturing in the boom years we'd have some clue as to which bikes were the manniest.

 

[Cyclist33]

Sorry to burst your bubble here but "less" are a manufacturer of bikes, very popular in China right now but they are a recently formed company so the Chinese will not have been riding these "less" bikes at the height of the cycling boom there. If we knew which company were manufacturing in the boom years we'd have some clue as to which bikes were the manniest.

Drat!!

 

[nickyboy]

I was in China in 2011, way more cars than bikes in the big cities now from what I saw. However, many more bikes in Beijing than Shanghai, motor and push

Generally, utter lunatics regardless of the mode of transport!

It is actually quite difficult to find someone riding a bike in the middle of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen (the 4 1st tier cities in China). However, the 3rd, 4th, 5th tier cities are full of Flying Pigeons still. That is except the hilly cities like Chongqing where everyone walks. Maybe they have the right idea and I should chuck the bike in the bin here in Glossop

 

[Gravity Aided]

Unless you're American

No, fewer here too.

 

[Gravity Aided]

500 million Flying Pigeons in service, this makes it the most popular, according Dan Koeppel in Bicycling. So most popular type remains English Roadster, with the Chinese and Indian copies thrown in.