The rollercoaster of cycling popularity

[johnnyb47]

Hi,
Over the years the popularity of cycling seems to come and go.
The last big uptake happened during the pandemic were it seemed everybody was buying bikes to avoid public transport or to just enjoy getting out to get some exercise which was allowed during lockdown.
Even the bike shops struggled to keep pace with the huge demand.
As soon as the pandemic ended the whole industry seemed to collapse with people ditching there bikes and mothballing them to the garage shed.
Granted not everybody did this but never the less a lot did.
A few years later things have moved on and were now facing a new global crisis.
Fuel has sky rocketed in price due to the events in the middle east and each and every one of us will feel the effects of it one way or another.
Is this going to be the dawn of where the popularity of cycling comes back round full circle again,
Hmmm interesting times

 

[cyberknight]

I would say no as most people are too idle .

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I would say no as most people are too idle .

Not too idle, they just don't like cycling. My social circle comprises of fit outdoor types, but riding a bike simply does not appeal to any of them.

 

[Debade]

I think the pandemic was driven by boredom. If people were riding bikes to save money, there would already be higher levels of biking. I think to change that, biking economics needs to become a required course, 😃

 

[Dogtrousers]

Pandemic cycling was all about leisure. Something fun to do during lockdown while the sun is shining.

Fuel prices/shortages would drive utility cycling which is way more difficult and requires secure places to lock bikes, carrying capacity, the need to ride in locations that aren't nice, the need to do it when the weather isn't ideal and so on. That's a much harder sell.

 

[esoxlucius]

Cycling is great on the face of it.....until you get on a bike and realise it takes a little effort.....or a lot of effort in some instances! And when that realisation hits, then the people who thought it was a bit of easy fun, then put said bike in the shed!

No pain, no gain was always invented for such pastimes as cycling.

 

[DCLane]

Cycling is great on the face of it.....until you get on a bike and realise it takes a little effort.....or a lot of effort in some instances! And when that realisation hits, then the people who thought it was a bit of easy fun, then put said bike in the shed!

This ...

... people who buy a bike thinking they'll get fit, then realise it's a LOT harder than when they were 8. So throw it in the shed/garage and eventually sell it needing work for whatever they can.

 

[All uphill]

This ...

... people who buy a bike thinking they'll get fit, then realise it's a LOT harder than when they were 8. So throw it in the shed/garage and eventually sell it needing work for whatever they can.

As well as the physical effort there's also mixing with other vehicles, finding sensible routes, clothing, locks...

It's not an easy transition, imo.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

So many newcomers are oblivious to how aero drag from their riding position and their riding kit has a huge effect on their speed for a given effort, before looking at tyres/tubes rolling resistance and improving their Lactate Threshold Heart Rate plus Functional Threshold Power through training.

 

[kingrollo]

Been cycling since 1989 - I might just be a miserable old git - but this current decline seems terminal - at least in terms of road cycling.

New cyclists in 2026 will either go e mtb or e gravel - imo that's a poor intro to cycling. It sort of bypasses the winter miles summer smiles logic - but rewards of being fast in June and July are sweeter when you have put the work in to get there.

That's not a dig at e bikes btw - after a recent HA that's what I ride now.

 

[markemark]

Large numbers of cyclists in London are commuters. People aren’t going into the office as much so there’s a drop in demand.

I also suspect the cycle industry make a massive incorrect assumption that the pandemic numbers would be sustained. It dropped back to normal after they overstretched themselves. Business model fail.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Large numbers of cyclists in London are commuters. People aren’t going into the office as much so there’s a drop in demand.

I also suspect the cycle industry make a massive incorrect assumption that the pandemic numbers would be sustained. It dropped back to normal after they overstretched themselves. Business model fail.

London is billiard table flat compared to most other towns and cities, and the weather is kinder to most of the country. Stick a few 10 or 20% climbs into the average commuter route and it would be back to cars and public transport for most.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Fuel has sky rocketed in price due to the events in the middle east and each and every one of us will feel the effects of it one way or another.
Is this going to be the dawn of where the popularity of cycling comes back round full circle again,

This would be utilitarian cycling, instead of using the car in order to save petrol.
Utilitarian cycling is more difficult than leisure cycling, imo, because you can't pick and choose the times you go ride.
Also you must be equipped for any cycling evenience.
At the moment, I have a commuter, a back up commuter, an ice bike with studded tyres, panniers, lights, locks, puncture tools, mudguards for each of them because I can't get to my work easily using public transport and I don't run a car.
Not everybody would have the money and/or space for all of this.
Plus the yearly servicing, the components inevitably needed.
Overnight here it's supposed to ice up, so my ice bike is ready, the clothing I will wear tomorrow morning is ready, I'm mentally prepared too for ungritted roads that could be slippery.
My neighbor just scrapes his car windscreen and goes.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

So many newcomers are oblivious to how aero drag from their riding position and their riding kit has a huge effect on their speed for a given effort, before looking at tyres/tubes rolling resistance and improving their Lactate Threshold Heart Rate plus Functional Threshold Power through training.

That partially sums it up - too much hassle.

Plus, even as a cyclist, cycling is pretty boring especially over the same old routes which is inevitable for utility cycling.

Cycling is great for getting fit aerobically, but that's about it imo. Maybe some pleasure involved on the odd nice day when the planets line up, you have a new route to explore and benign weather. A lot of the time cycling can be pretty "gutty".

 

[Dogtrousers]

So many newcomers are oblivious to how aero drag from their riding position and their riding kit has a huge effect on their speed for a given effort, before looking at tyres/tubes rolling resistance and improving their Lactate Threshold Heart Rate plus Functional Threshold Power through training.

I don't think any of those things are at all important to newcomers to cycling. Things that are important are how to survive around motor vehicles, how far they can go, and why their arse hurts so much.

Aero drag doesn't really become significant until you are going faster than 25 km/h or thereabouts, which people taking their first steps in cycling won't be to begin with, and in most cases won't ever be.