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Cycling statistics UK | 2020

How many Brits are getting out on their bikes and how often do we pedal our pedals?

Georgia-Rose Johnson
Georgia-Rose Johnson

Updated . What changed?

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Cycling can be a great way to stay fit and even save money on your morning commute, but just how many Brits are taking to the road on their bicycles? We analysed all the latest cycling statistics to find out more.

Quick overview

  • 42% of Brits have access to or own a bicycle.
  • Brits collectively spent £33.22 million on bikes or equipment for their bikes in 2019.
  • 33% of Brits have been cycling in the last 12 months.
  • British households on average spend £1 a week on cycling.
  • Household spending on cycling therefore totals more than £1.4 billion every year.

Who owns a bicycle?

We looked at the stats to see how many Brits have access to a bicycle. Overall, just 42% of Brits have access to or own a bicycle. Unsurprisingly, bicycle ownership was highest among younger members of the population. The age group with the highest ownership/access percentage was 5- to 10-year-olds (83%) while the group with the lowest ownership percentage was those aged 60+ (24%).

Explore the graphic below to find out how your age group compares.

Bicycle ownership by age group

Bicycle ownership by age group

Age group Owns or has access to a bicycle (%) No use of bicycle (%)
5-10 83% 17%
11-16 69% 31%
17-20 41% 59%
21-29 31% 69%
30-39 38% 62%
40-49 49% 51%
50-59 44% 56%
60+ 24% 76%
All aged 5+ 42% 58%

How often are we cycling?

Whether it’s to commute to work or just get out on a sunny day, how many Brits are getting out on their bikes? 71% of Brits reported to never cycling nowadays, while just 3% cycle every day.

How often do you cycle? Percentage of Brits
At least once per month 13.10%
At least once per week 7.60%
At least three times a week 2.10%
At least five times a week 1%
Every day 3%
Never 73.20%

Yearly spend

Brits spent £33.22 million on bicycles and equipment for bicycles in 2019. That is steadily increasing by 1–3% each year. In 2016, there was a high in spending, as it increased by 19%. The trend seems to have lasted and hasn’t seen any declines just yet.

Year Spend
2013 £24.17 million
2014 £24.98 million
2015 £25.61 million
2016 £30.37 million
2017 £31.93 million
2018 £32.85 million
2019 £33.22 million

Electrical bikes

Few have missed the rising star of bikes, the e-bike. In the UK, approximately 50,000 e-bikes are sold each year and 5% of UK adults say they are interested in getting one themselves.

The countries with the most prevalent users of e-bikes are Germany and the Netherlands, currently purchasing 65% of all e-bikes sold. The worldwide e-bike industry is expected to rise to £440.50 million by 2026, currently standing at £89.31 million. In 2019, Brits imported lighting and signalling equipment worth £18.45 million for their e-bikes.

Cycling Incidents in the UK

In 2019, 17,148 accidents involving a pedal bicycle were recorded in Britain. That means every single day in Britain, there were 47 accidents including pedal bikes. Of these accidents, 4,470 were classed as serious and 107, unfortunately, resulted in a fatality. The other 12,571 were classed as “slight” accidents.

Accidents, by severity Number (2019)
Fatal 107
Serious 4,470
Slight 12,571
All severities 17,148

sources used

Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact:

Matt Mckenna
UK Communications Manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
matt.mckenna@finder.com@MichHutchison/in/matthewmckenna2

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