The 17th edition of the bicycle fair Velofollies attracted over 39,000 people to Kortrijk Xpo. The e-bike was still central to the offerings of just about all manufacturers. Sales of e-bikes fell by 5.9% last year. With a drop of 11.6%, sales of traditional bikes took an even harder hit, but the second-hand market for e-bikes is on the rise.
Kortrijk Xpo had more than 320 stands spread over more than 40,000 m² of exhibition space. Those stands featured the latest road, gravel, and mountain bikes, as well as clothing, food, and gadgets related to them.
The main attraction, in general, was still the e-bike, with new features such as batteries that charge faster and have a more extended range and even a hybrid bike that charges itself while cycling. However, the breakthrough of electric assistance in racing and mountain bicycles was notable.
This year also saw the emergence of theft prevention apps incorporated into bicycles and numerous gadgets, such as a built-in wind power meter and heart rate monitor. Another hot topic is safer cycling. For example, Granville, from Belgian bicycle manufacturer Ludo, has designed a bicycle frame where the side of the frame also lights up in the dark.
E-bikes sales down nearly 6%
In the context of Velofollies, sector federation Traxio Velo also announced last year’s bicycle sales figures. And what emerged? Even though Kortrijk was crowded and interest in cycling is and remains enormous, 2024 was not a top year for cycling sales in Belgium. Sales of electric models fell by 5.9%. Sales of traditional bikes took an even harder hit, with an 11.6% drop.
“Last year was a peculiar year for the sector with numerous challenges,” Frank Glorieux of Traxio Velo told press agency Belga. “You had the remaining stock from the coronavirus pandemic that traders had to liquidate. Some companies, such as Minerva and Stella, made economically wrong decisions, resulting in bankruptcies. It was also noticeable that consumers were watching their pennies. Moreover, 2024 was the wettest year ever, and that also impacted sales figures.”
Still, Glorieux does not want to use the term crisis year. “We see the number of lease bikes rising remarkably. Moreover, many acquisitions and investments are going on in the sector, and what is also striking is the solid rise of the second-hand market in e-bikes.”
Rise of the leasing
For example, Stromer, a Swiss manufacturer of speed pedelecs, saw sales fall 17% last year, a figure identical to the general decline of the Belgian market. Indeed, 12,935 new speed pedelecs were sold in Belgium last year, 2,737 fewer than in 2023.
But on the second-hand market, 18% more speed pedelecs were sold, or 8,050 units. More and more players also ‘refurbish’ used bikes and sell them with warranties. Plus, the leasing segment, in the meantime, accounts for a market share of 50.9%, and the provinces with the most leasing companies, such as Flemish Brabant, Limburg, and East Flanders, are achieving disproportionately good figures.
Many speed pedelecs released from leasing are also re-registered by private individuals. The used car market is expected to continue growing for some time due to the combination of high-quality fast bikes and an attractive price.
Compared to Flanders, the number of speed pedelecs registered in Brussels and Wallonia remains a fringe phenomenon.
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