Fewer bicycles than ever sold in the Netherlands

Last year, fewer bicycles were sold in the Netherlands than in the past ten years. The bicycle market grew steadily between 2016 and 2020, but sales have declined since the peak in the latter year. This is evident from figures from trade organizations Bovag and RAI Association.

Sales peaked in 2020 when more than 1.1 million new bicycles hit the road. In 2024, 858,000 new bicycles were sold, 7 percent less than the previous year. Half (48%) were electric bikes, and almost 11,000 were fat bikes. According to estimations, in 2023, there were more than 4 million e-bikes in the Netherlands.

Number of speed pedelecs relatively small

The total turnover of the Dutch bicycle industry in 2024 amounted to more than 1.55 billion euros, 4 percent less than in 2023. On average, a new bicycle costs 1,809 euros, and an e-bike 2,719 euros.

Traditional city bicycles also remain essential for the sector. These account for a fifth of new sales, while racing bikes and mountain bikes account for 3 percent of sales each.

Although speed pedelecs performed excellently during the coronavirus crisis, the popularity of this variant lags behind that of the regular e-bike. The total number of speed pedelecs is relatively small compared to regular e-bikes.