China's bicycle industry maintains strong growth momentum

A women's 20-kilometer electronic cycling race is underway at the China International Bicycle Fair 2025 held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn)

China's bicycle industry saw steady growth in production last year and remarkable increase in exports in the first quarter, demonstrating its increasing popularity in both domestic and overseas markets, official data showed.

In 2024, the nation's total bicycle production reached nearly 99.54 million, with exports expanding 20.7 percent year-on-year to over 47.81 million.

In Q1, bicycle exports continued to grow by 15.5 percent year-on-year to 12.66 million, with the total export value of bicycle spare parts increasing 13.7 percent year-on-year to $847 million, proving the industry's accelerating recovery in global market demand.

Despite shrinking exports to the US market with a decline of 17.1 percent year-on-year, the growth of China's bicycle exports has remained positive overall in Q1, driven by strong demand in other overseas markets including Japan, Russia, Indonesia, Canada, Malaysia, Iraq, as well as Central Asian nations and Belt and Road countries.

Among them, exports to Canada and Indonesia in Q1 surged dramatically by 117.5 percent and 89.8 percent year-on-year, respectively.

Eyeing the rising demand in the Chinese market, global brands are also speeding up their layout and actively setting up stores to expand sales. China's imports of race bicycles recorded a growth of 12.5 percent year-on-year in 2024, while high-end e-bicycles accounted for 19.1 percent of its total last year.

Bicycles and e-bicycles are flourishing and expected to maintain strong momentum in China as a convenient, flexible, efficient, green and low-carbon means of transportation, driven by residents' rising demand for a healthy and environment-friendly lifestyle. Meanwhile, cycling is emerging as a popular lifestyle and social activity in China, further boosting the development of the industry, according to a research report released by the China Bicycle Association during the ongoing China International Bicycle Fair 2025.

Held in Shanghai from May 5 to 8, the fair has drawn nearly 1,600 exhibitors from 26 countries and regions across the globe, including notable brands such as Giant, Merida, Phoenix, XDS, Shimano, Girder, Look, FSA, Focus, reTyre and Navihood.