COLOGNE, Germany, and PARIS, France (BRAIN)—Germany’s independent bicycle retailers gained a bit of market share last year, while French independents held what they had.
German independents sold 59 percent of the 4.58 million new bikes purchased in Germany, Europe’s largest bike market, last year, according to Zweirad, the Germany industry association. That was up three percentage points from 2006 and, moreover, the specialty channel captured 77 percent of the 1.69 billion euros in revenues (about $2.46 billion at December 31 exchange rates.)
Bike sales were up by about 4 percent over those of 2006. Zweirad’s French counterpart, Tous á Velo, reported that new-bike sales were essentially flat at 3.7 million units and that the French specialty channel’s share remained unchanged at 23.5 percent of sales. Independents garnered 52 percent of the 1.43 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in revenues, however. Bicycle sales generated about 60 percent of the total revenues, with aftermarket sales of parts, components and accessories generating the balance.
For additional details on total production, import, export and other stats, see the May 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
– John Crenshaw
