BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Shipments from Bicycle Product Suppliers Association members to dealers over the first nine months of the year were down 5 percent from the same period last year, an 86,448-unit shortfall. Sales by dollars fell 3 percent.
The only categories to post growth were BMX, up 19 percent over last year, and e-bikes, up 75 percent. Comfort and road bike categories fell most, down 19 and 12 percent, respectively.
While the mountain bike category was down 1 percent overall, front-suspension 29ers posted 11 percent growth, and 27.5 full-suspension bike shipments rose 4 percent. Fat bike shipments were off 3 percent but still remain a larger business for BPSA suppliers than categories such as BMX, cruisers, 26-inch suspension, women's sport road bikes and commuters.
The only road subcategory to show growth was gravel and adventure bikes, where shipments climbed 53 percent and dollar sales were up $17.4 million. The hardest-hit road subcategory continues to be men's performance bikes, which were down 24 percent in shipments.
Overall, the BPSA's entire business with shops was down $27 million, and men's performance bikes alone were off $23 million in business, showing that growth in sales of other types of bikes has not made up for the fall-off in that subcategory.
