The bicycle market in Italy returns to pedal. After the unbridled race in the years of the pandemic, driven by the incentives and the next two -year period of double -digit drop, sales stabilize. Market to 1.3 million pieces in 2024, growing production and positive commercial scale.
2024 according to the data of Confindustria Ancma (National Association of Cycle Motorcycle Accessories), closed with a volume of sales of 1.3 million units. Still in negative territory, drop by 0.7% compared to the previous year. But the data represents a significant slowdown in the fall compared to the collapses of recent years. There is a recovery above all of production and exports, with encouraging signals in particular as regards pedal assisted bicycles, which train the Italian market.
Traditional bicycles still remain the largest slice of the market with 1.08 million units sold and record a drop of 0.9% compared to 2023. But compared to 2019 they reduced by 29%. Consumer habits have changed in five years. In fact, the electric bikes are growing. In 2024 274 thousand e-bikes were sold. It means 0.3% more on the previous year, but it means 40% more than five years ago. And in fact if in 2019 the pedal assisted bikes covered 11% of the market share, in 2024 they almost doubled, reaching 20%. But e-bikes are of different types. The best-selling, 51%, are e-moountin bikes, followed by the e-city bikes, the city ones (43%). Then follow the E-Gravel and E-Roads (5% of the market) and the e-cargo (1%).
If for sales it is stability, for production and foreign trade the numbers are a recovery, albeit slow. National production of traditional bicycles increased by 1.2%, exceeding 1.7 million units. E-bike grew by 17%, 340 thousand units. Beyond 2 million therefore. The commercial scale of the sector records a positive balance of +175 million euros. Especially in the e-bike segment Made in Italy is regaining increasingly relevant space on international markets.
THEThe market, between bikes and accessories, reaches 2.6 billion euros (the peak in 2022 with 3.2 billion) for a sector that has about 230 companies, largely small and medium -sized enterprises, which work for over 19 thousand direct employees and as many in the survey.
The policy of discounts and promotions of the companies was the background “the pedaling” according to Ancma. And we focus on the electric for this year and the next: “We see important distances that Italy must fill: Germany sells 2 million, France and Holland 700 thousand, we less than half”, comments the president of Ancma Mariano Roman. The sector asks for adequate infrastructures, purchase incentives and tax breaks for businesses.
