The COVID-19 Pandemic profoundly disrupted life across the globe. But the changes brought on by the coronavirus also fueled a huge resurgence of interest in bicycling. Bike sales skyrocketed in 2020 and 2021 to meet surging demand, transforming cycling into a mainstream pursuit.

This comprehensive article explores how the pandemic accelerated bicycling’s popularity and changed bike retail. Learn what triggered the COVID bike boom, how it reshaped the industry, understand updated buyer demographics, and get an insider perspective on the outlook for cycling’s growth post-pandemic and beyond.

Examining the Pandemic’s Impact on Bike Sales

When COVID-19 hit, bicycles became a hot pandemic purchase:

• Bike sales spiked 56% year-over-year from 2019 to 2020, adding over $1 billion in revenue.
• Around 20 million more bikes were sold in 2020 vs. 2019 according to NPD Group data.
• Kids’ bike sales doubled in 2020 over prior years, per NPD. Adult bike sales rose 65%.
• E-bikes saw especially massive growth, with sales up 145% in 2020 over 2019 says NPD.

This sales explosion extended into 2021, defying expectations of a post-lockdown decline. The numbers prove bikes became essential purchases, not just pandemic fads.

Why Did Bike Sales Surge During COVID-19?

Several powerful forces directly related to the pandemic drove cycling’s newfound popularity:

Outdoor Recreation Focus

• Gym closures had active folks looking for new workout outlets.
• Biking provides accessible outdoor exercise with built-in social distancing.

Balancing Mental Health

• Cycling delivered much-needed stress relief during difficult times.
• Time outdoors and exercise lifted moods and spirits.

Family Activity

• Parents sought outdoor recreation to occupy kids at home.
• Biking provided family fun close to home.

Bike Supply Issues

• Early pandemic supply chain disruptions limited bike inventory.
• People bought whatever bikes were available.

Urban Mobility Shift

• Many urbanites avoided public transit due to virus exposure fears.
• Biking rose as affordable transportation with distance.

E-Bike Technology Improvements

• Riders new to cycling chose e-bikes for added speed and accessibility on hills.
• Advancing e-bike technology has expanded the usefulness of transportation.

Pandemic impacts converged to make bicycling a high-demand outlet.

The Changing Faces of Bike Buyers During COVID-19

While existing enthusiasts still bought new bikes, new demographics also joined the cycling world during COVID, including:

Young Urbanites

YOLO millennials used stimulus checks to buy bikes for mobility and adventure. Gen Z found campus commuting uses.

Suburban Neighbors

Stir-crazy adults and kids alike embraced family cycling for neighborhood sanity and fitness.

Older Riders

Mature adults sought outdoor exercise options and transport, often choosing e-bikes.

Essential Workers

Healthcare staff and others commuted via bike to avoid transit crowds and costs.

Fitness Enthusiasts

Gyms closed but endurance athletes like runners still needed training, so picked up cycling.

Rehab Patients

Those recovering from injuries or managing chronic conditions used stationary cycling for therapy.

Pandemic bike buyers crossed over well beyond the typical cycling enthusiast demographic.

How the Bike Shortage Reshaped the Industry

The COVID sales surge paired with supply chain disruptions created massive bike shortages with ongoing impacts:

Inventory Issues

• Factories already at max capacity before COVID could not keep up with exponential new demand.
• Overseas manufacturing complications and port backups exacerbated parts shortages.
• This inventory crunch left bike shops with no stock and buyers waiting months for online orders. Many models are still sold out.

Direct-to-Consumer Rise

• New direct-to-consumer bike brands prospered, selling online directly to buyers.
• Dominated bike search results in pages as traditional retailers lacked inventory.

Used Bike Boom

• New bike shortages drove buyers to used bike platforms like Craigslist.
• Used bike companies emerged offering sales, service, and buybacks.

DIY Repair Increase

• With shops backlogged on repairs for up to two weeks, DIY bike maintenance boomed.
• Online tutorials, repair clinics, tools, and parts sales rose to meet demand.

Pandemic supply chain issues, when paired with surging interest, forced bike industry adaptation still playing out.

Updated Buyer Behaviors Reflect Evolving Cycling Preferences

Beyond just sales spikes, buyer preferences also shifted in the bike boom:

Casual and Family Usage Increased

Pandemic buyers focused on bikes for exercise, stress relief, and family activities over racing performance.

Electric Bike Adoption Accelerated

E-bikes became mainstream for commute assistance and accessible recreation for older or less fit riders.

Comfort and Safety Prioritized

Upright beach cruisers, commuter bikes with suspension and lighting, and bike paths over roads suited to pandemic needs

Local Bike Shopping Preferred

Wary buyers sought expertise at neighborhood stores despite the e-retail buzz. Specialty dealers benefited.

Premium Bike Interest Grew

Higher-income consumers invested stimulus money into high-end roads, mountains, and e-bikes for performance and mental health.

Cycling emerged from the pandemic with expanded popularity across buyer demographics and preferences.

How the Bike Industry Pivoted to Meet Pandemic Demand

Bike companies adapted sales and marketing strategies to align with emerging consumer needs:

Direct-to-Consumer Focus

• Brands accelerated already growing direct e-commerce channels.
• Shift-enabled buying despite local inventory runs

Increasing Digital Marketing

• Social media and digital ads targeted homebound consumers.
• promotes cycling for family activities, exercise, and safe essential transit.

Spotlighting Lifestyle Messaging

• Ads emphasized mental health benefits, adventure, and escaping the confines of home.
• Showed biking as a joyful outlet versus past focus on competition.

Supply Chain Reinforcement

• Sourced backup suppliers and prioritized US manufacturing to stabilize component pipelines required for bike assembly.

Widening Inventory Breadth

• Broadened catalog depth to ensure a range of bikes meeting entry-level, family, casual, and specialty needs in stock.

Virtual Shopping Experiences

• Local shops added services like video chats, home test rides, and contactless pickup to reduce in-store time and anxiety.

Adaptability enabled bike brands to capitalize on the unexpected sales opportunities produced by the pandemic environment.

The Outlook for Cycling’s Continued Growth Post-Pandemic

Expert predictions see bicycling’s pandemic popularity persisting into a strong future:

Continued Mainstream Adoption Expected

Surveys show over 50% of pandemic bike buyers expect to ride the same or more post-COVID across ages and locations. Cycling was re-adopted as a sustainable lifestyle habit.

Supply Will Take Years to Catch Up

Despite ramped-up production, suppliers expect shortages to last through 2023 or later before inventory normalizes after the 2020/2021 bike boom. Demand should remain steady.

Infrastructure Investments Increase

Cities accelerated bike infrastructure projects during COVID closures. This urban cycling environment improvement enables growth.

Environmental Motivations Endure

Reducing auto emissions remains a priority with biking as an eco and health-conscious mobility trend.

Online Retail Sticks Around

E-bike brands prospered via online sales and shifted expectations. Digital bike shopping is here to stay.

While slowing from peak pandemic levels, bike industry experts foresee years of strong bike sales growth as cycling retains new 2020 fans. The outlook shines bright.

Comparing the 1990s Bike Boom to Today

Today’s cycling resurgence echoes the original bike boom of the early 1990s:

1990s Revival

• Triggered by recession shifting focus to cost-effective fitness.
• Mainstream success of triathlons and racing fueled high-end road bike sales.
• Mountain biking exploded in popularity as off-road specialty bikes matured.
• BMX and kids’ bikes also benefitted from enthusiasm for cycling.

2020s Resurgence

• Fueled by pandemic constraints requiring home fitness and mobility options.
• Broader appeal beyond races and athletes with casual, urban, e-bikes.
• Supply chain struggles slowed growth in the 1990s.
• Greater industry experience prevented the 1990s eventual oversupply issues.

While sparked differently, both generations illustrate cycling’s staying power when it periodically breaks through to capture widespread interest. The unique circumstances opening eyes to biking benefits created strong momentum.

Key Cycling Trends Accelerated by the Pandemic

In addition to sales impacts, COVID-19 intensified several underlying cycling trends:

Local Bike Shop Renaissance

Pandemic nesting had buyers turning to trusted neighborhood bike shops for expertise and service. Specialty retailers saw a sales boom.

Gravel and Off-Road Riding Spike

Seeking pandemic isolation away from crowds, riders increasingly took to dirt, gravel, and trails for adventure and distancing.

Bike Tourism Rise

Domestic cycling tourism replaced canceled vacations with bike trips promising outdoor safety. Guided rides soared.

Commuter Biking Surge

Urban commuting by bike accelerated with workers avoiding transit. Cities rapidly expanded bike lanes and infrastructure.

Backordered Components

Shortages of high-demand bike parts like saddles, shifters, and even bikes themselves became routine as suppliers tried playing catch up.

Cycling Diversity Increase

More women, minorities, and older riders took up cycling – trends that stand to continue post-pandemic.

The bike boom amplified trajectories pointing toward a bright future for cycling overall.

Looking Ahead: Growth Prospects for Cycling

With bikes flying off shelves over two years into the sales surge, how much room remains for continued expansion?

US Market Penetration Still Low

• Only around 15% of US households currently own bikes. Massive growth upside remains.
• For comparison, 80% of EU households own bikes, demonstrating potential.

Widening Demographics

• Youth, women, minorities, and older adults are still underrepresented among regular cyclists pointing to untapped markets.

Suburban Opportunity

• Urban cores have embraced bikes, but suburbs remain largely car-dependent despite trails. Outreach can build adoption.

Electric Bike Potential

• With over 90% of bikes sold still non-electric, e-bikes are a small share. Huge upside remains as prices fall.

Technical Innovations

• Improvements expanding the e-bike range, and components like suspension open new possibilities to sustain interest.
• Smart tech can solve problems like theft deterrence and simplify maintenance.

Cycling appears poised for longevity as a mainstream outdoor activity and transportation choice as demographics, urbanization, technology, and environmental motivations converge. The opportunities ahead for the bike industry look promising.

Pedaling Toward the Post-Pandemic Future

The COVID bike boom produced cycling’s biggest resurgence in decades – one likely to endure beyond the crisis that sparked it. The numbers prove bikes provide much more than just pandemic diversion. They now serve as meaningful mobility and sustainable lifestyle choices undergoing mass adoption.

This deep analysis provided key insights into how coronavirus changed cycling:

• COVID-19 produced historic bike sales spikes and supply shortages still impacting retail.
• It attracted new demographics through safety, exercise, and transportation needs.
• Broader appeals beyond athletics emerged – fun, mental health, and environmentally conscious.
• Digital shopping and marketing gained prominence amidst lockdowns.
• Cycling is projected to sustain strong popularity driven by lasting lifestyle shifts.

The future looks bright for continuing to expand bicycling’s reach and potential as communities embrace bike-friendly mobility networks. The open road ahead leads toward a new world of possibility propelled by the power of the pandemic bike boom.