The market for cycling equipment: helmets, safety, clothing - France

1.2 A dynamic global market

The cycling equipment market benefits from the same dynamism as the cycling market in general.however, it should be noted that cyclists who buy from specialist brands and with specific equipment are the most committed. PwC has conducted a study between **** and **** on cyclists' habits, which provides us with an insight into cyclists' commitment to cycling. In ****, the market for cycling and cycling equipment will involve *,*** million people worldwide. [***]

Distribution of bicycle use worldwide World, ****-****, % [PwC - Global Bike and Accessories Market PwC - Global Bike and Accessories Market

PwC considers * different cycling practices, each of which can be linked to cycling equipment purchasing behavior.

- Sports enthusiast (***), members of a cycling club, who regularly purchase technical safety and performance equipment.

- Sportif (***): Practice cycling with the main aim of doing sport, this practice is regular, but is not supervised by clubs or associations. They buy equipment to improve their performance and to be safe, and this equipment is probably less technical than that used by major sportsmen and women.

- Recreational use (***).

- Transport (***): Cycling exclusively as a means of daily or weekly transport, they use safety cycling equipment to be safe on their daily commute, yet they are ...

1.3 Growing domestic market

The French national bicycle market is growing strongly, and the Union Sport et Cycle, which brings together the majority of players in the transport and leisure bicycle industry, has published its report for ****. The cycle market represented *.* billion euros in value in ****, up **% on ****.

Evolution of bicycle market sales Frande, ****-****, Millions of euros Source: ****

The majority of this market corresponds directly to expenditure on the purchase of bicycles and repair and replacement parts. PwC estimates that only *% of spending by cyclists is on equipment specifically for cycling. **% of spending goes on the initial purchase of the bike, and *% on bike repairs. These figures are highly dependent on the practices of cyclists, who vary greatly in terms of the amount and proportion of their investment in cycling equipment, from sporty to recreational use.

In light of these figures, however, we can estimate that the cycling equipment market in France will represent *** million euros in **** (***). Cycling-specific equipment is not necessary for the general public, and conventional sports equipment is often preferred to specialized equipment.

In France, there are ** million regular cyclists (***), distributed as follows:

Breakdown of bicycle use in France France, ****-****, % of total Source: ****

In France, there are ***,*** cyclists who belong ...

1.4 Foreign Trade

The specific market for cycling equipment is not categorized by customs referencing systems. For example, cycling equipment may be found marginally in the safety equipment category, in the same way as construction gloves and safety shoes (***), cycling equipment can also be found in the sporting goods section. This is what we'll be looking at, using customs data based on HS nomenclature ******, sports goods and clothing.

Balance of trade trends in the sporting goods market France, ****-****, millions of euros Source: ****

The balance of trade for sporting goods in France is largely in deficit, and this deficit doesn't seem to be changing.

We can also observe the evolution of the balance of trade for the bicycle trade, based on the HS ****** nomenclature, bicycles and other cycles, including delivery tricycles, without motors.

Evolution of the balance of trade in bicycles France, ****-****, US$ million Source : UN Contrade Like the sporting goods market, the balance of trade for the bicycle market in France is largely in deficit, and this deficit does not appear to be diminishing over time. A study of the trade balances (***) allows us to deduce that the cycling equipment market in France is also largely in deficit. The cycling equipment market ...

2.1 The French and bicycles

The market for cycling equipment is conditioned by the market for cycling, so it is necessary to know the relationship of the French to cycling in order to determine French demand for cycling equipment.In ****, the bicycle was still the best-selling means of transport in France, with *.* million units sold (***). However, cycling is not always seen as a means of transport for buyers. Some see cycling as a sporting activity, while others see it as a leisure activity, so many do not use their bikes as a means of transport. [***]

In ****, it is estimated that *% of French journeys will be made by bike, up from *% in ****. The government of the time allocated a budget of *** million euros to develop cycling infrastructure in France, and set a target of *% of journeys in France to be made by bike by ****. In ****, the French still don't seem ready to give up car travel for cycling.

However, **% of French people say they travel by bike at least once a week:

Response to the question: "How often do you get around by bike?" France, ****, % Source: ****

It's worth noting that a majority of French people (***) never use a bicycle, while only *% use it on a daily ...

2.2 Safety equipment

Bicycle safety is a key issue for manufacturers and consumers alike. The central piece of equipment for bicycle safety is the bicycle helmet.Numerous prevention campaigns have emphasized the use of bicycle helmets for cyclists' safety, but many other items of equipment are necessary for cyclists' safety. The road safety website reminds us which equipment is compulsory. - Two functional brakes - Reflectors (***) and a rear-view mirror.Helmets are not compulsory; the reason why this safety feature is not mandatory, but only strongly recommended, is : mandatory helmets are a brake on the development of cycling in France.Mandatory helmets would lead to a significant reduction in the number of users, which would be detrimental to all users, because a very important safety factor when cycling is cyclist density. The more cyclists there are, the more other road users pay attention and develop good habits towards cyclists, and therefore the safer cyclists are. According to the French road safety authority, the number of bicycle accidents is proportionately higher if helmets are compulsory than if they are recommended.**% of French people would like helmets to be compulsory, yet at the same time, only **% of French people always wear a helmet when cycling.

Response ...

2.3 Performance equipment

In France, the performance equipment market is mainly driven by members of the French Cycling Federation, which covers all cycling disciplines: - Road cycling - Mountain biking - Track cycling - BMX...

In ****, the French Cycling Federation will have ***,*** members. The most popular discipline is road cycling, with **% of members practicing this dicipline and **% for mountain biking. The other disciplines are far less popular. However, the French Cycling Federation does not include all cycling associations. It is estimated that there are *.* million sport cyclists of all ages in France.

Distribution of cycling members by age France, ****, % (***) Source: ****

Half of the cycling federation's licensees are aged between * and **. While cycling seems to be an adult sport, club cycling is younger, with many under-age members. However, cycling licenses don't seem to appeal to the **-** or **-** age groups, which are the weakest age groups represented. Cycling licenses are therefore popular with minors, and young adults have very few licenses, while their elders have more.

The French Cycling Federation reports an increase in the number of licenses for all disciplines.

Growth in the number of

All disciplines are growing, with the BMW catching up with road bikes and mountain bikes.

Cycling is a ...

2.4 Cyclical and seasonal demand

The market for cycling equipment and specialized sports and leisure equipment in general is driven by seasonal consumer demand. Let's take a look at the retail market for specialized sporting goods, which includes cycling, fishing and camping equipment.

Sales trends in the specialized sporting goods market France, ****-****, index base *** in **** Source: ****

The graph shows that demand remains fairly constant throughout the year, except in **** with a drop in demand from February to March ****. Each year, sales of specialized sporting goods peak in the summer and in December for the holiday season.

Evolution of the google search term "Maillot de Vélo" (***) France, ****-****, in Google Trends index Source : Google Trends Looking at the regularity of the search term "Maillot de Vélo" in France, with the help of the Google Trends tool, we observe a strong seasonal pattern, with this term being particularly sought after in July during the Tour de France. This sporting event is an opportunity for cycling equipment suppliers to stand out from the crowd and enter the hearts of cycling fans.

The market must therefore adapt to cyclical and seasonal demand, which revolves around two key periods: Christmas and the summer vacations with the Tour de ...

3.1 Territorial organization of the industry

The cycling equipment industry is structured around manufacturers and distributors, and the majority of cycling equipment is imported. The industry's trade balance in **** was in deficit by *** (***). URSSAF lists all these companies and the employees working in the sector.

Structure of territorial production in France :

To find out about national production, use the NAF code: ****Z on the URSSAF website, which lists bicycle manufacturers. In France, bicycle manufacturers are the main manufacturers of cycling equipment. This is top-of-the-range equipment for experienced sportsmen and women.

Source: ****

In France, the ** companies manufacturing bicycles and cycling equipment employ *,*** people. Cycle companies and jobs are concentrated in Central and Eastern France. In France, the majority of these manufacturing companies carry out bicycle assembly work using imported parts.

Territorial distribution structure in France: To find out about the distribution of cycling equipment, we use the NAF code: ****Z on the URSSAF website. This NAF code lists employees working for retail companies selling specialized sports equipment (***).

Source: ****

The density of sports equipment retailing corresponds to the demand for this equipment. Some regions are better endowed than others: south-eastern France offers a wide range of cycling equipment stores, with a large number of stores and more than one ...

3.2 Distribution networks

The cycle industry is compartmentalized according to cycle demand.

Firstly, low-end and mid-range bicycles are used for short trips and leisure. These cycles make up the bulk of the volume. The cycling equipment needed for these activities does not make up a large part of the volume of cycling equipment. These activities require little cycling equipment, no performance equipment and little safety equipment for short or leisure trips.

Higher-end bicycles are used for recurring business trips and for sporting activities, which require appropriate equipment that is regularly renewed. This equipment is expensive, and is mainly sold in specialist stores.

These observations are reflected in the sales of the various distribution networks. [***]

Breakdown of new cycle sales by volume and in euros France, ****, % [Ouest France - Weelz Source: ****

In ****, total sales of new cycles amounted to €*,*** million, for more than *.* million units, representing an average value per cycle of €***.

This graph puts the volume of new cycles sold in perspective with the amounts collected. Specialized retailers sell **% of all new cycles, for **% of their total value. Cycles sold in specialist stores are therefore very expensive (***), but only a small number are sold: it's the retailers' customers who are most likely to buy ...

3.3 A market of giants and new brands

Giant multi-sports retailers:Decathlon is France's leading bicycle retailer. Its integrated model is highly effective in the current economic climate. It is active at all levels of the value chain. For assembly, its B'Twin Village production site in Hellemes (***) covers all the needs of cyclists. The company has positioned itself as the "Zara of cycling", offering aesthetic textile ranges with regular new collections. Ekoï has established itself as a key player in the cycling industry. The company has also benefited from the boom in cycling following the COVID-** with growth of **% by ****, the company announces sales for the year **** of ** million euros.Specializedspecialized, founded in **** in California, was initially a bicycle parts retailer. In the **s, the company quickly began developing bicycles, and today the brand produces cycling equipment and cycles, and equips numerous cyclists, including Peter Sagan. The company was a leading equipment supplier, with over a quarter of the shoes and **% of the helmets on the Tour de France **** marketed by the Specialized brand.

4.1 Price typology

The equipment needed for road and downhill cycling includes helmets, shoes, goggles, cycling jerseys and protective gear.

Cycling jersey prices:

We're going to compare the prices of the leading cycling jersey brands, using the websites of these different brands as our source. All these brands sell a wide range of jerseys, so we'll concentrate on the top-priced long-sleeve jerseys for each brand. The brands compared are generalists Décathlon and Intersport, and specialists Ekoï, Alé and Nalini.

Comparison of first-price long-sleeve cycling jerseys for each brand France, ****, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, % Source: ****

Mass-market sports retailers Intersport and Décathlon offer very affordable first-price products, but to find products of similar quality that these retailers also offer, you'll need to set aside around €**. However, the cuts, colors and materials are different from those of specialist brands.Cycling helmet prices:Helmet brands vary greatly in performance and protection. The brands we're interested in are generalists Decathlon and Intersport, and specialists Ekoi and Specialized.

Comparison of first helmet prices for each brand France, ****, € Source: Brand websites Once again, the generalist brands offer low-price helmets, but there are also higher-quality, better-performing and safer helmets on their websites. However, the low-price helmets offered by specialist brands are of the highest ...

4.2 Different types of equipment for different types of bike

With the evolution of cycling as a way of life , its forms have multiplied to respond to the desires of users. Today, there are a multitude of different bikes, each with its own specific equipment, making each bike unique. Performance, comfort and safety on all types of terrain are paramount, and manufacturers redouble their ingenuity to design the best vehicles.All these different practices offer an important evolutionary perspective for the cycling equipment market. With the development of cycling, each user will have one or more bikes for all these needs, and will have just as much equipment adapted to meet the demands of the market.So let's take a look at all the different types of bike, and see which equipment is best suited to these uses:City bikes:Comfort and safety are the watchwords. City bikes come with a wide range of options (***)-Cargobikes These uses require good protection and increased visibility, as city bikers are confronted with heavy vehicle traffic that can be dangerous. To protect themselves from the various dangers, users equip themselves with helmets and reflective vests, horns and lights to make sure they're well spotted by cars in town. The products on offer must be ...

4.3 New innovations in the cycling equipment market

The market for cycling equipment is highly conducive to innovation. expensive products, so costly innovations can be highly appreciated if they provide cyclists with significant benefits.Illuminated helmets:Many companies offer to install LEDs on cyclists' helmets to make them more visible to other road users. These LEDs can be connected to the handlebars to indicate directly on the helmet whether the cyclist is about to turn or brake. This device offers greater safety for urban cyclists.LUMOS won the French road safety award for this innovation.LUMOS sells the helmet for €***. [***]Light with luminous projections:When cycling, safety distances are necessary to ensure the safety of cyclists in relation to other road users. White and red front and rear lights project safety distances all around the cyclist, day and night, to protect him or her.Anti-theft pedal:Bicycle theft is a problem that the anti-theft pedal is designed to solve. These pedals can be installed on any bike, and are unlocked by an app directly on the user's smartphone. The pedals light up and emit a siren sound as soon as the bike is used without being unlocked. This innovation is proposed by the start-up Connected Cycle, which specializes in ...

5.1 General regulations

Bicycle production regulations (***)

EU safety standards are specific to each product family, and have been transposed into the following French standards:

-NF EN ***** (***)Bicycle accessories: luggage racks;

Compulsory bicycle accessories

A number of accessories are compulsory for cycling, all designed to enhance cyclists' safety. These requirements are communicated by the French road safety authority (***).

Helmets: only children under the age of ** are required to wear a helmet on a bicycle. Failure to comply with this obligation is punishable by a fine of up to €***. In general, this is a fixed fine of €***, to be paid by the child's legal guardians. High-visibility vest: to ride at night, or during the day when visibility is insufficient, all bike drivers and passengers must wear a high-visibility vest outside built-up areas. Failure to do so is punishable by a fine of up to €***. The fine is usually a flat-rate €**. Lighting: retro-reflectors are mandatory, with a red one at the rear, a white one at the front, and orange ones on the wheels and pedals. High beams: one red at the rear, one white at the front. Failure to comply with these obligations is punishable by a fine of up to €**. The fine is usually **€. Horn: ...

5.2 Competition regulations specific to cycling equipment

Road bike racing

To study regulations in road bike competitions, we'll take the regulations for the Tour de France **** as an example.

Helmet and equipment regulations:"During the Tour de France, the wearing of a rigid safety helmet is compulsory, in strict compliance with the technical rules laid down by the UCI cycling regulations .Any rider wishing to don or do without a raincoat, tracksuit, leggings, etc ...must do so by letting himself slip past histeam manager, behind the race director's car or the commissaire's car. These items can also bereturned to theorganization's official motorcycles .Any other initiative must be authorized by race management. The wearing of leader's raincoats, other than those supplied by the organization, is forbidden." Regulations governing the wearing of leader's jerseys: The Tour de France is famous for these different-colored jerseys that represent the race's current leaders in several areas, so the management of this equipment is also regulated. "In all stages, regardless of the world or national world or national champion's jersey, which must be worn wearing of which is compulsory, each rider may only wear the jersey the jersey, shorts and cap of his team, which must comply with UCI regulations regulations. The leaders of ...

6.1 Player segmentation

• Décathlon France
• Ekoï
• Oakley
• Specialized
• Shimano
• Intersport International
• Intersport France
• Impex
• CMP Campagnolo
• Add One
• Ertedis
• Chollet
• Zefal