Bike & e-bike: The big trend towards cycling
Biking is booming: whether road bike, gravel bike, mountain bike, e-bike or city bike in a wide variety of designs - from cruiser to vintage hipster bike. The bicycle has long since become more than just a piece of sports equipment; it is also a popular means of transport for avoiding traffic jams in cities. Numerous delivery services now also use this environmentally friendly form of mobility. The choice of models is correspondingly broad these days. ISPO.com shows the latest bike trends and provides tips for areas of application. At around 81 million, the number of bicycles in Germany is higher than ever before (source: Statista).
The bike is an integral part of the extreme sports scene and has been for years. Back in the nineties, BMX was an integral part and phenomenon of pop culture, with riders like Dave Mirra already stars back then, some with their own video games. In the meantime, the scene has differentiated and also professionalized. Both BMX and mountain bike athletes can pursue their sport professionally thanks to sponsors, prize money, and not least the fan base and reach on social media. Professional riders take spectators on film shoots to the most remote and beautiful places in the world.
Coolness, thrills and style on the bike are to reach even more viewers in the future. BMX Freestyle became an Olympic sport for the first time in 2021, after BMX racing had already been an Olympic sport since the Beijing Games in 2008 and cross country mountain biking since 1996. As with every sport that becomes Olympic, the significance of this step is hotly debated in the scene.
The love of mountain biking is so great that the offspring should finally come along? No problem! From tour planning to the ideal riding order to the perfect equipment: With our seven practical tips for MTB-enthusiastic parents, every tour with your kids will be a success!
No one masters the wheel like Danny McAskill. While normal cyclists try not to hit the rails, Danny jumps from one rail to the opposite one with a 180 degree turn. He pulls front and back flips in places that are life-threatening even without a rollover. He performs his acrobatic tricks on a road bike instead of a trial bike if need be. At the same time, his videos are not higher, faster, further - he tells stories with them and fascinates. No matter if biker or not, which leads to millions of clicks on his videos.
Cycling combines mobility with sustainability and can also be flexibly integrated into everyday life as a workout, since people spend this time commuting anyway. Rental systems in city centers provide additional mobility and at the same time relieve public transportation and main traffic arteries clogged with cars.
E-bikes only make this fact more interesting, as they also provide a means of transport for commuters on longer journeys, allowing their owner to reach his or her destination relaxed and without getting sweaty. While the global e-bike market already had a size of $14.9 billion in 2019, it is forecast to increase further to $20 billion worldwide in 2023 (source: Statista). However, due to the pandemic, bikes without motors, equipment and components are in demand as never before.
The industry is also innovating when it comes to components such as brakes or gears, taking advantage of new developments in wireless and hydraulics. In addition, there are individual designs and weight savings in the area of frames.
Digitalization also plays into the cards of the affine biker: Thanks to fitness apps and data, rides and workouts can be measured, analyzed and compared ever more effectively.
