PHILADELPHIA, PA (BRAIN) Thursday July 26 2012 10:56 AM MT—The warm winter brought smiles all around as suppliers and retailers booked record early sales. Yet sales success is slowing in the heat of summer for suppliers.
But it’s still good news: sales are up $40.7 million to $577.1 million over the first six months, and unit shipments increased by 66,284 units, according to the Bicycle Products Supplier Association Leisure Trends June report.
That said, the market is changing. 29ers and hybrids are driving most of the sales gains, but comfort bikes are picking up market share after falling 22 percent last year. And sidewalk bikes, which fell 13 percent last year, are up 16 percent so far this year. Shipments of 24-inch bikes, a good category last year, continue to pick up steam, and who would have expected suppliers could more than double sales of rigid 26-inch mountain bikes?
The situation in traditionally strong categories is not as upbeat. Sales of 26-inch mountain bikes are off $20.7 million as 29ers continue to cannibalize sales. And unit shipments of road bikes fell four percent, though the category still posted a four percent sales gain in dollars.
