Latest figures show Australia has "massive interest in cycling"
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
Participation in cycling for recreation and transport is falling in Australia according to a national survey published last week, however bicycle sales continue to climb.
Australian bicycle sales hit a new record in 2014-15 with a total of 1,419,825 units coming into the country. The statistics, which have been collected by Bicycle Industries Australia (BIA) since 1995, show that bike sales have been higher than cars sales for the last fifteen years.
The announcement of record bike sales coincides with the release of The Australian National Cycling Participation Survey. The survey revealed that the proportion of Australians who said they cycled in the last month declined from 27% in 2011 to 24% in 2015. The proportion who said they'd cycled over the previous twelve months also declined, from 40% to 36%. However, on a more positive note the survey also found that the proportion who said they'd cycled in the last week remained steady over 2011-2015 at 17%.
Those who cycled in the last week are likely to be more committed riders, so this figure is encouraging. When you also consider the population boom over 2011-2014, the number of riders in this category is actually increasing.
Of those who are avid cyclists, 30% say they cycle for transport purposes while those who cycle for recreation was up from 81% in 2011 to 85% in 2015.
So, according to the survey, around 14% of the nation's population cycled in the last week for recreation and 5% for transport.
Five years of national surveys by the Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF) and the Heart Foundation have shown that many more Australians would choose to cycle for transport if it was safer and there was better infrastructure.
"Both the sales record and the responses from Australians we have surveyed over the last 5 years show massive interest in cycling," said the CPF's Stephen Hodge.
Cytech in Australia
As the Australian cycling industry grows, Cytech is continuing its international growth and will be delivering technical training to the cycle trade and enthusiasts in Australia from 2016.
Cytech technical training for the trade and home mechanics will be delivered across Australia by training providers who will follow in the footsteps of Torq Zone Academy in South Africa. More information will be published once training providers and locations are confirmed.