3 Reasons Why the cycling industry boomed in 2020 despite lockdowns

India has started to look back at cycling all over again. The cycling craze has gone so far that all you need to do is step out of your home to spot a cyclist going to work in their formals.​ This has resulted in a boom for the cycling industry that seemed to be struggling in the past decade.

According to an article published in News18, “In 2020, the Indian bicycle industry hit a peak that it hadn’t reached in the past decade. The COVID-19 effect played a major role in giving a boost to the industry. The growth rate shot up to 15–20 percent from the earlier 5–7 percent a year as per the company data. As per the Niti Aayog report, the Indian bicycle industry is set to grow at a CAGR of 8.6% between 2017–2030.”

What is the reason behind this trend for cycling?

What is this COVID-19 impact?

Let us find out!

1. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

The Covid-19 pandemic has made people realize the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The ‘keyword' during the covid-19 pandemic was Immunity. So much so that many brands used this keyword to target their potential customers.

Unintentionally, this greatly helped the cycling industry.

How so? Let us find that out.

To boost immunity, two things are very important:-

I) What we eat

II) How we exercise

Let us come to exercise. To incorporate a type of exercise that perfectly suits the busy lifestyle of city dwellers, cycling is the best option.

Cycling as an exercise is an extremely useful cardio exercise. It also helps in toning up your lower body. Experts believe cycling to be a very good form of exercise for boosting overall fitness level. Also, it doesn’t require you to take out time from your busy day as you can use it for commuting to your work.

To adopt a healthy lifestyle, the use of cycles started to trend not only among Indians but throughout the world in the post-Covid era.

2. ECO-FRIENDLY

The Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdowns drastically brought down pollution levels. According to an article published in CNN, “People in the northern Indian state of Punjab are reacting with awe at the sight of the Himalayan mountain range, which is now visible from more than 100 miles away due to the reduction in air pollution caused by the country’s coronavirus lockdown.” This visible change in the environment caused people to realize the beauty of this planet when it is free from air pollution. Also, the spotting of rare species made people realize the importance of understanding the concept of co-existence between humans and animals. People realized that if we don’t give our fellow species on this planet their space, nature has its way of claiming it back. An article published in The Hindu claimed, “From whooper swans in Kashmir to Himalayan serow in Spiti Valley, birds and animals that have rarely been spotted showed up in 2020, much to the excitement of naturalists.”

These incidents made a strong realization of the importance of leading towards an eco-friendly society.

While motor vehicles that run on crude oil are a major concern for air pollution, bicycles cause zero pollution.

To contribute towards a cleaner, greener, and better world where humans and animals can live together peacefully, people started to prioritize cycling over other vehicles for commutation. Also, e-cycles and e-bikes are gaining popularity for the same reason.

3. THE LOVE FOR CYCLING

Over the years, cycling has gained popularity not just as a mode of commutation but also as a sport. Cycling is not confined only to professional cyclists anymore. People from all walks of life have started to take cycling as a great recreational activity. These cyclists go for rides and set personal milestones. These milestones are generally kilometre milestones. For example, doing a 50Km or a 100 Km ride is a goal for every road cyclist especially when they are beginning their cycling journey. Also, cycling clubs and organizations have gained popularity and are organizing cycle rides and rallies regularly to keep the cycling community united.

The year 2020 saw a new chapter in cycling as a sport or recreational activity. As a result of covid-19 induced lockdowns, people started to take on the roads on their bicycles and traveled within their city or state in times when traveling was greatly restricted.

These are the primary reasons behind the unexpected boom of the cycling industry in India in times when the country was going through one of its biggest recessions. In my opinion, this is not a short-term success but a trend that seems will last for a long time bringing back the old glory days for the cycling industry.