Almost 20 million people use them regularly and about 11 million do it at least once a week
The use of the bicycle It is at all-time highs in Spain and there are already almost 20 million people who use them regularly in a commitment to sustainable mobility in which the combination of “leisure and sport” also plays a leading role, as explained to Efe by the general secretary of the Association of Brands and Bicycles of Spain (AMBE), Jesus Freire.
In fact, last year it continued to grow and already they are used at least once a week by 11 million userswhich means 40% more between 2019 and 2022according to the latest barometer published by the Network of Cities for Bicycles.
Among the main reasons for this increase are “the post-confinement era”, the “commitment of the population to sustainable mobility” and its use for “leisure and sports”, Freire has indicated.
Environmental protection also appears among the reasons for its use, although, according to Freire, “this was one of the most chosen reasons before, but now the population uses it more for comfort, practicality, health and physical activity”.
According to the barometer data, the most important reasons for using it today are walking (84.1%), playing sports (79.2%), daily trips (56.9%), going to a health center studies (40.4%) and going to work (36.9%).
In these last two reasons, the rise has been especially noticeable (of 11.1 points in the case of going to study centers and 10 points in that of going to work) since 2019 and at this moment they represent the most important for around than 30% of users altogether.
Urban use and the rise of the electric bicycle
Another fact that demonstrates the striking increase in the bicycle as a means of transport in urban use is that they are already about 20 million people who use it regularly in Spain and, although the mountain bike continues to be “the most consumed, it is worth noting the rise in recent years of the electric bicycle & rdquor ;.
An AMBE report entitled ‘The bicycle sector in figures’ dating from 2021 confirms that at that time “more than 220,000 electric bicycles were sold with an average price of 2,861 euros& rdquor ;, one of the reasons that has led this industry to ask to “include the bicycle in the Government’s Moves Plan to help purchase sustainable vehicles & rdquor; since “those who use it do so more often and for longer distances& rdquor; between 50 and 80 km, Freire has estimated.
Josep Travería, director of the Proride cycling maintenance product sales company, has certified to Efe that thee-bikes are “a sustainable alternative to other vehicles such as motorcycleseven with the inconvenience of its cost and the consumption of the batteries & rdquor ;.
The rise of the bicycle is also associated with that of the production of accessories and components, especially in 2021 “when there was a very accelerated demand & rdquor ;.
Sales in Spain “stand at a million and a half units with an average price of 984 euros& rdquor;, which has made the country a “leader in the production of bicycles and brands& rdquor;, as well as the European country that exports the most outside the EU.
“It is unsustainable not to bet on the bicycle & rdquor;
Although there are localities where they are used more than in others, today “it is politically unsustainable not to bet on the bicycle,” warns Freire, who congratulates itself on the construction of bike lane networks or car parks as well as the use of shared bikes especially “in Seville, Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid& rdquor;, so that “in the next five years there will be no city in Spain that has not made a clear commitment to cycling& rdquor;.
Travería added that it is also a question of “education & rdquor; and “awareness & rdquor; of the citizenry, alleging that “you have to leave the car and the motorcycle, and pedal a little” to “stop emitting CO2 in cities like Madrid and Barcelona, which are crying out for it& rdquor ;.
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