Big increase in demand for gravel bikes
The data suggests that the market is normalising after the upheavals during the coronavirus pandemic. According to the annual survey by the Swiss bicycle supplier association Velosuisse, the volume of bicycles delivered has decreased by around 7 per cent compared to 2024. However, there is an upward trend in the sub-sector of sporty bikes and e-bikes. Positive conclusions can also be drawn for everyday bikes.
In 2025, 316,050 bicycles (59%) and e-bikes (41%) were delivered to the bicycle trade in Switzerland. That is around 25,000 fewer vehicles or a drop of 7.4 per cent compared to the previous year. Not all areas recorded a decline: the popularity of gravel bikes (off-road racing bikes) remains unbroken. Sales of e-gravel bikes more than doubled to 2162 units and the motorless variants also increased by a third to 21,702 units, with significantly higher unit numbers. The increase in racing bikes was just under 9 per cent to 17,524 units.
While sports bikes were among the winners, the decline in deliveries was attributable to everyday bikes. Stock levels were particularly high in this volume market. This can be explained by the fact that specialist dealers reduce their stocks first before reordering new vehicles. The fact that the decline compared to the period 2023 to 2024 was noticeably lower indicates that even in this segment, sales to consumers were good and the desire to ride a bike remains unbroken.
The desire for sports bikes
This also pleases Velosuisse President and passionate cyclist Nathalie Schneitter. She says: «As the sports bike segment is significantly more expensive in the specialised trade than the everyday bike segment, some of the decline in sales has been made up for.» What Schneitter is also pleased about is the increasing proportion of women she observes on her daily bike rides.
Following the fantastic growth rates in the coronavirus years 2020 to 2022, the bicycle industry has been in a consolidation phase since 2023. A certain degree of market saturation and the geopolitical situation, which are not conducive to the buying mood, contributed to the fact that the high inventories from the coronavirus resupply could not initially be reduced to the desired extent. However, the low point now seems to have been reached in 2025, as the increase in sales in the sports sector shows.
The capacity utilisation of the repair workshops is still very good, as various bike dealers confirm on request. They unanimously report that the beautiful weather, which has persisted for days, is acting as a booster for cyclists.
10 March 2026