Reduced traffic, good weather and investment in cycling infrastructure has seen sales in bicycle stores increase 32% year on year so far as more people look to reduce their carbon footprint and hop on their bike instead of jumping in their car.

The data also reveals that people are spending more in bicycle shops than last year, with the value of transactions up 13% year on year. The data, which was compiled from almost one million AIB debit and credit card transactions between January 2019 and September 2020 has been anonymised and aggregated. 

The month of June, when restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic started to lift, saw consumers rush to bicycle stores, with sales 70% higher than those in June 2019. This was after a drop in sales (-34% YOY) in April when physical bicycle stores and stricter Covid-19 restrictions were in place. In July and August sales in bicycle stores were 63% and 53% higher year on year respectively with this trend continuing into to September with sales 63% higher than September 2019. 

The biggest increase in bicycle store spend was in Westmeath* up 59% year on year, followed by Dublin which saw sales increase 40% year on year. The smallest increase in bicycle store spend was in Kerry with sales up only 2% year on year. 

Those over the age of 55 accounted for the biggest increase in sales this year, with those between the ages of 55 and 64 spending 41% more than last year, and those over 65 spending 48% more in bike stores than in 2019. 

Spend by women in bicycle stores was 41% higher than in 2019. Meanwhile, spend among men was 29% higher than in 2019. 

Rachel Naughton, Head of SME Banking at AIB said “Covid-19 has accelerated many changes in Irish society as people adapt to new, more sustainable ways of living.  Reduced traffic on our roads, increased cycling infrastructure and good weather this year saw consumer spending in bicycles stores up 32% on last year. In June, when the restrictions lifted and people were allowed move more freely, bicycle store sales were 70% higher when compared with the previous year. The demographics of who is cycling has also changed, with those over 65 spending 48% more in bicycle stores than they did in 2019, while spend by women in bicycle stores was 41% higher than in 2019. 

Speaking about an increase in consumer demand for bicycles this year, Simon Evans, owner of LittleBig Bikes, a sustainable bicycle manufacturer and AIB customer, said,

“The demand for bicycles this year has been phenomenal, our sales are double what they were last year. The first few months when we started to emerge from the initial lockdown were our best trading months ever, bigger than any previous Christmas or summer. As a result of Covid more families have found the outdoors and are cycling places where previously they would have taken the car. During the summer months when there was reduced traffic on the roads they also felt safer and we saw more families cycling together which led to the surge.

On the flip side, as we have seen such an increase in demand for bicycles we are running out of stock in record times. We manufacture our own bicycles and we cannot get parts quick enough to produce the bicycles to sell.”

Service Stations

 During the same period, the amount of money spent in service stations reduced by 7% year on year, with the biggest reduction in spend coming from those in Wicklow (12%), Waterford (11%) and Dublin (10%). 

April, at the height of the restrictions, saw the biggest decrease in spend with sales down 40% year on year. 

Those over the age of 65 reduced their spending in service stations by 9%, while those under 25 increased their spend by 1%  – the only grouping to do so. Women have spent 11% less in services stations this year compared to men, who have  spent 4% less.

Key Findings Tables

County Spend Increase/Decrease 2020 (Vs. 2019)

County	Percentage Change
Carlow	-10%
Cavan	+16%
Clare	+35%
Cork	+33%
Donegal	+31%
Dublin	+40%
Galway	+33%
Kerry	+2%
Kildare	+39%
Kilkenny	+13%
Laois	+28%
Leitrim	+13%
Limerick	+37%
Longford	+12%
Louth	+18%
Mayo	+16%
Meath	+23%
Monaghan	+24%
Offaly	+38%
Roscommon	+34%
Sligo	+8%
Tipperary	+38%
Waterford	+28%
Westmeath	+59%
Wexford	+32%
Wicklow	+30%

Bicycle Store Sales – Age Breakdown

Age Range	Change in Sales %
<25	+23%
25 – 34	+24%
35 – 44	+26%
45 – 54	+43%
55 – 64	+41%
65+	+48%

Bicycle Store Sales 2020 (Vs 2019)

Month	Change in Sales %
January	1%
February	0%
March	-4%
April	-34%
May	49%
June	70%
July	63%
August	53%
September	63%

Service Station Sales – Age Breakdown

Age Range	Change in Sales %
<25	+1%
25 – 34	-10%
35 – 44	-8%
45 – 54	-5%
55 – 64	-5%
65+	-9%

Service Station – 2020 (Vs 2019)

Month	Change in Sales %
January	11%
February	14%
March	-10%
April	-40%
May	-28%
June	-9%
July	5%
August	1%
September	-2%