The U.S. bicycle industry spans new and used sales, specialty retail, participation, travel and shared mobility. The figures below separate market estimates from survey measures and keep each population, geography and measurement period explicit.
Key Bicycle Industry Statistics
The most useful headline figures include:
- In 2015, U.S. bicycle-industry direct-effect sales were an estimated $6.2 billion across bicycles, parts and accessories and all distribution channels.
- In 2015, an estimated 17.4 million new bicycles of all wheel sizes were sold in the United States.
- In 2015, an estimated 12.5 million new U.S. bicycles had wheels 20 inches or larger.
- In 2015, used-bicycle sales were estimated at $1.2 billion across U.S. channels and private-party transactions.
- In 2024, 112 million Americans age 3 and older rode a bicycle at least once.
- In 2024, 35% of Americans age 3 and older rode a bicycle at least once.
- Between the prior study and 2024, youth participation among U.S. ages 3–17 rose from 49% to 56%.
- From 2016 to 2024, U.S. ridership rose 14%, compared with 4% population growth over the same comparison.
- In 2009, bicycling represented 1% of U.S. person trips.
- In 2009, bicycling represented 0.2% of U.S. person-miles.
- In 2009, the average U.S. bicycle trip was 2.2 miles.
- In 2022, 10.5% of U.S. people age 16 and older used a bicycle in the previous 30 days.
- In 2022, 6.4% of U.S. people age 16 and older used bikeshare in the previous 30 days.
- In 2022, urban bicycle users averaged 6.2 use-days in the previous 30 days, compared with 4.2 days for rural users.
- In 2015, specialty bicycle retailers represented about 49% of bicycle-market dollars but about 13% of units.
- In 2015, bicycles represented 47.4% of the average U.S. bicycle dealer’s revenue.
- In 2022, 60% of U.S. bicycle users were male.
- In 2022, 60% of U.S. bicycle users lived in a metropolitan statistical area with at least 1 million residents.
Contents
- U.S. bicycle market size and sales trends
- Bicycle participation and rider growth
- Bicycle travel, commuting and trip distances
- E-bike, bikeshare and micromobility data
- Bicycle retailers, channels and revenue mix
- Bicycle user demographics and infrastructure context
U.S. Bicycle Industry Market Size and Sales Trends
The National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) describes direct-effect sales as market consumption across bicycles, parts and accessories and all distribution channels. Its figures combine import statistics with estimates of domestic production, so they are estimates rather than audited manufacturer revenue.
| Year | Estimated direct-effect sales | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $6.0 billion | U.S. bicycle industry |
| 2013 | $5.8 billion | U.S. bicycle industry |
| 2014 | $6.1 billion | U.S. bicycle industry |
| 2015 | $6.2 billion | U.S. bicycle industry |
Source: Bicycle Industry Overview 2015 – National Bicycle Dealers Association. The series is a market-consumption estimate and does not account for retail or wholesale inventory; several historical values are marked projected in the source table.
In the same 2015 estimate, the U.S. market sold 12.5 million new bicycles with wheels 20 inches or larger and 17.4 million new bicycles across all wheel sizes. The comparable 2014 series reported 12.4 million larger-wheel bicycles and 18.0 million bicycles across all wheel sizes; these are apparent consumption estimates, not shipment sell-through.
Used bicycles add a separate market layer: NBDA estimated $1.2 billion in 2015 sales through all channels and private parties. That figure should not be added to the new-bicycle industry series without a defined methodology because the categories and transaction bases differ.
Bicycle Participation Statistics and Rider Growth
PeopleForBikes reported that 112 million Americans age 3 and older rode a bicycle at least once in 2024, equal to 35% of that population. Annual participation means at least one ride during the year; it does not measure frequent riding.
Source: More Americans Rode a Bike Than Ever Before in 2024. The 2024 study surveyed 16,000 adults nationwide, while the participation estimate covers people age 3 and older.
Youth measures were especially notable in the study comparison. Participation among ages 3–17 rose from 49% to 56% between the prior study and 2024, while reported ridership increased 9% among ages 3–9 and 15% among ages 10–17.
PeopleForBikes also reported ridership up 14% since 2016, compared with 4% U.S. population growth over the same comparison. These are separate ridership and population growth measures, not a causal estimate, and the source summary does not provide the prior fieldwork year for the youth comparison.
Bicycle Travel, Commuting and Trip-Distance Data
Travel statistics use different denominators, so a bicycle share of trips should not be read as a bicycle share of miles. FHWA’s 2009 National Household Travel Survey mode table put bicycling at 1% of total person trips and 0.2% of total person-miles, with an average bicycle trip of 2.2 miles.
Source: Chapter 3: Travel Behavior. The average covers reported bicycle trips, not recreational ride mileage or annual cyclist mileage.
| Measure | Result | Period and population |
|---|---|---|
| People taking at least one bicycle trip in prior seven days | 7.3% | U.S. respondents, 2001 |
| People taking at least one bicycle trip in prior seven days | 12.6% | U.S. respondents, 2009 |
| People taking at least one bicycle trip in prior seven days | 12.4% | U.S. respondents, 2017 |
| Average bicycle trip | 2.2 miles | U.S. bicycle trips, 2009 |
FHWA notes that survey-method changes can affect historical comparisons for the weekly-recall series. The 2022 national travel summary separately reported that walking and bicycling together accounted for 8% of people’s trips, while motor vehicles accounted for 91%; the combined active-travel figure is not a bicycle-only share.
The same 2022 summary estimated almost 161 billion trips by privately operated vehicles. On weekdays, 31% of private-vehicle trips were commuting trips and 20% served social or recreational purposes; these are private-vehicle purpose measures, not bicycle-commuting measures.
Source: Our Nation’s Highways 2026: Travel. Vehicle trips are not person trips and may include any number of occupants.
E-Bike, Bikeshare and Micromobility Usage Statistics
The 2022 NHTS micromobility tables measure use during the previous 30 days among people age 16 and older. This recall window differs from PeopleForBikes’ annual “at least once” participation definition.
| Measure | United States | Urban households | Rural households |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used a bicycle in prior 30 days | 10.5% | 11.6% | 5.7% |
| Average use-days among bicycle users | 6.0 days | 6.2 days | 4.2 days |
| Used bikeshare in prior 30 days | 6.4% | 6.8% | 2.6% |
Source: Summary of Travel Trends: 2022 National Household Travel Survey. Urban and rural classifications are based on household location, not necessarily where a trip occurred; bikeshare questions were asked of bicycle users.
The urban-rural contrast is visible in both participation and frequency: 11.6% of urban residents age 16 and older used a bicycle in the previous 30 days, compared with 5.7% of rural residents. Among users, the corresponding average was 6.2 days in urban households and 4.2 days in rural households.
Bikeshare is a distinct mode from personal bicycle use. Its 6.4% national past-30-day measure, 6.8% urban measure and 2.6% rural measure therefore should not be treated as additional personal-bike users or combined with the bicycle-use percentages.
Bicycle Retailers, Sales Channels and Revenue Mix
NBDA’s 2015 overview estimated approximately 4,000 specialty bicycle retailers in the United States. Specialty retailers accounted for about 13% of unit sales but approximately 49% of bicycle-market dollars, showing why unit share and dollar share describe different aspects of the channel.
Source: Bicycle Industry Overview 2015 – National Bicycle Dealers Association. The retailer count is approximate and is not a current registry count.
The average dealer’s revenue mix was also broader than bicycle sales alone:
- Bicycles represented 47.4% of average dealer revenue.
- Parts and accessories represented 35.5%.
- Bicycle repair represented 10.7%.
- Bicycle rental represented 0.8%.
- Fitness equipment represented 1.9%.
- Other activities represented 3.5%.
These percentages describe average bicycle-dealer revenue, not total industry revenue share. They also exclude the broader mass-merchant channel and do not establish the market size of repair, rental or fitness equipment individually.
Bicycle User Demographics and Infrastructure Context
The 2022 NHTS user tables describe who reported bicycle use, not who owns a bicycle or how adoption varies by demographic group. Within U.S. bicycle users age 16 and older, 60% were male, 39% were ages 35–54 and 31% were age 55 or older.
Source: Summary of Travel Trends: 2022 National Household Travel Survey. The demographic percentages are compositions of users, and race and Hispanic origin are separate survey dimensions.
Other reported characteristics provide context for the user base:
- 70% of bicycle users were workers in 2022, while 10% were students.
- 51% had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- 23% were of Hispanic origin.
- 60% lived in a metropolitan statistical area with at least 1 million residents.
These results identify the composition of surveyed users rather than proving that a demographic group cycles more or less than another. The metropolitan measure describes residence size, not the location of the reported bicycle trip, and none of these figures alone measures infrastructure quality, safety outcomes or barriers to riding.