Germany’s bicycle industry, still searching for growth after the post-pandemic slump, may be overlooking its largest untapped customer group: women. A new study circulating in the German trade press estimates that female riders could generate between €520 and €950 million in additional revenue by 2030 — with up to €570 million from bike sales alone.
The context is sobering. Market researchers at IFH Köln put the German bike market at roughly €12.2 billion last year and expect little to no growth through the end of the decade. Women make up about 51 percent of the population but account for only 38 percent of bicycle-related spending. If that gap closed entirely, the theoretical upside would reach €3.3 billion.
The catch, according to the underlying survey by the Velostiftung, is that the barrier isn’t product or marketing — it’s safety. Some 49 percent of women report feeling unsafe cycling in traffic, compared with 33 percent of men, and 56 percent name safety as a key purchase criterion. The study identifies a segment of “safety seeking riders” who would cycle more often but are held back by poor infrastructure: missing bike lanes, chaotic intersections, and close-passing cars.
For dealers, there is still actionable ground. A group labelled “service oriented riders” — 23 percent of respondents — already rides regularly and wants better advice and support. But as the analysis bluntly notes, no amount of improved retail experience or better-equipped e-bikes can fix a dangerous commute. That part of the billion-euro promise sits with city planners, not the bike industry.
Source: wattmoves.de