450,000 bicycles sold in Belgium in 2015

Belgian bicycle dealers will have sold about 450,000 bicycles by year-end, an increase of 3% compared to the previous year, when the sector grew by 7.5%. This year dealers can thank the success of the electric bicycle, or e-bike, for the increase, writes De Standaard.

The figures come from a study conducted during Belgium's annual bike fair Velofollies, which surveyed 1,500 bicycle shops about their sales numbers. The results show that women's bikes account for 75% of sales in Belgium, and men's bikes 25%. Three-quarters of the total sales in 2015 are for the e-bike, which already has a market share of 25%. Road bikes and mountain bikes account for 10% of market share.

The price of the e-bike has increased slightly this year, the study shows, with buyers paying an average of €2,170 per e-bike, compared to €2,050 last year.

Research by Velofollies also reveals that 35% of the hobby cyclists in Belgium own three bikes.