- High availability of bikes and accessories at BIKE24
- More than 20 new complete bike brands complement the assortment
- The bicycle as a cost-effective and sustainable problem solver in the current situation
- Most daily journeys under ten kilometers
Dresden, 28 June 2022 – In times of extreme fuel costs and impending climate change, the bicycle is becoming a real alternative to the car for more and more people. Among others, for those who rather cover short distances in everyday life, the switch is very attractive. BIKE24 supports all those who increasingly rely on cost-effective and sustainable mobility on two wheels. With a constantly expanding range of complete bikes and accessories, as well as many years of experience, the online store has been a popular place for numerous bike enthusiasts to shop for everything to do with bicycles for years.
The price of a litre of Super E10 has risen by just under 60 cents in a year, and that of a litre of diesel by as much as around 70 cents. This makes driving almost unaffordable for some people. Even the federal government's fuel rebate has not changed this much so far. Statistically speaking, one solution to the problem is already available to almost every German: The bicycle. According to the German "Zweirad-Industrie-Verband" (ZIV), there were around 81 million bicycles in this country in 20211 and the growth trend is still unbroken.
"Despite the high level of bike coverage, we continue to see growth rates in complete bike sales. In addition to the ongoing trend towards e-bikes, cargo bikes are also becoming increasingly popular," reports Andrés Martin-Birner, CEO of BIKE24. "Compared to last year, we can now respond to the high demand thanks to a much more relaxed delivery situation. In addition, we have expanded our range in the complete bike segment with more than 20 new attractive brands. These include premium manufacturers such as Orbea, Haibike and Kalkhoff."
But it doesn't always have to be a new purchase. However, an existing bike should be checked for its roadworthiness and safety after long periods of standing in the cellar or garage. The accessories needed to make bike and biker fit for everyday use are also available in BIKE24's user-friendly online store: from new taillights to helmets and saddle bags. Most items can be shipped on the same day if ordered by 3 pm. This means that the goods usually reach customers in Germany on the very next day. So, anyone who finds out today that he or she is still missing something for switching to the bike can, in many cases, pedal well-equipped for the first time in the next few days.
On short distances the bike can show all its advantages
The use of bicycles makes sense above all for those who tend to make short journeys in everyday life - for example, for the commute to work. The ZIV has also presented exciting figures on this: 190 million of the 250 million journeys made in Germany each day are shorter than ten kilometres, 65 million of which are shorter than five kilometres 2. Over such distances, the bicycle can score points right down the line. Not only is it faster than the car for distances under ten kilometres. It also eliminates the hassles of finding a parking space and paying high parking fees that are often charged in cities.
There is another important argument in favour of increased bicycle use: as a means of transport that does not use fossil fuels, the bicycle is particularly environmentally friendly. Every meter travelled in the saddle instead of in a car seat saves CO2 and thus makes an active contribution to achieving climate targets. However, many regions in Germany still lack the appropriate infrastructure. But a lot is expected to happen soon. Stakeholders such as the ZIV and the German government agree that cycling must be promoted and Germany must be expanded as a cycling location in order to support the traffic turnaround. For example, among other things the Federal Ministry of Transport is providing a total of around 155 million euros for innovative model projects in cycling from 2020 to 2026.
BIKE24 itself is setting a good example in terms of green mobility. Numerous team members already regularly cycle to the logistics and administration site in Dresden. They are supported in this by their employer, among other things by leasing offers for company bikes.
1 ZIV „Marktdaten Fahrräder und E-Bikes 2021“ (Market data bicycles and e-bikes 2021)
2 ZIV-Positionen zur Bundestagswahl 2021 (ZIV positions on the 2021 federal election)