As an urban cyclist and a cycling bag designer, i'm always keeping my eyes peeled for whats going on in the cycling world. The following article highlights what i think are the top X trends for cycling to watch for 2020.
Here is the list (in no particular order)
1) Ebikes
2) Older people cycling
3) Emotive and playful cycling accessories
4) Sock doping
5) Dockless e-bikes
6) More female bike riders
7) More cargo bikes on the road for business and family use
8) Anti-pollution masks will be more common place
9) The rise of the instagram cyclist craze
10) More pets on bikes
Read on for more of an explanation about the above categories, we would also love to hear your predictions in the comments below.
1) E-bikes
Ebikes are all the rage, they mean you can cycle longer distances, faster and more easily, it can also save people money, too. An Evans survey of 2,000 commuters estimated that by switching from car, bus, tube or train to ebikes, commuters could save an average of £7,791 over five years. Recently e-bikes have been added to the cycle to work scheme in the UK which is set to increase e-bike usage even more as people can get rebates on their purchase through their work places. The below image is from Go Cycle.
2) Older people cycling
Thanks to the e-bike technology and the increased affordability of e-bikes, people with lower fitness levels can cycle relatively long journeys regularly with the help of a bit of power. Cycling has been found to be able to reverse the ageing process, keeping your muscles and immune system healthy, so it's no wonder more seniors are taking up this relatively low impact sport.
3) Emotive and playful cycling accessories
Loffi cycling gloves are all about breaking down the barriers between cyclists and motorists by being friendly. Same with Goodordering cycling bags which are brightly coloured and cute. Cyclists don't want to come across as arrogant twats they want to come across as humans.
4) Sock doping
Cycling socks are functional and cute and have spread to mainstream fashion. Beyond the fashion, cycling socks have all the technical properties including high visibility, anti-bacterial and breathability. If you are a cyclist, you can read this article on 6 things to consider when buying cycling socks.
5) Dockless e-bikes
In cities increasing congested with traffic the fastest way to get from A to B may very well be on 2 wheels. In London we have a couple of brands that go head to head against each other. You can read about the battle of the dockless ebikes HERE on the Evening Standard article "Uber vs. Lime"
6) More women on bikes
In London, 37% of cyclists are female, with improved infrastructure in cities making it safer both in perception and reality for all cyclists, the number of female cyclists are on the rise.
7) The continual rise of cargo bikes
From school drop offs to moving office and flower deliveries, cargo bikes are on the rise. They are rapidly replacing the car in many sustainable households. Riding to school rather than driving can also have many other financial and time saving benefits.
8) Anti-pollution masks will be more common
Cyclists are becoming more aware of the dangerous effects of air pollution. Just recently the Guardian newspaper published an article after testing the 5 best anti-pollution masks for cycling. As we battle airborne pollution and the threat of virus' and germs, people are getting more used to wearing masks - similar to in Asia where people with a cold or flu have been wearing masks for decades. I predict that similar to a helmet, commuters in polluted cities such as London will begin to wear masks as standard.
9) Insta-cyclists
There are an increasing number of instagram accounts dedicated to cycling, lots of cycling candy to look at, some high following accounts include Julia Favero's @franceantarctique, @lina_bo and @clippedinandfree
10) Pets on bikes
More of an internet phenomenon Ebikes are now eligible for the cycle to work scheme in the uk. You can check out our pinterest board "pets on bikes" featuring many adoreable cats and dogs on bikes (with their owners).
Lifestyle cycling which is slow and enjoyable is what Goodordering is all about and we love to track trends in this arena, not just in technology and hardware, but in the emotive and lifestyle that goes along with cycling. If you would like to get in touch please email hello@goodordering.com we would love to hear from you.