Image source: Louis Vuitton
Xiaohongshu blogger @文伟楽zi who lives in Beijing bought his first bicycle during the epidemic last year, and began to share riding and dressing-related notes on Xiaohongshu. He said, “Since I live deep in the alleys of Beijing, I think bicycles are the best way to travel, so after buying a bicycle, it became my daily means of transportation. I will randomly wander around the streets of Beijing when the weather is good. Turn.”
In the past two years, many urban people like @文伟楽 have become more yearning for healthy outdoor activities. Cycling, a sport that was used as a daily commute in the past, has become a new choice for young people in outdoor activities after camping, and it has also become a way to express a healthy lifestyle.
According to data released by Research And Markets, the global bicycle market was worth US$43.7 billion in 2020. The growth caused by the epidemic is expected to continue for five years or more. It is conservatively expected that the global bicycle market will reach US$82.3 billion in 2027. The demand in the Chinese market has also increased significantly this year. On e-commerce platforms such as Taobao, , JD.com, and , bicycle sales have experienced double or even triple-digit growth in the past two months. Leading international bicycle brands have also noticed this demand. The largest bicycle brand in the UK with nearly 20,000 notes on 小红书BROMPTON, in addition to deploying offline sales channels in multiple cities, has also reached the first official cooperation in China. , will be launched on Dewu App on July 9, and will exclusively launch the new product line A Line. At the same time, luxury brands also see new business potential and value.
So, why is cycling, an outdoor activity that is not “new”, rising in the post-epidemic era? What attempts have luxury brands made in this field? How can major brands seize new opportunities in the future in this hot trend?
The right place and right time:
Three elements of the emergence of "cycling fever"
With the recurrence of epidemics and the extension of time at home, domestic consumers are becoming more and more interested in outdoor activities. Although cycling is not as naturally attractive as emerging outdoor projects such as camping, paddleboarding, and Frisbee , at the current time, cycling as a traditional healthy travel method has attracted the attention of urban people. Urban leisure cycling The industry craze is also on the rise. According to Wind data, the sales volume of domestic bicycles, riding equipment and spare parts market from January to April this year reached 7.684 million pieces, a year-on-year increase of 9.97%, and the growth rate is second only to the 22% increase in 2020. In terms of selling prices, the average selling price of bicycles and related products soared sharply from January to April this year, with a year-on-year increase of 76.7%. The increase in sales and selling prices shows that the cycling economy is "re-emerging".
In fact, the sport of cycling did not become popular overnight, but has been gaining momentum over time. What cannot be ignored is that domestic consumers have paid more and more attention to health in recent years. According to the "National Sports and Health Trend Report" released by CBNData and Keep, with the steady development of the national economy and the continuous improvement of national living standards, the public's health awareness has begun to awaken. Compared with family happiness, wealth and job satisfaction, national changes You have to pay more attention to your health. As an outdoor means of transportation that can maintain effective social distance during the epidemic, cycling is not only linked to daily commuting, but also the best choice for healthy and environmentally friendly travel. Therefore, it is gradually becoming a favorite travel option for more and more people. Way.
Cycling is gradually becoming a more and more popular way of traveling. Image source: Weibo @Chaotianjin
Alison Malmsten, marketing director of Daxue Consulting, a Chinese strategic consulting agency, also mentioned these two points in an interview with Jing Daily, and pointed out that the increase in domestic consumers’ environmental awareness after the epidemic is accompanied by these two factors. This has prompted people to choose cycling as an activity.As climate change and sustainable development continue to attract global attention, more and more consumers are aware of the impact of consumption behavior on the environment and include sustainability as one of the main factors in consumption considerations. According to the recently released report "Climate Change 2022: Mitigating Climate Change" by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ), the global average annual emissions of greenhouse gases from 2010 to 2019 are at the highest level in human history, and cities Transport issues have become more pressing, and mobility options such as walking, cycling and public transport can help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
At present, many countries have begun to make major investments in a "car-free" future, increasing bicycle infrastructure and opening streets to cyclists, further encouraging people to turn to cycling, such as the Italian government purchasing bicycles for citizens and scooters, the Berlin government in Germany expanded temporary bicycle lanes, the French government issued bicycle maintenance subsidies, and provided a transportation subsidy of 400 euros per person for employees commuting by bicycle after the national "unblocking". In September last year, Beijing also officially announced the "Beijing Slow Travel System Plan (2020-2035)", proposing that by 2035, the slow travel system will be deeply integrated with urban development to form a "transit + slow travel" green travel model , to build a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly city.
Luxury brands have already entered the game
"Luxury brands hope to keep up with modern trends and be closer to outdoor life, rather than just a gorgeous image. This winter, we have seen brands such as Louis Vuitton launch high-end skis, and in summer, we can also see Look at the trends of these luxury brands in the bicycle field. "After the epidemic, Chinese consumers are more eager to explore outdoors than before, so Malmsten suggested, "Luxury brands must continue to innovate to adapt to outdoor scenes, rather than typical urban shopping mall scenes. ”
In fact, it is not new for luxury brands to get involved in outdoor sports and leisure. From the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and NBA, Gucci and The North Face to Prada launching the Linea Rossa ski series, more and more luxury brands are beginning to get involved in the field of outdoor sports. Among them, cycling is also favored by luxury brands. Back in 2008, Karl Lagerfeld designed a handmade, all-black bike for Chanel, with the brand's classic diamond pattern and double C logo on the leather. Last year, Louis Vuitton collaborated with French custom bike maker Maison Tamboite to launch classic bicycles, custom-made for customers through modern digital modeling methods, with each bike engraved with a unique number. At this year's Milan Design Week, Tod's also launched a limited edition bicycle in collaboration with Colnago. Other luxury brands such as Hermès, Fendi and Armani have also launched bicycles with different brand characteristics.
Louis Vuitton has teamed up with French custom bike maker Maison Tamboite to launch a classic bike. Image source: Louis Vuitton
The British " Daily Mail " once reported that a survey found that compared with the poorest fifth of the British population, the richest fifth of the country's population rides an average of more bicycle trips per year. The distance is 5 times longer than the former. Bicycles are second only to football in popularity in Europe and are known as "rich people's fashion" and a symbol of "environmental protection", "low carbon" and "slow life". In view of this, it is not surprising that luxury brands cross-border launch their own brand or cross-border cooperation with other brands of bicycles.
Currently, there are more than 1.06 million user-generated contents with the keyword #cycling# on the Xiaohongshu platform. Xiaohongshu has also launched the hashtag #CyclingOne Summer to encourage netizens to participate in cycling and publish relevant notes. , this hashtag has more than 2,400 user-generated content as of the time of publication.More and more young people like @文伟凯子 are joining the cycling ranks in the post-epidemic era and sharing relevant content on social networking sites, including "cycling wear" and "cycling equipment" "A kind of "planting grass" notes. Cycling has become a form of social currency, a source of conversation in circles, and a form of personalized self-expression.
Cycling-related user-generated content on Xiaohongshu. Image source: Xiaohongshu screenshot
Data from the "2021 China Sports Cycling Survey Report" released by Meiqi shows that young adults aged 18 to 41 are the main group of cycling, accounting for 77.45%, and this is The main target group of many luxury brands pursuing youth. In order to meet the unique consumption needs and online sharing habits of young consumers, many luxury brands have launched customized bicycle accessories that are suitable for cycling, such as water bottles, bicycle bags and sportswear.
In addition, as these young consumers become more environmentally friendly, luxury brands cross-border and launch more practical items such as bicycles, which may gain a group of new consumer groups’ awareness of the brand and bring them closer to young consumers. distance and gain a lot of exposure and discussion on the Internet. On a psychological level, it can also reduce some of the negative emotions caused by consuming luxury goods and luxury services during the epidemic.
The electric bicycle market is growing with it
In the context of the bicycle market that has been growing year by year, the outbreak of the epidemic is like a strong catalyst. Changes in people's awareness of health and environmental protection and travel patterns, as well as the regulatory and policy support from governments around the world in green travel, have led to a rapid growth trend in the electric bicycle market.
Taking Europe as an example, according to a report released by the European Bicycle Industry Federation, EU and UK electric bicycle sales increased by 40% in 2020, reaching 22 million units, with total sales reaching 18.3 billion euros. Among them, the sales of electric bicycles reached 4.5 million units, with sales reaching 10.6 billion euros, a growth rate of 52%. At present, this emerging industry is showing the development trend of "fashion" and "high-end". Electric bicycles are also surpassing the traditional means of transportation and becoming a prominent representative of the new generation's lifestyle.
American electric bicycle brand SUPER73 has become a new favorite in the fashion circle with the support of Justin Bieber, G-Dragon, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Will Smith and Lisa. The brand has also collaborated with Saint Laurent and Hiroshi Fujiwara’s personal brand NEIGHBORHOOD to launch co-branded e-bikes. Mate.Bike, a Danish brand that also focuses on electric bicycles, has also cooperated with Moncler and Palm Angels to launch limited edition electric bicycles. In addition, there are many emerging electric bicycle brands similar to SUPER73 and Mate.Bike. With the help of capital, they have created new experiences and visual designs for users, and have become "fashion items" favored by trendy people. Traditional luxury goods Brands also smell new business opportunities.
SUPER73 x Saint Laurent joint electric bicycle image source: Saint Laurent
However, although China’s young consumers are highly receptive to new things and their awareness of environmental protection is gradually increasing, they are limited by the Chinese people’s stereotype of electric bicycles. The market share of and domestic electric bicycle brands, and the popularity and awareness of international brands in the country are still low.
But whether it is a traditional bicycle or an electric bicycle that has been favored by luxury brands in the past two years, as people pay more attention to healthy and sustainable lifestyles in the post-epidemic era, the field of cross-border cycling is worth a try for luxury brands. It will not only gain more young audiences for luxury brands, but may also become an organic carrier for them to promote sustainable development.
author | Jingyi Li
editor | Wu Wenzhuo
